Homemade Water Toys

Enjoy summer with some homemade water toys for poolside or backyard fun.

Nothing beats the heat like playing with water in the backyard. Set up the kiddie pool and a craft table and give a dull summer afternoon or a summer birthday party a creative boost with a cool water-toy project. Children can make simple-to-construct homemade water toys with the help of an adult and a few inexpensive supplies.

Things You'll Need

• 9-inch square Styrofoam tray
• Knife
• Long thin balloon
• 6 rubber bands
• 6 paper clips
• 4 ping-pong balls
• Markers
• String
• 4 gallon-sized plastic milk jugs
• Scissors
• Masking tape
• Ribbon
• Water balloons
• Small kitchen sponges without scouring pads, various colors
• Zip ties

Instructions

Balloon Platoon Boat

1. Cut a Styrofoam tray into an oval. Poke six evenly spaced holes in the tray 3/4 inch from the edge with the knife.

2. Blow up the balloon until it is 24 inches long. Tie knots at each end.

3. Slip the rubber bands around the balloon, spaced evenly, and tie the balloon ends together to form an oval.

4. Place the balloon on the Styrofoam base. Pull the rubber bands through the holes and secure them to the bottom side of the base by sliding the paper clips through the rubber bands.

5. Draw faces on the ping-pong balls for platoon-boat passengers and tie the string to the base for a towline.

Water Balloon Catch Game

1. Cut the bottom off the milk jugs with scissors and tape the cut edges to create balloon catchers.

2. Tie ribbons on the handles for decoration.

3. Fill the water balloons with water until they are the size of a grapefruit.

4. Determine two teams of two players.

5. Toss the balloons back and forth, catching the balloons in the milk-jug catchers.

   Step backward after each toss. The winning team keeps the game going the longest without breaking the balloon.

Wet Sponge Balls

1. Cut each kitchen sponge in thirds, lengthwise.

2. Gather eight cut sponge pieces together, mixing and matching colors.

3. Center a zip tie around the middle of the sponges.

4. Pull the zip tie tight and cut off the excess tie.

5. Dip the sponges in water and toss them back and forth for a wet game of catch in the pool or yard.

References

• Disney Family Fun: Water Balloon Catch
• Disney Family Fun: Balloon Platoon
• Make and Takes: Wet Water Sponge Toys