Safe play in, on and around the water

Submitted by Sunni Belle, Recreation Excellence

As we get into the full swing of summer. Water play is a great way to explore and get comfortable with water. Did you know that water play assists in the development of fine motor skills, hand eye coordination, concentration, sensory, social and communication skills.

Stirring, squishing, pouring, jumping, swimming, splashing, kicking, throwing, floating and the list goes on! Water contributes to many exciting activities weather you are at home, on the river or having a beach day.

When planning any activity that involves water it is important to be safe and plan ahead. Here are some tips to help you plan water activities safely.

  1. Never leave a child or non-swimmer unsupervised in or near any body of water including but not limited to, large buckets, totes, kiddie pools, puddles, streams, rivers, lakes oceans etc.

  2. Wear a lifejacket when enjoying water activities in a pool, lake, river or ocean.

  3. Teach children to wait for supervision before entering any body of water.

  4. Register for swimming lessons at your community pool.

  5. Never swim in unsafe bodies of water; like storm ponds.

  6. Check the weather and prepare accordingly.

For more water safety tips please visit:

https://www.lifesaving.org/public-education

Water Play Activities at home:

Resource: https://www.messylittlemonster.com/2016/08/diy-sponge-water-bombs.html

Sponge Water Bombs

Your kids will have a total blast with our DIY Sponge Water Bombs. They're easier than you think to make; you only need some sponges, some elastic bands, and a few minutes of your time. Have a family water fight when you're done!

Balancing Act

Have the kids grab all four corners of a sheet. Try to bounce a water balloon on the sheet. Don’t let it drop or you’ll have a splashy surprise at your feet.

Water Activities at the Beach, Lake, or River

  1. Pan for Gold - Gather up some mesh strainers and head out to a low-rising riverbed. Then, start prospecting! Who knows what you’ll unearth?! OK, so it might not be the height of the San Francisco gold rush. But it’s a great time to discuss that part of history with your kids.

  2. Look Under Rocks - Turn over rocks in that same riverbed to see what you find. There are all sorts of small organisms and aquatic life forms that serve as food sources for the other river life forms.

There are many water play opportunities at home and within our community. If you want to do some exploring and have some fun cooling off this summer be sure to tryout some of these fun activities, check out your local swimming pool, spray park or get into nature and see what can find! Remember to plan ahead, be safe and have some fun!

Sources and references

https://www.lifesaving.org/public-education

https://www.messylittlemonster.com/2016/08/diy-sponge-water-bombs.html

Resource: https://www.saf-t-swim.com/blog/fun-spring-ideas-six-lake-and-river-activities-for-kids

Tanya Whipple