Water Cooler: Backyard water games for the scorching hot weekend

Summer has arrived and those living in the Inland Northwest have had little time to adjust to the 100-degree temperatures set to hit us this weekend. Of course, those triple digits won’t stop many kids from wanting to play outside this weekend, so here are a few backyard water games to beat the heat while enjoying some family fun.

Water balloon piñatas – Use a length of twine or rope to create a line for hanging several water balloons or attach one balloon to the end of a rope for more of a traditional piñata. Hang the rope over a tree branch or beam to move it up and down for an extra challenge. If you hang the balloons at a fixed height, make sure they are in reach for your child, but high enough that the water will splash on them once it pops. Fill the water balloons until they are full so they’ll be easier to pop. Blindfold the piñata hitter and use a Wiffle ball bat to hit the balloons as it is less prone to cause injury if there’s an accident.

Rope skip challenge – Just a regular game of skipping rope, but each participant has to hold a cup of water as they jump for 10 turns. Whoever completes the 10 jumps and has the most water in their cup at the end is the winner.

Frozen T-shirt race – This contest requires some preparation the night before. Soak a few T-shirts in water, wring them out and fold them.

Stack the shirts with wax paper between each one and place in the freezer overnight, or until they are stiff. Take them out on a hot day and let each player race to see who can get into their frozen T-shirt first.

Pass the water – Divide into two teams and give each participant one cup. Have everyone stand in line facing the back of the person in front of them. Place an empty bucket behind the last person in each line and a bucket full of water in front of the first people in line. The first participants in line will fill their cup and pour it behind their head for the person behind them to catch in their cup.

Repeat this until the water gets to the last person in line. The last person in line is responsible for dumping the water into their team’s empty bucket. Turn a timer on for a few minutes and the team with the most water in its bucket when the timer goes off wins.

Water balloon volleyball – This game requires at least four participants, water balloons and two towels. Set up a badminton or volleyball net if you have one, but if not you can still play by marking a line where the net would be. Playing without a net is also easier for younger participants. Fill a bucket full of water balloons. Decide which team “serves” first, and place a water balloon on their towel, and have them fling it toward the other team. The other team will try to catch the water balloon and fling it back. Just like in volleyball or badminton, if your team drops (or pops) the balloon, or doesn’t make it over the net, the other team gets a point.