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View Full Version : Water play/water gun type activity ideas?



Dreamalittledream
06-06-2012, 12:57 PM
Just wondering if you've found any neat ideas for squirting or spraying water ideas that little fingers can work easily? My age range is 18 months and up.

Mamma_Mia
06-06-2012, 01:24 PM
What I did today was get one of my jumbo aluminum bowls filled with water and put my measuring spoon set in there. They can 'water the flowers' or dump it on themselves. I've also read about old water bottles with a hole cut in the lid?

Momof4
06-06-2012, 04:25 PM
I bought spray water bottles in the gardening section at the dollar store. They are the kind that you hold with one hand and pull the nozzle back with the fingers of the other hand so not too hard for the little ones and they love spraying each other outside. I don't want to use guns just in case any parent gets upset about that. Last year I had the little watering cans but they were empty in no time at all and they really soaked each other with those.

Inspired by Reggio
06-06-2012, 05:58 PM
Yup - we use the gardening squirt bottles as well - kids love them and even my 12 month old can figure out how to make them go.

They also love sand pails with water and paint brushes to either paint each other if we are in bathing suits or otherwise they paint the fence or shed but it keeps their 'hands' cool as they keep dipping in the water.

I am another that avoids anything with the replication of a gun/weapon for play as I do not want to inadvertently send the message of support for violence in my program and for me there is a difference between a garden bottle and a water 'gun' and it amazes me how young children know the difference as well ... IME the two different tools while they both serve the same purpose elicit a totally different tones and levels of aggression that arise in the play from the words used to the intent of the play changing from just fun getting wet 'watering' each other to games taking on the words of 'I am killing you' and the water being 'blood' and so forth as that tone of violence increases with kids and what they know of guns and their role playing - and i have seen kids as young as 18 months know that anything gun shaped kills people :(

For me it is just not something I want to expose them too specially when you do not know all your clients 'views' of guns/weapons for play :(

Dreamalittledream
06-06-2012, 09:04 PM
Yup - we use the gardening squirt bottles as well - kids love them and even my 12 month old can figure out how to make them go.

They also love sand pails with water and paint brushes to either paint each other if we are in bathing suits or otherwise they paint the fence or shed but it keeps their 'hands' cool as they keep dipping in the water.

I am another that avoids anything with the replication of a gun/weapon for play as I do not want to inadvertently send the message of support for violence in my program and for me there is a difference between a garden bottle and a water 'gun' and it amazes me how young children know the difference as well ... IME the two different tools while they both serve the same purpose elicit a totally different tones and levels of aggression that arise in the play from the words used to the intent of the play changing from just fun getting wet 'watering' each other to games taking on the words of 'I am killing you' and the water being 'blood' and so forth as that tone of violence increases with kids and what they know of guns and their role playing - and i have seen kids as young as 18 months know that anything gun shaped kills people :(

For me it is just not something I want to expose them too specially when you do not know all your clients 'views' of guns/weapons for play :(
Yes I borrowed your 'painting' idea last week...they LOVED it! And I too was hoping to avoid actual water guns. Will try the spray bottles! Another trip to the Dollar Store...Eeeek...I spend so much there!

Inspired by Reggio
06-07-2012, 07:23 AM
...Another trip to the Dollar Store...Eeeek...I spend so much there!

Yup I call it the $50 store cause I rarely walk out of there with less!