In Summer, Water Play is a Great Way to Cool Off

If you can’t stand the summer heat, get out of the kitchen and into the yard for some water play. Today, we’re “cooking” outdoors. But before you begin, tell parents to provide a change of clothes because they are going to get very wet! 

Kids will play happily by themselves with this activity. So, grandma is off the hook for supervision. However, there is a downside: you’ll have to wash all the cooking utensils afterwards!

Since our yard is enclosed and the children are well-behaved, I can keep an eye on them from glass doors inside the house. I only go out occasionally to “taste” their culinary concoctions. Put up a market umbrella or find a shady spot to ensure kids to protect from the summer heat.

Make gummy candy in LEGO-style block shapes. Older kids will enjoy cooking and eating their project. Assist younger kids.

How to Get Started

Provide the kids out with plastic milk jugs of water to serve as the base for their “cooking.” If they are unfamiliar with how your kitchen tools work, demonstrate. For example, churn water in a bowl using an egg beater, stir things up with a whisk, and pour water from bottle to bottle using a funnel. But be sure everything you give them is unbreakable.

Show kids how to pluck some leaves, flowers, and herbs from your garden to give them more materials for their water play.

Their “Batterie de Cuisine”

Give kids a variety of kitchen tools for summer water play, such as:

• Big, stainless steel or plastic bowls
• Plastic measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Funnels
• Whisks
• Muffin tins
• Sieves
• Colanders
• Rotary egg beaters
• Plastic cups
• Ladles
• Plastic jars
• Plastic squirt bottles or spray bottles
• Unbreakable pitchers to fill with water

Tell the kids to pretend they are chefs demonstrating cooking techniques to an audience. Now you can make cooking videos to share with parents.

My grandchildren will easily spend an hour or more at water play.  When they are soaked and finally tired of cooking, pour the remaining water on plants. (Having weathered years of drought in our area, we never waste water.)

Now it’s time for kids to change their clothes and leave their wet things out to dry in the hot summer sun.

Grandma’s Note:

While this is a single, self-contained activity, you can include it in a more comprehensive vacation program for the grandkids this summer.

What Children Learn from this Activity

• This activity challenges kids to use their imagination, dreaming up all kinds of dishes to make.
• Teach kids to share. If you have only one of a thing, such as one egg beater, you can be sure all the kids will want it at the same time. So this is an opportunity to reinforce lessons about taking turns.
• Kids will gain familiarity with kitchen equipment, which is helpful when you really cook and bake with them later.

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