Summer splash: Play the day away with water toys for variety, fun together this season

Oklahoma’s sweltering summer days can become tedious with small children at home if every day consists of the same routine and the same toys. Finding summer fun can help families make the most of their summer together for optimal development experiences. Now is also the perfect time to add water play to your routine for a refreshing way to change up the day, with local resources to make a splash. See three low-cost play ideas to add variety this season with these ideas.

Set up water play activities: Water play can be perfect for indoor or outdoor fun. Keeping activities contained to a single area indoors like a small picnic table or bathtub can limit the potential for mess. All play should be supervised; children can drown in as little as an inch of water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you opt for outdoor water play, avoid the hottest times of the day, usually between noon and 4 p.m. Limit play in direct sunlight to 30 minutes at a time, and keep kids hydrated. Toss a beach ball with the sprinklers on, add a water table with sand and plastic kitchen utensils, bring bubble wands or break out the hose to keep the fun going after some fun with sidewalk chalk. Find a fun idea for colored ice as part of water sensory play, too! Check out toys from Rainbow Fleet’s Resource Center: Change up your assortment of toys available for indoor and outdoor play. Our Resource Center, a membership-based toy lending library, can bring the joy and magic of new toys, books and games all year long without adding clutter and cost. All our items are intended to keep children learning while playing. Borrowing from the Resource Center works just like a book library. A membership gives families and child care providers the ability to check out items and trade them in for different borrowed toys when your child is ready for more variety. All items are sanitized according to a strict sanitization protocol before being loaned. Membership is only $40 annually. Find more details at https://bit.ly/toylibraryrainbowfleet.

Water toys are available for checkout, including:

• Sand and water beach sensory toy crate

• STEM Builder Series Build a Waterway

• Panelcraft STEM, STEAM and Beyond Rainbow Dream Builder frame set

Plan a water play field trip: Swimming at a local pool or visiting a splash pad are fun ways to cool off and make summer memorable. Learning to swim teaches lifesaving skills, too. The Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau recently published a list of kid-friendly places to cool off this summer but additional resources may be available in your area, with neighborhood pools and parks closer to home.

No matter how you stay cool with water play this summer, join in the fun. You and the children in your care will enjoy the break from everyday play, while making summer memories that will last for years to come.