The Best Water Play Equipment For Kids
Children can develop a wide range of new skills while engaging in imaginative play with water. Sensory exploration, STEM activities and cause and effect are just some of the benefits that kids can experience through water play.
Add interactive water play elements to your spray park or splash pad that engages kids of all ages and abilities. Explore our selection of right-sized, ready to install solutions.
Water Tables
Water tables offer a wealth of opportunities for sensory play that can develop motor skills like pouring, scooping and carrying. They can also promote social play among siblings and friends, and help kids work on their patience.
A few things to keep in mind when shopping for water play equipment a water table:
Look for a drain plug that can be easily removed for quick drainage and a hose to direct the drainage water where you want it. Also, if you plan on using your water table in the sun, consider buying one that comes with a cover to shield it from the sun.
This two-tier water table has a Lazy River basin and molded-in roadways, bridges and loading dock platforms for imaginative, multi-child play. Toddlers and preschoolers can add the included four Ball Buddies characters to make their water play more exciting. The table can be used with sand or water beads as well, making it a versatile outdoor toy.
Water Slides
Kids love water slides and wait eagerly for summers when they can bust them out. These inflatable water toys can help kids burn off energy and give parents a breather from watching their kiddos bounce around furniture.
From slick speed slides that plunge riders straight down and into a long run-out chute, to serpentine rides that twist and turn as they go down, water slides are fun. Each type of slide works a little differently, but all depend on gravity and the physics of how water moves and lubricates bodies to make the ride fast and thrilling.
This kid-sized water slide is small enough to fit into most backyards but packs in a big punch of action. It has a climbing wall, a water cannon, and a shark fin-infested wading pool that lets kids of all ages cool off with an action-packed adventure. Just remember to thoroughly clean the inflatable when you’re ready to put it away.
Water Blasters
The best water guns for kids take the classic Super Soaker to the next level. With a huge capacity, this model can hold 65 fluid ounces (1.9 liters) of water and shoot it up to 38 feet. That’s plenty of range to drench opponents in a summer-long battle, even in the shade.
This set of two blasters has smaller grips and requires less force to operate, making it easy for children to get in on the action. They also have an impressive 30-foot range that can compete with most Super Soakers.
When used for cleaning, high-powered water blasters can cut down on time and effort while still leaving outdoor surfaces squeaky clean. For stubborn dirt, wet your pavers and wait a bit to soften them up before using the water blaster. This makes them much easier to scrub down and can improve the overall look of your outdoor space.
Water Balls
Playing with water beads can be a fun tactile sensory experience for kids. But they’re a potential choking hazard for babies and toddlers, so only use them with kids who know not to put them in their mouths.
A handful of deaths overseas and a number of injuries in the United States caused by young children swallowing water beads given to them by older siblings led to a voluntary recall of several types of water-absorbing balls, beads and toys including Water Balz (also known as “SAP”) in 2011 but similar products are still sold at craft stores and garden centers.
These small polymer balls expand in water to create a squishy, fun sensory experience for kids (or adults). They’ve been in the news recently because of the popular social media challenge called the Orbeez Challenge in which kids freeze the beads and shoot them at each other with pellet guns.
Dunk Tank
Dunk tanks are a fun addition to fundraisers, school carnivals, backyard parties, company picnics and many other events. They’re a crowd-pleaser for people of water play equipment all ages and can bring hours of entertainment to your event.
The dunk tank consists of a large tank of water over which a seat is suspended. A person who wants to get dunked climbs onto the seat and then aims a ball at a target attached to the tank’s side. The goal is to hit the target, which causes the seat to tip or fall into the water, thereby dunking the person on it.
Tests are performed on the dunk tank to ensure that its control systems (power supply, control board, setting panel, inspection port, etc.) are easily accessible for maintenance and inspection. These tests also help prevent corrosion of the dunk tank’s metal parts. This will avoid unexpected situations such as leakage and rust, which can cause problems in biosafety laboratories.
