Water hose play: Water Toys Kids Hose : Target

No Pool? No Worries! 5 Backyard Water Games for Summer Fun

Photo by Dejan Ristovski / Stocksy United

Who needs a swimming pool when you have a water hose, buckets, balls, and some friends ready to have fun? These five fun water games make great summer activities for kids and are sure to make a splash during the next heat wave.

1. Water Hose Limbo

Shoot a steady stream of water from the hose, put on some dance music, and have kids try to pass beneath the water while leaning backward. If they make it under, lower the hose a few inches and start again! (In drought areas, simply use the hose itself as the limbo stick, and splash anyone who doesn’t make it under with a bit of water before the next round.)

2. Jump over the Snake

Here’s a water hose game that gets the kiddos jumping! Simply spray a stream of water close to the ground near your child’s feet, and have them try to jump over the “water snake” as it wiggles and shakes.

Little ones can jump with two feet, while older kids can try it on one foot. Try making up other fun rules for an extra challenge, like naming a word that starts with the letter B every time they jump. This game is also fun with a jump rope!

Photo by Cara Dolan / Stocksy

3. Water Ball

This water game uses a hose to push a play ball toward a finish line. To start, create a start and finish line in the backyard or driveway (jump ropes or kid-size traffic cones work great as markers).

Place a playground ball on the start line and show your child how to use the stream of water from the hose to push the ball toward the finish line. First ball to cross wins!

4. Water-Bucket Race

Set up a start and finish line like above. Give each child a small bucket or large cup, and fill each container with water. Challenge the kids to race in different ways—running, hopping, skipping, or Hula-hooping—and see who has the most water left in their bucket or cup at the finish line.

5. Hose Target Practice

Hang a few targets (like pieces of paper, water bottles, or soda cans) from a tree branch or fence, or draw a few targets on the sidewalk or fence with chalk. Use a hose nozzle with a handle to shoot bursts of water at the targets.

For more splashy fun, other children can try to block the streams of water to keep them from hitting the targets. Whoever hits all the targets the fastest wins!

Let the backyard summer water games begin! And for a prize idea—how about the winner gets first pick of the Popsicles?

At-Home Activities

Summer

Toddler

Pre-K

Kindergarten

School Age

Out And About With Kids

Toddler (1-3)

Preschool (3-5)

Five games to play with a water hose – Davonne Parks

June 19, 2014August 2, 2014

Beginner Crafts and Decor

My kids and I were in our backyard earlier this week and it was hot. I had planned to work on my laptop while the girls played, but I couldn’t take the heat (and I love hot weather!). So I quickly finished a project, sent it off, set my computer inside, and turned on the hose!

We needed to do something to cool off and none of us wanted to spend time or energy putting activities together. So, with just the help of a water hose, here’s what we came up with:

1) Tag, you’re it (or as Grace likes to say, “Tag, carrot”)

This is similar to regular tag, but the person who’s “it” has to spray someone else with the hose. Whoever gets sprayed becomes the new “it” person. In slightly cooler weather the game may be a bit more challenging, but we were all running through the hose spray on purpose just to cool down!

2) Limbo

This is my favorite water-hose game! One person holds the hose, and the spray becomes the limbo bar. The first one to get water in their face loses and becomes the hose-holder. The youngest family members usually have a great advantage over older siblings in this game!

3) “Sand” castles

We have a large dirt spot in the corner of our yard because Grace loves to dig there – and we don’t mind letting her! She used the hose to moisten her dirt spot so her and Lily could make dirt castles with their hands! No biggie – by the time we went inside, they were really well rinsed from the other hose games 🙂

4) Sprinkler

This game was born out of sheer laziness on my part. I didn’t want to hook up the sprinkler. So I just held my thumb over the nozzle of the hose to make it spray like a sprinkler and the girls ran through.

5) Cold water contest

One person sprays water over someone’s back until that person jumps away. I’m a wimp at getting sprayed with cold water so the girls were thrilled when I lost, shrieking and jumping out of the spray, in about half a second!

Bonus Idea: Give your kids a bucket of soapy water and some sponges along with their hose, then let them clean whatever they want! Cars, bikes, the house, their outdoor toys… once I even let one daughter shower in the hose in her bathing suit. Summer bliss!

Special Note: After writing these ideas, Monica’s new post directed me towards an article that really captured my heart in why I’ve committed to slowing down and enjoying simplicity and nature with my children.

How does your family stay cool in the summer-time?

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Beginner Crafts and Decor / Valentine’s Day

The Free, One-Minute Valentine’s Day Decoration

My kids absolutely love holiday crafts. And while I like looking at the cute things they make, I’d rather let them think of their own simple projects than plan one for them. So when Lily (8) showed me a simple decoration she made, I was thrilled. Simple, free, easy… check, check, check. Perfect for Valentine’s…

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Beginner Crafts and Decor / Jesus / Valentine’s Day

Unexpected Valentine

With Valentine’s Day coming up this week, let’s make sure we’ve got everything taken care of! While making plans for your own family, I want to encourage you to think of someone who may not have a Valentine. Write a nice note to a shut-in, take heart-shaped cookies to your neighbor, leave flowers on a…

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Outdoor water games in dhow.

Game “Funny boats”. Water games: Interesting geography

Summer is the best time to let children play with water. Even if the baby splashes clothes or gets his feet wet, the hot sun will warm, dry the baby and prevent him from catching a cold.

TOP 10 water games!

In this article, I present to you 10 water play ideas for kids. Believe me, this is an ideal way to keep a child busy in the country, on the summer playground, on the lawn or in the yard of a multi-storey building. nine0003

1. Wall with waterfalls

Children love to watch how water is poured from container to container, smoothly flows down the wall and fills the bucket, so I recommend making a wall for pouring water with your own hands.

Attach the plastic bottles to the wall in steps and the wall is ready!

2. Sponge bombs

They can be played in water and thrown on land.

Just take your colorful washcloths and cut them into strips. To make each ball you will need to take 12 strips (preferably multi-colored) and thread them together in the center. nine0003

3. Playing with balloons in a container filled with water.

This is the perfect way to play in the bath.

Fill a bathtub with water and put about 30 colored inflated balloons in it. Children love to squeeze them, turn them, crumple them, toss them up or try to submerge them in water. They giggle as the balls slip out of their hands, change shape, slip between their legs. This water and balloon game provides a great opportunity to explore sensations and use words to describe feelings. When you ask: “What do the balls feel like?” Children answer: slippery, soft, naughty, etc. nine0003

4. The game “Perlivashki”.

Learning to pour water from a jug into cups.

For this game you will need water, plastic disposable cups and a plastic jug. The child will arrange the cups and pour water from the jug into them.

Pouring water from container to container will give the child a life skill so that later he can pour water for himself without spilling it on the table and pouring it on himself.

5. Game “Hit the Bullseye”

The fifth game is throwing wet washcloths at a target drawn on the pavement. nine0003

Draw a target on the asphalt and write a number on each sector in ascending order as you approach the center. Children will take turns throwing wet washcloths at the target. Where the washcloth hit, the child earned so many points. By summing up the points, you identify the winner.

By the way, washcloths should be well saturated with water so that they do not bounce when they land on the ground.

6. Draw on wet pavement

Wet the pavement with water from a garden hose or container and give the children crayons, paints and brushes to draw on. Believe me, the kids will spend hours driving on the asphalt with crayons and brushes, depicting whatever comes into their heads. The fact is that crayons on wet asphalt are easy to draw, and the images are bright and expressive. With the same excitement, children draw on the asphalt with paints and brushes. On the positive side, the drawings are easily washed off with water, and children again have the opportunity to show their artistic abilities. nine0003

7. Shooting game.

The seventh idea is a great way for kids to play with water when it’s not quite clear or it’s cold outside.

The child will not come into contact with water, but will shoot with a water pistol at plastic disposable cups. For more excitement, you can build him a pyramid of plastic cups. By the way, not only boys, but also girls like to shoot from a water pistol.

8. Water Bed

Giant Water Bed is another way (eighth on our list) that can satisfy your curiosity: “What are the most interesting and exciting summer games for children?” nine0003

You won’t need much money or time to make such a bed! Just buy some good quality plastic wrap (strong enough) and good adhesive tape (I used scotch tape). Unfold the film on the grass or tarp, fold it in half, glue the ends with tape, leaving a small hole. Insert a hose into it and fill the product with water. Thus, you will make a water bed. I recommend watering the surface of the bed too!

Believe me! Children love to frolic on this bed! nine0003

9. Water games for toddlers

And the ninth method will appeal to parents who are looking for summer water games for very young children.

Preparing the game here is quite simple: take a container, fill it with water and throw toys, figurines, children’s dishes into it. Let your baby play by splashing their hands in the water.

Just look: how much delight from the game!

10. Homemade shower

And finally, the tenth idea: make a rain out of pipes with holes, as shown in the pictures. nine0003

Splashes of water from pipes will delight the child, cause extraordinary joy and a lot of positive emotions.

Read more:

Activities with a child 1 year old

7 ways to instill in children a love of reading!

It’s only a pity that we, adults, have already forgotten the feeling of joy and pleasure from playing with water, spanking barefoot in warm puddles, loud screams when dousing each other, delight from jumping under the “mushroom” rain and other pleasant impressions from meeting with water element. nine0003

Our grumblings about wet sleeves, dresses, T-shirts spoil the mood of the kids for a long time. But clothes dry out faster than sadness and resentment disappear from children’s eyes. Only educators and parents completely devoid of a sense of humor force their “ducklings” to sit on “dry” rations.

Don’t let your kids enjoy the water play they love in any way.
Set the rules:

– you can not play where the wet slippery floor; nine0094 – the best outdoor water games in warm weather;
– at any time of the day, children need water not only for games;
– the child should be able to drink water whenever he wants;
– on a summer walk you need to have a tray with individual cups covered with a beautiful napkin, a bright jug or a kettle of water.

On hot summer days, organize water games with your children, or, as one little girl called them, “wet games.”


In the most secluded corners of the site, under shady trees, it is convenient to place tables, benches, equipment for playing with water: small inflatable pools, baths, basins, watering cans and plastic jars of various shapes, floating and easy-to-clean toys, water guns, bottles – douches and other funny, sweet things for a child’s heart. Mothers and grandmothers will help to acquire all this “wealth”, and it is convenient to take them out for a walk in bright, light plastic baskets or basins. nine0003

Sample topics for pre-fun activities in drawing, paper construction.

Rainbow fish


Drawing with children 3-4 years old.


Spoon 4-5 colors of paint onto newspaper.

Place palm on paint, then on paper (vertically).

Turn the leaflet (palm is in a horizontal position).

Draw eyes and bright spots.

Fish pendants


Paper construction with children aged 5-6.


• Draw the body of the fish on glossy paper.
• Cut out and glue the eye.
• Cut strips of colored paper, glue.
• Glue different shapes of paper onto the fish. Cut off all excess.
• Cut out paper teeth for the fin, stick on the back of the fish.
• Cut crepe paper strips for the ponytail. Glue.
• Tape the thread on which the fish will hang. nine0012

Underwater world


Collective game.


• Draw a fish with patterns.
• Cut out, stick on a common sheet.
• Make lots of fish in different shapes and patterns.
• Draw waves, shells, algae around them.

How pleasant it is to feel the smell of summer under the streams of water, drying under the rays of the sun!


Oops! Oh-she-she-she!

Who’s the wet one here? nine0003

Who’s naked,

Is he funny?

Oh, the water is good,

The water is good!

Wet games (outside water games)



1. From empty to empty.


Children love to pour water from one vessel to another, back and forth. To do this, you need shampoo bottles, jars of various shapes and sizes, jugs, funnels. While playing with water, children repeat nursery rhymes about water.

2. Sinking, not sinking.
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Children look at a group of toys. In the game, the “guessers” name which of these toys float and which sink. Arrange them in two buckets of different colors. The game “Checker”: lower the toys into the water. You guessed it – well done, but if you made a mistake – it does not matter: put the toys in buckets again.

3. Sinking boat.


Equipment: large basin, plastic soap dishes or bowls, watering cans.

In a large basin half-filled with water, the children lower the soap dish or bowl. Then one child pours some water into it from a watering can, other children take turns pouring water into it so that the boat does not sink. Everyone is watching with interest how long the boat will be able to hold out on the water. nine0003

4. Treasure search underwater.


Equipment: a large transparent vessel, small items, toys, handkerchief.

Fill a vessel with water, put sinking objects in it. Children need to see and feel them. Blindfold one child who dips his hand into the water. When he finds a toy, he names it. The rest of the children do the same.

5. Cheerful bubbles (water orchestra).


Children receive plastic jars of water, plastic straws. On a signal, they begin to blow into the straws lowered into the water. The noise of bubbles can be accompanied by the play of the teacher on the metallophone. nine0003

6. Water trap.


Children with umbrellas stand in the corner, in the middle is a rain teacher.

Children.
Where have you been, rain?

What did you water, rain?

Rain.


I visited the garden,

I watered a berry.

Children.


Which berry did you water in the garden?

?

And strawberries and raspberries,

And currants!

Children.


Did you water the gooseberries?

Rain.


Didn’t water, forgot!

Children.


Oh, come back,

Yes, the fields are the whole garden!

Rain.


One, two, three, run away,

Don’t get caught in the rain.

The children run away, the trap catches up, trying to douse each of the dousing bottles. Then they all dry together in the sun.


Water games


Summer entertainment for children 4-5 years old.


Equipment:

• inflatable pool or large basin for Water;
• Waterman costume (let your imagination run wild), frog caps, fish caps for children;
• for site decoration – balloons, children’s works depicting the underwater world;
• bathing caps;
• bright plastic jars, bottles, watering cans and other containers, water hose;
• terry towels; nine0012
• colored sponges, soap bubbles;
• for tricks – plastic cups, napkins;
• Wet treats: mineral water, juices, straws.

Z. Kotlyar

The cognitive age of each child comes at its own time. Someone begins to make the first discoveries as soon as he turns one year old, and someone is ready to explore and conquer this world a little earlier . .. or later. The main thing is that parents should be ready for this significant moment. They could help the crumbs in his research, quench the thirst for knowledge of a little naturalist. And you can do it with ordinary water. It surrounds us everywhere. It is changeable and fluid. It is fraught with a lot of all sorts of “interesting things” and “uncertainties”. And she’s so fun to play with. So why not make this ubiquitous H2O the subject of educational games for the child? Surely, your little one will perceive such an idea with great enthusiasm. nine0003


Water: knowledge of the world

Rain and puddles, river and sea, bath and just a cup of water. They are full of discoveries.

• Water can be warm or cold.
• It pours and pours.
• And sometimes water turns to ice.
• All sorts of objects sink in it.
• And there are those who do not drown.
• Water can wet something.
• Or spray.
• And then it evaporates or dries up. nine0012

All the “talents” of water cannot be counted. But you can gradually study them in the process of a simple, but fun and. And do not think that children’s pourers are just pranks. In no case. These uncomplicated discoveries are nothing but the first steps of the baby in the knowledge of the reality surrounding him.

Water games develop the child’s logical thinking, prepare him for the upcoming study of such school disciplines as physics, chemistry, biology.

Water games for children 1-3 years old

Before you offer your baby to play with water, you need to prepare the “field of activity” and the necessary equipment. Don’t be scared. The crumbs are unlikely to get to scuba gear and a submarine. For starters, a bowl of water or even a small pot will suffice.

Available for water play. Games can be played in the bath or in the kitchen sink. In summer – on the banks of a river, lake or sea. Water is quite democratic in this sense. An inquisitive mind will reveal its secrets, wherever it may be. In the room, of course, it does not hurt to get a rag in advance to wipe puddles, which, believe me, cannot be avoided. nine0003

To play with water, you will need all kinds of play containers and utensils (plastic cups and bottles of different sizes, cups, spoons, plates, in general, everything that you can pour water into). Prepare, also, balls made of different materials. And other toys that, in your opinion, will help to visually show the baby what the water “can do”. Games can be combined with swimming. You just need to control the time the baby is in the water.

The skin of a one year old baby is very delicate. And water-game procedures should be continued no longer than 30-40 minutes. To prevent drying of the skin of the baby. nine0003

And one more thing. When playing with water, do not go into too much complicated explanations. It will be enough to show the baby what can be done with some water and comment with short simple phrases: “Water is pouring”, “The boat is sailing”, “The pebble is sinking”.

“Pouring-measuring devices”

First, show the child the process of water movement. Water can be drawn from the tap. And you can pour from a bottle. And then pour into another glass. And you can pour it into a saucepan, and it will mix with other water. The trickle of water may be thin, and the glass will fill slowly. And if the stream of water is thicker, the container will fill up much faster. nine0003

Let the baby pour water into jars and bottles, cups and glasses. So he will understand that any dishes can be filled with water. And then invite the little one to check how many small cups fit in a large bottle. Or how many spoons of water will go into a teacup. Keep score with your child. If he is not yet familiar with the account, use the concepts of “a lot” and “little”.

Bubble Bubbles

Ask your child what happens when an empty bottle is placed in water. The baby will be interested, for sure. And what will be his surprise when the bottle, once under water, begins to release air bubbles to the surface. Explain to your child that air is light and water is heavy. She “expelled” the air from the bottle, and he “ran” upstairs. And what happened to the bottle now? She remained lying on the bottom of the water tank. nine0003

What if the bottle is emptied again and the cap is closed? Then the water will not be able to expel the light air. And the bottle won’t sink. She will float on the surface.

The game will be more fun if you have a few ping-pong balls in your inventory (they also have air inside). When they are immersed in water, and then abruptly released, the balls jump high out of the water, giving these crumbs a lot of pleasure.

Squirt-Crush-Ejector

For this game, several small holes need to be made in the cap of a plastic bottle. Then fill the bottle with water and invite the baby to “drive” her out of the bottle. The more the baby presses on the bottle, the more water will flow out of it. In the summer, you can arrange a whole battle, armed with similar “sprinklers”. nine0003

Water games (video)

Water games for children: games in the bathroom

The bathroom can also be used with benefit for its development.

Playing with the baby in the water, you teach him the basics of all natural sciences, equip him with knowledge about the world in which the baby lives.

“What floats, what sinks”

Choose objects made from different materials (wood, metal, glass, fabric, foam, etc.) for this game. Let the little one personally make sure that the “buoyancy” of toys depends on what material they are made of. nine0003

“Water in a sieve”

Try pouring water with your baby using a colander or sieve. Explain that water from dishes with holes will leak.

Consultation for parents of preschool educational institutions. Water games with preschool children.

Purpose of the master class:
formation of cognitive interest in the world around by organizing joint experimental activities of children of primary preschool age and parents.
Tasks:
nine0093
– demonstrate some experimentation with water and objects;
– develop cognitive interest in the environment;
– to strengthen the relationship between children and parents through joint experimental activities.

Children love to experiment. Experimentation is a special type of activity of children, during which their own activity is most clearly manifested, aimed at obtaining new knowledge, at obtaining their own creativity, which supports children’s initiative and is one of the conditions for the transition of children to a higher level of social and cognitive activity. nine0094 Not only in kindergarten, but also at home, it is necessary to think over the activities of children so that they always have the opportunity to learn the properties and qualities of objects, to compare them with each other. The kitchen is the place where the child disturbs the parents, especially the mother, when she prepares the food. But it might be the right place to do interesting experiments.
I suggest you look at interesting and informative experiments that you can do with children in the kitchen:
1. “Soap bubbles”

Equipment: shampoo, water container, whisk, straws.
Child whips up foam with a whisk. Then he takes the foam in his palm and tries to make something out of it. A parent can offer to make holes in a lush white mass with a finger – eyes, draw a mouth or nose, you can also make snowdrifts or clouds together from the foam.
2. “Drain the water”

Equipment: bottle, funnel, ladle, water container.
Invite the child to pour water into a bottle through a funnel, summing up that water is poured through the funnel carefully, without spilling. nine0094 3. “Magic water”

Equipment: gouache, moulds, brushes, water container.
We paint the water with gouache, then you can pour the colored water into molds and freeze in the freezer, you get colored ice for drawing.
4. “Catch the egg”

Equipment: eggs, water container, spoon, slotted spoon, egg mold.
The child takes the eggs out of the water with a spoon or slotted spoon and puts them in the egg dish.
5. Squeeze the sponge

Equipment: foam rubber sponge, container with and without water, syringe. nine0094 Fill one container with water, the other is empty. Show your child how to use a sponge to transfer water from one dish to another. If the child can easily cope, you can try with a syringe.
6. “Poured – poured”

Equipment: water container, one large and one small glass.
Put a bowl of water in front of the child, show how, scooping up one glass, pour it into another, give the child freedom of action.
7. Cooking soup

Equipment: container with water, peas (or other cereals), empty container, sieve.
Pour the cereal into a container with water, mix it with your hands (wash), then remove it from the water with a sieve and transfer to a clean container.
8. Noise Makers

Equipment: eggs (kinder surprise), cereals, sugar, tea.
Pour various cereals into empty eggs. Invite the child to play with them, guessing by ear what it rings like.
Love your children, play with them!

Elena Pogonysheva
nine0093
Card file of water games (younger preschool age)

Card file of water games
.

Junior preschool age
.


“Me and the river”


Required inventory
: water bottle, filter cloth, two empty glasses, a glass of running water
.

Take water from the river while walking. Do an experiment at home.

Pour water from a bottle into one of the empty glasses, place a glass with running water next to it water
. Have the child compare the color of the water in both glasses.

Then use a filter cloth to clean the water in a glass of river water
. Compare again. If one filtering was not enough, repeat the procedure. Will you be able to achieve purification of river water?

At the same time, talk to your child about pollution problems.

Purified water can be returned to the river
. At the end of the experiment, tell the child that thanks to his efforts, the river has recovered. nine0003

Explain that there are such large, special filters that people use to purify the dirty water flowing in rivers from factories.
. Let him remember how the crocodile Gena in the cartoon covered a hole in the pipe from which dirty factory water flowed. And if this hole is closed with a filter that purifies dirty water, the river will not be polluted

“Onion Patch”


Required inventory
: yogurt cups, water, onions. nine0003

The child, with your help or independently, pours water into yoghurt cups, then “plants”
bulbs in them. The cups are placed on the windowsill.

The bulbs are monitored for several days. The appearance of roots and leaves is fixed.

Watering the flowers


Required inventory
: watering can.

Take a watering can with water for a walk
. Find a flower bed and explain to the child that in order for the flowers to grow well, they need to be watered water
. Let the baby water the flower bed himself. Pay attention to how the earth darkens when watering. You can water grass, trees, shrubs, while telling how plants drink water. Examine the droplets of water left on the leaves, notice that the trickles of water from the watering can look like rain. Sing a song or read a poem.

Watering can, take a watering can

and pour water into it.

We will water the flowers with a watering can,

Grow up quickly

The game promotes the development of imagination, motor skills. The child studies the properties and purposes of objects, gets acquainted with the plant world. nine0003

Drops


Required inventory
: container for ice cubes, hourglass with lightly colored gouache water
, pipette, sponge or tissue.

The child transfers water from the cup to the ice container using the pipette.

When all the cells are full, you can collect the water back into the cup in the same way.

“Wring out the washcloth”


Required inventory
: two containers, foam sponge. nine0003

Fill one container with water
. Show your child how to use a sponge to transfer water from one dish to another. Suggest you try to do the same yourself.

The game develops fine motor skills.

“Boats”


Required inventory
: bowl, paper.

Pour some water into the bowl. Show your child how to throw small pieces of paper into the bowl, blow on them. Your child will most likely repeat your actions. nine0003

The game promotes the development of fine motor skills and the articulatory apparatus.

“Pour – pour”


Required inventory
: container with water
, 1 large glass and 1 small glass.

Place a bowl of water in front of the child
, show how you can scoop up water in one glass and pour it into another. Give your child freedom of action.

The game promotes the development of coordination of movements, expands the understanding of the properties of matter. nine0003

Balloons in water


Fine motor skills are trained in this experiment game.

Required equipment
: two deep plates or two small bowls, a few tennis balls, a strainer with a handle, a napkin or sponge.

Place two deep plates on the table, fill one of which with water
and dip the balls into it. A child uses a strainer to take out balls from a plate of water
and transfers to an empty plate. During the experiment, he notices that water spills into the holes in the strainer, and that plastic balls do not sink in water. nine0003

Sinking – not sinking

Required material
: basin with water
, several items from different materials
: feather, carnation, plastic ball, clothespin, bead, piece of paper, etc.

1. Sinks immediately

2. Sinks when wet

3. Does not sink.

“Magic property of water”


Required equipment
: rubber glove, bouncy ball, balloon, water pitcher
, bottle, sponge.

During the experiment, the child gains knowledge that water takes the form of an object being filled.

Divide equally


Required inventory
: three clear glasses, jug or teapot with water
napkin.

The child should pour the water from the jug equally into all three glasses. When the cups are filled, you check the result. nine0003

The work can be repeated by pouring the water from the cups back into the jug.

Salt water properties


Required inventory
: two glasses with water
, two eggs, table salt (4 tbsp., spoon.

A child lowers an egg with a spoon into one glass, watches that it sinks. Observes that in this glass the egg floats on the surface. 0003

Proper watering with advice from OBI

Plants consist mainly of water, some vegetables, such as tomatoes and lettuce, are up to 90%. Therefore, no plant can do without water. In nature, plants get their water from the rain, but in the garden, you can combat drought with watering. Sometimes you need to do this regularly because many garden plants need an even supply of water to grow. In addition, nutrients and fertilizers can only be absorbed after being dissolved in water. When watering, quantity matters – too much water is just as bad as too little. Factors such as water quality, water temperature and irrigation time also play a role. nine0003

Handy: Water must be directed to where it is needed.

Important: When watering with a watering can without a shower, water slowly so as not to erode the soil at the roots. When it is impossible to avoid watering to the top of the plant, this should only be done in the morning or before lunch, so that the plants can dry out before evening.

2. Types of watering

Watering cans made of plastic are convenient and light. For a small garden or terrace, they are enough. The shower is used for soft drip irrigation that does not erode the soil. Watering cans made of metal are stronger and more durable, but also heavier. nine0003

Handy: Watering cans are lightweight. Fill the watering cans with water immediately after watering to keep the water warm inside them.

Important: Plastic watering cans become brittle if left in the sun for a long time.

3. Garden watering hose

In a garden of 250 square meters, watering with watering cans quickly gets boring. But the hose will be very practical. However, the hose should not be longer than 30 meters, otherwise it will be heavy and uncomfortable to wear. nine0094 There are trolleys and holders for placing the hose; With their help, you can put it or fix it on the wall. Thus, the hose will never get in the way underfoot, and no one will stumble over it.

Handy: The garden hose is easy to place on a cart or holder. With the quick coupler you can connect various showers and sprinklers or a sprinkler.

Important: The plastic may become brittle if the hose is exposed to the sun for a long time. At the end of October, you need to empty the hose and store it at a temperature of at least 0. If you leave it in the cold, it may crack. nine0003

4. Irrigation system

There are various systems that automatically irrigate the garden using a timer and/or computer. With such a system, you can ensure the water supply, for example, of vegetables during a short absence. The system is installed between the water supply and the hose. Water through the dropper nozzles enters the plants in the flower bed or in a pot.
You can also install drip nozzles in your flower bed indefinitely or seasonally and reduce irrigation time. You can find an overview of the best systems here. nine0003

Handy: Ideal for watering during short absences.

Important: Constant monitoring is important. An automated irrigation system cannot replace regular plant care and maintenance.

5. Rainwater

Rainwater is the best water for irrigation. It is free and contains no calcium. It can be collected in plastic and wooden barrels. If you need a lot of water, for example, if you have a large garden with vegetables, you should consider an underground tank. Rainwater can be collected from the roof of a house, from the roof of a greenhouse or garage. If you live in an industrial area, rainwater may contain harmful substances. In other cases, you can use it without hesitation. nine0003

Convenient: Free, calcium-free

Important: After a long drought, let the rain wash the dust off the roof first, and then start collecting water. A biological preparation will help against mosquitoes (commercially available at OBI Garden Paradise).

6. Tap water

In a large garden, it makes sense to run water underground with taps in the right places. Then you do not have to carry long hoses and heavy watering cans.

Convenient: No inconvenience. nine0003

Important: The tap water is very cold, in summer this can lead to temperature shock from the temperature difference. In this case, it is better to let the water warm up in the barrel. For the winter, it is necessary to drain the pipes in a timely manner so that they do not freeze.

7. Water Saving Tricks

By following these simple tips, you will save on irrigation water:

1. Rainwater harvesting.
2. Mulching reduces evaporation and prevents the soil from drying out in the sun. nine0012
3. After watering, loosen the soil in the bed. In loose earth, small channels (capillaries) are not formed through which water evaporates from bottom to top. Loosening destroys these capillaries, and moisture remains in the soil.
4. Water at regular intervals (eg once a week), but thoroughly. Water should soak the soil at least 15cm.