Nothing beats the summer heat like fun and refreshing water activities at camp! Keeping campers cool and engaged during the summer is key, and water activities are a great way to make that happen. Whether you’re looking for high-energy games like water balloon challenges, hands-on sensory play with a water table, or water themed crafts, there are plenty of ways to incorporate water into your camp programming while encouraging creativity and teamwork. Check out these ideas to bring more splashes and smiles to your campers this summer.

If you are a camp counselor, recreational program director, or work with kids outside in general, you may need to adjust plans for physical activities and other events for hot days. One of the best ways to help combat the heat is water!

Water Balloons

Water balloons are a fun and popular activity idea for camp, and can cool campers down in the hot summer days! From filling them up with the children and water splashing everywhere, to throwing them at the ground to get someone wet, to spraying the water from them, these are a go-to classic for hot day water games. There is so much you can do with water balloons.

Have campers play catch and try not to pop them, or try to hit targets without popping them, these make for some cool fun on a hot day.

You can choose between the classic ones that you fill and tie – we love this pack of 1200 water balloons for large camp groups, or a smaller 250 pack. Or try the new reusable water balloons that don’t break and are easy to refill!

Water Balloon Launcher Game

This game encourages teamwork and friendly competition while keeping everyone cool. Use water balloon launcher or try this mega launcher!

Divide campers into teams and have them compete in different challenges:

• Distance Challenge – See which team can launch their balloons the farthest.
• Target Splash – Set up large buckets or hula hoops as targets and award points for accuracy.
• Dodge Splash – One team launches water balloons while another team tries to dodge them. This one is great for older campers!

Water Themed Crafts

Get creative with these fun, hands-on water-themed crafts that campers will love! Whether they’re designing their own collapsible water bottles, decorating beach balls, or building a balloon-powered boat, these activities combine artistic expression with interactive play. Not only do they allow campers to personalize their creations, but they also provide practical and exciting ways to enjoy the water all summer long. Perfect for downtime between active games, these crafts make great take-home souvenirs from camp!

Collapsible Water Bottle Craft Kit

Equip campers with collapsible plastic water bottles and permanent markers to personalize their own hydration gear. This practical craft not only encourages creativity but also promotes hydration during camp activities.

Color Your Own Beach Ball

Let campers create their own one-of-a-kind beach balls with this fun and easy craft! Each inflatable ball is a blank white canvas that campers can color using permanent markers. Once decorated, these personalized beach balls can be used for games, water activities, or taken home as a unique camp souvenir.

• Beach Ball Relay: After decorating, campers use their customized beach balls in a relay race where they must pass or bounce them to teammates.
• Keep It Up Challenge: Campers work together to keep their beach balls in the air using only their hands, heads, or feet.
• Water Play Fun: Once dry, bring the beach balls into the pool or a sprinkler area for splashing and tossing games.

Water Balloon Powered Boat Craft Kit

Campers build and decorate their wooden boats, then attach a filled water balloon to the back. When released, the balloon propels the boat forward in a small pool or water table.

• Science Tie-In: Teach campers about propulsion and how air pressure creates movement.
• Race Time: Hold mini boat races to see whose creation moves the fastest!

Sensory Water Tables

Sensory water tables are perfect for younger campers and provide a calming, hands-on experience. Fill the water table with different materials each day to create a variety of sensory experiences.

• Floating sea creatures like Turtle Squirters for a marine exploration theme.
• Natural seashells or transparent shells for a tactile experience.
• Sand pails, shovels and watering cans for water transfer.
• Fishing game for kids to work on motor skills.

Here are some of our favorite table options:

• Jonti-Craft® See-Thru Sensory Table (shown above)
• Neptune Table and Lid
• Sand and Water Sensory Table

If you don’t have a specific water table, you can use sensory trays with any table. For example, set up an inflatable tray, fill with water, and add the shells, animal toys, even rubber ducks. These offer some tactile stimulation for your group.

These colorful tubs are also useful for this activity.

Clean Water Kit

This hands-on experiment helps campers understand the importance of clean water by letting them build their own filtration systems using sand, charcoal, and gravel. A great way to blend education with outdoor exploration! Use this 4M™ Green Science Clean Water Kit.

• Campers can test different water sources (pond water, muddy water, etc.) to see how effective their filters are.
• Tie into conservation lessons and discuss ways to protect natural water sources.

Water Blasters

Water blasters provide high-energy fun and are great for large group activities.

• Capture the Flag: Teams use water blasters to tag opponents while trying to steal the opposing team’s flag.
• Obstacle Course: Campers must navigate a course while avoiding blasts from counselors.
• Target Practice: Set up cups or hanging pool noodles for campers to knock over with water streams.

Wet and Wild Easy Pack

No pool? No problem! Cool off and have fun with this exclusive Wet N Wild Water Play Easy Pack. Packed with enough water play items for a group of up to 20, including targets, water goggles and water balloons. See full list of items below. Your group will have blast! Great for field day and summer camps. We have also included an Activity Guide for download. For 2 to 20 players, ages 8 and up.

Includes:

500 Water Balloons
20 Youth Water Goggles to use as eyeguards
20 Water Stick Water Shooters
12 Large Water Buckets
2 Water Balloon Launchers
2 Felt Targets
2 Beach Balls

Splash and Spray Beach Ball

In this activity, you use beach ball that can hook up to a water hose or other water spraying device and let it bounce while it shoots water in many different directions. Imagine all the fun children can have with chasing and fleeing games, trying to keep the ball in the air as a group, or kicking it around. The versatility of this activity along with the assuredness it will keep children wet and cool makes it a must try.

Hot days don’t have to mean sitting inside. They can become days to make a child’s summer camp experience fun and really turn an otherwise miserable day into one of the best. With the right equipment and some creativity, you can make summer a splash when the temperature starts to boil.

Floating Basketball

Beat the heat while keeping the game going! This is a great option for camps with a pool and helps build teamwork while keeping campers active. Use a floating basketball hoop to play some fun games. Build your skill and coordination aiming at a floating net.

• Water Basketball Tournaments: Set up teams and hold mini-competitions.
• Trick Shot Contest: Challenge campers to make the most creative shots.
• Camp Counselor Challenge: Have counselors face off in a fun match with campers cheering them on.

COMING SOON!

Team Bucket Challenge

Host a variety of games like relay races or team building water challenges, like this Team Bucket Challenge where teams have to work together to transfer the water without spilling! Add some fun animal squirt toys to add an extra challenge.

You can also discuss the importance of marine conservation and how everyone can play a role in protecting our oceans.

Slip and Slide Races

Slip and slide your way to classic summertime fun! Use this Classic Slip ‘N Slide Water Slide – just connect a hose and you’re ready for action. Surf on a film of water down the specially formulated plastic surface that has hundreds of water jets built right in. For even longer sliding fun, connect two or more together. Have campers race from one end to the other or compete in relay teams for added excitement. You can even secure the edges with pool noodles for safety.

Slip and Slide Challenge

You can have contests to see which student can slide the longest and fastest. If you keep the water flowing, this can be part of a station of water activities or fun for hours by itself.

Slip and Slide Kickball

Set up two slip and slides next to each other. Campers team up, then all team members must slide down, kick a Giant Inflatable Kickball, then reach a cone before the other team. This twist on traditional kickball adds excitement and extra splashes!

Water Sprinkler

We love inflatable fun for summer camp! This Gigantic Arch Rainbow Water Sprinkler is perfect for keeping younger campers entertained on hot summer days!

Set up an obstacle coures where campers have to run through this sprinkler to cool off. Or add even more competition and set us a water relay race, where teams must run through the sprinkler while carrying a sponge full of water to fill a bucket at the finish line.

As an alternative, you can plan a dance party, where you play music and let campers enjoy running through the giant sprinkler as they make up their own dance moves.

Splash Pad

Nothing is more chill on a hot summer day than this Good Vibes Sunshine Splash Pad! It’s a shower and mist of cool water with a big area where you can splash and play or just relax. It’s a giant-sized sprinkler, sets up in minutes, Over 5 feet wide. Works with any garden hose.

Safety and Hydration

Safety Note: When doing any outside activity, ensure children have sunscreen on and proper clothing, including a hat to use in water. Don’t forget to make sure campers are well hyrdrated! Also ensure they have towels and a change of clothes. Safety is the main priority when outside and should not be overlooked.

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More Water Supplies

• Colorful Water Bottles
• Water Bomb Balls
• Missile Bomb Summer Splash Water Toy
• Water Squirt Balls
• Water Ring
• Turtle Squirters

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About the Author:

Charles Silberman has worked as a counselor and camp PE teacher for over 25 years and is currently a PE teacher at an Elementary School. He has become a leader and advocate for incoming physical educators by running workshops on teaching in limited space at staff in-services and conferences, assisting with new teacher orientations, and other initiatives. Charles has also created a niche as a physical education specialist who fuses technology and primary instructional subjects into physical education lessons.