When you know the hardest part of your day is keeping your preschool kid engaged, you have got to put your search engine cap on and find activities that can be both engaging and productive.
And truth be told, that is what led you here, did it not? In your quest for finding a wow-some activity that can keep your kids busy while you are busy is what made you land up here.
We are not complaining though. As you can tell from the title, we have got just the perfect activity for you. Umm, for your kids actually!
Water station games are the perfect unsupervised activity that can help you help your kids spend some quality time interacting with colours and textures.
Want to know more about it? Keep reading and you will quickly find it becoming your favourite summer activity for your kids!
Why choose water station games for your kids?
An outdoor water station activity can be the perfect pastime for your kids. It can keep them entertained for hours on end as they experiment with colours and soak in the many possibilities it has to offer.
The thing is kids absolutely love water! You must have noticed your kids lapping up the water in the bathtub or making a splash on the water slides in a water park. Or even jumping in glee in puddles of rain. There is something about water that enamours kids and makes them want to interact with it in as many ways as impossible.
Thinking about the last Holi now and how much your kids loved playing with the mixture of water and colours? Well that is another reason why you must try out this simple outdoor activity for kids!
The sheer presence of water can be very calming for kids and can help hyperactive kids channel their energy in a much more constructive manner.
Convinced to try this easy-peasy outdoor activity for kids? Let us see how you can arrange it in your backyard (trust us, even a balcony will do!).
What are the materials you need for this colour mixing game for kids?
We have probably not iterated it enough but this activity is super simple. You really do not need much to get started. In fact, there are high chances that everything you need is already in your house! All you have to do is put it together and then call out to your kids to enjoy.
- Big, clear plastic tubs or bins
- Washable water soluble colour
- A whisk
- Clear cups, bowls, jars and tumblers
Small and easy to accomplish list right? Do not overthink this activity if you feel like you have something missing. You can be resourceful and use whatever you have at your disposal. Just be sure if you are using the above or substitutes for the above, every element is child-friendly. Which means safe paints and nothing made of glass. Basically nothing that can prove to be a health hazard for your kids. Anything like that defeats the purpose of this colour mixing game for kids.
How to set this activity up?
If you thought procuring material for this activity was easy, wait till you read how to set it up. The sheer lack of effort and time taken coupled with the amazing response of your kids once they start playing will make you wonder why you never tried this activity before!
Here is how you can set this activity up:
- Fill your clear bins or tubs with water. Fill them about three-fourths full so there is less scope of spillage. Also make sure you use about three to four of them at least.
- Throw in about a spoonful of washable paint. You can adjust this quantity based on the size of your bins. If the colour doesn’t show up vibrantly, feel free to add more paint. Remember to add a different colour to each tub. There should be no repeat colours as kids might find that boring.
- Whisk the paint and water together to create an even mixture. Whisking might sound odd but it will be the fastest and easiest way to mix the two in a jiffy.
- Layout clear cups, bowls and tumblers around the colourful water bins and give your kids a call to come over.
That is truly all you need to set up this colour activity for kids. Once your kids join in the picture, they will take care of the rest themselves!
How can kids play with this water game?
There is really no instruction manual as far as this colour activity for kids is concerned. The goal is to let your kids use their imagination. The water and the colours will instantly grab the attention of your kids and they would want to interact with these elements right away!
You might catch your kids making fictitious soups or magic potions by mixing colours in the cups and bowls you provide. They will scoop and pour and stir, learning these different skills on their own. Or they would simply mix colours and find out what kind of colour combinations they can create.
It is a great way to let your kids develop both their fine motor skills and imagination.
How to avoid muddy colours?
If you want to keep the colour palette bright and vibrant even as your kids mix up the various shades in front of them, be sure to pick analogous colours only. These shades are next to each other on the colour wheel. You can pick the brightest hues among them such as red, orange, yellow and blue along with white. White can serve as the base for mixing different colours.
This activity might seem way too simple but its effects are long lasting! Your kids will love spending day after day playing and experimenting with different colours. You can even call their kiddie friends over and have a bit of a water colour party! At EuroKids, we regularly arrange such simple and interactive activities for kids so they can indulge in interactive learning and have fun while they are at it. If you want to know how we mix learning and fun, make sure you visit your nearest EuroKids centre. We would love to walk you through!
