Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in vancouver, CN

Cooling Off In the Vancouver Sun

July 27, 2009

We don't have a lot of space in our small townhouse, but we do have a balcony and a sheltered front courtyard area by our front door. Still, it would be nice to have a backyard to set up a sprinkler and a bigger wading pool that didn't need to be emptied so you could get in the door or cook on the bbq. So how do you cool off without the backyard space?

One of the first things we bought my son was a sand and water table. We thought it would be great for him and he would have hours of fun on the balcony with it. What we didn't count on (silly we know) was the mess the sand and water would make together. So very soon the sand and water table became only a water table. It is now much easier to clean and a lot less messy. Sure clothes and the alley below get wet, but the fun of playing with the water more than makes up for it.

On those days that we can't get out to the public pool or water park or beach we at least have another way for my son to play with water. If you don't have a water table (though now is the time to get one, especially a floor model at the local Toysrus) you can use a number of things you have around the house to make water play fun. A plastic tote filled with water and some sand toys make great water toys. Add a watering can to the mix for even more fun. You can use kitchen utensils and measuring cups or plastic bowls as well.

We also have a small wading pool that we set up in front of our door. The wading pool we have is small enough to fit in the side by the waist high garden wall without covering the door. We also have a set of the square foam play pads that make the concrete easier on the knees of my crawling son.

What do you do for water fun in a small space without a backyard?