It never ceases to amaze me how much fun kids can have in any amount of water. Last year we burned through one wading pool and a slip and slide. Give them some water guns or some buckets (can you tell how much I love buckets) and it's hours of fun as long as everyone knows the rules and no one is left alone.
I can't keep water blow up toys from being destroyed so for me spending the $20 each year is worth it to restock on anything that gets anyone wet, including our law sprinkler. And one year the heat came very early so we filled up an extra big bucket of water and had a blast in that.
Today it was hot. Summer hot. On the way back from picking my kids up from school, we dropped into Walgreens to pick up a wading pool. So glad that my kids are not too old for this. We invited the neighbors over, brought out a few snacks and ice water and turned it into a fun afternoon. It's funny because when I did the math of the afternoon--1 pool, 10 minutes to blow up with pump, getting swimsuits on, breaking up argument, explaining why it's OK to splash in the water (after all isn't that the point?), getting everyone showered/changed from the grassy water, cleaning up the pool--the two hours of fun (that's right folks I got 2 hours of fun out of this gig) it was still worth it. Always happy to find an activity that pleases people from as young as 18 months to 8 years.
I just love it when the simple things can be so much fun for everyone.
Seeing as it's still in the low 60's here and has been raining every day for what seems like the past 3 weeks (and that's even bad for spring in the Northwest) I think it may be a while before we break out the wading pool... We DID however just get a sandbox and that entertains a 13 month old and a 2 year old for at least a solid hour every time we take the lid off with no filling, inflating, or reminders not to drink the water that little sister has likely already peed in.
Posted by: Molly | May 28, 2010 at 02:24 AM