Don’t you just love summer?! Pool time, fun, games… and of course, water conservation!? Wait – what?! Yes! You heard me right. Saving water during the hot summer months is important, especially in the Arizona desert. Because it gets so hot here, people often take more showers or baths. And, our plants in the landscape or swimming pools will use more water, too. If you’re looking for kids activities that also help teach water conservation, this is the perfect time of year to get creative.
Here are some activities to do this summer that are swimming with fun. In fact, these ideas make excellent activities for kids of all ages!
1. Download my Water-Saving Bingo Board and see who can get bingo first.
2. Be water-wise with your sprinkler and hose!
Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours. Use this time to have fun in the sprinklers! We know Arizona summers bring the HEAT! So, if you need to cool off during the day, make sure to use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it most. Also, try making these outdoor ideas a fun part of your kids activities this summer.
3. Don’t pour out that water!
Do you have someone in your family that leaves half-drunken water bottles or glasses of water around the house? Here’s a fun game: Search the house and find as many as you can. Instead of pouring them down the sink, pour them in your houseplants or garden! And voilà, you are a water saving machine! Most importantly, all these actions can be part of family kids activities encouraging conservation.
4. Take over watering duties in the flower or vegetable garden!
Give your parents a break and take over the gardening responsibilities! Remember, the best time to water the plants in early morning. Make sure to not overwater. A great way to do that is watering by hand with a watering can or hose. You can control where the water goes and avoid watering the surrounding areas. Getting involved in the garden is one of the best kids activities for summer learning.
Want an extra challenge? Try searching for more creative kids activities that also help the earth.
Ask your parents to save the water they use to cook (water used for boiling pasta water or washing fruits and veggies) and use that the next day to water the garden. These simple actions can become great kids activities for teaching about sustainability.
5. Ready to just stay cool and hang out inside? Check out Tip Tank or other fun activities on our kids pages.
Until next time, keep water in the pool when playing in it! As you can see, there are endless options for kids activities centered around having a great time and saving resources.
Wayne Drop is the official spokes-drop for Water – Use It Wisely. For over 26 years, he has been visiting community events, schools, and libraries to help talk about water conservation and why it’s so important to our state. In his spare time he enjoys swimming, boating, and sledding in the snow. Find more blogs from Wayne Drop. Remember, kids activities can make a big difference for water conservation awareness.