It feels like as soon as we experience more than two warm days in a row, my son is asking when we can go to the pool already!
While we slowly start packing away the cold weather gear and pull out our summer gear, our kids are so ready for anything that involves water.
Warmer weather and water seem to go together like peanut butter and jelly. There is no way to have one without involving the other.
While we cannot always go to the pool, we have found other ways to stay cool during the summer and a lot of them still include water.
To start with, check out these super fun water balloon games that are great for kids of all ages.
You are sure to find more than one fun game that will cool everyone down on a hot summer day!
A much better way to navigate the long summer days is to get your kids set up with plenty of fun outdoor activities in order to keep them active and busy!
It is always good to have some ideas up your sleeve when it comes to summer activities.
While most activities could have little to no set up, some things may take a small amount of planning.
Doing so can save you time and money when you are ready to go have fun together!
Below are some exciting ideas and variations that will help elevate your next water balloon fight.
So grab some balloons and let the drenching begin!
Water Balloon Fight Ideas
Water balloon fights are fun for any occasion, whether they are played at family reunions, birthday celebrations, or just to keep cool on a hot day.
No matter the occasion, these awesome water balloon games are a fun way to spend the summer with any party guests.
Though I think it goes without saying, I will still give my public service announcement that you always want to make sure to keep little ones and pets away from the balloon scraps.
Please make sure to have all water balloon fight participants help clean up all of the little scraps after the carnage is over! Remind little kids that balloons are definitely NOT food!
Making sure safety precautions are in place is not only one of our responsibilities as adults in the situation, but also reminds our kids that we can be safe AND have fun at the same time.
Ok, now with that out of the way, let us take a look at some water balloon fight ideas that will inspire some extra excitement for you and your kids this summer!
1. Have The Fight On A Trampoline
This is a great way to make sure everyone has a chance to get taken out by a water balloon because there is nowhere to go!
For more of a challenge, you can make rules like someone has to jump on one foot in order to throw a balloon.
2. Give Everyone A Shield
The saucers that you use for sledding during the winter double perfectly as shields for water balloons on summer days.
If you are lucky and/or have a lot of skill, you can even try to catch water balloons and fire them back!
At any rate, everyone can be full of laughter while practicing their blocking skills.
3. Use The Right Water Balloons
You could have a day where you “test out” different types of balloons.
There are several options such as quick-fill water balloons or bunch o balloons that will definitely save you some time.
Reusable water balloons are also very helpful. I bought these as a last day of summer treat for my child last year. They are an investment but are SO worth it!
They are environmentally friendly as well as being much easier to clean up.
Give everyone a scale to rate each type of balloon and then stock up on everyone’s favorite.
4. Set One Up When Your Kids Aren’t Home
I love this for special days like the last day of school- set up a water balloon fight for your kids with a sign and ask them to find you.
It is amazing how much of a celebration can be created by some bright and colorful water balloons.
Whether you have younger kids or older kids, this way of starting a water balloon fight is a great opener for summer play!
5. Have Safe Zones
You can mark specific areas that are “balloon safe” areas if people need a few moments to recover from the battle.
Different areas can be marked by a hula hoop or pool noodles.
Set a time limit and make sure that no one hovers over the area waiting for people to leave!
6. Give Your Kids A Certain Number Of Balloons To Use Without Their Chosen Target Moving
This idea works especially well for little ones who are still practicing their aiming skills. Older kids will also get a kick out of just smashing water balloons at you and each other!
Make it more fun with some kind of countdown or make it feel like musical chairs where they can throw balloons at a standing target until the music stops.
You could also have a game of paper, rock, scissors to figure out how many balloons they can have.
For example, whoever wins gets four balloons, and the next person gets three ballons and so forth down the line.
7. Make It Challenging
Everyone stands in a circle (no moving!) and one person selects a challenge like:
Trying to hit someone with a water balloon after spinning 3 times.
Trying to hit someone with a water balloon while running at full speed.
Trying to hit someone with a water balloon while laying down.
Trying to hit someone with a water balloon by using a wooden spoon to catapult.
Trying to hit someone with a water balloon while using your feet to throw.
Let everyone be a part of this game by coming up with their own wacky ideas!
8. Play Water Balloon Freeze
Players can yell out “freeze” at any two given times throughout the game.
This can help people take breath and plan how they are going to escape the next water balloon onslaught!
9. Have A Water Balloon Hunt
Hide the same number of different colored balloons all over your back yard or play area.
Everyone gets a bucket to gather their balloons and as soon as they have found all of their balloons, they may start participating in the water balloon fight.
You cannot start fighting back until you have found all of your balloons.
Make sure to pair little ones either with a partner of their similar age or a parent to make sure things are even for them.
10. Play Water Balloon Dodge Ball
This game is played just like regular dodge ball except for the fact that the ball is replaced by water balloons.
Place a large bucket full of water balloons in the middle for extra drama. People have to dodge in order to get their next balloon.
If they get hit with a balloon while trying to grab a balloon, they have to drop it and start again from the back of the line.
The last player standing gets a big bucket of water dumped on them. We would not want anyone to feel left out!
11. Water Balloon Surprise
Fill some water balloons with water and some with shaving cream or washable paint.
All team members get a bucket filled with several types of each balloon and will find out the contents when each water balloon pops and hits another person.
Make sure everyone knows what they are getting into and remind especially little ones not to aim for faces!
You will need to do this in an area that will be easily cleaned with a water hose as well!
12. Play Water Balloon Tag
Have everyone wear an old white shirt. Mix the water in your balloons with food coloring.
The people who get tagged the most often will go home with very colorful souvenir shirts!
This is a creative way to make a party favor as well. Just remind everyone to bring an extra shirt!
13. Make Water Balloon Forts
This is a great option for the whole family or if you have several large groups.
Divide players into groups to build their own forts with anything they can find in the yard.
For example: pool noodles, hula hoops, chairs, tables, and plastic tarps.
Then have them stock their forts with plenty of water balloons that will last them through the entire battle.
A fun twist to this would be to give each player a water gun to use once they have run out of balloons in order to keep the laughter going!
14. Have A Water Balloon Duel
Have the last two people who have survived the balloon fight duel to find out who wins the day.
Each player gets one balloon. They stand back-to-back and then take ten steps away from each other before they turn and toss their balloons at each other.
Of course, this would occur after your massive water balloon fight and be the twist ending no one was expecting.
You could even have a running tally through the summer to see who wins at each water balloon fight.
The person who wins the last fight could have a serious target on them for the next time you play!
May the person with the best aim win!
15. Make An Obstacle Course
Work together to build an obstacle course that each person will have to make it through from the start line to the finish line before they can reach a bucket of water balloons to fight.
They could gather a bunch of water balloons that are dispersed throughout the course.
It would also be very funny to place portable sprinklers throughout the obstacle course and turn them on at various times.
This would also be a wonderful way to work together to create something amazing.
Make sure to let your kids help plan what they want to include in the course. They are so great at coming up with the most creative and inspired ideas!
Not only will your course be so cool, but you will also feel so amazing watching your child create and they will feel so proud of themselves!
16. Water Balloons Versus Water Blasters
Have one group armed with water balloons and the other group with water blasters and see who comes out victorious!
It should certainly be an interesting test to see which method of water play is more effective and fun.
17. Play Water Balloon Musical Chairs
As a variation on a water balloon fight mixed with the classic game, this is an organized way to have a water balloon fight with high stakes!
Have everyone walk around the chairs holding a water ballon. When the music stops, everyone tries to find a chair.
The person who does not find a chair in time is pelted with all of the other player’s water balloons and so forth until there is only one person standing.
This variation of a water balloon fight might be really great for smaller children who may get lost in the fray of older kids running around.
It will give them a chance to throw some water balloons and still have a lot of fun!
18. Play Water Balloon Capture The Flag
Split your group into teams and have them create a water balloon “flag” they must defend.
Let each team hide their flag in a strategic location that can be well defended from the other teams.
Then give each team a big bucket filled with water balloons and go for the water balloon fight to keep your flag safe.
As per the rules, no hanging out right next to the flag to “protect” it!
Depending on the size of your group, you can have several teams. This would give you more flags to defend and find.
Either way, a lot of splashing will happen while trying to find the other team’s flag and keeping your team’s flag safe!
19. Play Water Balloon Flag Football
Tie several filled water balloons onto ropes that can fit around everyone’s waist. Players must run around trying to grab or pop each other’s balloons.
If all of your balloons have been popped, you are out and can help by throwing water balloons from the sidelines.
You could play this as a regular flag football game is played or make it part of an actual water balloon fight placing a basket of water balloons for everyone to grab.
20. Player’s Choice
Ask your kids, family members, party guests, whoever you are with, to contribute their water balloon fight ideas.
Work together to make them happen!
No matter which way you choose to create your water balloon fight, there is sure to be so much laughter and fun!
This is another amazing activity that will secretly help your children develop some more of those all too important motor skills.
It is also a great way to help work on hand-eye coordination and is a perfect way to get the kids moving.
The many benefits of having these great water balloon fights outnumber the short set up that they require.
Just spending the time and being with your kids can make such a positive difference in your relationship with them.
We can all benefit from some quality time together that is filled with this kind of water play. And, as always, you’ve got this!
