It’s quick and easy, affordable and it will keep kids busy FOR HOURS!
Turn off the screen and turn on hours of blissful water play these school holidays. Build your very own water play table in your bathroom and watch kids from two to twelve engage in awesome imaginary play. Race “matchstick boats”, shoot them into the air and learn all about the science of siphoning.
Three affordable items, endless water play!
This is a quick, affordable way to set your children up for hours of water play. In addition to your bathroom sink and tub, you’ll need:
- Duct tape or packing tape
- Match sticks or craft sticks
- 1-3 meters of syphon hose (available at hardware stores for a few dollars)
It takes just seconds to create your own water play table in the bathroom!
- Take your siphon hose and run it from the sink down to the bath tub. Keep it just long enough to create a few loops.
- Tip: For older kids, cut multiple lengths and use a stop watch to measure the speed of each tube.
- Lay the end of the siphon tubing flat on the bottom of the hand basin sink. Ensure it is not “poking up” as this will allow air to enter the tube and ruin the siphon effect. When it’s in place, tape it down.
- Fill the sink half way, ensuring the end of the tub is fully submerged. Leave the tap running on low.
- Suck on the bathtub end until water fills the tube. Water should now be flowing freely from the sink to the tub.
Adjust the sink tap until the water level remains steady in the sink. If there is too much water, it will overflow. If there is not enough, air will get into the tube, ruining the siphon effect. - Gently feed the matchsticks into the hand basin end one at a time. Watch as the “current” picks them up and whisks them through the tube and into the tub.
Creative water play
Little imaginations will love all the possibilities! This water play activity can be adapted into racing games, shooting games, aiming games, distance games and just plain water sliding fun. The best part is that when it’s all done, it’s time for a cool bath! Build this simple water play table in your bathroom. It’s guaranteed to keep little ones occupied for hours. Beat the Brisbane heat with water play…they’ll never guess it’s educational!
