How to have fun in the garden with kids – without a paddling pool

How to have fun in the garden with kids – without a paddling pool

There are lots of ways to keep your children cool and happy, without using lots of water.

Children usually love playing with water. However, using the paddling pool every day in summer means a lot of extra water usage. 

Even a small pool can use about 600 litres of water – the biggest ones can use up to 5,000 litres. The average daily water use per person in the UK is around 139 litres a day. Filling up a paddling pool several times a week will increase your water usage significantly.

If you’re on a water meter, using a paddling pool will add to your water bill. Even if you’re not on a meter, padding pools can be a pain to put up and down and keep clean. Here are some other ideas for garden fun this summer. 

(Safety note: never leave children unattended a container of water – even a small tub can be a drowning risk.)

Here are our top tips: 

1. Make a den
   
   You can make a den by putting a blanket or bedsheet over a washing line or hung between chairs, giving your little one a shady place to play. Even a big cardboard box can be a great place to play – you could even paint it for added fun. 
   
   
2. Cool down with a spray bottle
   
   With a spray bottle, children can spray themselves, you, plants, the wall – this helps them to cool down and have fun with a lot less water than a paddling pool or water pistols would use. You can get special spray bottles that are easy to use for children. 
   
   
3. Play with ice blocks
   
   There are lots of ways to play with ice in the garden – freeze some favourite plastic figures, or try adding an object to the ice. Children will love touching the ice, sliding it around and watching it melt. As it melts, you can also smash it up! 
   
   
4. A bowl of water
   
   A washing up bowl can help keep young children occupied for hours. Is it a sea to sail boats on, a witch’s cauldron, or a mermaid’s home? They can put hands and feet in it, use it to do finger painting on a patio, float toys in it, add food colouring – just try not to let them tip it over right away!
   
   
5. Get a water butt and some tiny watering cans
   
   Water butts start at around £30 and they’re easy to fit on the downpipe of a shed or your roof, giving a free source of water. It’s not clean enough to drink, but your kids might enjoy filling watering cans using it on seedlings, or filling up a tub to dip their feet in. 
   
   
6. Head to the swimming pool 
   
   If your little one really wants to get in the water, head to your nearest swimming pool instead of filling a paddling pool. You’ll be able to enjoy a refreshing swim without having the bother of sorting out the paddling pool.

How to save water if you do use a paddling pool

If you do get the paddling pool out, there are ways of making the water go further. The water can last several days, unless it’s really dirty – cover it with a sheet when it’s not in use, and just scoop out any bugs that land in it. A cover also helps to stop water from evaporating away in the sun. 

Once you’re finished with the water, don’t just tip it out – it can be used for watering your plants.