The 21 Best Water Toys for Kids (Because All That Energy Needs a Soaking)
We feel you, it's a long summer. And besides the cool new hobbies and educational toys, every kid needs some excuse to play in the hose. Or games for the pool. Or both. So here are the funnest cool-down sprayers, floats and water tables on the market today. Because ultimately, don't you want to be remembered as the cool mom with the seven-foot spurting dinosaur on her lawn? Pro tip: Since many toys are inflatable, save your lungs and get an air pump.
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1. FUNBOY Giant Inflatable Luxury Mega Yacht Pool Float (12 Years and Up)
There is room for three people on this 13-foot inflatable mega-yacht that has bungee cords to secure your water toys.
2. Rainbow Beach Ball (12 Months and Up)
This 20-inch ball is filled with sequins, because kids appreciate something shiny in the sun.
3. Diving Gem Pool Toy 16 Colorful Diamond Set with Two Treasure Box (6 Years and Up)
We're getting a couple sets of these to have on hand for when the kids' friends come over, so that they can leave with a little souvenir...as long as they're willing to dive for the gems.
4. Ariel Dive Chest Play Set – The Little Mermaid (3 Years and Up)
Playing hide and seek in the sand is fun with gems, coins and something called a dinglehopper (aka fork).
5. Swimline Turtle Eggs Dive Game (6 Years and Up)
You throw these weighted eggs into the pool—and when divers retrieve them, they open to reveal tiny turtle hatchlings.
6. ? HearthSong Inflatable Sunshine Sprinkler for Kids (3 Years and Up)
Windy? Fear not. This sprinkler has little pockets for sand to provide stability while it sprays refreshing water all over your kids.
7. Giant Dinosaur Yard Sprinkler (3 Years and Up)
Be that mom on the block who installs an over-six-foot-tall inflatable dinosaur that spits water. It's practically community service..
8. Costzon Inflatable Bounce House, Castle Jumping Bouncer with Water Slide (3 to 5 Years)
This castle comes with its own blower, so it's fast and easy to inflate—and it has a hose that creates a water slide to splash down into a kiddle pool. (Bonus: It's even a fun bounce-and-slide experience when you don't have water running.)
9. Water Sports Pool and Beach Toys Swim Thru Rings (8 Years and Up)
Three collapsible 30-inch rings float under the water and turn your pool into a fun obstacle course.
10. VEPOWER Water Guns for Kids, 2 Pack (4 to 8 Years)
It holds a lot of water (900 cc) and has a powerful stream that shoots up to 35 feet. So by all means, watch out when you're walking across the yard. (We're buying a set to let the tweens work out disagreements among themselves, aka a water duel at five paces.)
11. Teamson Kids Inflatable Sprinkler Pirate Boat (2 Years and Up)
The littlest tykes don't need a pool to have fun in a ship—this blow-up vessel is made for playing on dry land, with a built-in sprinkler up front.
12. Poolmaster Bump N Squirt Swimming Pool Tube With Action Squirter (8 Years and Up)
The squirter has a line that feeds right into the pool so it never runs out of water. (We're buying two of these to let the tweens work out disagreements among themselves, aka a water duel at 5 paces.)
13. TURNMEON 4 In 1 Set Giant 36'' Inflatable Pool Basketball Hoop with 3 Balls (6 Years and Up)
It's hoops with something extra—the hole your ball rolls out of determines how many points you get for your shot. Since the water will be swirling the hoop around, players are going to be surprised by how much luck comes into play.
14. Gymax Plastic Round Sand and Water Table (3 Years and Up)
The rotating windmill feature really brings the splashing, which, let's be honest, is what water tables are all about.
15. Wallabout Inflatable Floating Water Toys (10 Years and Up)
Suitable for strong swimmers of elementary school age and above, this four-piece set has players balance on two inflatable logs, while bopping each other with even more inflatable logs. So if you've ever wanted to be a suburban logger in a PVC jungle, you're in luck.
16. Sapphire 2 Pack Slip and Slide Water Slide with Bodyboards (4 Years and Up)
Set these two water slides next to one another, and with more than 19 feet of runway, you can really have some heated aquatic sport.
17. GoSports Splash Pass Floating Pool Football (8 Years and Up)
With four miniature footballs and a little pump to keep them inflated, this game lets kids keep passing from across the pool. (As they get older, an extra challenge will be to tread water while passing the ball.)
18. BuitenSpeel Toys Flower Giant Water Toy (2 to 6 Years)
Those little tendrils on the flower? They twist in wild, tickly ways as water jets work their way out, so expect lots of squeals from the kids.
Buy It ($19)
19. HearthSong Volleyball Sprinkler Inflatable (5 Years and Up)
We appreciate how this inflatable, low-profile volleyball setup is just the right height to challenge elementary school kids as well as adults.
20. Intex Gator Inflatable Play Center (2 Years and Up)
If a kiddie pool and a water table had a baby, it would be this aquatic extravaganza. It fills with water, and has a slide to splash from, a water sprayer, a fishing bucket, a ring float...and a padded floor for extra safety.
21. SUNNYLIFE Shark Attack Underwater Camera (8 Years and Up)
This reusable film camera has a waterproof housing, so you can teach the young 'uns that photography existed before the iPhone.
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