Spray-at-home ORDERS
No water parks? No problem. Just make your own.
It may be tough with all that’s going on, but this time of year can still bring back memories of being young and carefree, with long days filled with fun playing in the sun. That sounds really fantastic about now. With social-distancing restrictions still in place, you can turn your thoughts to your own backyard and creating the water fun and games spot you dreamed about as a kid. You can even tell the kids you are doing it for them. Here’s a list of products to help you achieve that goal, with two caveats. There might be a shortage of such items, as manufacturers and suppliers continue to grapple with the COVID-19 crisis, though many are offered at multiple retailers.
The “kiddie pool” has come a long way. Some larger, inflatable pools fit whole families (or a couple of adult friends with adult beverages) and might include options like filter pumps or bench seating. Easy setup is part of the allure of these; popular choices include Intex’s Easy Set, Bestway’s Fast Set and Polygroup’s Quick Set Summer Waves. These inflatable, topring pools come in sizes of 10 to 15 feet. These are available through links on Amazon; prices can range from $250 past $700, depending on size and features. Intex and other companies also offer familysize rectangular inflatable pools with options like bench seating.
Beyond inflatable pools, another memorable childhood water fun experience — the Slip ’N Slide — is also within reach in adulthood. Of course, there is the original Wham-O Slip ’N Slide, which is offered in three versions: the 15-foot Surf Rider ($17) and Surf Rider Double ($30) and the 13foot Hydroplane Double XL ($30) with two slide boogies. These are still great for kids’ backyard fun but could come up “short” for the grown-up crowd.
Adult-size options include the Wow World of Waterports Super Slide (from $210, Amazon), which features a zigzag spray pattern for better water coverage and comes with two “mega slides” to help the slipping. There is also the 20-foot Rave Sports Turbo Chute ($600, Target), with its “commercial strength” slippery coating and large-bumper sides.
Another, though sometimes more costly, way to go is to buy an inflatable air track used for gymnastics and cheerleading and set it up as a water slide; some merchants specifically point out their air tracks are waterproof and can double for water slides. FBsports offers its air tracks from 10-26 feet long in the $200-$500 price range. Wholesale Airtrack features three lines of air tracks based on thickness levels ranging up to 33 feet in length. Its prices start at $500 and go up to $2,200; it also takes custom orders.
If you are more into a simple dousing but want something beyond the typical garden sprinkler, inflatable sprinklers have come on the scene in recent years. BigMouth made a splash with its 6.5-foot Unicorn Sprinkler ($42, Bed Bath and Beyond) as one of the first out of the gate, and it has added a dinosaur ($54, Leslie’s Pool Supplies), pink elephant ($49, Home Depot), 9-foot-tall giraffe ($54, Amazon) and the new friendly monster ($50, Amazon), among others, to its menagerie. Other brands have gotten in on the action, such as Funboy’s Backyard Rocketship Sprinkler ($69 at Funboy.com), which sprays water out its side and the top.
Do you already have or plan to buy a netted trampoline? You can turn it into a splash and jump with a trampoline waterpark ($40 on Amazon) sprinkler hose attachment.
As for a true “wish we had it back when,” self-sealing water balloons are now widely available. Zuru’s Bunch O Balloons ($15, Amazon), for example, allows you to fill 100 balloons in a minute. Now that’s a game changer.
For those with the space or who are planning a special event, many of these options can be combined to create a full water fun zone in your backyard. You can draw inspiration from water parks like Hurricane Harbor, which are full of slides, bucket dousing, water squirters, nozzles and faucets, splash pads and shallow water areas for sitting and relaxing. These also offer the lessons that mats and inflatables help you go faster on slides. A good place to start would be to rent or buy an inflatable water slide climber and go from there.
Everybody in the pool
For those lucky enough to already have a pool, you can up your relaxation or activity game with a few add-ons.
Pool floats and loungers have seen a creative explosion in choices the past few years, going from simple tube rings to ride-on creations like Funboy’s Angels Wings Float ($99, Funboy.com) and Clear Pink Glitter Flamingo ($79, Funboy.com). These days you can float your cares away on a light-up swan ($69, Splash Super Center), an avocado with a ball as the “pit” ($50, Life Changing Products), a slice of pizza ($50, Houzz) and much more.
Another creative advance is a lounger that gets you where you need to go in the pool with no exertion on your part. Urban Outfitters’ motorized pool lounger ($200, Urban Outfitters) and the similar Poolcandy Splash Runner ($200, Amazon) feature joysticks on the armrests for you to control the battery-operated twin propeller motors and zoom around the water to your heart’s content. With two of these, pool lounger races could become a thing.
If you prefer a little activity in the pool (and really can’t take even one more round of Marco Polo), you can add pool games like Wham-O’s Smash Ball ($37), BigMouth’s Inflatable Pool Party Pong Game ($20, Dick’s Sporting Goods), PoolCandy’s Inflatable Tic Tac Toe ($18, PoolCandy.net) or even a little poker or blackjack with waterproof playing cards ($6, Amazon).
More fun and games
Of course, if you have the space, there are plenty of nonwater games to be played as well.
You might already have a cornhole setup or ladderball, but to build out your yard game offerings you could consider Jenga Giant ($119, Amazon), which stacks up to 5 feet, or a 3.5-foot tall Four-to-Score game ($140, Costway), with variations available at other retailers.
For something a little different, Urban Outfitters offers a curling game ($110, Urban Outfitters) with mat and battery-operated stones. Or you can test your bullseyemaking skills with Hammacher Schlemmer’s inflatable, 6-foot dartboard ($100, Hammacher Schlemmer) with foam darts.
With carefree fun the aim, these ideas and your own shopping exploration can turn your kid dreams into adult reality.