Easy water balloon games create a fun summer day with little prep for backyard play, camp activities, and family reunion games—especially if you use the easy-fill Bunch-o-Balloons in 100-packs or 420-packs). These six fun water balloon games will create a memory-filled day of summer play!
Watch this video to see games 1–3.
1. Red Hot Lava Water Balloon Game
In this easy water balloon game, put seven red water balloons in a small pool or just two or three red balloons in a bucket of water. Have everyone take turns tossing a water balloon into the pool or bucket. As long as their water balloon doesn’t touch a red-hot-lava balloon when it lands, they remain in the game. If their balloon touches a red balloon upon landing, they’re out.
2. Ready, Aim, Throw
In this water balloon game, place several water balloons in the pool. Then gather a water squirter, toy bow and arrow, or dart gun. Take turns trying to hit a water balloon with your water squirter or dart when it first lands in the pool. If you hit it at its first point of contact, you get to throw the water balloon at someone!
3. Colander Head
In this water balloon game, one person throws water balloons and his teammate tries to catch them in a colander. If the water balloons are extra full, they can pop on contact and drench the person below—but the team gets a point! To reduce the teammate getting wet, use less water in the water balloons. But if you want to make it extra fun, let the kids still pop the water balloons over your head and watch it pour down on you through the colander!
Watch this video to see games 4–6.
4. Monkey in the Middle—Water Squirt Version
In this water balloon game, have two people toss a water balloon back and forth while a third person tries to squirt the water balloon with a squirt gun as the water balloon flies through the air. If the squirter soaks the water balloon, the person in the middle swaps spots with the person who threw it. Or, if someone doesn’t catch the water balloon and it pops, that person also swaps spots with the person in the middle.
5. Flies Up with Pool Noodle Lounge Chairs
In this water balloon game, one person throws a water balloon behind them while the rest of the players try to catch it in a pool noodle sling/lounge chair that they can put their arms through. I usually get the slings from the Dollar Tree, but you can also find them on Amazon if they’re not in the dollar stores. Or, simply use a T-shirt they hold up. If someone catches the water balloon, they get to toss it at another player. But everyone gets to enjoy the splash even when they don’t catch the water balloon!
6. Get the Gatorade Challenge
Fill a number of water balloons with water but fill one with gatorade. Take turns having everyone choose a water balloon from the bucket and then popping it over their heads. If they get the gatorade balloon, they get to throw the rest of the water balloons at the other players!
For more summer play ideas, check out these other ideas.
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