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Fun Games With Water Balloons for Kids

Updated on July 23, 2012

Water Balloon Fun

Get ready to play some games with water balloons that kids will love! There are many outdoor games that are a blast to play in summer, but there is something extra fun about incorporating water balloons into the game.

Water balloons and a hot day go hand in hand, and it is one of the only games where the equipment can break and kids will have even more fun than when it doesn't.

Whether you are searching for water balloon games for a birthday party, family reunion, or just for a fun weekend outdoors, here are some of the best and most fun water balloon games around.

Awesome Games With Water Balloons

To have some wet fun in the back yard, try these classic games.

Water Balloon Target Practice

This is a nice, friendly non-contact sport that is especially fun for a group or for teams to play. What you will need is teams of 3 people, a water balloon launcher, water balloons, and a nice target. If you have the option, sidewalk chalk on a street or parking lot works great, but a simple target can be made in grass by sprinkling flour in circles or by using string or rope.

Start by creating a target and assigning point values to each ring. Then, assign a launch zone far enough away to make it challenging but reasonable. After that, simply take turns shooting at the target until one team has reached the number of points needed to win the game.

Factors that will make this game even more challenging include a nearby tree, a windy day, or an obstruction like a deck to pass over. A judge near the target will be valuable for those inevitable disputes.

Water Balloon 500

The game of 500 can be played with any ball imaginable, and since a water balloon is ball-shaped, it qualifies as well. The rules of 500 are simple. There is a person who throws the balloon that calls out a value with each throw like "10" or "50". The remaining players are in the field and try to catch the balloon to score the number of assigned points, with the first to 500 declared the winner.

When using water balloons, it is a very good idea to have something to catch the balloon with. Among good options include a baseball cap, a t-shirt, or a soft net. Any will do the trick, but some lead to a more physical style of play than others. A t-shirt, for example, requires a low catch and will make for colliding bodies where a baseball cap may offer an advantage to a taller player.

Water Balloon Fight

Sometimes you just don't want to play a friendly game and you are looking for an old fashioned water balloon fight. Instead of just hurling balloons at each other, consider defining a boundary and a middle line and making it more of a dodgeball-style game where teams try to hit each other with balloons to get all players out.

Unlike normal dodgeball, however, it is going to be much more difficult to catch a balloon, so avoidance might be the best policy. Once there is only one team standing, they win the game and you can switch sides and play again.

This is a great way to cool off on a hot day while still doing something physical. To keep everyone safe, you can create a no-man's land between the two sides to keep the teams 10 feet apart of so.

Water Balloon Obstacle Course

If you've ever seen the game shows where a contestant tries to get through an obstacle course while avoiding being hit by objects launched at him or her, you get the idea for this game.

An obstacle course can take some time to set up but it's fun. Create a course where a few people are assigned to be launchers and try to hit the person running the course. Assign them specific launch points that make it possible for them to strike the participant while being far enough away to give the runner a sporting chance.

Include places along the course where the contestant can find a safe zone to relax in for a moment before making his next move. Once the course is set up, it's just a matter of saying "go" and watching the runner try to get through the course without getting wet.

To make it easier if your course is too difficult, declare that the winner is the person who gets hit the least while completing the course. Beware, this game is fun for everyone but may be most suitable for bigger kids.

Water Balloon Toss

For the most innocent and non-physical water balloon game around, the kid's classic water balloon toss is great for smaller kids.

In this game you simply assign teams of two and each person alternates throwing a water balloon back and forth to catch it as many times in a row as possible. The team with the most successful catches wins.

This game can be modified in many ways depending on the players, from throwing and catching with bare hands to long distance throws that are caught in a t-shirt. Have fun and modify the rules as needed for your teams.

Let the Balloons Fly!

Now you have some great ideas for water balloon fun for the kids.

Everything from casual games to team games to really physical games are possible if you just have a pack of balloon and a shirt, net, or water balloon launcher.

Enjoy one of these fun games with water balloons for kids this year.

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