The law of averages is sadly no guarantee that we will have a hot and sunny summer (even though we may feel we’re well over-due!) However on the optimistic basis that we’ve been predicted a ‘BBQ summer’ so many times that we may as well assume one is on its way, here are a collection of water based games, perhaps ideally suited for a themed evening in collaboration with some other local groups. And heck, even if its not sunny or warm, let’s face it, a water fight night is guaranteed to be a load of fun.
Icebreaker – Saturated Rounders20 mins
One thing with a water fight night is that you don’t want to peak too early and completely soak everybody straight away, so why not start off with an ice-breaker. Not literally - if there’s any actual ice, you’ve chosen the wrong time of year/part of the world for a water fight.
You and your group will be familiar with the game of rounders and you probably have your own unique set of rules, so why not play a version of that game. Substitute a foam football soaked in a bucket of water for the ball, and make the young people kick it rather than using a bat. To get people out simply hit them with the ball as they try to make their way round the bases. Keep a bucket by the pitchers mound, and ‘refresh’ the ball in between each player.
Wet-rating: 3
Duck, duck, splash10 mins
A game based on the old standard ‘duck, duck goose’.
Get the young people seated round in a circle with one person (the ‘soaker’) walking round the outside of the circle, splashing a small amount of water from a bucket/bowl onto the heads of the participants one at a time (i.e. ‘duck’). At some random stage they then dump the entire contents of the bucket onto the next poor unsuspecting victim (i.e. ‘goose’) who then has to rise from their seat and attempt to tag the soaker before they can run right around the circle and back to the empty spot where the newly-wet person had been sitting.
If they manage to get there without being tagged they continue in the role of the soaker, and the wet ‘goose’ has to sit down back in their spot. If the goose manages to tag the soaker though they swap roles, and the wet person gets the job of continuing to wet people (duck, duck, goose etc). Play until you can’t be bothered to refill the bucket/bowl.
Wet-rating: 7
Energiser - Balloon roulette15 mins
A simple game to energise the group.
Before the event fill a number of modelling balloons (long, thin, available from party shops), with water and tie them off (like a water bomb). Take one of these balloons, and then with the young people gathered around you in a circle at a distance slightly longer than the length of the balloon, swing it around you in a large circle. The water will gradually accumulate at one end of the balloon and the balloon will stretch (make sure the young people are far enough back to allow space for this) and eventually at some point burst, soaking whoever is standing at that part of the circle in water. Repeat (several times).
Wet-rating: 0-8 (depending where you are in the circle when the balloon bursts).
Water slideHours of fun
Simple, yet always a highlight.
Get a large sheet of polythene or tarpaulin and lay it out on a flat section of your playing area. Spray it with a hose to make it wet, squirt a couple of bottles of washing up liquid over it to make it slippery, and allow your young people to take it in turns to run up and slide along. Keep a supply of water and soap to keep it slippery, and see who can slide the furthest.
The best technique is head first and on your front. Don’t allow standing up slides, because of the risk of feet slipping out from under them leading to complete wipe-outs and potential injury.
Wet-rating: 8
Run the gauntlet20 mins
Divide your group into two teams, and using something like cheap shaving foam squirt big crosses on the backs of each member of one of the teams. Take them to one end of your playing area and explain that they have to try to get to the other side and safety, while retaining as much of the cross as possible. Equip the other team with sprayers/water pistols etc. and instruct them to dot themselves across the ‘arena’ and try to wash off as much of the crosses as possible once the other team start to run and before they get to a safe area. Count down 3, 2, 1… and let the mayhem commence. Swap the roles over and repeat.
Wet-rating: 9
Braveheart20 mins
It wouldn’t be a water fight night without some kind of crazy free for all.
Encourage your young people to bring water pistols/empty (rinsed!) washing up liquid bottles etc. with them to the event – remove these to a safe place at the start. At the appropriate point announce the game Braveheart. Divide your young people into two teams and allow them to get their water pistols etc and fill them. Separate the teams to opposite sides of the arena, and then declare the water fight started by yelling ‘Freeeeedom’ in a faux-scottish accent and running headlong towards the opposite team while firing your water pistols. Best done as last event as this will use up any water supplies you may have stock-piled.
Wet-rating: Guaranteed 10! And especially so for any of the more hands-on youth leaders!
Top tips
Fill as many big containers with water as you can prior to the event. (Recycling boxes might make ideal sized water troughs dependent on your local council!)
Remind the young people prior to the event that they will get wet, so girls not to wear white t-shirts – and everyone to bring a towel!
Declare a safe –zone where things can be safely stored and kept dry, and where people who don’t want to get wet can shelter in safety.
If you allow water bombs, ensure that a clear up of the site is an integral part of the activities!
See if you can collect some ‘spare’ water pistols for individuals who don’t have them, even if it’s just empty plastic bottles.
