70 + Fun Water Table Play Ideas for Kids + Best Water Tables

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Summer is upon us! 

I love summer, don’t you? 

Settling down, barbecuing in the backyard, and watching littles play while we all enjoy the sun! 

So much fun. 🙂

My oldest is 7 and my youngest is 4 right now. 

Both, just turned that age from 6 and 3!! 

It goes by so quickly. 

And, we definitely have been through our fair share of water tables, water toys, water sensory table ideas, table activities and water play for kids! 

So, in this post I want to talk about some water tables we’ve had the pleasure of using and have loved, some of the popular ones we have in our cart but haven’t purchased just yet and the ones my friends use and love!  

In addition, I’d like to also bring up some water table play ideas!

So, let’s get right into it, shall we? 

What do you put in a water table? 

Water tables are amazing! 

You definitely don’t need to include only water within it. 

Improvise with other bases. Here are some off the top of my head: 

• • Sand

     

• Kinetic sand

   

• Pom poms

   

• Dirt 

   

• Sensory rice

   

• Sensory beans

   

• Ice cubes and water

   

• Jello cubes

   

The list goes on and on.. 

Some manipulatives you can add to some of these bases within your toddler water table: 

• • Foam letters 

     

• Toy figurines

   

• Their squishy bath toys

   

• Pom poms

   

• Large shape buttons

   

• Their construction toys

   

• Their dinosaur toys

   

• Natures fallen flowers or leaves

   

There are literally so many fun bases and manipulatives you can add into a water table that doesn’t involve only water! 🙂

What should be in a preschool water table? 

Preschoolers can have fun playing while learning! 

You can maybe work on the color red and only add red items within the water table. 

Some red items can be: 

• Red squishy toys (crab, lobster, apple)

• Red pom poms

• Red spoons and scooping tools

• Red fruits and vegetables

These are some ideas of how you can turn your preschoolers water table educational by adding only red items one day and learning about them while playing! 

Then, maybe the next day you can work on the color blue! 

You can also practice counting. 

Add in 10 of the same toy item or 10 pom poms. 

Then, scoop them up with a childrens scooper toy and a plastic bowl! 

What is the best water table? 

There are so many water tables. 

Here are some ideas:

• Plastic water tables

• DIY water table

• Water Tables with little engineering mechanisms 

• Wading Pool water fun

• Water tables for toddlers

• Water play sensory table

Here are some of the best water tables: 

Best water table for 1 year old

Water table for 1 year old ideas we love (Supervision is required):

Gadgets Water Table

Low Pirate Ship Water Table

Pond Water Table

Low Water Table

Toddler water table ideas: 

Below are some toddler water tables we love! 

Water activity table for toddlers

Small water table for toddlers and best water table for 2 year old

Toddler water play table

Activity play tables toddlers

Preschool water table ideas: 

Water table ideas for 3 year old

Water table for 3 year old

Transparent water table for 3 year old

Children’s water table ideas: 

Here are some water activity table for kids ideas: 

Our favorite all around children’s sensory table (stand shown below and bin right under it; 2 pieces)

The bin that goes with the stand 

How do you make a water table? 

How to make a water table for toddler and for kids? 

We have not made a water table for toddlers and for kids before but there are many different ways you can diy a water table. 

How to make a water table:

You’ll need a bucket, pvc pipes and elbow joints for attachment. 

Depending on your bucket size, will allow you to know the exact measurements for your PVC table! 

Here are some DIY PVC tables others have made that may be helpful: 

• PVC Pipe Sand and Water Table – Frugal Fun 4 Boys

https://frugalfun4boys.com/make-pvc-pipe-sand-water-table/

• Here is a PVC Pipe sprinkler and waterslide by Preschool Inspirations

https://preschoolinspirations.com/diy-pvc-pipe-sprinkler/

Another fun DIY water table idea is to create one with wood.

Again, depending on the size of your bucket(s), will determine the size of the wood pieces you’ll need to get. 

Here is one DIY wooden water/sand table idea that may also be helpful if you choose this route: 

• DIY Sand and Water Table – Jen Wood House

https://jenwoodhouse.com/sand-and-water-table/

What do you fill a sensory table with? 

Much like water tables, sensory tables are somewhat the same but also very different. 

Water tables only include water as a base. 

Sensory tables can include water or any sensory material as a base. 

Some ideas for filling up a sensory table with are as follows: 

• Crinkle paper

• Water

• Oobleck

• Mud and/or dirt

• Dyed beans, rice, pasta for sensory play

• Water and soap

• Foam soap

These are some sensory bases that will work well for a sensory table! 🙂

What can you put in a sand table instead of sand? 

Many different items and manipulatives can be put in a sand and water table instead of sand! 

Alternatives for sand in a sandbox can be:

• Dirt

• Mud

• Rubber gravel

• Dry foods

• Kinetic sand

What are the benefits of water play? 

Water play, much like sensory play is loaded with benefits. 

It stimulates the senses and helps children learn, calm down and engage in their creativity and use their imagination. 

They are learning new ideas as they are playing with a sensory water table and exploring fun things to do in water.

To read about the benefits of sensory play and for over 100 sensory play ideas, check out this post! 

To check out more sensory table ideas, ideas for water play, sensory water table ideas and toys for water table play keep on reading.. 

Water play ideas for playing with a sensory water table

So, we’ve reached the part of the post where we talk about water activity table ideas your littles can try with their water tables! 

I am going to list some ideas below of kids activity table ideas, and water play ideas you can try in a water table by these categories: 

• Toddler water table ideas

• Sensory table activities toddlers

• Water Table activities for preschoolers

• Pre k sensory table ideas

• Kids activity play table ideas

• Rice sensory table ideas

• Toys for water table 

Water Table Activities for Toddlers 

Here are toddler water play activities, toddler water play station ideas, toddler table activities, and all in all play table ideas for toddlers: 

Fishing for Letters – Active Littles

Bubble Foam Water Table – Busy Toddler

Water Table Kitchen – Happy Toddler Playtime

Construction Play Water Table – For the Love of Learning

Pom Pom Water Table – Happy Toddler Playtime 

Frozen Water Table – Teaching 2 and 3 year Olds

Dinosaur World Water Table – No Time for Flashcards

Fine Motor Water Activity – Playdough to Plato

Water play for Toddlers – Raising Dragons

Colored Scented Shaving Cream in Water Table – Simple Fun for Kids

Floating Rainbow Balls in Water Table – Simple Fun for Kids

Farm Animal Washing Station Water Table – Coffee Cups and Crayons

Reusable Ice Cubes, Sponges Water Table – Simply Sweet Days

Sensory Table Activities Toddlers 

Here are activity table ideas for 2 year olds:

Pom Pom Water Play – Active Littles

Beach sensory Play Water Table – Fantastic Fun and Learning

Apple Water Scoop – Days with Grey

Colored Ice – Fun A Day

Process Art Painting the Water Table – Simple Fun for Kids

Little Builders Water Table – Mom Always Finds Out 

Blowing Bubbles Sensory Play – Hello Wonderful 

Dinosaur Mud Play Water Table – Play Teach Repeat 

Swamp Sensory Tub – No Time for Flashcards

Water Activities for Toddlers – How We Montessori 

Color Water Sorting Bin – Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds 

Water Table Activities for Preschoolers

Below are preschool water table activities:

Water Table Activities for Toddlers and for Preschoolers – Active Littles

Small World Water Table – Fantastic Fun and Learning

Ocean Sensory Table – Stir the Wonder

Dinosaur Small World Water Table – Fantastic Fun and Learning

Pouring Water Activity – Hands on as we Grow

Exploring in the Water Table – No Time for Flashcards 

Stamps in the water table – How Wee Learn 

Baking Soda Letters in the Water Table – Simple Fun for Kids

Alphabet Soup Sensory Bin – Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

Experimenting with water beads – Happily Ever Mom

Sand and Water Table – Gryphon House

Preschool Water Activities – Normal Life Mom

Pre K Sensory Table Ideas 

Below are sensory activities for 3 4 year olds:

Bugs Preschool Sensory Bin – Active Littles

Frog Life Cycle Sensory Table – Coffee Cups and Crayons

Marshmallow Sensory Play – Fantastic Fun and Learning

Vegetable Soup Bath – Happy Toddler Playtime 

Rock Soup Sensory Activity – Happy Toddler Playtime

Simple Boats in the Water Table – Simple Fun for Kids

5 Little Ducks Sensory Play – Messy Little Monster 

Toy Wash – Happy Hooligans

Blooming Paper Flower Experiment – Active Littles

Rainbow Sensory Foam – Active Littles

Lima Beans Sensory Bin – Active Littles

Kids Outdoor Water Table Activity Play Ideas 

Arctic Animals Land vs Ocean – Montessori from the Heart

Learning with Siphons in Water Table – How Wee Learn

Water Pollution Activity – Natural Beach Living

Water Table Experiment – Stir the Wonder

Fun Ocean Sensory Bin – Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds

Water Fun with Babies and Toddlers – The Educators Spin on It

Lego Water Play Idea – Make and Take 

Turtle Water Table – Craftulate

Sponges in the Water Table – Things to Share and Remember

Literacy Based Water Table Idea – The Kindergarten Connection

Spring Water Table – Simple Play Ideas

Small World Play with Polar Bears – Simple Play Ideas

Water Table Play Prop Ideas – Mess for Less

Rice Sensory Table Ideas

Rice Sensory Bin for Early Learning – Active Littles

Caps and Rice Sensory Bin – Happy Toddler Playtime

ABC Rice – Busy Toddler

My Little Pony Rice Sensory Play – My Small Potatoes

Popsicles and Play – Small World Rice Pond

Rice and Ice Sensory Activity – Learning 4 Kids

Tropical Fruits Sensory Rice – Fun Littles

Ocean Sensory Play – The Imagination Tree

Letter Magnets Rice Sensory Play – Thrift Smart

Digging Up Letters – Teach Preschool

Summer Camp Rice – Active Littles

Water Play Table Toys for Preschoolers and for Kids

Here are toy ideas for water table’s:

• Water table toddler play toy ideas:

Water toy for Kids

Water toy boats 

Water toy letters and numbers

Water “On the Go” toys

• Preschool water table toy ideas:

Water Animal Toys

Animal Toy Figurines

Water Fishing Toy

Water toy for Kids

Kinetic Sand

Pom Poms for Kids

Kids Beach Sand Toys