Summer is a great time to start thinking about how you and your family can become more water-conscious, while still enjoying all the water-based summer fun you can.
With the extra hours of sunlight at this time of year comes intense heat and less precipitation, meaning that drought and water loss is a serious risk.
If you’re trying to find ways to conserve water while having fun-in-the-sun, or would simply enjoy a lower water bill next month, here is a quick guide to saving water while still enjoying summer fun with your entire family.
How to Conserve Water and Still Have Fun this Summer
Kids thrive on educational content that is also fun and which can be repeated on a daily basis. One such game is water conservation bingo.
Create a fun, water-themed bingo card that is filled up with water-saving practices, such as:
- Choosing to have a shower over a bath
- Turning off the tap while your child is brushing their teeth
- Keeping showers under 5 minutes long
Get your child to complete one or more water-conscious tasks each day, and once their bingo card is full, treat them to a movie of their choice, their favorite cooling summer treat, or perhaps even a week off chore duty.
Some Other Fun Outdoor Water Activities
Other fun ways to save water while still engaging in water-based outdoor play include using natural resources like playing in the rain!
Investing in a small pool equipped with a lid to minimize evaporation, and saving rainwater to use for water balloon fights or to have your child clean their dirty sand toys are all great ways to have fun.
Using Water Hoses and Sprinklers Effectively and Efficiently
In summer, playing in the sprinkler or being sprayed by the water hose are great ways to stay cool and active in the hot sun. However, these activities can waste much more water than you may think.
Luckily, these activities can still be enjoyed with a little bit of intention and effort, such as:
- Buy a high-efficiency spray nozzle for your water hose. This nozzle means that you can control the amount of water being sent through your hose, and what pressure it’s sent through at to enjoy short bursts of water play while watering your flowers or washing the car.
- If you have a garden that needs to be watered regularly with a sprinkler, invite your child to go outside and play in its spray at that time. However, sprinkler usage should be limited to 15 minutes per day, and should not be watering more land area than necessary.
