The weather is getting warmer and that means one thing: my children can now be entertained for hours with outdoor water play!!

I’m a huge believer in connecting learning with our children’s natural interests. It’s a great way to get them excited about the learning. So, what better way to do math in the summer than by rolling it into some water play?

Below you’ll find 5 math and water play activities from my blog as well as 5 additional activities from other early childhood blogs.

1) The Disappearing Number Line: Solve simple number clues (clues provided) and spray the chalk number that answers the clue.

2) Number Splash: Count out a set of objects equal to a number and splash the number with a water balloon!

3) Floating Numbers: Roll a dice and find the matching number floating in the water.

4) Coin Toss: Make simple tin foil boats and sort coins by type while tossing them onto the foil boats.

5) Color & Capacity: Play with colored water and build a foundational understanding of capacity.

6) Scoop & Sort (Days with Grey): Scoop apples from a bowl of water and sort them by color.

7) Pom Pom Scoop (Happy Toddler Playtime): Scoop pom poms out of a water bin and count them into cups labeled with numbers.

8) How Many Drops to Fill the Dot? (Teach Beside Me): Use a dropper to count how many drops of water are needed to fill different-sized circles.

9) Shoot (water) & Add (No Time for Flashcards): Knock down numbered cups using a water gun or spray bottle and keep track of total points earned.

10) Color Sorting Water Bin (Teaching 2 & 3 Year Olds): Fill a water bin with toys/objects of different colors and provide a matching color cup/tray/dish to sort them into.

Surprise Bonus: Check out this great water play overview from Let’s Play Little One with great tips for setting up engaging water play for your little ones!

And be sure to save this list to Pinterest using the button below so you know where to find it next time!

10 Math + Water Play Activities