Water sports help

August 4, 2008 6:57 PM

Please help me and my friend develop a water gun target for a 5 year old's birthday.

My friend's son is turning five on Saturday and she's staging an Olympics theme party. The kids will have to throw a basketball through a hoop, run between some cones, kick a soccer ball through a target, throw a water balloon at a bucket and shoot a water pistol at.... what?

I feel like a paper target won't show whether they've hit a mark or not.

Keep in mind there will be 6 kids - so ideally they would be lined up doing this simultaneously.

And bonus points if you think we should add a game we haven't thought of.

posted by chickaboo to sports, hobbies, & recreation (14 comments total)

paper target would work fine if you added food coloring to the water pistol. using different colors for teams or whatever could be fun.
posted by ian1977 at 7:15 PM on August 4, 2008

Add food coloring to the water.
posted by Science! at 7:15 PM on August 4, 2008

What about those paint with water books they make for kids (the kind where the pictures are impregnated with pigment). Water squirted on targets cut out of those might show up.
posted by nanojath at 7:16 PM on August 4, 2008

Empty paper cups. You know you hit it because it moves or falls over.
posted by Class Goat at 8:10 PM on August 4, 2008

Stacked empty paper cups, in a triangle. That way it's even more satisfying when you hit it.
posted by Class Goat at 8:10 PM on August 4, 2008 [2 favorites]

A circular target, with holes in it and balloons attached behind the holes. Shoot the holes, 'inflate' the balloon.
posted by djgh at 8:46 PM on August 4, 2008

I'd skip food colouring as it is sure to get on someone's clothes.

Just plain coloured paper in dark shades like purple and green would work. Paper colours tend to be washed out when dry and get very dark or vivid when wet.
posted by Mitheral at 8:47 PM on August 4, 2008

Vinegar in the water gun, and baking soda targets.
posted by maloon at 10:13 PM on August 4, 2008

how does one make a baking soda target?
Thanks all these are great ideas - if you think of any more let me know...
posted by chickaboo at 5:16 AM on August 5, 2008

how does one make a baking soda target?

Just heap a small pile of baking soda on small paper plates and set them on a table or bench or something and let the kids squirt vinegar at them for the reaction.

Or modify the version of Alka Seltzer tag at http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2007/07/alka-seltzer-ta.html
posted by maloon at 6:58 AM on August 5, 2008

Vinegar in the water? Yeah, what happens when one kid sprays another in the face?

Other events: A relay race would rock. And, it's easy - all you need is a circle to run in, and something vaguely baton-like to hand off.
posted by Citrus at 7:16 AM on August 5, 2008

I know this is politically incorrect, but the best target for a 5 year old with a water gun, in August, is another 5 year old with a water gun. They don't need targets, they need to run around on the lawn and soak each other. That'll be more fun than any of the other things you're talking about here.
posted by Class Goat at 12:04 PM on August 5, 2008

how does one make a baking soda target?

I would wrap a small amount of baking soda in a tissue paper "envelope" and pin it to a target board. If you're concerned about spraying vinegar, you could use baking powder instead, which will fizz in contact with plain water.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 2:06 PM on August 5, 2008

How about clear plastic cups that they have to fill to a certain line with colored water, perhaps in a certain amount of time?
posted by Four Flavors at 3:29 PM on August 5, 2008