Bubbles and Color in the Play Pool

Summer Fun with Bubbles and Color

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We love to paint.  In fact we paint so much that we go through a ridiculous amount of washable tempura paint.  I really should buy the bulk size, but that's beside the point.  A few weeks ago when the boys and I used up the last of a few colors of paint (yellow, white, pink and orange) instead of recycling the empty bottles I set them aside for some summer fun in the play pool.

Supplies:

• empty paint bottles
• dish soap
• whisks
• play pool

I filled the empty bottles with water and added about a tablespoon of Dawn to each.  The older boys (3 and 5) enjoyed squirting the mixture into the play pool.  Squeezing the bottles is a great  activity to build fine motor skills.

Peanut (13 months) sat beside the pool and reached his hand in.  Tank immediately climbed into the colorful water and started splashing.

Once all of the colors were added, and the mixture turned a lovely pink we turned on the hose to fill the pool.

It was the quite the sight, seeing all four boys squishing into the baby  play pool pool.  Unfortunately our bigger pool has a hole in it, so we've been using the baby pool for water play.  Since summer has almost come to an end we won't be replacing our play pool until next year.

The whisks were added to stir the bubbly water and really get it sudsy.

This was such a simple way to get one more use out of our paint bottles.  I'm happy I hung onto them.  The four boys played together for over an hour and didn't complain about the lack of space.  I think they were too interested in the bubbly water to care about the size of the pool.  

No color was left on their bodies after getting out of the pool. Dawn is great like that. Even in cooler weather I plan to save the last of our paint, because this activity could easily be done on a smaller level in a sensory bin. On rainy or cold days it could be done in the bathtub. Such simple fun, and look at the joy on their faces.  

For more summer fun follow my Fun in the Sun board on Pinterest.

Click the images below for more sensory summer fun in the play pool: