Preschool Water Fun – The Kid Wash

We recently had a Splish-Splash Summer Camp at my preschool.  Each day was filled to the brim with ocean, beach, and water FUN. One such bit of fun was the “Kid Wash” we set up.  I was inspired by Family Fun’s “Deluxe Kid Wash”.  Check out their site for detailed shopping lists, cutting directions, etc.

Here are some things I found useful while constructing this:

• Use a pair of PVC pipe cutters.  I practiced on a spare piece first, to get the hang of it.  It was rather simple for me to use, and there weren’t any plastic scraps or jagged edges (like might be encountered if using a hacksaw).
• Set up each side of the kid wash on the ground first.  This made it a lot easier to put together!  Once I had both sides done, I had some older kids hold each side while I attached the crosspieces.
• Make sure to have the correct size hose adapter.  I didn’t, but duct tape saved the day!
• Make sure to have the charger for an electric drill’s battery!  I couldn’t locate mine, so I had to borrow a drill from another teacher.  They didn’t mind sharing of course, but it made the process take longer!  🙂

The children at summer camp had a blast with this!  Our director brought out some baby wash for the kids to use along with it.  It was hysterical watching them soap up and run through the “kid wash”!  Lots of smiles and giggles!

A few ideas I’m going to try next time:

• Two of the older kids pulled this over.  They did it on purpose, which irritated me after all the work I put into it.  So in the future, I’m going to try a suggestion another teacher gave me — use ties and camp stakes to secure this to the ground.
• I need to get a different hose adapter, as the one I purchased wasn’t the best fit.  Duct tape saved the day, but next time I’ll ask a Lowe’s associate to help me find an adapter that fits correctly.

July 2013 Update — This continues to be a big hit with the preschoolers.  We’ve used it for special days like “Water Day”, in addition to more summer camps!  I have another suggestion to add — print out the building directions and laminate them.