Best Water Table for Kids
If you’re looking for the best water table for kids, you’ll know how many options there are on the market today. With so many different options available, it can be difficult to determine which one is best for your child. This article will help you find the best water table for kids by discussing 5 of our favorite products and providing tips on how to choose a water table that meets all of your needs.
Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond is the best water table for kids and doesn’t cut corners when it comes to creating opportunities for your children’s imaginations during sensory play.
- Best Combo – Sand & Water Table
- Best Basic Water Table for Kids
- Best Value For Money Water Table
- Best Pirate Ship Water Table for Kids
- Best Water Table with an Umbrella
- Best Themed Water Table for Kids
- Best Water Table for Kids (Best Overall)
The Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table for Kids is the perfect water table to keep your kids busy this summer. It’s easy to assemble, and even easier for them to have fun with! Your children will be able to build sand castles on one side of the surface while filling buckets with water from a spigot on another end.
If you’re looking for a table with all the accessories, but that is sure to last through your kids’ younger years and their less careful treatment of it then our recommendation would be the Little Tykes Frog Pond water table. It may not have everything an older child might want in it like pretend sand or floating boats, but they’ll still love playing around on this sturdy little beauty!
What better way to spend $40 than on a water table that will last for years? The Duck Dive Water Table is just the ticket! With some cool accessories, this toy never gets old. It’s durable and stable; perfect for toddlers who are still learning how to balance themselves.
The Little Tykes Anchors Away water table will make your little pirate feel more like the captain of his own ship. If you’ve been searching for a gift that won’t disappoint, then look no further than this fun toy!
Water tables are loads of fun and chances are once you have one, your kid will spend hours around it. If the sun’s out, there is no better way to keep them safe than covering their table with a protective umbrella! The Fiesta Cruise Sand & Water Table for Kids comes with an included stand that accommodates any size or shape of umbrellas so they can play in even heavy rains without getting wet. Highly recommended!
There are quite a few water tables on this list that are well-themed, but if you’re looking for something that closely resembles a water park, look no further than the Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table. It has tonnes of features including a rain simulator. It comes at a price but is bound to keep your toddler amused and engaged for hours. This toy features tons of exciting add-ons including simulated rain showers – perfect if they’re feeling hot or cranky!
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond is the best water table for kids and doesn’t cut corners when it comes to creating opportunities for your children’s imaginations during sensory play.
Benefits Of A Water Table For Kids
Water tables for kids are an excellent tool to aid in the development of your child. We’ll go through each in more detail below.
STEAM Learning
Water play is an essential part of STEAM learning. Not only is it tons of fun but it also shapes the foundation of understanding scientific concepts such as sink and float, flow and motion, chemistry, and mathematics, as well as developing imagination and creativity.
Motor Skill Development
The motions of scooping and emptying water not only help kids with their hand-eye coordination but also builds muscle tone of the hands and arms essential to being able to hold a pencil and write later on in life.
Sensory Stimulation
A water table for kids is an excellent tool to help develop your child’s sensory stimulation. While splashing the water or digging in the sand, kids will be exposed to a wide variety of sensory play, an essential part of child development.
Our Selection Of The Best Water Tables For Kids
1. Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table For Kids
Specs & Features
| Recommended Age | 18 months + |
| Type | Water |
| Capacity | 5 Gallons |
| Drain Plug | Yes |
| Dimensions | 39 x 24 x 32 inches |
| Weight | 14.96 pounds |
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond is one of the best water tables for kids. It doesn’t cut corners when it comes to creating opportunities for your kids to stretch their imaginations during sensory play. This dual-layer water table offers a cool rain-fall effect, perfect for any outdoor playtime! Kids can scoop full buckets of water from the top and watch as it cascades down into the lower section. With its many drainage holes at the bottom to keep things dry, kids will love this activity all summer long no matter what you have planned on your day trip to explore nature’s riches nearby.
The Rain Showers Splash Pond is a kinetic water table that can be used for hours of entertainment. In addition to the maze-like spinners, buckets, and ramps which work in conjunction with an interactive side flipper toy, it also comes equipped with 13 accessory pieces including a duck, frog, and fish. The Rain Showers Splash Pond from Hape Toys provides endless possibilities to encourage imaginative playtime!
This water table is perfect for children who want to be creative and imaginative with their playtime. The toy has a lot of different parts that can help develop skills like arts & crafts, music, or even science experiments! It’s easy enough to put together but you’ll need a power drill to assemble it.
What We Like
Things We Don’t Like
2. Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon Sand & Water Table For Kids
Specs & Features
| Recommended Age | 24 months + |
| Type | Water & Sand |
| Water Capacity | 4 Gallons |
| Sand Capacity | 50 lbs |
| Drain Plug | Yes |
| Dimensions | 26.5 x 26.5 x 34.5 inches |
| Weight | 9 pounds |
The elevated Little Tikes Sandy Lagoon is the ultimate water and sand table combination for toddlers. It has an exciting design that lets you have separate areas of either water or sand, yet it’s not limited to just one option when filling up with your own choice in material. The sturdy construction holds up to 50 lbs of wet/dry materials at a time and 4 gallons as well; making sure there’s plenty on board so no matter what type of child (water lover? Sand fiend?) – everyone will be satisfied!
To make things even more convenient, this toy features a nifty plastic cover that remains on top during periods where the table isn’t being used- ensuring all dirt particles stay out while keeping everything protected from curious pets.
The Sandy Lagoon water table is perfect for kids looking to get wet in the backyard. With two slides and diving boards, your little ones will never want to leave this sandy paradise—and with a sand spinner, they’ll have plenty of room for fun! The Little Tikes Company has designed an easy-to-assemble product that sure makes cleaning up messes simple.
The tower in the center of the Sand Lagoon table doesn’t seal watertight so this table is probably not suited for indoor use. You should expect some water and even a little sand to leak through, making it unsuitable as an inside model; however, if you have enough space outside your home or office – or just don’t care about getting wet from time to time, this could be right up your alley!
What We Like
Things We Don’t Like
3. Little Tikes Frog Pond Water Table for Kids
Specs & Features
| Recommended Age | 24 months + |
| Type | Water |
| Water Capacity | 7 gallons |
| Drain Plug | Yes |
| Dimensions | 30.8 x 32.7 x 22.3 inches |
| Weight | 4 pounds |
The Little Tykes Frog Pond water table is an excellent basic water table for kids looking to have fewer frills but not less fun. The water feature consists of a central tower that looks like a lily pad, and around the edges, there are two launchers where kids can launch their frogs into the pond or onto the lily pad as well. There’s also another spinner on one side which will turn when twisted to create slow lazy river effects in addition to circulating it all throughout.
This high-quality water table is durable and easy to set up and takedown. It can hold up to 7 gallons of water with a drain plug for hassle-free cleanup. Some customers have mentioned that outdoor debris has stained the plastic when left outside so it’s best not to leave your tabletop out in direct sunlight if you don’t want stains on its surface.
What We Like
Things We Don’t Like
4. Little Tikes Anchors Away Water Play Table
Specs & Features
| Recommended Age | 24 months + |
| Type | Water |
| Water Capacity | 6 gallons |
| Drain Plug | Yes |
| Dimensions | 40 x 29 x 38 inches |
| Weight | 19.5 pounds |
The Little Tykes Anchors Away is the best water table, or a pirate ship… at least in kids’ minds! The theme of this water table for children makes it great because you can pump with an easy-to-reach lever or pour from its crow’s nest to circulate the liquid and keep your little ones entertained without having them get bored when they’re waiting their turn.
In addition to the all-important water cannon, this pirate ship comes equipped with a variety of spinners that keep moving any bits and pieces as well. There are two included pirate characters and one shark for when poor mutineers have to walk the plank!
While the water table has only 3 legs, it is still sturdy and stable. The water table comes complete with a drainage plug and can be assembled relatively easily – although there are no pre-drilled holes in the plastic so you’ll need to drill some holes for screws attaching its three legs onto your new toy!
What We Like
Things We Don’t Like
5. Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark Water Table For Kids
Specs & Features
| Recommended Age | 24 months + |
| Type | Water |
| Water Capacity | 7 gallons |
| Drain Plug | Yes |
| Dimensions | 29 x 29 x 31.5 inches |
| Weight | 12 pounds |
The Litte Tykes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark water table for kids is a great way to introduce your toddler to the world of imaginative play. It has enough room that they can stretch their imagination without worrying about breaking something, and it’s just basic so you don’t have anything extra on hand if things break!
The water table comes with a spiraling center tower and five squirting character balls, which are thrown down the gullet at the top of the spiral before swirling to their new location. The bottom of this hole is home to an impressive pond where all levels can swim around in circles for hours on end! Even better yet, there’s also a small Ferris Wheel that will scoop up your kid’s favorite play toy: those huge brightly colored characters who love nothing more than splashing about in cool fresh waters when they see you coming!
The water table holds 7 gallons of water. With a user-friendly design, as little as 15 minutes is required to assemble the swirl tower. The durable plastic used in this toy will last for years and can be taken care of with minimal effort by owners who are attentive towards their Little Tykes toys!
The funnel at the top of this tower is large enough to move balls and water down, but you should expect your kids to throw random things like rocks or sticks into it from time to time. You’ll probably have some blockages that need clearing out every once in a while!
What We Like
Things We Don’t Like
6. Step2 Fiesta Cruise Sand & Water Table With Umbrella
Specs & Features
| Recommended Age | 24 months + |
| Type | Water & Sand |
| Water Capacity | 3 gallons |
| Sand Capacity | 40 lbs |
| Drain Plug | Yes |
| Dimensions | 39.5 x 26.5 x 28.0 inches |
| Weight | 18 pounds |
The Fiesta Cruise Sand & Water Table is a kids play table that features two sides, one for sand and the other for water. It’s shaped like an anchored cruise ship so your little ones can get their imaginations going from day 1! This dual-sided toy also comes with its own umbrella to keep them safe on those sunny days when you take it outside or bring it into the house.
The table comes with a wide variety of accessories. For instance, cruise ship crew figures are just one of the 9 you get to play around in this toy! You can explore different parts of the boat on your journey down from the top deck all way to playing underwater at the stern for hours and hours without stopping. The slide is perfect for kids who love exploring or want an easy-in into their new favorite spot: underwater slides always have that extra cool factor we adults crave too!
The bow of the ship is covered with a sturdy plastic lid shaped like the tower and cabins. The more practical purpose, however, is to keep sand clean when not in use. It’s also meant to protect against leaves, grime, or your neighbor’s cat! This toy features well-made accessories that will entertain kids for hours on end; it provides enough variety so you can rotate pieces without boredom setting in too quickly.
The table is sturdy and can hold up to 3 gallons of water or 40 lbs of sand. It’s easy to assemble from the instructions that come with it, only requiring four screws for assembly. Don’t forget a screwdriver! The bottom features natural grooves which help keep things like grime in place- but don’t worry about scrubbing too much because they’re easily cleaned off as well! The drain plug is slightly elevated and makes it hard to pour the water out. You have to tilt the table for all of the water from this fun-filled toy!
What We Like
Things We Don’t Like
How to choose a water table that will be safe for your child
Your Child’s Age
Make sure to pick a table that’s appropriate for your child in terms of age. Manufacturers specify which tables should be used with children up until the specific ages specified, but you may start earlier under constant supervision or when they’re able to hold themselves upright and balance by holding onto the sides. You can also buy water tables specially made for toddlers if necessary.
Every child deserves a play table! They are great for entertainment and provide many years of fun. But not all tables last equally long, so make sure you buy the right one to suit your needs. A small baby table may be perfect when they’re younger but too short once they grow up; this means that in just a few month’s time it will already have been outgrown by your kid’s height and weight requirements – which can lead to quite an expense if you decide then on another option instead: repurchasing something new or upgrading their old toy with some safety features (which is always wise).
Water Table Features
Water tables, while not complex toys at the most basic level, are still an important part of childhood development. The ones that best fit your needs will vary depending on what you want out of them and how old their target age is. Some have different features than others so it’s worth comparing reviews before making a purchase decision to find one tailored for you- but all water tables share these same key design points:
Water Table Height
Knowing what the height of the top rim of your water table will help you understand whether or not this toy may be appropriate for a child who has outgrown it. The most popular type are those that have towers where little spinny-thingies can go around and make interesting patterns in response to gravity while pouring liquids into them from above. Make sure you’re aware of how high up these things get!
Water Table Weight
The plastic water tables are lightweight, yet durable. They can be picked up easily and moved around with ease during storage or transport purposes. For the larger models which may get a bit heavy for some people to pick up on their own, try getting help from someone else before picking it up off of its side!
Water Table Footprint
The size of your balcony has a lot to do with what type of table you’ll be able to buy. If the space is small, like an apartment living room for example, then it might not work well if the kids are playing on it all day! Make sure that before making any purchases take a peek at how big and where they can fit in order to make this purchase as easy (and fun!) as possible.
Sturdiness
The best water tables are designed to be super sturdy and bear some additional weight. Your kids will pull on it, they will lean over it, they will most likely climb on or in it- that’s what children do! Fortunately for you, manufacturers know this so many of these products have high-quality design features such as welded joints, and reinforced corners with cast aluminum alloys; others also use robust polyethylene materials which is UV protected against fading (your sunlit backyard) and contains antibacterial properties keeping your table sanitized from being teeming with germs while splashing around in their childlike innocence.
Drainage Plug
The drainage plug is one of the most important features for water tables, it’s not just a plus but an essential component to ensure you don’t end up with nasty or dirty standing water. However many people have found that these plugs are designed poorly and fall out easily which can lead to children getting hurt on sharp edges or worse if they go missing. It also creates an ugly mess where any small amount of dirt from your feet collects below!
So be sure when purchasing a table-top pool to make sure there is adequate space around the edge so that anything spilled could drain off properly without spilling into unwanted places like underneath furniture etc., this will save you hours in clean-up time later as well as protect your little ones better during their playtime under less
Assembling the Water Table
Water tables are easy to assemble and come in many shapes, sizes, colors, and models. While some water table pieces can click together without tools or screws needed – most will require a few screws for assembly. The legs of the table should be attached with at least one screw per leg while more than two are recommended if you want it sturdy enough to stand on its own when filled up with water (and sand!). The pre-drilled hole patterns may vary between brands so make sure your drill bits match the size required before attempting any drilling yourself!
Water Table Accessories
The best water table for kids might not be the one with the most accessories. Sure, some cool accessories definitely help to kick-start their imagination and provide more shapes and textures they can play with. In some cases, it might make sense just to prioritize a basic water table that way your child has room to decide what they want it used as or how he wants his toys on there. If budget is an issue remember bathtub toys are great too!
Sand and Water Combo Tables
If you’re working on a sensory play area for your toddler, you may be considering purchasing one of these multi-purpose tables that has sand and water features to it, as well! They can be fun with all the possibilities they allow the child to explore in this new medium but there’s something important you need to consider before making such an investment: how much time do you have? It is true that mixed sands will happen if not supervised closely or enclosed within some sort of container–this is what makes them so engaging though because kids’ imagination won’t ever know where their next adventure might take place!
Umbrella Attachment
The best water tables are now equipped with an umbrella stand. This is the perfect way to not only protect your child against harmful UV rays but preserve the water table from any long-term damage too.
The easy-to-use umbrella stand means you don’t have an excuse not to take the shade with you. It will stay upright for your convenience, so there is no need to worry about it blowing away in a gust of wind or setting up on hard surfaces like wood decks and concrete patios. If having a shady place isn’t important then by all means set this option aside!
Sensory Play
Although it’s fun to play with water and cups in preschool classrooms – which is often enough entertainment for our little ones – we want them also explore their creativity through other materials around us such as paintbrushes, blocks, stickers, and crayons.
To help get started on this journey into self-expression try searching around your classroom first before heading out onto excursions elsewhere by visiting art supplies stores like Michaels along with thrift shops where they sell quality items at affordable prices. You may be surprised that you can find a lot of great, educational toys at your local dollar store. You might not even have to go as far as the craft stores or garage sales for some inspiration!
Fun Ideas to Add to your Water Table for Kids
Water Beads
For a change in the water table, try adding these MarvelBeads Water Beads Rainbow Mix. They are fun and provide a new sensory experience for your child! Make sure they’re old enough to understand how to play with them safely though they can’t be toxic, you don’t want an accident either!
Add Color to the Water
Another creative and easy idea is to color the water. You can use a food dye or even just some regular paint, but make sure it’s non-toxic first! One thing you need to note though is that if your child has an allergy, they might not be able to touch or drink anything with those colors on them without getting sick again.
Let their imagination do the rest when we change up this mundane task of washing dishes into something exciting where every piece will come out brilliantly different in its own way as well as really sparkly clean too thanks sometimes for adding a bit more fun in these parts of life like cleaning our kitchen counters so let’s get started, shall we?
Learn about the Sense of Smell
Add fragrances to the water such as essential oils or herbal tea. Herbal teas are an excellent way for adding color to the water too! Avoid using artificial scents, as kids are likely to ingest the water.
Bubbles and Foam
If you’re looking for a cheap and easy way to provide hours of entertainment, try adding a mild kids bubble bath. Your kids can play with bubbles all day!
Don’t add Glitter!
Whatever you choose to add to the water table for kids, please stay away from adding any glitter! Why? Glitter might provide a sparkly fun play-time, but it’s bad for the environment.
5 Tips for Keeping your Water Table Clean
We know that you’ve been looking for a guide to keep your water and sand table clean, so we’re here to help. As with any other toy, applying some common sense and exercising good judgment is important in deciding when, how frequently, and how often you should be cleaning them. Sand tables can easily become filled with all kinds of germs or bugs- but it doesn’t have to stay this way! Follow these easy tips on keeping the mess under control at home:
Tip 1: Hose it Down
If you have a yard and some space, then start by at least hosing it down from time to time. This won’t kill germs but will remove mud, sand, and grime.
Tip 2: Use Soap
Always use products designed specifically for plastics; don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach (or anything else not approved by manufacturers).
Tip 3: Disinfect your Water Table
The water table can be a great place to have fun with your kids as they splash around and play. But if you don’t take care of it, the bacteria from dirty hands will build up on the toys that are attached or in contact with them. If you want to get rid of these germs for good, we recommend disinfecting it regularly by pouring 200 ppm chlorine (or 400 ppm quaternary ammonium) into the tub before anyone plays in it again.
You should also check how much time is needed after adding any type of chemical-based cleaner such as bleach solution so those chemicals do not harm children’s skin when used together later.
Tip 4: Avoid Direct Sunlight
Don’t let the sun ruin your kids’ water table! If you live in an area with harsh summer conditions, we recommend positioning their water tables indoors or carrying them inside during the day. They’re made from durable plastic and can withstand a lot of use but prolonged exposure to direct sunlight will shorten their life span.
Tip 5: Keep the Sand Clean
The combination of water and sand can be an amazing sensory experience for kids but it’s important to keep the sand free of dirt, debris, or the neighborhood animals! This is why many tables come with a cover made specifically to protect their sandbox from these things. You might find it useful to empty out the sand completely at the end of the season and replace it with new sand at the start of the next season.
Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond is the best water table for kids and doesn’t cut corners when it comes to creating opportunities for your children’s imaginations during sensory play.
