Our Five Ring Circus: Mermaid Water Table Play

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Mermaid Water Table Play

Here in Pittsburgh, we only have about one more week of summer weather ahead of us!

The kids are thoroughly enjoying their last week playing with a water-filled water table.  Next week, it will be emptied out and filled with non-liquid items.  We use our water table for more than just water, and we use it year round!

Liam's current favorite water table play idea was inspired by a trip to the science center.  A water table full of water, scoops, and ping pong balls captures his attention!

Lily, however, needs something imaginative! When we were on vacation, Lily bought a small mermaid doll, and that began the mermaid obsession.  She would spend over an hour playing in her baby pool or bathtub with all her mermaids.  I finally decided to give her a mini mermaid world!

Mermaid Water Table Play

Items Needed:
  • Water Table
  • Natural Aquarium Gravel
  • Aquarium Plants
  • Colored stones or jewels
  • Mermaids
  • Fish, dolphins, and other sea creatures 
  • Blue food coloring
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The setup was really easy!  

We already had everything I needed, so I gathered all the supplies and I set up the mini mermaid world! I filled part of the table with the aquarium gravel to make a beach.  I filled the other part with jewels and an aquarium plant.  I filled the table with lukewarm water and mixed in some blue food coloring.  After adding in some mermaids and sea creatures, it was ready for play!

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Lily was so excited when I showed her the mini mermaid world! 

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She immediately started to play!

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Both of my girls love the mini mermaid world!  Lily plays with it every single day.  It has even been moved into the garage on rainy days!

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Mermaid Water Table Play
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I keep all of our water table play items stored in under $1 storage containers.  When Lily is done playing, she puts her mermaids in a colander to dry, then I later transfer them to a storage container with holes poked in the bottom.  I have extra aquarium gravel, plants, and stones stored in there, along with a bottle of blue food coloring. 

When it's time to empty out the water table, the aquarium gravel and stones will be put in a colander to drain and dry, then put in Ziploc bags, and stored away for the winter!

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The mini mermaid world was perfect for Lily! I know she's going to be sad when it's time to put it away!

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I'll be sharing some of my favorite water table play ideas that don't involve water soon!  Bird seed, corn, hay, potting soil, ice cubes (and more) will be used. Stay tuned...

What are your favorite ways to play with your water table in the summer?

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23 comments:

  1. Wow, I love this idea! We no longer have a water table, but I really wish I had been more creative with it! Amazing!!

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  2. I love this idea! And the gravel instead of sand is a great idea, I get so tired of cleaning up the sand from our water/sand play table, ugh.

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    1. Thank you! I had the same problem with the sand mixing with the water. The aquarium gravel is so much easier!

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  3. This is so cute and easy! I know a 4.5 year old little lady who would flip for this :)

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  4. OH! How cute is this! My girls would LOVE this. We are a little mermaid and seahorse obsessed around here.

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  5. This is the coolest idea! I would have LOVED that mermaid water table as a little girl :) I could make a "pirate's cove" variation for my boys next summer. Thanks for the idea!!!
    Amy @ http://www.livinglifetruth.com/

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  6. Oh that is just the cutest idea ever! I know a couple of mermaid lovers who would think this is great!

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  7. So neat.. I know a couple of kiddos that would love that!

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  8. What a cute idea!! We have one of those and all Cody does is eat the dirt when I try to do something in it for him, so it sits in the yard empty. Guess I need to think of some other ideas for it.

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  9. This is so cute! What a shame no one in my house cares a bit about mermaids :-(

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  10. Oh man - I know that if Emma sees this she'll want one for sure!! Hmm...to share or not to share it with her!?!? LOL

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  11. How fun! I want to be a little girl again and play at YOUR house!

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  12. Hello where can I buy this?? Ive googled it and all it does is come back yo here
    Linda

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