Inside: Fun water gun games for playing by the pool or in the yard all summer long. 

Summertime is in view, and with the weather improving it’s time to start planning some fun outdoor activities. If you ask me, the best kind of summer activities include a built-in way to cool off.

I’m not talking air conditioning, because that’s no fun. Nope, I’m talking about something far superior: Water Gun Games!

Fun Water Gun Ideas for play

Until now, I truly didn’t understand the sheer amount of possibility that comes with water guns. I always thought the only thing you could do with them is mindless squirt each other, or have a pretend battle. But it turns out there are so many other water gun games that exist.

These are perfect for tiring out your kids(or getting some exercise yourself) in a way that is fun for everyone. If you’re intrigued, then keep reading.

I’ve made a list of Water Gun Games that will result in tons of fun and fond memories for years to come. You’d be surprised about how many fun ideas there are with this favorite toy.

Classic Water Gun Games

For these, I left the straightforward games blank and went into detail on the games that may be new to you. Personally, I’ll be in the yard playing the carnival cups this summer. How about you? Find out here.

1. Freeze Tag

2. Frosty Retrieval – For this game, you’ll need: Flag, a Ziplock, Dice, and some Water. You’re going to put the flag in a large ziplock back and then fill it with water and freeze it. The next day, remove the flag ice chunk and have the kids take turns rolling the dice. Whatever number they get is the number of squirts they’re allowed to shoot at the block. The first person to get the flag out of the melted ice wins!

3. Rubber Ducky – You’ll need: Rubber Ducky, Kiddie Pool, and String. After filling the pool with water, you’re going to want to tape down strings to opposite sides of it. These are the ‘Goals’. The goal of the game is to get the rubber ducky to your opponent’s side and to get a goal using only the squit guns. Have two people stand on opposite sides and go at it. 

4. Shaving Cream Clean- Supplies: Beachball, Shaving cream. Cover the beachball with shaving cream, then see who can get it clean the fastest using only their squit gun.

5. Water Bottle Races – This one is just like the Rubber Ducky Game, but for those of you who don’t have a rubber ducky on hand. Just swap out the props.

6. Carnival Cups – Supplies: Plastic Cups. Stack 6 cups into a pyramid and then see who can knock them all down the fasted with their water gun. 

7. Target Practice- Supplies: Water bottles, Ping Pong Balls. Line up a row of water bottles with ping pong balls balancing on the openings. See how good your aim is!

8. Splatter Art- Supplies: Water Color Paper, Water Colors. Mix up different watercolors and put them into different squirt guns. Next, take aim and make some epic splatter art.

9. Water Gun Tye Dye- Supplies: Kool-Aid, White T-Shirts. Regular fabric dye would end up staining everyone’s skins, but concentrated Kool-Aid does the trick beautifully. Buy the most cloth staining colors, and mix them in a way that is highly concentrated. Then go around having a cool aide fight. Everyone will be wearing white shirts and by the end of it, you’ll have your very own tye-dye. Created in the most fun way imaginable. 

10. Fortress – Supplies: Plastic Cups. Split your group into two teens and each builds a ‘fortress’ using plastic cups. Then hide behind them and see who can get the other team’s wall down first. With one catch: If you get hit in the abdomen, you’re out!

Fun Water Gun Games

Unique Water Gun Games

11. Rolla Dice Targets – Similar to Fortress(see above), except the only difference is instead of shooting at random you have to roll a pair of dice. Whatever number you land on is the number of squirts you can fire at your enemy’s wall. First wall down loses.

12. Bubbles Be Gone – Supplies: Bubbles. Blow bubbles and use them as moving targets.

13. Chalk Target. Supplies: Chalk. Draw chalk targets on the side of the house, and then see who has the best aim(don’t worry it comes off easy).

14. Water Color Fight – Supplies: White Shirts, Water Colors. Divide the group into two teams. Everyone is wearing white shirts. Similar to dodgeball, go at each other and if you get hit then you’re out.

15. Wild Wild West – Classic Dual

16. Fizzy Necklace- Supplies: String, Alka-seltzer. Create necklaces using the Alka-seltzer. Have everyone wear them, and go at each other. When you’re necklace has fizzled into nothing, you are out.

17. Capture the Water Balloon – Like Capture the flag, but with water balloons

18. Trivia or Die – In this game, you have to answer trivia questions. If you get it wrong you get sprayed.

19. Hide and Go Seek Tag

Simple Games To Play With Water Guns

Simple Water Gun Games

20. Beach Ball Game – Supplies: Beach Balls, Markers, Rope. Write point numbers on each beach ball and hang them up. Then run through and see how many points you can get!

21. Cup Shooter –  Supplies: Plastic Cups. Arrange two plastic cups so that there is slightly tilted towards you. Then see who can fill them up the fastest.

22. Makeshift balloon fill – Supplies: Balloons, water bottles cut in half. This is a makeshift version of the balloon filling game at the circus. Attach a balloon to the mouthpiece of a halved water bottle and then aim for the opening. See who can fill up their balloon first!

23. Fruit Shoot – Apples, Partner. Have someone standstill with an apple on their head. See if you have what it takes to shoot it off.

24. Battle Ship – Supplies: Plastic Boats, Kiddie Pool, Strings. Like in the Rubber Ducky Game, use the strings as goals by tying them on opposing ends. Place 2 plastic boats and have players stand on opposite sides. See who can get their boat to the other’s goal first.

25. Car Clean – Supplies: Soap, Car. Parents, have you been meaning to get to the car wash but haven’t had time? Good thing you have kids! All you have to do is suds up your automobile and then see how fast they can clean it off using their water guns.

27. Window Clean – Supplies: Window Cleaner. Same Idea as the game above. Suds it up and let them go at it.

29. Infection – Supplies: White Shirts, Green Kool-aid. Similar to tag, but with a twist. Fill one kid’s gun with the green mixture. They are ‘infected’ so to speak. If you get hit, then you are infected and you’re out. 

30. Target Course – Supplies: Cups. Set up cups all around the yard without your kid knowing where they are. Then, let them out. They have 1 minute to get as many as they can.

Classic Games For Summer Fun

Classic Games: Water Gun Addition

This last list is full of classic outdoor kids’ games. Use your imagination on this one and see how you could turn any of these into a water gun game.

For example Marco Polo. Have one person blindfolded and holding a squirt gun.

Then play the game as normal but if they find you, you get sprayed!

31. Red Light Green Light

32. Mother May I

33. Marco Polo

34. Musical Chairs

35. Freeze Dance

36. Duck, Duck, Goose.

37. Traffic Cop

What is your favorite one? Maybe make a summer hit list and try to check off as many fun water gun games as you can this year.

P.S. Minute to win it pool games & these crazy fun trampoline games will also help your summer to be filled with lots of fun.