When my kids were young, they loved to play by getting their hands dirty. Mud, dirt, and all manner of mess was their favorite medium to explore until I purchased their first water table. Then their obsession turned to water! Water tables are an excellent way for young children to explore their world and it aids in their physical and mental development as well.
If your little one is particularly active or just seems bored, consider purchasing a water table for your home! Best of all, water tables are a fun way for kids to cool off in the hot summer sun. In this article we’re going to explore ten of the best water tables available today.
What to Look for in a Water Table
- Consider the surface in which your water table will be placed on. If it’s hot concrete, you may want to place a tarp underneath to protect bare feet from getting burnt. If it’s a grassy area, make sure the ground is flat with no holes to ensure the water table doesn’t wobble or tip over in the event a toddler tries to climb in!
- Have several towels handy to dry off your little one before they go running inside the house to slippery kitchen tile!
- Make sure you have applied sunscreen to your kids! Even on overcast days, a strong sunscreen lotion is still needed to protect sensitive skin from burns. Consider a hat for toddlers with thin or growing hair!
- Remember to supervise your children at all times while they’re using a water table. Children can drown in less than a foot of water.
13 Best Toddler Water Tables
Now that we have explored what to look for in a water table, let’s look at 13 of the best ones available today!
Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark Play Table
The Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark Play Table is a classic water table that has been around for years. This #1 bestseller is popular for a reason! The water table is the perfect height for young kids to use every feature, including the “put-and-take”-style toys that offer fine motor skill development.
The legs can be removed so that the base sits on the ground as well for your smallest water toy-loving kids! The price point is also very reasonable for the amount of backyard play time you get.
Parents love that this water table keeps their kids occupied for hours and is simple to assemble. However, the small nooks and crannies do accumulate dirt quickly so it’s best stored in a covered area or garage if possible. This water table has been a favorite activity of my kids for years!
Step2 Ball Buddies Water Table
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table is a popular choice for many parents due to the included accessories. This toy will definitely keep your little one entertained and happy. Kids love driving the car, truck, boat, and helicopter around as well as throwing the balls into the cups and holes.
The construction of this water table is extremely sturdy and comes with more attachments and accessories than most other water tables on the market.
Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship Water Table
The Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship Water Table is a fun option for the high seas loving child in your life! The fun pirate theme carries throughout the table accessories. Details like the anchor lowering with the crank of a handle, a spinning steering wheel, skull and crossbones flag, and a water squirting cannon set this water table apart. The table comes with fun pirate-themed characters and features a constant-flow water fountain in the mast.
The middle piece lays flat for easy storage and coverage when not in use. This water table is durable and will last for years. The table does not come with a cover, but you could purchase a fire pit cover to use.
Step2 Rain Showers and Unicorns
If you have a unicorn-obsessed kiddo, this is the water table for you! In addition to a pretty purple, pink, and blue color scheme, this table comes with 3 unicorn toys ready to splash and swim. Your child will have a blast flinging their unicorn friends into the water using the flipper toy and fishing them back out with the cattail scoop. Kids can also use the large bucket to dump water into the tray above to treat their unicorns to a rain shower below.
Four rearrangeable maze pieces can be placed in different slots on the side to create various waterfall patterns and teach your child a little bit of STEM-related cause and effect. And when playtime is done, you can simply remove the non-leaking drain plug to empty out the water. In addition to the accessories mentioned above, the table also comes with a small water scooper and a spinner toy for added fun.
Step2 Dino Dig
If you can’t decide between a water table and a sand table, this combo table allows you to have both! It is divided into two sections, with the larger section including a no-leak drain for water and the smaller section being intended for sand. Best of all, the sand section has a lid to keep the sand dry as well as to keep out neighborhood pests, and its volcano rock design fits well with the dinosaur theme.
During water play, your child can pour water over the top of the volcano feature and watch it flow down the mountain like lava. Or he could rain water down on the palm tree to make a mini waterfall. When playing with sand, your child can play archaeologist by using the dual rake/shovel to unearth the dinosaur footprints and bones molded into the bottom of the table. In addition to the shovel/rake, this table comes with 2 water scoops and 4 dinosaur toys for imaginative play.