Water, Water Everywhere

Kids love water. Give them something to splash in and they're gonna do it, whether dressed in appropriate clothing or not. So why not give them what they really want in a way that won't get their entire outfits (and everything else) soaking wet?

The Sand n' Water Fun Factory from Little Tikes ($59.99) is a great idea for water play in a controlled environment. Fill up the left side with water and your little ones can pour it into the funnels, cogs and gadgets for some good old cause-and-effect fun. Buy a bag of sand at your local home improvement store and fill up the right side of the table to give your kids endless hours of play. When they're done, just open up the drain to let the water out.

This is a great deck-top toy. Although the recommended ages is 2 - 6, our 19 month old simply loves this! He can occupy himself for hours, playing with the water, digging in the sand and running his little cars down the slide on the side, while I sit and enjoy a cup of coffee (or write a blog post). I'd call this a win-win.

What I like about the Sand n' Water Fun Factory is that it's a very entertaining toy, and that it gives kids something they already love in a neat and contained format. It also comes with its own umbrella to protect little ones' sensitive skin from the sun, and the raised lids protect the table from dirt, rain and the elements when not being used.

What a great way to keep the kids entertained this summer and beat the heat too!