Our kids love being outdoors, and they often find things to do with water. They love all backyard water games from water balloon fights to running through the sprinkler. So, you should start making a water blob for your children. Check out our tutorial to make a water blob within an hour.
What you’ll need
Water blob supplies including plastic, scissors, hose, and duct tape
- 10’x25′ Plastic Sheeting – I used a 3 Millimeter, but I’ve also seen a 6-millimeter sheeting that you could use.
- Duct Tape – You can find patterned or colored duct tape to make the water blob stand out more!
- Scissors
- Hose & Water
- Small towel
These supplies are enough to make two water blobs AND they’re reusable to an extent, so you’re getting a lot of value with this DIY. Here’s how to make your water blob:
Step 1. Cut Your Plastic Sheeting to Size
To begin with, cut your plastic sheet to your desired dimensions. Then, fold the sheet in half and then line up along the corners.
Using one folded side means you only have to tape 3 sides, which saves a bit of time.
Step 2. Start Sealing Your Blob
To get started, tape the corners and make sure there is a good seal. Make sure to overlap the corner pieces for extra support.
Then tear off a long strip of the duct tape and lay it underneath the bottom layer of the sheeting. Fold against itself the top layer to create the seal.
Repeat this along the 3 sides, leaving a small gap at one corner for the hose to fit in.
Step 3. Fill Your Blob
Once you have sealed all sides, place the empty blob in the area where you want to play (Once it’s full you won’t be moving it!).
I suggest a VERY flat surface for the blob. My backyard has a slight tilt to it, which made the water blob fill heavier on one side. This weight change eventually made the blob roll over itself and roll down the tilt to the bottom. Surprisingly the duct tape held up super well, even while the blob rolled along and settled a few feet away.
After you’ve picked a good spot, have your little helper turn on the hose for you. If you have older kids this is a great time for them to hold the hose in or push out any air bubbles in the sheeting.
When it is almost full, hold the corner up and turn off the hose. Grab the towel and dry off the corner. Seal the remaining portion off with duct tape. Check for holes and leaks and repair/reseal as needed.
Water Blob Notes and Tips
- I never had to repair my blog, but as the kids’ heels pull on the sheeting you may need to do some repair work. This is fairly easy to do by wiping off the area and placing a piece of duct tape on it. The more full of water your blob is, the more pressure will be put on the plastic, and the higher the chance of holes or tears.
- Air pockets are normal. They add a cool bubbly effect to the blob!
- You can reuse your blob! Just pull back the host entry area you used to fill it up and drain it. Then, drape it over a table, some chairs, or even a fence to dry out a bit. I emptied this one and used it again the next day when the neighbors came over to play. Just note that some mildew might set in eventually if it doesn’t fully dry out.
- Add flat foam shapes like these to your water blob before taping and watch them move around as you play.
- Add a sprinkler. If you want to add some water to the outside of the blob, you can turn on a sprinkler for more fun! Just watch out cause it’ll get slippery!
Final Thoughts
This project was very straightforward and easy to make. The water blob was very durable too, which I was originally skeptical about. I was so surprised at how well the duct tape held it all together and how the plastic sheeting never ripped for me!
The kids will love feeling the water as they lay, jump, or slide on the water blob without getting wet.
Altogether I spent $15 for all of the supplies ($10 for the 10′ x 25′ plastic sheeting, $4.50 for duct tape), AND I have enough supplies left over to make another water blob on a different day!
