Keeping a Two-Year-Old Busy with Water Play

My two-year-old loves water.  He's *obsessed* with water.  He wakes up and immediately asks to play at the lake.  Then asks for bubbles.  They asks for the pond.  Then asks to splash in a puddle.  Then asks for a drink.  Then asks for the lake.  Then asks to wash his hands... all seriously in the first 90 seconds he's up.  So on a good day we hike down through the beautiful, rocky, wooded trail behind our current house to play at the lake for a few hours, where he blissfully throws handfuls of pebbles in the lake over and over and over and over and over...

So what's a mom to do when the weather is not so nice, the older child is sick, or her pelvic pain is flared up far too much (aka: me this week) to hike up and down a steep hill?  

Using a large potted plant base I create a little mini pool for him to splash in on the deck.  By putting it up on a chair or patio table he can stand up and play with little cups, bubbles, boats and other bath toys and splash to his heart's content in 1-2 inches of water.  You got it - this is basically a glorified puddle on a pedestal.  And yes, he still basically gets soaked.  But I stick in him his long rain coat and some crocs so all I really have to do is get him new pants.   To satisfy my little boy who wants to play in water all day long, this beats having him stand at the kitchen sink soaking the entire room, or having to fill up the tub and sit in the bathroom with him half the day.  It is also safer and less mess and work than blowing up and filling an entire baby pool.  If your kids can have fun in two inches of water by all means save yourself the work and fuss and let them play in two inches of water!   I did this almost every day this week since I was not able to walk much.  He was so content - and so was I!