Anyone else looking for ways to keep their kids entertained in the midst of the never-ending summer days? Yes, no? Well, if you are, water tables are a great choice for combining boredom busters with sensory stimulation and learning.
A water table for kids is an excellent choice for getting them off the screens and outside. They encourage STEM learning, social and language skills, motor development, and overall activity (which equals tuckered out kiddos and a break for mom or dad). Most also offer fun components such as waterfalls, spinners, water wheels, or lazy rivers to keep them entertained and engaged.
Just like your kids playhouse, they’re great additions to the backyard, patio, or even inside, if you’re brave enough. Most of the time they’re easy to fill and empty. Plus, they offer a chance to cool off!
It’s a tough season for everyone, right? That’s why we have taken the opportunity to do the groundwork for you and we’ve rounded up the best water tables on the market that are bound to fit playtime needs for you and your little ones. So, before you buy, have a look at our 6 top water table picks below for parent-approved recommendations.
Best Kids Water Table – Our Picks
- Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table – Best overall water table with umbrella option
- Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark – Best lazy river style table
- Dino Dig Sand and Water Table – Best combination sand and water play
- Waterfall Discovery Wall – Best for STEM learning play
- Aquaplay Mountain Water Playset – Best canal system for boats
- Platoon Kids Multi Use Table – Best for multiple uses (water, sand, lego, craft)
Note: Our individual reviews are below, but you can also click any of the links above to check current prices on Amazon and other retailers
Table of Contents
The benefits of a water table for kids
STEM
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, otherwise known as STEM, have you heard of it? Believe it or not, playing with water tables is a great STEM activity because it teaches principles such as cause and effect, gravity, buoyancy, volume, and mass. STEM isn’t just for LEGO and science experiments! If your water table allows you to move parts and customize the setup, they’re getting a bit of engineering as well.
Motor/Sensory Play
This is a standout feature of playing with a water table. Not only are kids able to dig into water or sand (whichever you choose), they learn about the materials and how they react and move during interaction. That alone is incredibly helpful for cognitive development. Kids also have the chance to mix and pour without the fear of spills, which is great for mastering the fine motor skills necessary to complete those tasks.
Language and Social Skills
This might not seem like an obvious benefit to playing with a water table, but the type of play it encourages is actually very social. If you have a group of kids, they’re talking, joking, cooperating, and sharing around the water table. If it’s just you and your little, the various activities encourage talking and problem solving which helps social skills bloom through play.
Can you use it for sand?
Depending on the size, shape, and layout of the water table/activity center, you may be able to substitute sand for water. Using sand on water tables allows for a different sensory experience and teaches new STEM lessons as kids pour, filter, and build with it. This could be a good idea for households that don’t have a place to continually dump water when play is over (an apartment building, for example). Sand could also be good for using toy trucks and shovels if you lack a yard to play in dirt.
Does it have/need an umbrella?
These are especially important if your yard lacks shade. If it’s the middle of summer and you’re trying to pass the time while tiring your kiddo out in the midday sun, an umbrella will minimize the risk of getting a sunburn.
As a parent of three babies with extremely fair skin, umbrellas are one of the top features I look for when it comes to water tables, strollers, or outdoor tables. Don’t underestimate the importance of a little shade, especially during summer or if you live in a warm climate.
What accessories come with it?
Does it have the umbrella, cups to pour, water sprayers, spinners, wheels, or floating toys? While it’s not absolutely necessary to have a bunch of extra toys, it certainly adds excitement to playtime and can increase the STEM elements of water table time.
How many activities are there?
Many water tables have activities such as wheels, waterfalls, spinners, or strainers to pour water over and through. The more elements, the more opportunities for fun and learning.
How tall is it?
Check the height and age recommendations. If your little babe isn’t quite walking yet, it might be worthwhile to find a water table short enough that he or she can pull up to. Not only will that help with the motor skills needed for walking, but it will also provide a little extra encouragement and incentive to take the plunge when they’re working on those first steps.
It might also be worth checking to see if the water table has customizable height settings that can grow with your child or additional toys/components you can introduce as your child develops.
Kids Water Table Reviews
Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond water table is recommended for ages 18 months and up. It stands at 17.5 inches tall and is the perfect height for toddling kiddos. Another great feature of this water table is the size. There is plenty of room for multiple kids to gather around for water play and social time.
This water table features a “pond” reservoir, a waterfall, water maze, a ramp, spinners, and buckets. The components of the water maze are removable and a fun way to test movement and cause and effect. Simply rearrange the parts to create the maze you want. An added benefit to choosing the Rain Showers Splash Pond is the collection of water toys that comes with the table. It includes a bucket, 2 cups, a rubber ducky, a water squirter, strainer, flipper, spinner, and 3 additional maze pieces. There’s plenty on this water table to keep kiddos busy in the backyard or on the patio all summer.
What we liked:
- Great size for toddling babies up to big kids
- Large enough table for several kids to gather around
- Water maze
- Water fall
- Buckets and cups to pour water
- Additional water toys including a rubber duck, water squirter, and a strainer
- Easy to drain with plug in the bottom of the pond
What we didn’t:
- We didn’t find any. This is a solid choice from Step2.
Little Tikes Spiralin’ Seas Waterpark
For recommended ages 24 months and up, this water table could be a great choice if yard or patio space is a little tight. While it’s not tiny by any means, it is smaller than some other water tables on the market. However, it still comes with plenty of water toys and components to interact with.
This water table is equipped with spinners, a “Ferris wheel,” a spiral, and 5 water squirting toys to use in conjunction with the built-in components. There’s also an included pour cup. Kids will enjoy watching the movement of the toys as they roll down the spiral or ride on the wheel. Meanwhile, they’re practicing valuable motor skills and put/take action.
What we liked:
- Interactive toy with plenty of movement
- 5 included toys to use in the spiral and Ferris wheel
- Toys squirt water
- Pour cup included
- Smaller size could be good for patio or small yard
- Great for motor skills and sensory/visual stimulation
What we didn’t:
- (Personal experience) small toys have a tendency to get stuck inside the spiral if they aren’t made to roll
Dino Dig Sand and Water Table
If you’re looking for a water table that offers a two-in-one water and sand combination, this could be a great choice, especially if your little one is dinosaur crazy. This water table gives the appearance of a real Dino habitat while giving your little one a place to exercise their motor skills and fulfill their sensory needs.
On one side, they can play with water by splashing and using the cups to pour over the palm tree to simulate rain for the included dinosaurs. Kids will have hours of fun playing pretend with the prehistoric action figures. Meanwhile, the rock portion of the water table lifts up to reveal sand which is a perfect addition to sensory playtime. Cups are perfect for pouring the sand just as much as the water, but a shovel is included as well.
Not only does this water table tackle the motor, language/social, STEM, and sensory areas of learning, kids will also get a mini science lesson as they learn the names and characteristics of the included dinosaurs. This toy is perfect for ages 2+.
What we liked:
- Water activities including rainfall
- Cups, shovel, and dinosaurs included
- Two play options (sand and water)
- Sand can be covered to keep it dry and clean
- Perfect for pretend play and cultivating imagination
- Easy to clean as the water portion is simple and streamlined without a ton of nooks
What we didn’t:
- We didn’t find any. This looks like a standup choice.
Waterfall Discovery Wall
Did you say water maze? This is probably the one of the biggest water maze setups on the market. It’s entertaining and great for sensory development to watch the cascading water while observing and anticipating each movement. In addition to fun, this water wall is an excellent example of STEM play with removable maze components that encourage early learning in engineering.
This water wall has plenty of room for several kids to play, and with multiple combinations within the water maze, kids will test the waters of hypothesizing and experimenting. The Waterfall Discovery Wall is a great addition to the backyard and is best utilized by kids 18 months and up.
What we liked:
- Large enough for multiple kids to play at the same time
- Maze components are removable and customizable
- Encourages STEM learning
- Great for sensory stimulation
What we didn’t:
- Some kids may miss the pool of water for floating toys and pretend play
Aquaplay Mountain Water Playset
The Aquaplay Mountain Water set is basically a scaled down lazy river that your kiddo gets to control! This canal system is great for introducing STEM learning (introduction to physics) and kids will get to learn about the way water moves and carries boats as it lifts and climbs over the peaks and valleys of the canal.
The lazy river includes dams, water wheels, boats, and small obstacles to encourage experimentation and pretend play. This particular water table setup is recommended for older toddlers, ages 3+, though it would likely still be fun for younger kids too. Aquaplay also offers extensions to build onto your set.
What we liked:
- Excellent opportunity to introduce STEM learning
- Lazy river that you can watch the boats navigate
- Teaches cause and effect while introducing physics through play
- Opportunity to build on with extension pieces
What we didn’t:
- May be too complex for young toddlers
Platoon Kids Multi Use Table
This is one of the best multiple use tables on the market. It is great as a water table but also for sensory, craft, blocks, and storage. Plus, this set includes two kid-sized chairs and some building blocks. One of the greatest features of this set is the fact that you can use it for water, sand, playdough, slime, or any other messy (but fun) activity.
Once you’re done with the toys and mess, you can put the top over it for discreet storage. This set’s tabletop offers a smooth side and a bumpy building side. The building block table top is compatible with major name brand building block companies, so it’s guaranteed to fit. It’s recommended for ages 18+ months, but this play and water table set is great for toddlers, preschoolers, and older kids as well.
What we liked:
- Five uses in one table
- Great for sensory play including water, sand, playdough, slime, and blocks
- Tabletop has two sides (a smooth side for general purposes and block side for building)
- Set comes with two chairs and 25 blocks
- 3 color choices available
- One of the best choices for indoor play
What we didn’t:
- This pick doesn’t have the water table bells and whistles like water wheels, spinners, or water mazes
