Neon water outdoor play is a colorful, hands-on summer sensory activity kids will love. Add neon paint to water, set it outside, and watch the magic happen!
- Neon water outdoor play for kids
- Adapting neon water outdoor play for all ages is a cinch
- Materials
- How to set up neon water outdoor play
- Try these other activities during neon water outdoor play
- What kids are learning from neon water fun
- Let’s talk vocabulary!
- Clean-up is a breeze
- Frequently Asked Questions
Neon water outdoor play for kids
I share this exact activity every year on social media.
Without fail, neon water always goes viral.
(And for good reason!)
In the past, I had always used a different neon paint, but the price started creeping up and I wanted to find a new brand.
So, after a bunch of research, I tried this paint and IT. IS. OUT. STAND. ING.
The colors are vibrant, the bottles are generous, and I even used this exact paint for more projects.
I’m even going to buy another set before I publish this post. 😉
✨ Check out our ultimate collection of the best process art projects for kids!
Adapting neon water outdoor play for all ages is a cinch
Here’s why neon water is the best: it’s fun for all ages.
Preschoolers enjoy experimenting with color mixing, scooping, pouring, and splashing.
Older kids? Give them droppers, turkey basters, or let them create their own neon “potions” in cups and jars.
Big or small, everyone will have a glow-rious time.
💧 We love, love, love water play. Have you seen these activities, too?
- Taste-safe shimmery water
- Pretend lemonade water table
- Pom-pom water table fun
- Outdoor ice sensory table
Materials
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- Water
- Neon tempera paint
- Plastic containers, bowls, or a water table
- Optional: tongs, scoops, ladles, plastic toys, whisks, large spoons
How to set up neon water outdoor play
Fill your containers or water table with water.
Add a generous squirt of neon tempera paint to each container.
Whisk or stir until the paint is fully mixed into the water.
Let kids explore, mix colors, scoop, pour, and play!
Try these other activities during neon water outdoor play
🌈 Sort the water by color and practice labeling each one.
🔠 Toss in plastic letters or foam letters and go on an alphabet hunt.
🧪 Add small cups and challenge kids to make secondary colors by mixing primaries.
🔢 Use measuring cups and ask kids to scoop out “one cup,” “half a cup,” etc.
🎲 Make it a game: roll a die and stir that many times, or pour that many scoops.
🧠 Use a timer and do quick “challenge rounds” (e.g., pour from one container to another before the buzzer.
What kids are learning from neon water fun
This simple water table activity is secretly packed with powerful learning.
In the fine motor domain, kids whisk, scoop, pour, and grip — building coordination and strengthening hand muscles.
For science, they’re exploring color mixing, observing light reflection, and making predictions.
Language development gets a boost as kids describe what they see and respond to open-ended questions.
In social-emotional learning, children practice turn-taking, collaboration, and creativity during group preschool water play.
Even math sneaks in as they measure, compare amounts, and explore volume using different tools.
Let’s talk vocabulary!
Big words can be part of little kid fun — especially when they’re splashing.
Try using these words during the activity:
- Neon
- Fluorescent
- Swirl
- Pour
- Reflect
- Stir
- Transparent
Repeat them often during the water play and let kids try them out, too.
Clean-up is a breeze
The paint we used is washable, so clean-up was super simple.
Just pour out the water and give everything a quick rinse.
If you want to reuse the water later, pop it in the freezer overnight for neon ice cubes the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions
It should not as the paint is sooooo diluted. We haven’t had this stain with the new paint or any of the other kids’ paint we have used for this activity in the past.
Use only 2-3 colors at a time. BUT, we use a bunch because…look how gorgeous! It doesn’t turn “muddy” that quickly. (And often with neon, the water will turn grey when they’re all mixed instead of brown.)
No problem! Plastic tubs, bowls, or even a clean storage bin work just fine.
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