Does your child love exploring and manipulating objects and water? Do they love splashing around in the ocean or pool? If they enjoy these activities, they'll love having their very own water table to play with on a warm day.
A water table is an elevated surface where young children can splash and play with water and different toys. Different tables all have different designs and special features, but the concept is the same. A child can explore concepts such as sinking and floating, improve their fine motor skills, and engage in cooperative play with a water table.
Playing with one of these is the perfect activity for a warm summer day. Your child can splash around to get some cooling relief from the heat. If your child isn't a huge fan of swimming just yet, this can also help them get more comfortable around water.
When you are looking for the perfect option for your child, you find that there are a wide variety of options to consider. Some are smaller and more basic, while others are larger with special options and features. Below, we have reviewed the five best products so you can decide on the best one for your son or daughter.
Top 5: Water Tables Review
Product Image & Rating (Out Of 10) | Product Name | Price |
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The Little Tike Spiralin' Seas Waterpark Play Table is small round table. The table features a large swirl in the center where your child can drop different balls. Your child will enjoy watching the balls swirl round and round as they make their way to the water.
This one holds seven gallons and measure 29 x 29 x 31.5 inches. There is some quick assembly required to get it ready for your children.
In addition to the fun center spiral, the Little Tike Spiralin' Seas Waterpark Play Table has some other fun features your child will enjoy. Your child can turn a handle to operate the Ferris wheel to have it pick up and drop off balls in the water. They can power the wheels on the side of the table by pouring water through the funnel.
While your child is engaged playing with this table, they will also be developing their fine motor skills. Your child will enjoy playing with it on their own or with a few friends. A cup and 5 water-squirting characters are included with the table for more fun.
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The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table is a blue multi-level table. The table offers a run rain shower option that is sure to excite your young child. When your child pours water in the top section of the table, it will come through to the bottom as "rain."
This option is large and will allow several children to play together at the same time. It measures 23.65 x 38.78 x 32.11 inches. The table holds about five gallons.
There are numerous features that are designed to excite your child and encourage them to play and discover with this product. Your child will love pouring water and watching it rain down through the table. The water cascading down even sounds like real rain.
One side of the table features a fun 'maze' for the rain water to run through as it makes it way down to the main section of the table. It goes down some slides and through spinning wheels. The pieces of the maze can be rearranged, encouraging your child to experiment with different designs and learn about cause and effect.
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table comes with 13 different accessories for added fun. These accessories include the pieces to configure the maze, cups, and animal pieces.
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If your child is a Paw Patrol fan, then this is definitely the option for them. The table includes four water-squirting characters from Paw Patrol as well as a strainer, cup, and other accessories. This product holds about four gallons and measures 31.5 x 31.5 x 24.5 inches.
With this table, your child can turn the center handle to turn the 'pool' water into a whirlpool for their Paw Patrol friends to enjoy. There is a tall lookout tower on one side of the table. When your child pours water into the tower, it falls down to help the water in the table spin around.
Your child will enjoy splashing and dumping water in this table. There is also a small catapult on one side of their table, so they can fling their favorite Paw Patrol character into the water.
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The Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship Water Table is an Amazon Exclusive product. This fun table is designed to look like a pirate ship. It is loaded with lots of features your little matey is sure to enjoy. This optoin measures 40 x 29 x 38 inches and can hold about five gallons. Some parental assembly is required before your child will be able to enjoy their new table.
The Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship is loaded with features to captivate your child. Throughout the ship, your child will find numerous spinning objects. When they spin these objects, it will cause the water to move and circulate about the table.
There is a pump your children can use to make the water in the table move. Additionally, if they pour it through the crow's nest at the top of the pirate ship, the water will flow down to the bottom of the table and make the water move as well.
With the boat's cannon, your child can squirt water across the ship. The steering wheel on the ship moves and the boat's anchor can be lowered and raised. Two pirate characters, a shark, a cannon, a bucket, and other accessories are included with the Little Tikes Anchors Away Pirate Ship Water Table.
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The Step2 Cascading Cove Sand and Water Table features a divided play surface. One side of the table is designed to be used as a table, while the other side can hold sand for additional playtime fun. This table includes a lid to cover the table when it is not in use.
This water and sand table measures 24 x 42.5 x 23 inches. It can hold about three gallons and ten pounds of sand.
To keep your child cool when they are playing with this product, there is an included umbrella. The umbrella attached to the table to provide a shaded play area.
The water side of the table features a small area where boats can sail and your child can splash. Two boats, a shovel, a cup, and two bridges are included with this table. The table's lid features road ways that are molded in which allows your child to play with this table in multiple ways.
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Buying Guide
A water table is an engaging toy designed to provide your child an engaging environment in which they can learn about and explore the properties of water. When you are deciding on which one to purchase, you'll want to consider a few factors.
First, think about the space in your yard or on your deck where you are planning to keep it. You will want to make sure that you pick a table that will fit well in the space you have.
You will also want to pay attention to the different features of the table. Some of these products provide more exciting ways for your child to manipulate the water and make it move around. However, there is also fun to be had if your child explores the water on their own and creates their own ways to make it move.
best water table
Our favorite is the Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table. We like this one best because if offers a wide variety of ways for your child to explore and learn about water.
With this option, your child can learn about cause and effect when they change the design of the maze. They'll see how little changes in the placement of the maze's components change the way the water flows down towards the pond.
This product also features a fun rain feature. When children pour water into the upper portion of the table, it cascades down, looking and sounding like a rain shower. A 13-piece accessory set is also included with this table, which will provide more opportunities for fun and exploration for your little one.
The Step2 Rain Showers Splash Pond Water Table is an excellent choice when you are looking for the best option for your child. But, if you feel your child would prefer one of the other options, all of the options we listed above are great choices. Your child will be so excited to play with their new toy, so purchase one now so they can enjoy a splish-splashing good time!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a child's water table?
It is a play surface that can be filled with water. They allows a child to explore, experiment, and improve their fine motor skills. It also helps children get used to the water.
What are water tables used for?
They are used to provide a fun play area for toddlers and young children. Many of them include features and accessories that allow children to manipulate the water and learn more about how it moves and effects other objects.
What age is a water table best for?
Each product will have specific age recommendations from the manufacturer. Generally, they are good for children around 18 months to about five years.
Do water tables come with any toys?
You will want to confirm with the specific products you are looking at, but most water tables come with at least a few toys to let little ones play and explore. These may include watering cans, cups, boats, and spinning wheels and gear, amongst other items.
Are water tables safe for toddlers to use?
Yes, water tables are safe for toddlers as long as their parents or another adult is close by to monitor and supervise play. Children should never be left alone around water tables or other types of water, so supervision is key. But with proper supervision, there should be no reason your child can't play with a water table.
Can you buy accessories for a water table?
Yes, you can purchase accessories for a water table. There are various packs of toys you can find that include different accessories, like slotted cups, sea creatures, fishing poles, mesh nets, buckets, and more.
You can let your child use toys that won't get ruined in the water, or even some kitchen utensils, in their water table. Many bath toys also make the perfect accessory for a water table.
Can you buy a water table/sand table combo?
Yes, if you are looking for a table that will function as both a water table and a sand table, there are many options you'll be able to choose from.
Manufacturers offer tables with a split design, so one side can be filled with water and the other can be filled with sand. Most of these tables will include a cover, since you won't want to leave the sand exposed when your child isn't playing with it.
How much water does a water table hold?
Since each product is a little different, the amount of water each water table can hold will vary. In general, most water tables can hold somewhere around seven gallons of water.
Do you have to assemble a water table?
Yes, water tables will require some adult assembly before they can be used by children. In most cases, this assembly should be pretty basic. You will likely need to attach the legs, set up the drain plug, and attach any upper sections to your table (if applicable).
How should you store your water table?
Since water tables are made of plastic, it is a good idea to store them out of the sun. Otherwise, the plastic will become faded, or may even crack, over time.
If possible, bring your water table into a shed or garage for storage. If this isn't possible at your home, look at purchasing a cover to use for storage.
You will want to empty the water out from your table to prevent mosquitoes and other bugs from hanging out in it while it is stored.
How do you clean a water table?
Keeping your child's water table clean is important. Especially when stored outdoors, water tables can get dirty or even moldy.
If you notice that your child's table is starting to look a little dirty and dingy, you can clean it out using a mixture of water, white vinegar and Dawn dish soap. Spray this over the table, let it sit a bit, scrub off any stubborn areas, and thoroughly rinse and dry the table.
If there is any mold growing on the table, it should be taken care of immediately. A bleach solution will be needed to remove the threat of mold from the table.
Check on the bleach bottle to determine the correct ratio of water to bleach, spray the table, let it sit, and be sure to rinse it away. You will want to conduct this cleaning without your toddler present.
Are water tables good for toddlers?
Yes, playing with a water table is not only fun, but it can offer a variety of learning experiences that will help your toddler develop. With water tables, toddlers can engage in exploration. They can see how different actions (such as pouring water on a wheel) result in some end effect.
Young children can also begin to explore using their five senses. They can feel the cool and wet texture of water, pick up on the sounds water makes when splashing or being poured out of a bucket, and see how water can move through different objects.
Water tables can also help a child develop their language skills. They can share with you, or the other children they are playing with, what they notice happening. You can teach them some new words to describe the different actions that are happening or accessories they are playing with, and soon they'll begin using these new words on their own.
When they are engaging in play with other children (or even you as an adult), toddlers can work on their social skills. They'll learn how to share supplies, ask for someone to pass something to them, and more. As children get a little older, water tables are also the perfect place to start role-playing.
Finally, water tables can also help children develop their fine motor skills. They will have to refine their ability to pick up and hold objects, pour water into and out of various containers, and more.
How do you drain the water from a water table?
Water tables should have a drain in the base. To drain the water, you simply need to pull the plug. This should be easier and more efficient than trying to tip the water table and drain the water without spilling out the accessories or juggling a heavier table filled with water.
Are there shaded water tables?
Yes, you can purchase some water tables that come with an umbrella. These would be a good option to consider if you live somewhere with a lot of direct sunlight or won't be able to place your child's water table under a canopy, overhang, or other shaded area in your yard.
How many children can play with a water table at the same time?
Water tables are certainly designed to be used by more than one child at a time. They can encourage cooperative play between multiple children.
The size, layout, and availability of different features and accessories can help you determine how many children can play together at your water table. Most water tables are good for about two to four toddlers at a time. Some of the larger ones may be able to accommodate a few more.
How much do water tables cost?
The size of the water table you purchase, as well as the features and included accessories, will impact its cost. Most water tables on the market range from about 35 to 70. If you're looking for a bigger water table, one with lots of different features, or a two-level table, you should expect to spend somewhere closer to $70.
