The Easy Way to Add Running Water to your Backyard Play Space

Last updated on June 7, 2019

Wouldn’t it be great if your kids had access to a water supply at the sandbox or in the mud kitchen? They can! I’m going to show you how you can add a source of running water to your backyard play space in minutes. It’s a simple solution that’s fast, easy and cheap. In fact, it may not cost you a dime.

If your kids love water-play activities as much as the hooligans do, you’re going to love this idea! It’s one of the coolest things to add to your outdoor play space to make it a more exciting and engaging place for your kids to play.

How to add running water to your backyard play space

The quest to add running water to our backyard play space:

Now, to be honest, what I really wanted was a water pump like Teacher Tom’s. I mean, what kid wouldn’t love to pump his own water from an antique hand pump.

For a while, I kept my eyes open at auction sales and flea markets hoping to come across an old in my price-range, but they’re a little hard to come by I guess because I never managed to find one.

That’s ok though, because, resourceful thinker that I am, I realized there was an easy, inexpensive way to provide the hooligans with their very own backyard water source.

In fact, I had it set up in just a few minutes, and it didn’t cost me a thing!

Toddler filling cups from camping jug of water

Some of you may have to fork out a few bucks for this contraption, but trust me, it will be worth every penny!

There’s a good chance that for many of you, installing running water in your mud-kitchen will require nothing more than a quick trip to your storage room!

The 20 dollar (or less) item that transformed our outdoor play yard

toddler pouring water from camping water carrier

Ta-daaaa! It’s the water jug that we use for camping!

Is that brilliant or what?

If you’re not a camper and you don’t happen to have one of these tucked away at home, don’t worry. You can pick them up in the outdoor section of most hardware stores or big box stores.

Also, check out second-hand stores and thrift shops! Our local consignment shop has a shelf full of camping jugs in all shapes and sizes.

Or you can use my affiliate link and get one on Amazon.

Perfect for water play, the mud kitchen, or washing hands

A portable water jug with a spigot is perfect for water play in the backyard! It’s easy to fill with the garden hose, it holds a LOT of water, and you can easily move it to wherever you’re playing in the backyard.

Who knew the humble camping water-jug had so many uses?

Sometimes I set our camping jug up beside our sandbox, because hey, wet sand is WAY more fun than the dry stuff.

And we have to have running water when we’re getting messy making mud pies in our mobile mud kitchen.

Running water is a must when we’re making garden soup or working in our pretend play perfume factory.

Child filling bottle with water from camping jug

It comes in handy for filling the tea pot at our backyard tea parties…

Toddler Pouring water out of green watering can, dishes for tea party

and when we’re playing “coffee shop”.

kids playing pretend coffee shop in backyard

Or playing at our homemade water wall.

Toddlers pouring water at homemade water wall

The kids love having complete control over that simple, little tap.

It makes it so easy for a child to wash his or her own hands when they get sandy or muddy.

kids washing hands at blue camping water jug

The kids love gathering around the water spigot to fill their containers. Kids filling empty milk carton with water from blue water carrier

Cranking the handle is a bit tricky. It requires strength and co-ordination to turn the tap off and on, but they work together and help each other to make it happen.

preschoolers filling measuring cup from blue camping jug in backyard

To conserve spills and wasted water, simply place a large bowl or container underneath the spigot of the water carrier. Your kids can use it for play or for watering the flowers.