Image L Gerlach

They have a couple friends with laser tag guns and invited them over to play on teams of three or four. The kids had a great time hiding behind trees, the house, and the barns to sneak up on each other.

The laser tag guns they used are made by Hasbro, they come two guns to a set and retail for around $70-90. The guns can be set to play as individual players, or as part of a team. The gun vibrates when you’re hit, and if you get hit too many times you’re out of the game and your gun won’t work anymore until you reset it.

When they were done with laser tag they had a water balloon fight, then jumped in the pool!

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When I saw this golf game for the pool I thought of my son. It’s the best of both worlds for him. Whenever there’s water around he’s in it. If it’s a sprinkler in the back yard, the pool, the lake, or the ocean, if there’s a body of water around you have to drag him away.

Check out Pro Chip Island Golf, from Swimways, it’s a putting green that floats on the surface of the water in your pool.

My son and my husband would both love this. Maybe I should have my son get it for his dad for Father’s Day?

You can challenge each other to a game, or just practice your chip shots. The balls stick to the surface with Velcro™ (or float if you completely miss the target). The golf pad is 64″ x 38″ but it folds up to 19″ for storage or travel.

How’s that for summer pool fun?

Image via Swimways

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Jakks has a new JAKKS Outdoor™ product line focusing on outdoor and seasonal products such as kites, pool floats and water toys! The first line of products launching under the brand are based on the best-known vehicles in the STAR WARS Saga, such as Luke Skywalker’s X-wing fighter, Darth Vader’s Tie fighter and Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon.

Check out this Star Wars kite. The kite is made of a durable rip stock nylon material, fiberglass spars and re-enforced grommets and includes a 15′ tail and a unique Star Wars high speed winder that should catch more than a little attention on windy days!

If water is more your kids style check out the Star Wars Inflatables line from JAKKS Outdoor division. They have 3 foot Ride-On water toys based on the Jedi Starfighter and Millennium Falcon vehicles. They’re the perfect size for young Padawans.

The deluxe 5-foot Vehicle Ride-ons will feature the X-wing and Jedi Starfighter vehicles and include a built-in water gun squirter. Can you say water fight! Your kids can battle the Dark Side right in the pool.

Images via JAKKS

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• Go fishing! Fishing is a wonderful family activity, and it’s a wonderful opportunity to spend some time quietly talking one on one with your child while you’re waiting on the next bite. The kids will have fun catching “the big one,” playing with worms, and tangling their pole in anything they can find.
• Take a hike! We have several parks, and trails in our area to walk and hike on. Take along a field guide for birds, flowers, or trees in your area and spend some time identifying them with your child.
• Teach your child a summer sport. Head to the park, or driving range and work with your child on their baseball, basketball, tennis, or golf skills.
• Find a quiet spot to do a little nature journaling with your child. Find a beautiful quiet spot while you’re hiking, fishing, or just out and about. Bring along some pencils and a drawing tablet. Take a little time to write about what you are experiencing, and draw the scenery around you. Write a story about a person or  the animals you see around you.
• Take a bike ride with your children. There are several bike trails in our area, most have beautiful scenery. Even if you don’t have a local bike trail, if your children are old enough take a bike ride to the library, ice cream shop, or to pick up a few things at the grocery instead of driving the car. It will be great exercise and bonding time for you and your child, and it’s good for the environment when you leave the car at home.
• Do some gardening with the kids. Teach them about the plant varieties they are growing, and talk about where their food is coming from and how to care for our Earth. Let them dig in the dirt and enjoy their time in the garden, don’t make it all about work.
• Get outside and blow some bubbles, or play tag, play on the swing or in the sandbox with your kids. Get down on their level to play, and they will be totally thrilled to have you!
• Have a water fight, or break out the hose and sprinklers.

What kinds of activities do you have planned with your children over summer break?

Image via sxc.hu

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I didn’t have to look far, SwimWays® has several backyard and water toys that will help keep your kids cool this summer.

The Splunk a Dunk game lets your kids use the backyard hose to make a fun toss game. Kids take turns tossing bean bags at a target, but watch out! If they hit the target everyone gets wet.

Another toy that looks fun for the pool is Water Girlz™ Fairy Tails™, cute little fairies with wings that flutter. Each Fairy Tails doll comes with her very own seahorse friend and seashell comb. Each figure can be posed in many positions and is perfect to stretch little imaginations during pool time.

Get a neighborhood basketball game going in the pool, or just throw a few practice shots from your poolside recliner with SwimWays® Spring Jam Basketball.

Ok all these water and pool toys have me ready for a little summer fun in the sun (and pool).

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The Super Soaker Sneak Attach 4 includes hidden side nozzles, so kids can surprise their opponents and drench them from any angle!  The Bottle Shot lets kids turn an ordinary beverage bottle into a huge water supply, meaning fewer trips to the water spout to refill.

The contest runs through September 20, 2008, and you can follow the link to enter to win the Super Soaker Blaster Package.

Good luck!

Image: HasbroToyShop.com

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How about Super Size Soccer for just $24.95?

Perhaps Super Size Croquet is more your style for just $24.95?

Super Size Bowling looks fun, too for just $24.95.

For $12.50 you can get a Colossal Giant Basketball Set with a 7′ tall basketball hoop!

You could try a Giant Chess Set if you don’t mind the $89.95 price tag.

For chess lovers with deep pockets, check out the Kettler Giant Chess Set with a regular retail price of $599.99.

How about a giant Jenga?  Try the $36.14 Giant Garden Wood Tumbling Tower Game.

You can get a Giant Tic Tac Toe set for $14.95.

Or a Giant Garden Tic Tac Toe set $19.98.

And a Giant Garden Black and White Dominoes Game can be yours for only $19.98.

What do you think?  Which would you like to try?  Or do you already have one of these?  Leave a comment and share your opinion with PlayLibrary readers.

Images: Amazon.com and SensationalBeginnings.com

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We rented a bounce house for my triplets’ 3rd and 4th birthdays, and both times it was a huge hit!  Even our basset hound got in on the fun when she tried multiple times to climb in the bounce house with the kids!  Check out the pictures below of Winnie trying to climb in!  Luckily, her little legs were too small to let her jump all the way inside!

You can follow the link to view all the products available in the Little Tikes Dog Days of Summer Sale.

Images: Susan Gunelius

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We’ve had a couple of bubble blowers and haven’t been overly impressed with any of them yet.  I’m hoping the Gazillion Bubble BBQ is as good as I hear.  I’ve been told that it will fill a backyard with bubbles in minutes.  If so, my kids will love it!

Have you tried the Gazillion Bubble BBQ?  It’s rated for kids ages 3-6 and costs just $19.99.  It also won the iParenting Media Award for 2008 Best Product.  I can’t wait to try it!

Image: Toysrus.com

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