Imagine combining water play with a fun and educational twist—sponge bomb letters are a perfect way to do just that!
This activity is all about creating sponge bombs that kids can throw at letters, numbers, or sight words drawn on the ground. It’s an exciting and active way to reinforce learning while keeping cool on a hot day.
Why You’ll Love This Activity
You’ll love sponge bomb letters because it mixes physical activity with learning, making it a hit with kids and parents alike.
Kids get to move around, throw sponge bombs, and practice their letters or numbers in a playful, hands-on way.
It’s perfect for summer days when you want to combine outdoor fun with educational activities.
This activity is also easy to set up and inexpensive, using materials you probably already have at home.
Plus, it’s adaptable—you can tailor it to different age groups and learning levels by changing the targets and challenges. It’s a great way to make learning feel like a game.
Materials Needed
- Sponges
- Scissors
- Elastic bands
- Bucket or large bowl for water
- Water
- Sidewalk chalk
How to Set Up Sponge Bomb Letters
- Make the Sponge Bombs: Start by cutting the sponges into strips. Each sponge can be cut into 3-4 strips, depending on its size. Gather a bunch of strips together and secure them tightly in the middle with an elastic band. Fluff out the ends to create a ball-like shape. Find the full instructions for sponge bombs here.
- Prepare the Water Bucket: Fill a bucket or large bowl with water. This will be the dunking station for the sponge bombs, so make sure it’s easily accessible.
- Draw Your Targets: Use sidewalk chalk to draw letters, sight words, numbers, or any other learning outcomes you want to practice on the ground. Make the letters large enough for kids to aim at with their sponge bombs.
- Set Up the Game Area: Arrange the targets in a way that allows for easy access and clear throwing lanes. Ensure there is enough space for the kids to move around safely.
- Game Time: Show the kids how to dunk the sponge bombs in the water to get them nice and soaked. Call out a letter, word, or number, and invite the child to throw or drop a sponge bomb on the corresponding target. Repeat with different targets, making sure everyone gets a turn.
This activity was a huge success! My twins loved every moment. At the end they used the sponges and water to “clean” off the letters as I called them out! We will definitely be doing this activity at least one a year!
More Letter Activities
Make learning letters hands-on and fun! Check out these other easy to set up letter activities for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners.
Spray The Flower Letters Activity
Dot Sticker Turtle: Easy Letter Matching Activity
Letter R Rain Activity for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles tha. t show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 aired in August 2023! My show was also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Curious Crafting Season 1 is also now airing in Australia on ABC! Watch it here!
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
