National Water Balloon Day

Water balloons can take on all shapes and sizes, but one thing is for sure – kids love them and many adults do too. That’s the reason it’s time to celebrate National Water Balloon Day! 

History of National Water Balloon Day

The use of water balloons can be traced back more than 70 years to the 1950s. As with many inventions, it came about as a bit of an accident when a British inventor, Edgar Ellington, was trying to create a waterproof sock that was made of latex and cotton.

The story goes that Mr. Ellington was frustrated by a leak that he found in his design when he filled the sock with water, so he threw it down and it burst. That event triggered a new idea, and Ellington launched the idea of “water grenades”.

National Water Balloon Day got its start in 2019 when it was established through the efforts of a summer camp program in Newhaven, New Hampshire. The idea behind the day was simply to celebrate and enjoy the fun tradition that water balloons have brought and will bring to campers throughout the hot summer months.

How to Celebrate National Water Balloon Day

Enjoy the fun of summer and cool off a little in the process by celebrating National Water Balloon Day in a range of ways, like these:

Hold a Water Balloon Fight

Kids and adults alike can get on board with celebrating National Water Balloon Day by organizing a water balloon fight. Keep it in the family, invite the cousins’ kids over, or make it a huge party for the whole neighborhood. However it is executed, there will need to be plenty of small balloons that can hold water and are able to launch at other players. Spend some time filling the balloons, don those bathing suits, and get ready to have some fun!

Play Water Balloon Party Games

While a traditional water balloon fight is certainly fun, there are many other ways that water balloons can be used to enjoy the summer sunshine and cool down at the same time. For National Water Balloon Day, try a water balloon toss where everyone pairs up. Play hot potato with a water balloon. Organize relay races that include water balloons. And don’t forget to make a game of cleaning up the leftover balloon parts so they don’t harm the environment.