Toddler Sand and Water Table
We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process. Water tables offer a sensory experience that fascinates kids. Toddlers and preschoolers, in particular, won't be able to resist running their hands in the cool water, scooping up big cupfuls and hearing the splash as they pour it out again. Playing with a water table will also help children practice gross and fine motor coordination, understand cause and effect, work on their hand-eye coordination, even experiment with gravity and other STEM concepts. And if you get one that's big enough for multiple kids to use at once, they can work on sharing and turn-taking, too. Though it's practically a guarantee kids will get wet, a water table can be less messy than other sensory toys that use sand, aqua beads or other compounds. The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute test toys year round, often in service to our annual roundup of the year's best toys . For this guide, our team has rigorously tested 15 different water tables over the past five years with toddlers and preschoolers . We also evaluated each table's ease of assembly and cleanliness. But most importantly, we focused on the fun factor — rating how engaging each table was for children and how long it maintained their interest. At the end of our list, you'll find notes on water-table safety, tips for cleaning your water table and how to choose the right water table for your child. Looking for more for your backyard? Check out our favorite swing sets as well as our current favorite outdoor furniture and the best outdoor projectors . Just scoop some water from the lower table and pour it into the upper tier to watch the water fall down like rain . The rainfall adds a sound component to the sensory experience of water play and it's also a cool visual. There's plenty of cause and effect to learn too as the cascading water sets off a pinwheel or fills the bucket until it tips. This set comes with 13 accessories, including several scoops and three toy creatures, making it a fun one to take out for siblings and play dates. Some parents struggle a bit with the assembly, others say it is easy, so our best advice is to give yourself some time to put it together, just in case. (Phillips-head screwdriver required.) RELATED : The Best Gifts for a 2-Year-Old Save money and space with this water playset which you can simply sit on the ground or on your toddler's plastic play table. Your kid can float boats through the channels and roll a truck along the roadway. "We kept this at their grandma's house and pulled it out onto the grass during the summertime so the kids could play," said one of our consumer testers. "It was easy for my mom to stash indoors when we weren't there." Initially you'll have to install all the little gates, the paddle and the toy crane by popping plastic pieces into place. There isn't the big "wow" factor you get from some of the other water tables, but if your child is into vehicles, this definitely scratches that itch. If you don't have a lot of floor or yard space to devote to a water table, this double-sided, 33-inch-high play wall allows you to go vertical. Kids can scoop water from the bottom lagoon and pour it into the top — then watch it cascade down through the spinners, chutes and other accessories. All the pieces can be moved from one peg to another, so kids will keep busy creating new paths and learning about gravity and cause and effect. (It's very STEM-friendly!) This doesn't come with any cute toy creatures but you can always float your own bath duck in the bottom water reservoir. When the weather gets cooler, online reviewers say they place this in the shower for kids to play with (with supervision, of course!). This version comes together a little more easily than other water tables. Hint: For many Step2 toys, the brand intentionally does not pre-drill the screw holes, you're trusted to best align the pieces and use a little downward pressure with either your screwdriver or a screw to get the hole started. If you prefer you can use a small nail and a hammer to create the starter hole. Tap each screw with a hammer to start a hole before you turn each screw into place. RELATED : Best STEM Toys, According to Engineers With things to turn, crank and pour at ever angle, big kids ages 5, 6 or even 7 will find something to love about this water table — and toddler friends and siblings will watch and learn from their antics, joining in to capture the floating balls from the lazy river. The balls each have a funny animal face, and when dropped into the funnel, they spin down the corkscrew chute. Some reviewers say the balls can get stuck, and if a kid tries to send some other toy down the spinner, it's likely to get jammed and you'll need to rescue it. Kids turn the Ferris wheel to try and scoop up the balls or use the spinner to make waves. This is one water table our testers never seemed to tire of, and the low price makes it a nice value. Assembly takes less than 20 minutes and does require a screwdriver to get all the pieces tightly in place. Pour water from the clear fishbowl down the slide to create a current for plastic critters to float on, then use the fishing pole and net to catch them. Catching the fish helps kids with fine motor coordination, counting and more . There's also a launcher that's an entertaining way for kids to send the creatures sailing across the water table. This water table snaps together fairly easily. Take some extra time installing the drain plug to ensure a tight fit; pushing it through from underneath works best, according to parents. Some Montessori educators and also the National Association for the Education of Young Children recommend water play for young children for everything from sensory exploration to grasping scientific concepts. To inspire open-ended play and spark their imaginations, this large sand or water table is essentially a blank slate : Add your own toys, tools and either sand or water to DIY your own water table and let your kid come up with their own idea of fun. Though it has a large play area, the thin legs make it lightweight enough to move around. It adjusts from 18" to 21" to 24" high to match your preschooler's height. At 7 inches deep, it lets kids really dig into sensory experiences. If kept outside, you'll want to take the bin off when not in use so it doesn't collect debris, or invest in the top to cover it. RELATED : Best Montessori Toys for 2-Year-Olds Pick a side: This table has a compartment that can hold up to 10 pounds of sand on one half and three gallons of water on the other, with enough room for a few kids to get in on the action. Even the lid, which keeps the table clean between uses , flips over to transform into a roadway for toy cars. The lid has elastic ties to keep things securely shut, but our other favorite feature is the included umbrella to shade kids from the sun. (It's still a good idea to slather them in a kid sunscreen , though.) This one is easy to put together. Due to the umbrella height, it's better for toddlers and preschoolers rather than big kids. You might want to supplement with some of your own toys such as vehicles (none are included). When adding sand, be sure to buy play sand that's fine and soft for kiddos. There's so much going on with this water table, you can easily have a few kids entertaining themselves at the different stations simultaneously. The balls float down a lazy river, and Ball Buddies characters (a train, a boat, a dump truck and a helicopter) let kids transport the colorful balls around while engaging in imaginative play. The two-tier table also has room for vehicles to drive on the upper level . Also unique: There's a pair of toy tongs that comes with this, and kids can hone their fine-motor skills using it as a way to pick up and move the toys around. Assembly takes a bit of time but goes faster if you use a power drill to make room for the screws. This takes up about nine square feet and has two levels, so it's the largest water table on our list. This new-to-2023 Target-exclusive version of our best overall pick comes in more neutral c olors to keep your deck or patio looking less like a playroom . It was designed with a basin that looks a bit more like corrugated metal and legs that resemble wood, but all the pieces are plastic that can be hosed off and won't rust. Like the brand's other Rain Showers tub, the primary appeal is pouring water into the top and watching it rain down below, filling up the basin and sending the pinwheel spinning and the animals floating. This table also has a little catapult so kids can fling a toy critter into the water. At just over 17 pounds, it's the heaviest on our list. Since this is its first summer on the market, this new offering from Little Tikes merits testing from our Good Housekeeping Parenting Lab and real-life kiddos. It lays right on the ground or lawn, then folds up for easy storage. You can also attach a hose to this water table for a sprinkler effect that sends water about a foot in the air, adding to the fun. Hooking the hose up also keeps you from having to endlessly refill the playset with water as kids will undoubtedly splash some out. We expect kids to also want to step in this or even sit in it to splash around and look forward to collecting notes from our consumer evaluators. We look at toys in the Good Housekeeping Institute Lab and also test toys in homes with families. In the past five years, we've tested 15 different water tables to come up with this list of our 10 favorites, and testing is ongoing with the new water tables coming out this year. We gave each water table a rating for how easy it was to put together and how simple it was to clean. Importantly, we also let the kids show us just how fun each table was! Finally, we graded each water table on how easy it was to store. Just so you have no regrets, think about the following: ✔️ Size: Exactly how big of a water table can your deck, patio or yard handle? The traditional water tables that kids stand up to use tend to be large items that take up a lot of real estate, but there are smaller options that are thinner and vertical. Others lay on the ground and can later fold up for storage. Keep in mind that these often will still be fairly long, however. ✔️ Style: Water tables are usually made of plastic and tend to be colorful. If you prefer something that will blend in better with your backyard or patio decor, there are a few choices with more muted tones or fewer colors. ✔️ Features: Every water table should have a drain plug so you can empty it before you put it away. A cover, lid or umbrella are great to keep the water table protected from collecting debris but will add to the price. ✔️ Toys: Scoops, chutes, spinners, little characters and other toys may not come included. In general, the more, the merrier. If you've decided on a water table that comes with fewer frills, you can always supplement with your own bath toys, like this Munchkin fishing game . Water tables for toddlers and kids require adult supervision at all times. It's good to consult the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines for drowning prevention before buying a water table. The AAP notes that drowning risk is highest during the toddler years, and kids can drown in any open-top water container including buckets, wading pools or coolers with melted ice. They recommend draining every water container after each use. Water tables have two big issues: They're mostly used outdoors, so they collect leaves and bugs, and they're, of course, filled with water, which can foster mold growth. It's a good idea to clean and disinfect the table and its associated toys regularly. Start by draining the water table after each use, which is not only important for safety, but helps keep everything cleaner. Always read the manufacturer's instructions for specific cleaning recommendations regarding your product, but in general you can also: • Hose down the entire water table, with the drain plug unplugged, to remove debris when needed, perhaps each time before you refill the table for play if the table stays outdoors and isn't well covered. • Whenever needed—after each play session, or more like once a week if the water table doesn't see a lot of play—fill a bowl with water and a few drops of dish soap, dip a sponge in and use the sponge to wipe down the water table. Rinse it clean with the hose. Alternatively you could use disinfecting wipes or a spray bottle with all-purpose cleaner and then rinse the table clean. • Run plastic toys and accessories associated with the water table through your dishwasher on the top rack. • Clean small, hard toys prone to mold with a solution of 1/3 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water. Let toys remain wet for 6 minutes, then rinse and air dry. "Whenever you see mold, a bleach solution is best. That's why they put chlorine in swimming pools," says Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forte . "If you clean, air-dry and then rinse the toy thoroughly with fresh water, there's no problem using bleach." If the mold doesn't rinse clean, it's time to toss the toy. • If the water table is stocked with sand, regularly change the sand out, too. And be sure that you always buy sand designated for play. • Cover the table as best you can when it's not in use. You can use any weather-resistant tarp or some enterprising companies have made coverings for water tables . Keep the playset out of the sun, since sun can bleach and damage plastic toys. For more than 100 years, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have tested consumer products for safety, ease of use and value. Our staff of engineers, trained cooks, chemists and product experts of all sorts regularly publish lists, such as the best air fryers tested by kitchen pros and the most comfortable air mattresses . This article was originally written by Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor Marisa LaScala , a pop-culture enthusiast who is also able to test toys with her young daughter. LaScala has researched and written dozens of age-appropriate toy lists for GH, such as the best toys and gifts for 1-year-olds . Contributing writer Jessica Hartshorn most recently updated this guide. She's also worked at Parents magazine, where she covered the toy market, and she loves to write about fun kid things like the best bubble machines . Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky. Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents . The Best At-Home Laser Hair Removal Devices The Best Food Storage Containers The Best Dehumidifiers of 2025 The Best Hair Dryers The Best Refrigerators The Best Clothes Steamers The Best Chef's Knives The Best Portable Carpet Cleaners The Best Drugstore Retinol Creams and Serums The Best Induction Cookware The Best Adjustable Dumbbells The Best Washing Machines Our Review Process Don't Waste Your Money is focused on helping you make the best purchasing decision. Our team of experts spends hundreds of hours analyzing, testing, and researching products so you don't have to. Learn more (/our-review-process/) . This sand and water table for toddlers will keep your little ones busy for hours. It includes an astounding 21 pieces that allow kids to explore nature hands-on. Fine motor skills are improved as toddlers pour water in the sprinkler or scoop sand with one of the buckets. Brightly Colored This sand and water table for toddlers can be used both indoors and outdoors. Brightly Colored This sand and water table for toddlers can be used both indoors and outdoors. If you're searching for a sensory table that can be used for everything from water play to creating art projects, then this model is your best bet. It features two sides for water and sand play, as well as a lid that doubles as a table. Included with the set are several accessories, such as a bucket, shovel and crab sand stamp. Budget-Friendly Option You'll love the affordable price tag on this sand and water table for toddlers. Budget-Friendly Option You'll love the affordable price tag on this sand and water table for toddlers. The two-sided design of this sensory table allows little ones to play with sand on one side and water on the other. The table can be used indoors or outdoors and comes with a total of 27 accessories. A few of these items include a watering pot, shovel, pinwheel, water tower, sand molds and a stool. Two-In-One Design This kid's water table is made from a high-quality plastic that is non-toxic and free of lead and cadmium. Two-In-One Design This kid's water table is made from a high-quality plastic that is non-toxic and free of lead and cadmium. This large sand and water table for toddlers has a spacious design to accommodate multiple children. It has several interactive elements like figures and a diving board. The table also comes with an umbrella to protect kids from the sun. Spacious Design This sand and water table is ideal for multiple children to play. Spacious Design This sand and water table is ideal for multiple children to play. Sand and water tables for toddlers and older kids are one of the most-used toys in many households. It’s hard to keep kids away from this sensory activity because there is so much for them to explore, learn and discover. Sand and water tables are an opportunity for them to get their hands dirty, enjoy themselves and learn something in the process. MORE : The Best Kid’s Water Table There are many benefits of playing with sand . Kids can work on their fine motor skills by learning to pick up sand using tools like shovels or cups, and pour the sand into buckets. When kids feel the sand run through their fingers, they get a new sensory experience they can explore. Plus, sand is a great way to learn about weight and gravity as well. MORE: The Best Covered Sandbox Similar to sand, water play has many benefits too. In addition to working on their fine motor skills, water tables help kids with spatial reasoning and cause and effect. They can see what happens when they pour water into the table from high above or when they splash water onto their clothes. Sand and water tables also help children learn parallel play, where multiple kids can play next to each other at the same time. This is how kids learn to share and communicate with other children. Kids can also learn new vocabulary when they play at a sand and water table, such as words for temperature (hot water, cold water), texture (grainy, smooth, wet, dry) and heights (high up, low down). Not only that, they can learn the names of tools such as buckets, cups, shovels and much more. Water tables offer some heat-busting relief and encourage sensory processing in young children. But knowing how big to go or how much to spend on your first water table can be hard. We’ve studied dozens of these fun products and read hundreds of reviews to find you the perfect fit. We’ll answer all your questions about what to look for and review the best water tables for kids. These water tables are durable and safe for young children. They have multiple uses and will help your children stay cool while experiencing the sensory joys that splashing in water always brings. It’s time to cool down and have some fun in the sun with one of these 13 water tables for kids.