With temps close to the triple digits for the next few days, MacGyver and I decided to put our brains together to make a run-through sprinkler for the kids. The kids are LOVING it! Read on for directions on making your own Kid Wash!
Here's our rough plan for the kid wash! Using 1/2" PVC piping and fittings and then using an adapter to connect it to the hose, we would create a sort of car wash for our kiddos :)
You can plan your own, but here's what we used!
(7) 10' lengths of 1/2" PVC piping
(10) 1/2" Tee connectors
(6) 1/2" 90degree elbows, (2) 1/2" cross connectors, (3) 1/2" caps, (1) 3/4" to 1/2" flush adapter and (1) 3/4" female threaded coupling (together, those allow the 1/2" piping to connect to the hose)
Step 1: Measure Twice, Cut Once
Out of our (7) 10' lengths of PVC, we cut: (11) 40" pieces, (12) 27.5" pieces, and out of the scraps we used (4) small pieces to help stabilize the bottom.
We used a reciprocating saw to cut our lengths, but a hand saw would work just fine. Be sure to clean the ends of all shavings.
Much better :)
Step 2: Assemble the Pieces
Lay out your pieces to make sure you have everything you need and compare it to your plans...
It didn't take us very long to figure out that we had laid out our parts the wrong way, making our Kid Wash like 7' tall and 5' deep!!! FAIL! Good thing we only laid it out ;) Once you're sure everything is in its right place, secure the piping into the fittings. Don't worry if they're a little bit crooked or they aren't in tight enough, we'll get to that.
Don't be afraid to enlist the help of the beneficiaries!!!
Brace the ends of the base against something and use a hammer or mallet to gently tap the opposite ends to make sure the piping is snug inside the fittings.
Makes a huge difference!
Put together the hose adapter by inserting the flush adapter into the female threaded coupling and attach it to one of the base supports. The remaining supports will be capped off with the (3) caps.
Now the hose will connect to it!
Step 3: Drill baby, drill! (sorry, it seemed appropriate)
We used a puny, teeny, tiny drill bit for the holes to make sure we would have a lot of sprinklers without losing water pressure. We set it back into drill to make sure it wouldn't go through both sides of the piping while drilling.
When drilling the holes, be sure to consider where the water will actually spray. By angling the drill you can manipulate the direction the water will spray. We did random holes all over and tested to make sure we weren't losing any water pressure.
Step 4: Fancify your new Kid Wash!!!
All I had on hand to fancify? Two pool noodles. Well it'll only be slightly fancified for now! I used fishing line and an upholstery needle to sting the noodles onto one of the top supports. I'll be adding more colored noodles at all different lengths, and possibly cutting a colorful shower curtain into strips and hanging them from the first top support and the last top support. Not sure...
Here is the result:
They love running through it!
We are officially prepared for the heatwave!!!
If you decide to make one, tell me about it!!!