Kutz, Paper, Scissors: Water Fun! Bike/Car Wash for the Kiddo's

Good Morning!

Happy Saturday! Today I'm sharing a project that my husband and I put together to ease the burn from our crazy heat! It was easy, inexpensive and will last for years until our little guy gets too big to fit under it!

Bike/Car Wash - Outdoor Water Fun!

Here's what you need to get started!
PVC Pipe (We used 1" but you can use smaller)
PVC Pipe Glue
4 PVC T's
5 PVC Corners (90 Degree Elbows)
3 PVC Caps
1 PVC Hose Connector
Saw
Sand Paper
Drill and Small Drill Bit (we used 1/16)
Sponges
Noodles
Pinwheels
Twine (I went with twine because it breaks easy, I wasn't worried about the boys getting caught in it)
Hole Punch
Scissors
Masking Tape
Rags or Paper Rags (I used Armorall disposable paper towels)
Hose, Water, bikes/motorcycles/wagons and a HOT day!

You can use any measurements that you'd like, but here's ours...
(2) 3 ft. PVC Pipes (top of loops)
(4) 4.5 ft. PVC Pipes (heights of loops)
(2) 2 ft. PVC Pipes (middle of base of stand)
(4) 1.5 ft. PVC Pipes (ends of base stand)

After you cut all of your pieces with a saw, sand the edges. This will help protect from your water holes getting gunk in them and clogging up.

You're going to glue all of your pieces together first. It's helpful if there's two people for this. Assemble your base first, then your loops and then attach the loops to the base. Remember to use glue - they'll fit together without it, but the water will leak.

Then you'll want to draw a straight line going up 2 of your loops. We choose to do this on the same loop, but it's up to you. Then you're going to drill holes going up the pipe, we did 6 holes and had them alternating on either side of the line. Keep water pressure in mind while you're choosing your hole size, if you're holes are too large you won't get a good spray, it'll just drizzle out.

Dont' forget to glue on your caps! We did this now, but you can do it while you actually assemble the frame. Also, attach your hose connector to one of the base legs.

Next we started turning the frame into a car wash. We bought all of our fun materials from the 99Cent Store, I think it was about $9 for the supplies.

I grabbed 2 noodles - they're supposed to be the rollers in the car wash. I used scissors to cut a slit all the way down each of them so I could wrap them around the pipe.

Next I grabbed my Baker's Twine, my Crop-a-dile (heavy duty hole punch), the sponges, pinwheels, Armorall Towels, scissors and masking tape.

Unwrap the sponges... it helps if you have a little helper for this...

Punch a hole in the top of the sponge and put your twine through it.

Do this too all of your sponges and set aside till done. Then tie them onto the top of 1 of your loops. We decided to drill some holes into the top of the other loop (the loop without the holes going up the sides) so that you'd get wet through the entire car wash.

Next, take out your paper towels or real towels...

Then cut thin strips going almost all the way up. DO NOT cut all the way up, you want the strips to still be connected...

Now grab your masking tap and tape your paper towel washing strips to the top of your loop with the holes going up the sides.

And viola! A car wash suitable for any play transportation vehicle you can think of!

Oh, don't forget the pinwheels! They add just the right amount of extra fun as they spin! We just wrapped making tape around them to secure them to the pipe - we wrapped it a few times at the top and at the bottom. Don't cover any holes!