PVC Pipe Kids Sprinkler

There is still a month left of summer, and in some states August is the best month for good sunny weather or too hot to not have some sort of sprinkler or pool for the kids to play in. My friends made one of these fun sprinklers for their kids and they said it works great and the kids love it. From the Disney Family Fun online site, The Deluxe Kid Wash.

Craft Materials:

• Eight 10-foot lengths of 3/4-inch PVC pipe
• These 3/4-inch PVC fittings: 12 T’s, 2 crosses, 7 elbows, 4 caps, one 1-inch to 3/4-inch T, 1 straight fitting and 1 female hose adapter.
• 1 pool noodle
• Craft foam
• Permanent markers
• String
• 3 large sponges
• 40 feet of nylon lawn chair webbing
• Paper
• Fasteners
• Adhesive-backed velcro

1. Cut the Pieces and Make the Waterholes
Using a hacksaw or PVC-pipe cutter, cut the pipe into the lengths shown below. Be sure to sweep or vacuum up the plastic dust. Use a 1/8-inch bit to drill waterholes as shown above: 12 holes each in crosspieces X and Y, spaced 2 to 3 inches apart; 3 holes, all on the same side, in each of the 2 side pieces shown, and 3 holes at the tops of 2 of the caps.

2. Assemble the Frame
Connect the fittings and pipe sections as shown in the diagram at the top of the page. Use a mallet to pound the pieces firmly together for extra stability.

3. Add the Special Details
A) Entry Arch and Sign. Push a pool noodle with holes in the ends onto the capped pipes to form an arch (the holes may need to be cut or widened with a knife), as shown at the top of the page. Use craft foam and permanent markers to make a sign. Punch holes in the sign and hang it from the arch with string.

B) Kid Scrubbers. Thread varying lengths of string through 3 large sponges and tie them to crosspiece Y.

C) Body Buffers. Cut the lawn chair webbing (available at most hardware stores) into 8 or so 4 1/2-foot lengths. Loop each one over crosspiece Z and secure with a paper fastener.

D) Stop and Go Gate. Attach the swinging gate arm by slipping the larger T fitting over the straight fitting as shown in the diagram detail above. Make the Stop and Go signs from craft foam circles, 8 1/2 inches in diameter. Label with markers. Next, use adhesive-backed Velcro to attach the Stop sign at the end of the swinging arm (D1). Align the Go sign on the upright piece so that it sits directly behind the Stop sign(D2) when the gate is closed and affix it with Velcro.

E) Water! Attach the hose adapter and the hose, turn on the water, adjust the pressure, and let the fun begin.