Yes you can have water play in the kitchen without too much mess. These splashy games kept Veronika super-engaged while I prepped school lunches, and are a fun way to continue water play even as summer heads into fall. And clean-up was a breeze.

First, I sat her down on a towel with a shallow tub of water. I placed just a few bath toys in it, encouraging her to grab them as I made them float by.

She loved scooping the toys up and out of the water, and just dipping in her little fingers.

For added ease, I dressed her in a bathing suit. If it’s warm enough, there’s nothing wrong with doing the game in just a diaper!

Next, we got even splashier. I sat her up in the highchair, and carefully poured a small stream of water onto the high chair tray. This alone was delightful.

She tested it out…

…then discovered it was fantastic for splashing!

Yes there were splatters, but the towel underneath caught almost all of it, and a quick wipe with a paper towel got the rest. And then up we went to change out of her bathing suit!