Reusable Water Balloons Are The Last Minute Must-Have Toy Of Summer

These refillable water 'balloons' found on Amazon are a playground game-changer for kids — and the environment.
These delightfully squishy water balloon alternatives are available in packs of up to 16 on Amazon.
These delightfully squishy water balloon alternatives are available in packs of up to 16 on Amazon.

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There are only a few weeks left until summer’s official end, but that doesn’t mean hot days and warm weather activities have subsided. Any kiddo (or adult for that matter) will tell you that no summer day is complete without a day spent in the sprinkler slinging water balloons. As enjoyable as this tradition can be, it’s not without its share of downsides.

“During the summer, you’ll find the splash pads at any city playground littered with the confetti of broken water balloons. It’s not great for the environment (or for the toddlers who love putting the colorful pieces in their mouths),” said Emily Ruane, HuffPost Shopping’s managing editor and a mom of two.

I told her to take a look at these endlessly reusable, delightfully squishy and easy-to-fill “water bombs” that have been floating around on social media.

“I gasped when I saw these,” Ruane said of this viral silicone alternative which has a soft, flexible rim containing powerful magnets that run around middle of the balloon. The magnet closure design is what makes these balloons instantly seal shut when filled, yet break apart easily upon impact, much like a traditional water balloon.

And if you’re asking yourself if your child might sustain an injury from the impact of one of these balls, fear not: Users on TikTok have already put that theory to the test. They claim that thanks to the magnets being embedded inside the silicone rim rather than outside, getting hit by one of these is completely safe and pain-free.

To fill them, all you do is submerge the open sphere into a bucket of water until it snaps closed. This is a nice departure from the tiny, fragile nature of traditional water balloons, which can be a pain to fill and tie, especially if your little one hasn’t developed the finger dexterity quite yet.

Ruane was relieved to see a water toy “that will keep kids entertained while playing in the sprinklers without sparking heated debates on the local moms Facebook group.”

Here are some promising reviews from Amazon:

“These water balloons are AMAZING!! At first I was a little skeptical and thought they might be too hard to break or leak but they don’t! And the best part is, there’s no mess to clean up and they are better for the environment! Will definitely be buying more for the kids to enjoy this summer!” –– Christina214

“These water balloons are so cool! They close up magnetically which seals them up tight and makes them super easy to fill. The seam area is not hard, which I was worried about, if battles got too intense. It seems that they are very durable and should last through many battles. Perfect for summer!” –– Ashley

“I got these water balloons are sale at $3 a balloon. A little pricey when you think about the price of regular water balloons but for refillable they are reasonable. I like the way they fill - completely open and then sealed shut. My 6- year old and 3-year old could both fill them.. They broke apart on contact and my kids didn’t get hurt when they hit. I plan to order more in the future. I love not having to clean up broken latex pieces and the fun can last longer since you don’t technically run out!” –– Rachel Bruhn

“There is nothing I disliked about this item. My siblings and I played outside for hours with these balloons. I like that they are soft, durable, reusable, and easy to store away.” –– Jessica

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