As we head into the last few weeks of summer, there’s no excuse for not soaking up every last bit of fun.
Water Wubble (Wubble)
Water balloon fights are awesome—who doesn’t love one in the heat of the summer—but there’s always one person who gets stuck preparing most of the balloons (and tying knot after knot after knot…), and the post-fight cleanup is never fun for anyone. To avoid all the annoyance while keeping all the enjoyment, check out Water Wubble (the newest member of the Wubble family). Water Wubble is easy to fill in the pool, at the beach, or with a hose. But the coolest thing about the Water Wubble is its re-usability: you fill it, it seals beautifully, you throw it at your target, it explodes with a splash, and repeat. It’s for ages 7+. $14.99 at Walmart, Target, and ToysRUs, or online from http://waterwubble.com
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Most kids love building, and a slightly smaller group loves bugs. For those who love both, this action-packed kit is perfect. It contains 80 colorful pieces and easy-to-follow instructions to build a motorized bug that moves, rotates, and more. Kids will learn about robotics, gears, following instructions, planning, and patience. For ages s 6+. Under $20. 
This high-quality kit (we wouldn’t expect anything else from Seedling) includes a foldout box kite, tubes of fabric paint, and other materials that you and your little one(s) can use to create a one-of-a-kind soaring, dodging, flying, masterpiece that you’ll use over and over again. All you need is time, imagination, and lots of wind. For ages 8+. About $30. 
A great craft activity to do with your tween and/or teen. It comes with everything you need for a fabulous mini garden (except water): a trendy, geometric terrarium; potting mix; seeds; pink flamingo and golden pineapple ornaments; decorative plants, sand, and stones; a water dropper; and instructions. For ages 12+. Under $25. 
One of the cornerstones of any budgeting and savings plan is to take a set percentage from every check you receive and put it into a savings account. But, knowing what you should do and actually doing it are two very different things. Feed the Pig has a variety of tools and resources that can help you create a budget, control your spending, manage your credit, and set up savings plans. Thinking about the future will help you pay more attention to how you’re spending your money today. Having long-term goals makes it a lot easier to say No to those impulse purchases. Saving and investing could mean the difference between being able to buy a home in your 20’s and renting until you’re in your 40’s, and between being able to travel the world while you’re still young enough to enjoy it and being confined to your cubicle until you retire. 
Have you ever told a stranger to pick up after his or her dog? Have you ever fallen asleep while driving? Have you ever gotten into a shouting match over a parking space? Have you ever shoplifted? Do you wear thong underwear? These are just a handful of the 200 revealing questions that may give you and your fellow players some insight into exactly how “normal” you are. Each card also includes the percentage of people polled who have answered “Yes.” You earn points for guessing how the other players will answer. For ages 15 and up. Retails for about $10. 
For a doll that does double duty (you can snuggle it or take it into the bathtub or pool), check out this new entry from Corolle. Filled with polystyrene beads that dry quickly, these 12-inch dolls are specially designed for playing in the tub, and are so light they float. They have adorable faces, vanilla-scented skin (Corolle’s signature), and eyes that open and close. Every doll comes with an outfit and bath toy of its own and they’re available in several skin tones and both sexes for about $28 each. 
This wonderful game is the brainchild of Yasuhiro Wada, creator of Harvest Moon, and to grasp what it’s like, imagine a combination of Minecraft, Sims, and evolution. There are two modes: Build and Macro. In Build mode, players create a world, with mountains, trees, valleys, statues, and so on. In Macro, you’re now in charge of time, temperature, climate, and life itself (there are more than 300 life forms, including plants, fuzzy mammals, and plenty of dinosaurs). As you move back and forth between the modes, you have a chance to see the intricate and delicate ways that the environment and everything in it affect each other. Too hot or too cold, your creatures could go extinct. Too many critters? They might run out of food. Available for PlayStation 4 and PC. 
There’s something almost magical about bubbles, and this giant bottle is filled with enough magic to last until the school starts in the fall. Aside from two liters of pre-mixed bubble solution, you get a giant bubble wand, which will make some of the biggest bubbles you and your kids have ever seen. If that’s not enough for you, Funrise makes a variety of other bubble-producing products, including wands and battery-operated mills to automate your bubbles. For ages 3+. Available at your favorite retailer. 
Mario Kart is one of those games that turns a room full of strangers into a room full of new buddies—or at least rowdy racers. Requiring equal parts skill, luck, and know-how, Mario Kart has consistently been a bright star in the gaming universe, and this one may be, dare we say, the brightest of them all. With almost all characters unlocked to begin with, this game is built for multiplayer action, and there are tons of characters to choose from, so there’ll be no squabbling. On the Switch, characters of different weights and sizes act differently and effect your controls, as do the type of vehicle and even the tires you select. The game also includes support for amiibos and amiibo cards, which unlock more in-game content, allowing for plenty of customization. $59.99 at retail locations or via download from the eShop.