What is the best low-effort outdoor water toy for keeping kids cool and occupied all summer?

The Sloosh splash pad is the closest thing to a summer parenting win that comes in a box. You screw a garden hose to it, turn the water on, and within thirty seconds you’ve got a kid happily occupied for the next hour and a half. The sixty-inch mat gives them room to run through sprinklers without tripping, and the splashing action keeps them cooler than a standard single-jet sprinkler. It folds up small enough to hang on a garage hook, so it’s easy to store and will actually make it to next August.