When it comes to fun school holiday activities, there's almost nothing better than a great water balloon fight. Who knew one bag of water balloons could keep kids happy for hours on end?

That being said, the bigger the fight, the more chance of tears and tantrums. To minimise the risk of upset, drenched, shivering kids, you might want to teach them a few water balloon fight tactics first!

Here are some of our top tips for keeping water fights fun yet safe.

Ready, set, go!

Establish a start time that everyone has to abide by. This stops some kids from starting early and having an immediate advantage over their foes. Everyone deserves a fair start - and it'll make the game that much more exciting.

Be strategic

Some kids may think water balloon fights are all about throwing as many balloons as you can in a short space of time. But the real water balloon experts are strategic in their approach.

Teach your children how to fill up water balloons properly - over inflation or under inflation of the balloons could cause premature or non-existent explosions. The balloons should also be stored carefully in a bucket of water.

In 'battle', it's best to aim for near people's feet as then the balloon will explode on the ground in front of them. The truly skilled may even be able to catch water balloons mid-flight and throw them back at their opponent!

Know the limits

Water balloon fights are only enjoyable if everyone is having fun. While it's good to have a competitive streak, kids should also be aware of some limits.

For example, throwing a water balloon at someone's head is probably a step too far, but aiming for their legs is okay. It's also important that they do not gang up on one kid.

A great way to ensure the game is fun and safe is to separate the children into teams. That way it will never be one against ten - they'll be able to look after each other and work together for the win!