Get Soaked this Summer With the NERF SUPER SOAKER TRI-STRIKE CROSSBOW Water Blaster

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

Here in our quaint little hometown in Ohio, we spend a lot of time outdoors during the warmer months. I think this is partly because the winters can be really brutal, and everyone ends up with a severe case of Cabin Fever. (Okay, maybe it's just me. I am still not used to the extreme Ohio cold, even after 2 years of being back "home".) 

In my town, there's a wide variety of things to do during the summer. We've got tons of festivals  and live music every weekend on the riverfront, a great outdoor water park, and my little town boasts a whopping 26 parks full of playgrounds and fun for the kids. 

But despite the many things to do as a family here, we tend to have the most fun right in our own backyard! We've got a pretty great set-up here, including a wooden playground, a fire pit, a bounce house, a hammock, and of course a deck to grill and entertain on. 

Of course when it gets too hot, we love having old-fashioned water fights! This is something the whole family gets involved in, even my youngest children, who are 3 and 4 years old. The "Platoon Leader" so to speak is my husband. Daddies make great battle commanders, don't you agree? 

Anyway, recently we received the brand new Nerf Super Soaker Tri-Strike Crossbow Water Blaster to check out for ourselves. "Commander Daddy" AKA "Lieutenant Dan" was super-excited and ready for an epic water fight!

The Nerf Super Soaker Tri-Strike Crossbow Water Blaster is actually pretty darn awesome. It can be used in 2 ways: As a single, strong blast when the crossbow arms are down, or a 3-stream, all out assault when the crossbow blades are opened. 

So we lured a couple of unsuspecting targets outside, and Daddy had a blast dousing them in powerful streams of water. They could run, but hiding was not an option. This water blaster has an impressive range of 35 feet, so resistance was futile! Thankfully, the victims didn't complain and loved their water games!

Of course it would be just plain wrong if Daddy got to have ALL the fun. Lucky for my littles, their Dad is a nice guy. He was more than happy to show them how to use this toy before running off and taking cover, himself! 

Yes, this product is recommended for ages 6+, but with a little adult assistance and supervision, my preschoolers got the hang of it pretty quickly! 

Since it's only proper to allow ladies to go first, Sophie had first dibs on the Super Soaker Tri-Strike Crossbow Water Blaster. She was able to pick up on how to pump the water blaster really quickly, and ended up soaking her baby brother. I think it's revenge for all the times he hits/kicks/attacks her every day!

Then it was Xander's turn to give it a shot. Now he is super-little, and the toy is almost as large as he is! Still, he was determined to drench his sister, so he didn't give up. 

While the crossbow action with 3 streams of water is definitely the most fun, we found that where Xander is concerned, it's much easier to use the single stream blast option. It's a lot easier for him to wield when the crossbow arms are tucked away. He was SO proud of himself when he made the water spray across the yard! Now he didn't hit Sophie...But maybe next time he will, once he's perfected his aim. 

Overall, we're definitely loving the Nerf Super Soaker Tri-Strike Crossbow Water Blaster. I think we will have to add a few more toys from Nerf's brand new 2014 Super Soaker Line-up to our summer fun!

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