An older man sifts water through his fingers as a young toddler watches from inside the water.
A older man and toddler playfully splash each other while in water
Using the phrase "sifts water through his fingers" does not imply that he is playfully splashing.
A man and a toddler may not necessarily be in water playfully. The game might not be to splash at each other.
A man and a toddler can be inside the water without splashing each other.