What to bring to a splash pad
Splash pads are about the easiest summer outing there is. There's no standing water and no swim lessons, and you can leave the minute someone melts down. A little packing still makes the trip a lot smoother.
The essentials
- Swimsuit, or clothes that can get soaked. Most pads don't have changing rooms, so many parents dress kids in suits at home.
- Swim diapers for anyone not potty trained. Most splash pads require them, and regular diapers swell up and fall apart.
- Water shoes or snug sandals. Splash pad surfaces get slippery, and on sunny afternoons the dry concrete gets hot.
- Sunscreen, water-resistant and reapplied every couple of hours. Kids get wet over and over, so it wears off faster than you'd think.
- Towels, one per kid plus an extra for the car seat.
- A full change of dry clothes and a plastic or wet bag for the wet ones.
- Drinking water and snacks. Kids running in water still get thirsty, and not every park has a water fountain.
Nice to have
- Hats and rash guards for extra sun cover
- A pop-up canopy or umbrella if the pad has little shade (check the "Shelter / shade" note on each pad's page)
- A camp chair or blanket for you
- Hand wipes and a small first-aid kit for scraped knees
- A few dollars in case the pad or parking charges a fee
Leave at home
- Glass bottles. Most parks ban them near play areas.
- Big floaties and pool toys. There's nothing to float in, and they get in other kids' way.
- Anything you don't want soaked. Spray patterns change without warning.
Check before you go
Look up the pad on Splash Pad Maps to see whether restrooms, a playground or parking are mapped nearby, and check the park's own page for season dates. Most outdoor pads shut off during thunderstorms and reopen 30 minutes or so after the last thunder.