Free Water Play in Dayton, Ohio: Keeping Cool on a Budget

We all know that summertime in Dayton can be unbearable hot! Even with the scorching temperatures, can we really afford to pay $5- $28 a person just to enjoy some cool wet relief? The good news is that there are places to play in the water for free!

The Greene is an outdoor shopping mall located in Beavercreek near I-675. In the middle of the shops lies the Town Square Fountain. Children can kick off their shoes and run through the large series of shooting streams of water. The Greene even offers complimentary towels Monday through Saturday from 11:00am - 8:00pm and Sunday 12:00pm - 5:00pm. Parents can enjoy plenty of outdoor shopping and restaurants.

Island Metropark is a park famous for outdoor concerts and located north of Riverscape on Helena Street. During the hot summer months you can enjoy their large water play area. This large fenced area allows children to play with water pressure and run through sprinklers. Once the kids have cooled off they can enjoy the adjacent playground equipment. If you go to their website at metroparks.org you can find out the dates of free summer concerts.

Orchardly Park located in Oakwood is an oasis on a hot summer day. Children can enjoy the shallow pool free of charge! There is also a large sandbox and a pair of playgrounds in the park. There is a shelter available for picnicking along with tennis courts. There is plenty of street parking available.

If you're up for a little drive, you can visit Caesar's Creek State Park. Caesar's Creek Lake offers free swimming along their 1300 foot beach. Concessions and changing booths are available. After enjoying a swim, you can take a hike on the 43 miles of trails and enjoy the beautiful scenery that this state park has to offer. You can pop into the nature center to learn more about the natural and historical origins of the park.

Don't forget your own backyard! There are plenty of water activities you can do at home that can beat those summertime blues. Fill up a small inflatable pool with ice and lets the kids play as it melts. Hook up a cheap sprinkler to your hose and run through it. Have a water balloon fight. You can play with water guns or spray bottles.

Sure, big water parks like Splash Moraine or The Beach are fun once in a while. The expense of these activities makes them an unreasonable option for everyday cooling off. So if you want affordable family fun, check out one of these free cool hangouts.