YMCA Splash Pad Delivers Great Fun for Children Eight and Under

What are we going to do with the kids this summer while school is out? This is a refrain heard around the country by parents of school-age children. It is even worse for younger kids, as older siblings are probably already involved in camps, ball games or other organized activities. Now we have a new option: the Splash Pad.

The Asheboro YMCA has stepped to the plate as they just opened up an outdoor Splash Pad, designed for kids eight years old and younger. The Splash Pad allows youngsters who may not be able to swim yet the opportunity to enjoy fun in the water.

The Splash Pad is a zero-depth water park for kids. Built outdoors featuring a smooth concrete floor with a gentle slope to the middle drains to recycle the water, the Splash Pad has water jets, fountains, turning water pistols and buckets that dump water at regularly-timed intervals for kids to enjoy.

Three YMCA life guards are on duty at all times to ensure a safe atmosphere for even the smallest of kids. And just like at the pool, the lifeguards have regularly-timed breaks to ensure they do not get worn out from constantly watching out for hazards.

There is a wrought-iron fence surrounding the Splash Pad, both to keep the kids in a contained area and to keep out anyone from just walking in. The Splash Pad is free to all YMCA members and the only entrance or exit to the facility is through a door to the pool.

And while the kids love splashing through all of the water features, there are amenities for the parents, too. Comfortable deck chairs are spread around the perimeter that allow parents to sun bathe while their kids play. There are speakers which broadcast a local radio station that plays soft rock hits. And there is a snack bar that serves cold beverages, ice cream and other summer treats.

The Splash Pad could use more covered areas for fair-skinned adults to hide while the sun is beating down. Currently, the YMCA has only one table with an umbrella set up. At least one more of these tables should be added and a covered structure, like an open-air tent, would be ideal.

The new facility backs up directly to the ball fields for T-ball. One of the three fields of the YMCA for ball lost a portion of its outfield for the Splash Pad. There have been no games scheduled on Field One this summer, although it is still used by coaches as a practice facility.

The Splash Pad is a fun, safe place for kids to play. It gives families one more reason to come to the YMCA in the summer months. If you are looking for a family-friendly activity, I highly recommend you to check to see if there is a Splash Pad at your local YMCA or anywhere else in your area.