A farewell to summer - ode to splash pads

Who am I kidding?  It's September in Florida, which means there's still a few weeks of summer left.  However, the highs have dropped out of the 90's into the upper 80's a bit early this year, so I'm seeing a glimmer of fall.

While I'm thrilled to be able to take Li'l Girlie to parks and not be drenched in sweat within 5 minutes, there's been a lot about this summer that we'll miss.  For one, splash pads.  When Li'l Girlie's into them, it's pretty much guaranteed running around and getting worn out for her, and some good time catching up with friends for me.  A little mother/daughter pretend tea time with her plastic tea set gets thrown in too.  Everybody wins!  Our fave splash pad (shown above) is really close to home, FREE and has really entertaining water features.  I know not every area has this style of fountain pad, and we partook of some of the paid entry ones that had bigger water features as well.  Lots of inexpensive fun.

To me, here's what makes a great splash pad:

• Varied water features or water patterns that has at least one fountain kids can use to fill up buckets.  That's truly half the fun for most kids.
• Shade.  'Nuff said.
• Inexpensive or free admission.  
• One that's not overrun with day camp attendees.  Not that I'm against day camps or day camps taking their campers to splash pads....all I'm saying is that the days they're there, all other children pretty much get run over.  

Added bonus for moms with small children who run away a lot...fenced in.  Li'l Girlie's never really been a runner, but containment was great for when we had playdates with kids who were.

Splash pads, we will miss you.  Hope we get to visit a couple more times before the weather turns.  See you next summer!