Looking for a great place to cool off this summer without the stress of keeping a close vigil on your kids at the pool or beach? Look no further than the splash playground in Germantown, a place sure to delight kids of all ages.
Located in the upper reaches of Montgomery County, the South Germantown Recreational Park is a sprawling complex which includes a driving range, mini golf course, adventure playground, indoor pool and more. The splash playground here is a popular place to gather on a summer day. The park opens at 10am, and upon our arrival at 10:30 I snagged the last available table with shade umbrella. Lesson learned:arrive early.
The splash playground is a large cement area with fountains and water features of all sorts. There is no pool so no worries about drowning here, just good old splashing in the water. The main feature is a 280 jet water maze that kids can wonder through and around. My kids ages 4 and 5 were a little intimidated by the size of the fountain here at first but eventually had a great time splashing in it. There are other water features scattered around like dumping buckets and umbrella fountains, as well as a giant cave with a waterfall. On one side of the water maze there are several animal fountains, but a few of these did not appear to be working on our visit. Two “rock pile”sculptures round out the equipment. The kids love to climb on these but it is not allowed. Some of the smaller kids seemed content to just splash and cool off in the run off from the fountains.
There is only one entrance and exit point to the splash playground which is manned by an employee. Three other lifeguards are stationed around the outside of the fountain and keep a close eye out for kids who are running or those climbing on the rock piles. There is also a small first aid office, probably used most often for skinned knees from falling on the cement (as both of my kids did). Parents still obviously need to keep an eye on their kids whereabouts, but I felt much more relaxed here than I normally do at the pool.
There is no concession stand here but food is allowed to be brought in from outside. Drink, snack and ice cream vending machines are located on site, though (thankfully) a bit out of the way for little eyes. Lockers, changing rooms, open showers and restrooms with changing tables (in both men’s and women’s) round out the facilities here. Admission is $4.50 per person over 2 years old. The splash playground seems to be enjoyed most by kids ages 4 – 10. Younger kids may be intimidated by some of the larger water features but can still find plenty to do. Many camp groups use the facility during the week. During summer the hours are daily from 10am to 7pm. The least crowded hours are in the late afternoons. The splash playground will close after August 29th but will reopen for Labor Day weekend.
My kids had an absolute blast running through the fountains here. Pack your sunscreen, a lunch and head on out for a day of worry free fun in the sun.
New in 2015: a jumping pillow has been added to the park!
Photo by Kim Engstrom
