Knoxify

Photo by: reggie.law

Sum­mer is in full swing, and it is time to get the kids out of the house for some fun in the sun. With the tem­per­a­tures reach­ing into the 90’s last week, the only fun my kids were going to be able to with­stand was the type of fun that included water. Unfor­tu­nately, the hus­band tells me that we can’t afford to dig up that back yard and put in a pool. So what’s a mom to do?

If there was only a place where water shot up from the ground, in a kid friendly envi­ron­ment, that was cheaper than a pool membership.

These mag­i­cal places described above actu­ally do exist all around Knoxville. If you are not famil­iar with the term “Splash Pad” you should check out the Knox County Park and Rec page. I usu­ally take my boys to the New Har­vest Splash Pad, but when we ven­ture out into West Knox County, you can find us at the Splash Pad at Carl Cowen Park.

These Splash Pad’s are a great way to enter­tain the kids for a few hours and run off some of that sum­mer morn­ing and late after­noon energy for which my kids are so well-known.

I often pack up the beach bag, a few sippy cups, a few snacks or a bagged lunch if we are stay­ing there for “the long haul”, and lots of sunscreen.

The Splash Pad is a FREE alter­na­tive to the “pool mem­ber­ship” and a must do if your sig­nif­i­cant other won’t let you dig a hole in your back yard.

Don’t for­get to check out the Splash Pad/Fountains at Vol­un­teer Land­ing (“No Climb­ing on Rocks and Do Not Wade in the Pool”…good luck with that City of Knoxville) and also the Foun­tains in and near Mar­ket Square, and of course…the crem della crem…the Foun­tains at World’s Fair Park.

So where will you be enjoy­ing the Knox County and the City of Knoxville’s water pres­sure this summer?