Strategies for toddler at the splash pad?

[Melaine]

I'm looking for any ideas on surviving the summer with a 13 month old who cannot walk yet but is a speed-crawler and is not at all content to sit in one spot. We plan to spend a lot of time at our local splash pad and I'm wondering how best to contain him. I'm tempted to buy a very small kiddie pool and take it along but I imagine he wouldn't stay in it (I cannot get him to stay in the bath tub for more than 3 minutes, even with toys). I do have a water sling but don't anticipate him being happy in it as he has pretty much moved on from being worn (sadly).

If I could have something for him to play with so that he would just SIT still for 20 minutes I would be thrilled. I hate for him to crawl around, I'm afraid his little knees will get all beat up. This is totally new territory for me as there is no way in the world I would have taken the girls somewhere like this at his age because I couldn't handle two of them.

[crl]

I think I'd try to figure out a way to protect his knees and just let him crawl. Wetsuit?

Catherine

[megs4413]

that's really tough. Is it a concrete splash pad?

[Melaine]

It is concrete....not super rough like a driveway but pretty rough. I could potentially try knee pads (although I always said those were silly). I'm not sure if I will be able to let him crawl anyway because it can be pretty crowded and there are often kids running around. I am kind of wondering about getting a small round water table and hauling it down there and putting it close to the jets. *Maybe* then he would stand at it and play rather than trying to crawl everyone....not convinced though.

[DietCokeLover]

Maybe pick up a used walker at a thrift store and put him in it so he can be near the water and still mobil?

Also a wet suit is a good idea to protect his knees.

[BabyBearsMom]

Is it already hot where you are? By us, I think it will be another month before I start taking DD1 to the splash pad or pool. In a month, he could be walking.

[megs4413]

It is concrete....not super rough like a driveway but pretty rough. I could potentially try knee pads (although I always said those were silly). I'm not sure if I will be able to let him crawl anyway because it can be pretty crowded and there are often kids running around. I am kind of wondering about getting a small round water table and hauling it down there and putting it close to the jets. *Maybe* then he would stand at it and play rather than trying to crawl everyone....not convinced though.

I honestly think I would give that a shot. We had a splash pad literally 50 yards from our last house (we were quite near a big park) and the little ones were always just trampled by the bigger kids. it was not a good situation for the young ones. I would advise to get there early (before the bigger kids are wanting to get going for the day) and leave when it starts to get crowded.

[Melaine]

Walker is definitely an idea. I actually just sold ours because he had learned to climb out of it....We have a little push walker that might work though. BabyBearsMom, yes it is very hot here! Normally it is splash pad weather by April but this year it has actually been "cool"!

I wish we could get there early but they don't open till 10...really a bummer, IMO. It used to be easy to beat the crowds but now they have summer camps (this is at our YMCA) so if the camp kids are there it's nuts.

[wellyes]

Last year I gave DS an empty water bottle at the splash pad. he'd fill it up, dump it out, fill it up, dump it out. That was a good 15-20 minutes of standing-still play.

Maybe a suit like this? http://www.coolibar.com/product/Infant-Beach-Romper/155903.uts?keyword=toddler%20boy

[etaylor75]

Laundry basket!! I would bring some bath toys to play with in it...and you can use it to carry all of your stuff in and out of the park :)

Erin

[megs4413]

Walker is definitely an idea. I actually just sold ours because he had learned to climb out of it....We have a little push walker that might work though. BabyBearsMom, yes it is very hot here! Normally it is splash pad weather by April but this year it has actually been "cool"!

I wish we could get there early but they don't open till 10...really a bummer, IMO. It used to be easy to beat the crowds but now they have summer camps (this is at our YMCA) so if the camp kids are there it's nuts.

no offense to parents who have their kids in YMCA camps, but i HATE running into one during the summer when we're going somewhere (it happens all the time...at the park or the zoo or legoland, etc) because they seem so overwhelmed in terms of kids per counselor. Also, the counselors seem young to me (maybe i'm just getting old?) and are frequently socializing and not paying attention. Maybe it's just the camps in this area, but it annoys the life out of me. we leave if we see a YMCA camp group coming.

Is there a reason why this is the particular place you're looking to spend a lot of time? It doesn't seem totally practical. Is there a better splash pad or pool that you could take advantage of?

[BabyBearsMom]

Walker is definitely an idea. I actually just sold ours because he had learned to climb out of it....We have a little push walker that might work though. BabyBearsMom, yes it is very hot here! Normally it is splash pad weather by April but this year it has actually been "cool"!

I wish we could get there early but they don't open till 10...really a bummer, IMO. It used to be easy to beat the crowds but now they have summer camps (this is at our YMCA) so if the camp kids are there it's nuts.

Too bad it is already hot. Can he do a push walker? I might get a plastic one for him to push around. Or if he can't push yet, what about something like this: http://www.onestepahead.com/product/KidCo-Go-Pod-Portable-Stay-and-Play-Center/_/R-538889?cm_ven=RKG_GoogleBase&cm_cat=OSA_Non-Brand&cm_pla=GoogleBase&cm_ite=GoogleBase&orderType=2&device=c&network=g&gclid=CJH1yp2sr7cCFQqk4AodZWQA4A

[MommyAllison]

DD2 was at that stage last summer, it is hard! I usually set her down near one of the bubblers that doesn't spray too hard or high, since the older kids didn't tend to play there as much - but I did have to stay next to her the whole time so she didn't get trampled or crawl away and shred her knees on the concrete. She liked to splash her hands in the bubbler and watch all the kids. Our friends with a same age kid did bring a small kiddie pool with toys and set it up about 20 feet from the splash pad. I think if you bring something and set it up next to the splash pad, the older kids will all come over and play in it too, which wouldn't leave much room for your DS. A walker does sound like a good plan, though you'd probably still have to follow him around so he doesn't get stuck under the buckets that dump water or something. :) Maybe put babylegs on him to protect his knees when he does crawl?

[YouAreTheFocus]

This is tough! I think you really have 2 options--something that requires him to be contained/immobilized or getting wetsuit/kneepads and letting him go free. I don't know that there's something you can bring to make him willingly stay in one spot (obviously you can best answer this!). If he has a outgoing personality then a water table isn't going to stop him from crawling/following his sisters into the mix. If you are looking to contain him, maybe some sort of plastic seat (like a booster) w/ a belt? Maybe there is somewhere near the edge that you could sit him, where he could still experience some water? Or this looks like it would dry quickly:

http://www.amazon.com/Regalo-My-Chair-Portable-Royal/dp/B000CSEE3O/ref=pd_sbs_ba_8

My only concern would be if he's strong enough to tip it if he's determined to move!

[Simon]

We usually just put pants on our crawling babies. For the splash pad, we brought an extra pair of pants and have a collection of small buckets, bottles, watering can, etc. plus one larger but shallow plastic bin that we could fill with water for the baby to play with. That also allowed us to bring water to the baby and sit with him in the shade while our bigger kid played in the sun. Once the pants were wet, they weren't too hot (although I'm sure its much hotter near you) and they protect knees the best, IMO.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

BTDT early last summer with DD. we're in TX, so yeah, you bet it's already hot here. by july DD was walking but TBH, it didn't help that much...i think with DD she was just too young and overstimlated from the spraying water...if she got too close she woudl get scared and cry. but i guess it depends on the kid. i know a lot of non-walking toddlers would just sit there and play with buckets (definitely bring cups, buckets etc to the splashpad..my son had hours of fun just filling it with water and dumping it out). other kids (mostly boys) would just crawl on the cement and the knees thing woudlnt' bother them.

[KrisM]

Is there a time for younger kids to play? Ours all have a time where it's for only kids age 5 or 7 and under.