July 2010 - SPLASH AND PLAY ALL DAY
On a hot, humid day in June, we headed to Ty Warner Park in Westmont, IL. This park is both affordable and fun for a variety of ages, but it is probably best suited for up to age 10. Our group ranged in age from 17 months to 9 years old and we spent several hours at the splash pad and park and the kids were reluctant to leave.
The splash pad is a zero depth surface with multiple sprayers over a padded area. It feels like playing in your backyard sprinkler, but more like playing at a sprinkler amusement park. The sprayers range from bubblers that come straight out of the ground to poles that shoot water out in all directions. The kids enjoyed collecting the water in buckets and chasing each other around, as well as simply going through, under, and over the various water systems. Within the splash area there are chairs, loungers, picnic tables, and a large umbrella to provide shade.
There are also two additional areas equipped with playground equipment. A smaller park designed for children under 5 and a larger park designed for children over 5. The smaller park has an expansive sand area with a train structure installed in the middle of it, as well as many other climber systems and swings. The larger park had individual merry go rounds, unique rock wall climbers, monkey bars and slides. The campus also has a concession stand, bathrooms, pavilions, baseball, and soccer fields.
The general play area is enclosed in a country style fence so the boundaries are clear for the children. The children are tagged with wristbands and can freely go from park to splash pad with adult supervision. If you are with multiple children going different directions, it is fairly easy to keep on eye on all three areas at once.
Ty Warner Park is located at the corner of Plaza and Blackhawk in Westmont, IL 60559. The phone number is 630-963-5252. Website is www.wpd4fun.org. Hours are 10:00am-8:00pm daily. Admission is $2 residents, $4 non-residents. We brought our own snacks and drinks.
