OKC Spraygrounds: Macklanburg Park

Another beautiful sunny day, another excuse to check out a local sprayground. For me, the main draw of these parks are that they are a fun, free, and SAFE way for the kids to get some activity in while staying cool. Due to their adventurous swim styles, taking them to a community pool by myself just doesn't strike me as safe. Turns out, my intentions are not unlike the city's in creating these refreshing spots. They were built as a safe alternative to crowded city pools--and they have built 16 of them to date! Apparently one in Bricktown, by the Myriad Gardens, is in the works. It was easy to see the safety-related need when we went to Macklanburg Park (11700 N Stratford, OKC) last Friday, a wonderful park that also boasts a city pool and dry play structure. The free pool was filled to capacity and much of the sprayground crowd consisted of people waiting for their chance to get in. While we didn't go to the pool, it looked nice, if slightly wild due to the large teenage crowd, and it also had a cute 12"-18" baby pool area, and was staffed with lifeguards. We are planning to go back again on Friday with some friends and maybe get a chance to check it out.

Pool hours are: M-F 1pm-6pm

Sprayground hours are: 10am-8pm

both are open Memorial Day through Labor Day

This sprayground has a rainbow theme and three sprayer features that kids get to control, the most we've seen anywhere so far. Ha LOVES to hose other kids down--and most of them are happy to oblige!

One home daycare that was there brought with them water balloons--these turned out to be a huge hit and we have seen them at other spraygrounds since--and also have started keeping a stash in our swim bag. 100 for $1 at the dollar store! :o) The smallest water jets at the spraygrounds are perfect for filling them!

Here, Ha enlists an older boy to help her fill some up!

Ha & V love to cart water balloons around and refer to them as their "babies". Here are some cute pix of the girls fixing their babies up in little towel nests and also slathering them up with some sunscreen! :o)

V gives her balloon a good spraydown:Ha took the lotion application very seriously.

The girls' oldest best bud in the area, Julia, joined us at the park with her older sister, Amanda, who the girls adore and who is a good friend of mine. :o)

V was not about to let 3" of water stop her from getting a good swim!

And, yes, if there is the slightest suggestion that water may touch her face, the goggles need to be on. :O)

Two spraygrounds whose themes we have seen, yet whose identities we have not yet uncovered include: an exciting-looking pirate ship & an under the sea theme! I hope to visit all 16 with the girls during the summer.

Other City Spraygrounds we've visited include:
Earlywine Aquatic Center

Harvest Hills Park
Macklanburg Park Pool
North Highland Park