My family just got back from a whirlwind week-long “vacation.” I say “vacation” in quotes because, let’s be honest, is there really any vacation when you take a 3-year-old and 1-year-old? But we did have a blast. My husband is a middle school teacher, so every year we look forward to his spring break. While I have dreams of a beach vacation, that isn’t always in the cards. So, we planned a fun getaway to the water park. We went to the Wisconsin Dells and stayed at Great Wolf Lodge (which I do recommend for toddlers), but since there are lots of water park options across the country, I thought I would give you a list of tips for while you are at any water park!
Disclaimer: We went to an indoor park in the spring, but many of these tips can apply to an outdoor water park!
- Stay onsite. Even April in the Midwest doesn’t guarantee that you won’t turn into an icicle going to your car after a day at the waterpark.
- Have a high adult to kid ratio. This isn’t always possible, but if you can bring grandparents or aunts and uncles to help with the kids, do it.
- Be brave. There were things at the water park (like, slides) that I wasn’t sure my three-year-old could do. She was the appropriate height, but I was really nervous for her to go alone. I saw her willingness to try, and trusted the lifeguards and water park people that made the rules. The first time I waited for her at the bottom of a large slide, I was amazed by how happy and proud she was that she did it All. By. Herself.
- Don’t overdo it. Drained and tired kids are no fun.
- Chill out. I was so worried about doing every single fun thing, I didn’t take time to slow down. If your kid is happy in the regular pool splashing around, let them do it. There isn’t a quota of rides down the slide that you need to meet.
- Research. Find the water park that is best suited for your children’s ages and needs.
Our water park experience was really fun. It was a lot of work, but worth it in the end!
