Water activities are the best this time of year. It keeps the kids from melting. If you’re looking for something wet to do and are getting bored with the pool all the time, I highly recommend checking out the sprayground at Cumberland Park.
The sprayground has about half a foot of standing water (maybe a little less toward the outside) and fountains that squirt up for the kids to run through. There’s a water fall feature, too. BOTH of my kids loved it. My 6-month-old was able to sit in the water by herself (not that mama was beyond an arm’s reach) and my three-year-old went off splashing in the fountains. I was able to see him the whole time without having to be right on top of him. If you have a crawler, they would definitely be able to crawl around in the water. Just watch out for wild children.
We took our lunch and had a picnic while we were there. There are tables right when you walk in or you can sit in the grass or on the giant steps/ bleachers. There is also a concession stand if you need something.
The best part of Cumberland Park is that it is so much more than a sprayground. There was sand (mud) to dig in as well as a bunch of toys to climb on. If you walk a little further there is a big rock wall for kids to climb. You can also take a few minutes to walk around the park and see the gorgeous views of downtown.
There isn’t great signage about where to park and where exactly the sprayground is. You park in the free lot off of 1st Street (in front of Titans Stadium). There is a sign that says “Cumberland Park” to direct you. When you get out just walk over the railroad tracks, under the pedestrian bridge and you should hear the water and the laughter.
What should you bring?
- sunscreen
- sunglass/hat
- towels and/or a picnic blanket (tip: leave a towel on top of the carseat in the car so it doesn’t burn the kiddos when you get back in, plus you know you have at least one dry towel when you’re done)
- water shoes if you don’t like walking in the water without them
- water toys
- snacks and drinks- stay hydrated!
- swim diapers for baby
- change of clothes for the car
- camera!
I thought I was going to get to stay dry, but I ended up soaked. You could definitely avoid this if you had older kids. ;)
Cumberland Park is open daily from dawn to 11pm. The spray ground is open Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm & Sunday 12pm-6pm.
Hurry! The last day the spray ground is open is September 1st!