Splash Pads Are Great For Special Needs Kids

One of my kids’ favorite things to do is go to the splash pad. We love taking them there because the splash pad has so many benefits for Special Needs Children. A splash pad helps a child physically, emotionally, and socially.

Splash pads help children physically by helping them develop strength. Children strengthen gross motor skills by running, jumping, and dodging water. Water play also encourages hand and eye coordination through splashing, pouring, and feeling the water. Children restricted to wheel chairs also have plenty of room to ride around and increase upper body strength.

 Splash pads also help a child emotionally by providing deep pressure, soothing sounds, and opportunities of dealing with the unexpected. My son loves holding his foot above the fountain while it spurts water on the underside of his foot. He laughs and says it tickles. What he doesn’t realize is that the water is massaging his foot and calming his body as he does it. Another fun activity my children enjoy is trying to guess what fountain is going to go off next. Emotionally, this helps us learn to deal with our answers of being right or wrong.

At a Splash pad, children also work on social and speech skills. They work on social and speech skills when they ask to have a turn and share. They also work on social and speech as they communicate how much fun they are having.

With winter approaching, many local splash pads will be closing sometime this fall until they open again in the spring. Luckily, some states have indoor splash pads at their water parks where children can gain benefits from them year round.

One of our favorite indoor water parks with a splash pad is Co Co Key Water Resort. It is located in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, and Florida.

Our other favorite indoor water park with a splash pad is the Great Wolf Lodge. It is located in Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

So whether it is winter, spring, summer, or fall, get to the splash pad and enjoy each station for the beauty of a splash park is that your child will be able to enjoy it regardless of ability.