The summer of 2021 is coming to a close. If you are looking for a last bit of summer fun before school starts, I recommend The Splash Shack! An indoor water park in Cedar Park, the Splash Shack is specifically made for children 10 and under. I am not a big fan of water parks. Between the heat, the lines, and the warm bath water, it has never been my favorite place to take kids. But this water park is indoors, always heated to 82 degrees, and limits the number of people allowed inside. This was something I couldn’t pass up trying!
Pricing is dictated by height (at 5’2′ I was slightly concerned), and the park is perfectly made for little kids. The Splash Shack is made of multiple water slides, and that’s about it. The simplicity of the place is actually what makes it enjoyable. Kids climb up the slides, go down the slides, rinse and repeat. There is also a giant water bucket that hangs over the play area. It fills with water and makes an absolutely epic splash!
Tips
Prepare to get wet: There is a lovely sitting area, where you can relax and keep an eye on your kids, but I see no way you could go to this water park and stay dry. The building is pretty small and large splashes are inevitable. Some productive parents came in their yoga pants and were working or reading. One giant bucket splash later, the work was put away.
No outside food or drink: We could have stayed at the water park for longer, but they don’t allow outside food or drink. There is a lovely snack bar with your standard chips and drinks. The day we went, they were also offering pizza for sale. But all-in-all, it would have been nicer if we could have packed a lunch. We still got a solid two and half hours of play time. But we definitely could’ve stayed longer!
Take breaks: I appreciate that most pools these days clear the pool every hour for safety. It gives you a chance to take kids to the bathroom, reapply sunscreen, etc. Since you are inside, this is easily forgotten. And with little kids and lots of space to pee, you can see why adding in your own break time would be a good idea!
So should you make the trip to The Splash Shack?
Baby-3 (Proceed with caution)
This water park is quite small which is nice. There are changing tables in every bathroom. There is space for babies to crawl and splash in the water. However, children are not allowed to sit in your lap to go down water slides. If you’ve got a braver toddler, this shouldn’t be a problem. But the more cautious ones are going to have to get some courage.
3-6 (Go now!)
It is a great outing for this age group. They climb up and slide down, climb up and slide down, over and over again until they need a snack! The size of the place makes it perfect to keep an eye on everyone. Lifeguards are set up all over the tiny area, making sure the kids are safe and taking turns.
6-10 (Go now!)
While this park is great for little kids, it’s not like the big kids are going to be bored and think this place is for babies. The same enjoyment the little kids have, the big kids will have too. A lot of the slides are side by side and perfect for kids who want to race each other!