Splash Parks Contribution to Child Development

The variety and level of activity at a splash pad aids in children’s physical, social and cognitive development

• Physical development: Balancing, crawling, walking, running, splashing, reaching, bending, twisting, throwing, jumping and dancing – practicing these actions repeatedly is key to physical development. As children mature, the splash park will encourage them to perform a greater variety of actions, more complex actions, and combinations of actions.
• Social development: Taking turns, holding hands, watching, imitating, playing, and helping others – social interactions and cooperation encouraged by the splash park will promote the development of social skills and abilities.
• Cognitive development: Learning how to affect water with their bodies, inventing new games, playing with new objects, watching and imitating other children - this is how children learn at a splash park. What initially might startle a child becomes a challenge and then a pleasant experience as they master it. Much of the opportunity for child development in the splash park setting appears to be due to the interaction of a wide range of ages.
• Emotional development: Learning patience through taking turns and tolerance through accepting the ranges in age and abilities of other children, sharing and respecting – the splash park is an inclusive activity that continually demonstrates emotions of joy and enthusiasm in participants, and a sense of delight among onlookers.