Village Finds: Splash Pad Edition!

Hi All!

I think we are overjoyed those smoky days are far in the past and that the upcoming days are a wider range of temperatures to enjoy.

We're all ready for some fresh air, sunshine, and an activity that burns off at least a little bit of kid energy. Our hike earlier this month was a breath of fresh air (literally) and my daughter and I are so excited to be out and about on these sunny days. 

So, for our very first Village Finds, we're talking about splash pads! They're inexpensive (mostly free!), require very little planning, and can easily turn an ordinary afternoon into something the kids think is an actual event. Plus, you don't have to commit to packing for an entire pool day, although somehow I still manage to leave the house looking like we're going away for a weekend…

I've rounded up three spots in Beaverton and three in Hillsboro that are worth checking out while we still have plenty of warm weather ahead. Grab the sunscreen, towels, water bottles, a change of clothes and, obviously, enough snacks to feed a small army.

Let's get outside!

BEAVERTON

🌳 Cedar Hills Park

2300 SW Cedar Hills Blvd., Beaverton

Cedar Hills Park is a great option when you want the splash pad to be only part of the adventure. The park is more than 11 acres and has an interactive splash pad, playground, picnic areas, sports courts, a large field and plenty of room for kids who apparently still have energy after running through water for an hour. There's also a permanent restroom, which as a parent is the kind of park feature I now get embarrassingly excited about.

The splash pad is free, so pack a lunch and stay awhile. This is also a good one if you have kids of different ages or interests because there's plenty to do once someone inevitably announces they're "done with the water" approximately 12 minutes after you arrive.

💛 Noelle Note: Keep a couple of the good snacks hidden. Once the premium snack inventory has been revealed, the pouch you packed suddenly becomes completely unacceptable, as my daughter haughtily tells me is now “too old for pouches”. 

⛲ Beaverton City Park Fountain

12500 SW 4th Street, Beaverton

The interactive fountain at Beaverton City Park is perfect when you want something easy without turning the outing into a whole production. It's right in downtown Beaverton near the library, so you can let the kids splash around, dry everyone off and head over for some books afterward. Extra bonus points if it is a book sale day! Suddenly you've filled a good chunk of the day without spending a small fortune, which feels like a parenting victory to me.

I also like that this can be a spontaneous outing. You don't necessarily need the giant park bag containing every item your family could possibly need during a minor natural disaster; throw some towels and sunscreen in the car and go.

Okay, and snacks. We always need snacks.

💦 Conestoga Recreation & Aquatic Center Splash Pad

9985 SW 125th Avenue, Beaverton

If your kids want something a little more exciting, Conestoga has a seasonal outdoor splash pad that's huge! There's a toddler area with smaller spray features for littles, while the bigger kids get dumping buckets and sprayers they can aim at each other. Because apparently what every sibling and friend relationship needs is the ability to intentionally blast one another with water.

Unlike the other two Beaverton options, Conestoga does have a drop-in fee, so check the current THPRD schedule and pricing before heading over. This could be a great middle ground when you want more than a neighborhood splash pad but don't necessarily want to commit to a full water-park adventure.

HILLSBORO

💧 Magnolia Park — Our Personal Favorite

1810 NE 102nd Avenue, Hillsboro

I have to give Magnolia Park a little extra love because this one is my daughter's and my personal favorite and where we first debuted Single Parents Collective. There are tons of beautiful trees, plenty of shade and glorious actual grass where you can spread out a blanket for a picnic without feeling like you're slowly roasting on the pavement. On a hot August afternoon, a park with real shade deserves its own five-star review (I personally live in shade while covered in sunblock).

Another reason I love Magnolia is that there are two separate play structures, with one geared toward the littles and another for the bigger kids. Between the playgrounds, splash pad, grassy areas and shade, it's really easy to settle in and spend a couple of hours here instead of feeling like you need to move on to the next activity.

The sprayground is user activated, so if you arrive and there's no water, don't panic and assume you just spent the entire drive hyping up a broken splash pad. Find the button! The sprayground is currently open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you're going to try just one park from this list, Magnolia gets my vote. Just maybe don't tell everyone about it because we still need somewhere to put our picnic blanket. 😉

💦 Hidden Creek Park East

300 NE 53rd Avenue, Hillsboro

Hidden Creek Park East is a good choice for kids who want some serious water action, with geysers and different spray features and plenty of room to run around. There's also a curved seating wall surrounding part of the splash area, which is a nice bonus when you're supervising and would prefer not to spend the entire afternoon standing. The park also has a playground, sports fields, basketball, tennis and pickleball courts, so there's plenty to do once everyone has had enough water.

This is definitely one I'd consider when the goal is to burn some energy. If your child wakes up at 6:30 a.m. behaving as though they've already consumed three espresso shots, bring them here and let nature take its course.

The sprayground is currently open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

🌳 Butternut Creek Park

7830 SE Deline Street, Hillsboro

Butternut Creek Park is another good option if you're looking for somewhere you can stay for a while rather than making a quick splashpad stop. The five-acre park has a splash pad, playground, basketball court, picnic areas, a shade structure and a large central lawn. There's also a looped sidewalk, so bringing bikes or scooters can add another activity if your kids somehow still need something else to do and cruise away.

Pack a picnic and you could easily spend a good chunk of the afternoon here. Just be prepared for your child to finally get dry, change activities and then announce they absolutely NEED to get wet again approximately three minutes before you planned to leave.

The splash pad is currently open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

🎒 A Few Things I've Learned About Splashpad Days

You probably already know the basics: sunblock, towels, water bottles, water shoes or sandals, snacks and a change of clothes. And then more sunblock. But I have two things I now keep in the car during the summer: plastic grocery bags and an emergency towel.

The grocery bags are for the wet swimsuits, muddy shorts and that one random sock that somehow became completely soaked even though your child was wearing sandals. Throw everything in the bag and deal with it when you get home.

💛 Noelle Note: The emergency towel is sacred. It lives in the car, it does not come inside, and children are not allowed to "borrow it for one second." Someday you'll be standing next to a soaking-wet child wondering how every towel you packed has mysteriously disappeared, and on that day the emergency car towel will feel like one of your greatest parenting accomplishments.

💛 There's Still Plenty of Summer Left

The smoke may have temporarily put a damper on our outdoor plans, but summer definitely isn't over yet. We still have time for splash pads, playgrounds, picnics, hikes, messy ice cream cones and those completely unplanned afternoons that somehow end up being more fun than the activities we spent three weeks organizing.

It doesn't have to be elaborate. Pack a lunch, try a park you've never been to, text another parent and let the kids get completely soaked. Sometimes that's all it takes to turn an ordinary afternoon into a really good one.

And if the "text another parent" part isn't always as easy as it sounds, that's a big part of why I started Single Parents Collective in the first place. I wanted to create more opportunities for single parents and their kids to get out of the house, meet other families, try new things and hopefully build some genuine friendships along the way.

That's also what I want this series to be. I don't need another list of 101 Things to Do With Kids in Portland that requires 30 minutes of research just to figure out which activity might actually work for us. Sometimes I just want another parent to say, "Go here. It's fun. Bring towels and snacks."

So twice a month, I'll do some of that digging for you. We'll find free activities, inexpensive outings, hidden gems, seasonal events and the occasional bigger adventure that's worth spending a little more on.

Keep an eye on our upcoming SPC activities, too, because we'd love to have you and your kiddos join us!

Until next time, enjoy the fresh air, protect that emergency towel, ensure you have that sunblock, and go soak up what's left of summer.

It takes a village - let's make our own. 💛

Splash pad hours and operating status can change due to weather, maintenance or repairs, so always check with the applicable parks department or recreation district before heading out.