Earlier this week we made our way down to Delano to enjoy the Delano Splash Pad, and my kids totally had a blast there! When it originally opened, I’d my doubts about driving the 25 minutes from Albertville to Delano and paying for a splash pad when we have one right here in town, but we absolutely love being there.

The splash pad is located within Delano’s Central Park (map below), in the same area of town where Delano hosts its popular 4th of July celebration. The splash pad features 15 interactive water structures, from small fountains for the littlest ones to toddle through to huge buckets that dump massive quantities of water onto clusters of giggling preteens.

The weekend’s forecast says it’s shaping up to be another hot one! Other than “inside with the A/C running” (haha), where does your family like to go when the summer heats up?

Here are 8 fun ideas for cooling down when temps get high. (I bet the last few will surprise you!)

1. Splash in a fountain

The splash pad is probably my family’s favorite place to cool down when it’s hot out. For one, most of the local splash pads are free, which is my favorite price. Also, they’re simple and safe for all ages—no worrying about toddlers who can’t swim yet—and it’s easy to keep an eye on all the kids at once. The best local splash pads are in Otsego’s Prairie Park, the recently-opened Delano Splash Pad, and Maple Grove Central Park, but you’ll also find some nice little ones in downtown Buffalo and Elk River.  Mom tip: Bring a few buckets or cups to play with and double the fun!