Area: Toronto East
Address: 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7
Website: www.torontozoo.com/
Cost*: (*as of 2017)
Hours of Operation for Splash Island: (zoo hours differ, please check their website)
Age Range: all ages
Ground Cover: cement and recycled rubber
Main Equipment:
Accessibility Features: wheelchair accessible (including a ramp to the two larger tunnel slides)
Seating: multiple muskoka chairs around the pad area, a rock wall also provides seating, or the grass if you bring a picnic blanket
Shade: none over the splash pad, some shade in surrounding trees, over chairs and around rock wall seating
Overall assessment: Included with your zoo admission, it just makes sense to pack a picnic and make the zoo a day trip with splash pad fun! This splash pad is spread over two acres and is Canada themed with a map at the entrance that lets you mix learning with fun. I do suggest kids wear water shoes here as some climbing equipment can get slippery and bare feet and flip flops will certainly cause some falls. We like the fact that there are washrooms and change rooms on site, a staff member at the gate to ensure those entering the area are bringing in children (yeah, sorry no cooling off for adults only), there are staff manning the two taller tube slides to ensure kids are properly spaced out for safety, and that there are lockers on site (bring your own change). Instead of using lockers, I just loaded everything into a stroller with my newborn and followed our toddler around the splash pad.
Yes you can navigate the entire area to stay within eyesight without getting too wet! A few gusts of wind and I got a little 'spritzed' with some water and mist, but it actually felt nice since it was so hot the day we visited. The only thing I suggest for parents is to wear flip flops (ooops I made the mistake of only wearing sneakers and my socks were wet by the end of the afternoon). Now we make sure to pack our water gear every time we go to the zoo just in case we feel like cooling down at the end of the day!
UPDATE 2018: with a second kid in tow who is mobile, it is definitely way easier to have one adult following and watching each child. I don't think I would take both kids with me by myself to this splash pad as even though there is only one entrance and exit, it is so large I can't possibly keep an eye on both kids through the throngs of people and spraying water. Our little toddler (she can be called that now that she is just over one year old I guess) loved the puddles by the turtle and spitting frogs (near the back of Splash Island). Seating is still a challenge but if you don't mind sitting in the sun, there is always room at the back by the turtle area.
Address: 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7
Website: www.torontozoo.com/
Cost*: (*as of 2017)
- 2 & under - FREE
- 3-12 yrs - $19/child
- 13 yrs+ - $29/person
- yearly memberships are available (please check their website)
Hours of Operation for Splash Island: (zoo hours differ, please check their website)
- Jul 1- Sep 4 - 10:30 am – 6:00 pm daily
- Sep 5 - Sep 10 - 10:30 am to 5:30 pm weekends/holidays
Age Range: all ages
Ground Cover: cement and recycled rubber
Main Equipment:
- multiple bucket dumps
- multiple spray arches
- multiple spray animals (it's Canada themed!)
- 4 slides (2 larger tunnel ones that are monitored by staff for safety)
- multiple in ground jets
- and more!
Accessibility Features: wheelchair accessible (including a ramp to the two larger tunnel slides)
Seating: multiple muskoka chairs around the pad area, a rock wall also provides seating, or the grass if you bring a picnic blanket
Shade: none over the splash pad, some shade in surrounding trees, over chairs and around rock wall seating
Overall assessment: Included with your zoo admission, it just makes sense to pack a picnic and make the zoo a day trip with splash pad fun! This splash pad is spread over two acres and is Canada themed with a map at the entrance that lets you mix learning with fun. I do suggest kids wear water shoes here as some climbing equipment can get slippery and bare feet and flip flops will certainly cause some falls. We like the fact that there are washrooms and change rooms on site, a staff member at the gate to ensure those entering the area are bringing in children (yeah, sorry no cooling off for adults only), there are staff manning the two taller tube slides to ensure kids are properly spaced out for safety, and that there are lockers on site (bring your own change). Instead of using lockers, I just loaded everything into a stroller with my newborn and followed our toddler around the splash pad.
Yes you can navigate the entire area to stay within eyesight without getting too wet! A few gusts of wind and I got a little 'spritzed' with some water and mist, but it actually felt nice since it was so hot the day we visited. The only thing I suggest for parents is to wear flip flops (ooops I made the mistake of only wearing sneakers and my socks were wet by the end of the afternoon). Now we make sure to pack our water gear every time we go to the zoo just in case we feel like cooling down at the end of the day!
UPDATE 2018: with a second kid in tow who is mobile, it is definitely way easier to have one adult following and watching each child. I don't think I would take both kids with me by myself to this splash pad as even though there is only one entrance and exit, it is so large I can't possibly keep an eye on both kids through the throngs of people and spraying water. Our little toddler (she can be called that now that she is just over one year old I guess) loved the puddles by the turtle and spitting frogs (near the back of Splash Island). Seating is still a challenge but if you don't mind sitting in the sun, there is always room at the back by the turtle area.
