8 Best Free Splash Pads in Fort Lauderdale And Broward County for Kids This Summer
As the rest of the country gets all giddy and excited about long sunny days and the chance to spend some time outdoors, here in South Florida as the days get even warmer and warmer and the droves of tourist and non-stop traffic starts dwindling away, the thought of 3 months of brutal sweltering humid summer heat fills us locals with a sense of dread -especially if you have toddlers and little kids.
Figuring out what to do with two little kids during these scorching summer months honestly gives me anxiety, as we can’t just go to the park whenever we feel like it. And in August it’s so hot by 10 am that it’s impossible to take them outside. So, my go-to free outdoor summer activity is to explore all the great free splash pads in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County, to at least get us out of the house for a bit before I start googling “what is the maximum amount a toddler can watch tv in a day”
So, if you are like me and you need some fun, free and cooling outdoor activities for your toddlers and little kids to keep them entertained this summer here’s a look at my top 8 splash pads in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County to keep you sane this summer!
If you are looking for more fun and free indoor and outdoor activities to survive the summer in South Florida with your toddler check out my list of the 10 best free summer activities for toddlers!
1. Caporella Park
Caporella Park is my go-to summer splash pad. This splash pad is big, colorful and interactive and my toddler just absolutely loves it. This splash pad is never overly crowded, its shaded and features a couple of shaded benches and picknick tables to relax at whilst your toddler splashes away. Unfortunately this splash pad is not fenced in and there is a big lake just behind it, so not very relaxing and you have to keep your eyes lock on your erratic toddler at all times.
This splash pad is also mostly just filled with smaller kids and toddlers, which is perfect, as I have been to some other splash pads that had mostly bigger kids and they are a little rough and intimidating to my toddler and she has gotten knocked down a bunch at other splash pads.
And once your toddler inevitably tires of the splash pad, Caporella park features an amazing, shaded playground to burn of some more energy before you head home to beat the heat.
Location: 5200 Prospect Rd, Tamarac, FL 33321
Pro Tip: The parking area at Caporella Park is very small. I recommend getting there early in the morning (before 10am) to get a parking spot and enjoy the splash pad before it gets crowded, and you have to park at the gas station down the road!
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2. Waters Edge Park
This is a really fun splash pad in Tamarac, and one of the biggest free splash pads I have come across in Broward. Its fully enclosed and shaded, offers a couple of shaded benches and has a lot of buckets dumping water, spinning water features and endless fountains and features that turn on and off and keep your kids guessing.
That said, the first time I took my now toddler there, she was about 16 months old, and this splash pad was a little intimidating for her with all the giant buckets of water dumping down randomly and a somewhat ‘older’ crowd of kids of about 6 to 10 years old.
We have been back a couple times since and she’s loving it more now. So maybe not the best splash pad for really little ones. This park also features a great fully shaded playground and a sand volleyball court that my toddler, and most other toddlers I see here, love to dig and play in.
Parking is more than ample, and I have never had a problem find a spot here, unlike at the nearby and smaller Caporella Park.
Location: 7508 NW 61st St, Tamarac, FL 33321
Pro Tip: Waters edge park features a bunch of paved walking trails, making it a great spot for your toddler to ride a bike, or bring some sand toys that that can play with in the sandy volleyball court.
3. Pompano Beach Pier Park
Pompano Beach Pier Park is my little escape from reality, and every time I go here I truly feel like I’m on holiday at some island destination. (yip my life isn’t very exciting lately!) This playground right on the beach in Pompano does not have a big, elaborate splash pad, instead it has a simple small water fountain type splash area for kids a few steps south down the boardwalk of the main playground.
This splash area is not enclosed, and right next to a road, so it’s not very relaxing, as you have to watch your toddler like a hawk, but what this park lacks in crazy water features, it makes up for in atmosphere and other cooling early morning free summer activities to enjoy with your toddler.
After your toddler has splashed their hearts out and burned some energy on the playground, get some ice cream and take a stroll down the pier to watch the pelicans and fishermen fight over fish, go for a swim or take a walk on the beach, or enjoy a little breakfast at the restaurant right on the beach. (it’s toddler friendly!)
Overall, Pompano Beach Pier Park is not my go to free splash pad in Broward, but if you are looking for a little bit of everything for fun and free toddler activities in Fort Lauderdale on a warm summers morning this is definitely a winner!
Location: 186-198 N Pompano Beach Blvd, Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Pro Tip: This is not just one of those “quickly go to the park “outings. There is so much to do here that I really recommend getting here early and making a full morning out of exploring the playground, splashpad, pier and surrounding shops and restaurants. Weekday mornings its not busy at all, with ample (paid) parking, but weekends get crowded, and if you get here past 10 am you might struggle to find parking.
4. Sugar sand park
Sugar Sand Park is another one of those great summertime toddler activities in South Florida that offers a little bit of everything! This park is like a full on FREE toddler amusement park (Read my full review of this park and Fort Lauderdale’s other top 10 best parks here) and offers so many different indoor and outdoor activities that it is really easy to spend an entire morning here!
There is a smallish “misting” station, as they call it, right when you enter this giant playground, making it perfect to periodically cool down whilst running around this three story crazy treehouse-like playground.
Right next to the playground there is also a FREE toddler friendly and very interactive science and discovery museum where toddlers and parents can cool down inside once it gets too hot.
Location: 300 S Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33486
Pro Tip: Bring water/ beach toys like buckets to keep your toddler entertained longer at the little splashpad! Also bring a swimsuit or extra clothes for your little one, because they will be getting wet at this park! Also bring some dollars for the merry-go-round! (Only open certain times and only takes cash).
5. Welleby Park
This park is another great option if you are looking for a lot of activities in one to try to keep your toddler entertained and busy for as long as possible and avoid tantrums.
Although the splash pad at Welleby Park is big, its not very exciting -no big buckets dumping water everywhere or crazy interactive features – and it’s also not shaded and doesn’t get any natural shade during the day, but it is still a great splash pad for early summer mornings or late afternoon splash adventures.
What really makes this park great and unique and worth the drive for me from Fort Lauderdale all the way out to West Sunrise, is its fun safety town and unique mostly shaded playground. The safety town here might just be the cutest thing I have seen in any park in Broward and my toddler can play here for hours on end!
The playground is also something a little bit different and features a train and a cool slide built on a little hill. (I mean hills in itself are a novel concept in flat as can be Florida!)
Overall, this park is amazing and definitely worth a visit anytime of the year!
Location: 11100 NW 44th St, Sunrise, FL 33351
Pro Tip: You have to bring some sort of ride on toy for your toddler to explore the safety town! Also, sunscreen and a hat is a must, as the splashpad has no shade.
6. Patch Reef Park
Although Patch Reef Park in Boca Raton is technically not in Broward County, it is definitely worth the drive. This brand new (opened May 2025) and all-inclusive park is designed for children of all abilities, its mostly fully shaded thanks to shade nets and large trees, and it is completely fenced in.
Living in Fort Lauderdale, I am honestly jealous of the parks in Boca. Every single park I have been to in Boca is just amazing and makes me pick a fight with my husband about why we don’t live in Boca.
And this park is no different. From the unique and fun play equipment – I don’t even know how to describe the fun and unique things they have here- to the lush landscaping of mature trees and very different and fun high quality color astro turf (the kind that doesn’t fall out as your baby pulls on it!) And the super fun and shaded big splashpad. This park is the pinnacle of what free toddler activity dreams are made of!
The big and shaded splash pad is right in the middle of this playground, making it perfect for kids to run in and out of as they play around the playground, helping them cool of in the summer months.
Location: 2000 Yamato Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431
Pro Tip: Parking can be a nightmare on weekends. This park features a couple of sports fields and weekend games make this parking lot fill up quick. Get here early, around 9am, to avoid the frustration of endlessly circling with screaming kids. If you are driving from Fort Lauderdale pack an early lunch and join the Boca moms in their Lululemon’s with lox and bagels at one of the shaded picknick benches.
7. Cypress Preserve Park
In my opinion this is the best splash pad that Broward County has to offer! My toddler can easily spend 2 hours here thanks to all the cute little interactive water features and that fact that there is a little waterslide that spits them out onto a padded mat like some crazy toddler amusement park!
This splash pad is not shaded though, but I usually go early in the mornings and then there is naturally quite a bit of shade, and the surrounding trees tend to make this spot feel cooler in the hot summer months.
There is no playground at this park, just a fully enclosed splash pad, and also a great little nature trail for a stroll and parking is usually pretty ample.
Location: 9020 NW 38th St, Sunrise, FL 33351
Pro Tip: Make sure you wear comfortable clothes that can get wet or a bathing suit, as your toddler will inevitably make you go down the waterslide! I have never been here and not seen a parent been forced with the threat of a tantrum to go down the slide! Myself included!
8. Plantation Woods
Plantation Woods Playground and Splash Pad is a really adorable park with a ‘woodland critters’ theme and totally aesthetically unique from other playgrounds in South Florida I have been to.
The three different play structures are all shaded, but unfortunately the splash pad area is not. The splash pad is also not really something to get wildly excited about. It’s pretty plain and simple compared to some other splashpads in Broward County, and there are not any fun little interactive features to keep my 11-month-old entertained. But it does the job and I do like the playground as it is really adorable.
If you are in the area it is definitely a good splash pad and playground, but probably not worth a long drive, considering there are so many other really great splashpads that offer more fun and features in Broward county.
Location: 5555 Palm Tree Rd, Plantation, FL 33317
Pro Tip: This park features a big sprawling green lawn dotted with big trees creating tons of shade and the perfect spot to throw down a blanket and have a picknick with your toddler.
Dishonorable Mention: Founders Park
In my journey to discover fun and free new things to do with two under two, I inevitably run into some snags from time to time: Really crappy old broken-down parks, no parking, no shade, splash pads that are out of order for months and just plain old places my toddler just hates no matter how many times I try.
And Founders Park in Aventura falls solidly in this category. Now, if you look it up on google it seems amazing! The splash pad looks super cute, there’s a big shaded playground and the reviews I briefly scanned are all raving about how amazing this park is. But what they don’t tell you is that this park is for residents of Aventura only!
Those of us that don’t live in Aventura can use the park, but you have to pay – an exorbitant amount for a splash pad and playground I might ad.
For myself, a 2-year-old and a 11-month-old baby we would have had to pay $41 to use their stupid splash pad! And obviously I only found this out after I drove about 30min one Saturday morning and was told by the security guard at the entrance about this. But that’s not even the worst part -I could not just pay, I had to go onto an app and use the most irritating and non-user-friendly interface I have ever encountered in order to create a profile. So, after 10 minutes of aggravation sitting in a car with screaming kids trying to figure this out, I snapped and ended up driving away.
So, needless to say, screw Aventura, keep your splash pad, there’s a whole lot of FREE and FRIENDLY splashpads to explore!
What’s Your Go-To Summer Splash Pad Or Cooling Toddler Activity?
Have you encountered any horrible parks or splash pads like Founders Park? Or do you have any other favorite splash pads or cooling summer activities you like to do with your toddler? Please let me know! Summer is here and I need more ideas to keep my kids entertained and my sanity intact!
Warning: Motherhood may cause insanity.
Get your weekly dose of sanity by subscribing to our newsletter! Get quick recipes, survival hacks, unfiltered parenting rants, and confirmation that your toddler is just being a tiny tyrant sometimes — sent straight to your inbox every week!
