Water play area
Definition
An umbrella term used by parks departments to cover any zero-depth or low-depth water feature designed for active play, including splash pads, spray parks, and interactive fountains.
Cities use 'water play area' on park signage and websites when an installation includes multiple water-play formats — for example, a splash pad next to a wading pool, or a spray park with a small interactive fountain.
When a city map says 'water play area,' check details before visiting: it could mean an unsupervised splash pad or a lifeguarded wading pool with very different rules.