Splash pads in Rockford, Illinois

Sand Park Pool's splash pad is the cool-down complement to Rockford's neighborhood swim pool — the splash is free, the pool is paid. Ground sprays for toddlers and early grade-schoolers, with the destination playground steps away. Free parking, clean restrooms. Parent gotcha: northwest-Illinois summer storms can roll in off the prairie — check radar; the pad closes during lightning. Best on weekday mornings. Pack a picnic. Walk to Rockford City Market on Friday evenings for food trucks and live music. A solid, neighborly Rockford afternoon for the price of zero dollars.

Sinnissippi Park is Rockford's signature riverfront park and the splash pad is the centerpiece of a campus that includes the Nicholas Conservatory, walking trails along the Rock River, and a destination playground. Ground sprays for toddlers, arching jets for older kids. Free parking, clean restrooms. Parent gotcha: northwest-Illinois summer storms blow in fast off the prairie — check radar; the pad closes during lightning. The river breeze cools the deck nicely. Best on weekday mornings paired with a Conservatory walk-through (paid, modest). Pack a picnic. The most cultured Rockford afternoon you can have.