Cooling Off Mixed With Art

Deborah and I had made plans to hang out on Tuesday and we figured the Troy Hill Spray Park was a good spot to meet up so the kids could run around and cool off and hopefully we would get to hang out and chat a bit. Deborah arrived first and texted me that the Citiparks Roving Art Cart was there as well. This is a bit of a double-edged sword because it's awesome that there were fun, hands-on activities for Miles & Koen, but where the art cart goes, inevitably day camps follow. When we were first there around 10am, the spray park was not packed, but by noon it was crazy! The boys enjoyed the water play first and then we headed to be creative under the art cart tents. Tavin did pretty well, seeming to be about 80% of his normal self. I let him bring his "replacement blanket" so he could chill out in the stroller from time to time and that seemed to help.Koen and Miles dove into the painting activity. Koen seems to really enjoy painting right now. I love it. His imagination is great, he really gets into what he's painting even though it always kind of just looks like a lot of heavy wet paint swirled around.Claire had some painting fun too. She and Tavin are such troopers to always watch the big kids have the real fun. Don't worry you two, your day will come!There was a new activity at the art cart this time that was really interesting to Koen (and myself) - a bike-pedal-powered spin art! Ingenious! They used old small records and put them on the turntables, then the guy got on the bike and pedaled slowly while letting the kids squirt 3 different kinds of paint on the record.Koen loved it and I was impressed that he understood the concept. The boys even enjoyed just watching other kids do it as well.

The art cart was definitely the highlight of the spray park this time, but I still love the idea of the sprinkler park. Tavin didn't get into the water too much this time, but he had his moments where he enjoyed it. The big boys enjoyed the playground as well. Towards the end it was obvious that Tavin needed to go home so we all ended up packing it up a little after noon. I was just happy that we had made it out of the house on a beautiful day and that Koen got some exercise. Thanks, Deborah! I always love hanging out with you!