Introduction:
Ground sprays offer a variety of water shapes and water textures while providing open site lines throughout the water play area. Here are just a few ways you can shape an aquatic play space that promotes inclusion and multi-generational water play with ground sprays.
1. Water-Soaked Fun:
Picture this: you step onto a splash pad, and water sprays up from the ground, creating an enchanting water playground. Ground sprays transform ordinary spaces into water play areas, ensuring hours of laughter and endless fun for kids and adults alike. Who can resist the allure of dancing, playing, and splashing around in an array of deck jets?
One of the biggest advantages of ground sprays is their inclusivity. Unlike structures like water slides or climbing walls that may pose challenges for children with physical disabilities, ground sprays provide an opportunity for everyone to join in on the fun at the spray park. Children in wheelchairs or with limited mobility can easily access and enjoy the water play without feeling left out.
Ground sprays are inherently suited for accessibility. These water features are typically flush with the concrete surface, creating a continuous deck surface that maximizes and ease of maneuverability.
3. Safety First:
Ground sprays are designed with safety in mind. Spray parks equipped with ground sprays offer a safer alternative to traditional swimming pools. With no standing water, the risk of drowning is significantly reduced. Parents can breathe a sigh of relief while their little ones freely frolic and explore in a controlled and secure water play environment. Plus, no need to worry about floaties or life jackets.The water pressure from the ground sprays is carefully regulated to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. The ground surface surrounding the deck jets is often made from non-slip materials to prevent accidents and provide additional safety for kids running around. You can rest assured that your little ones can splash to their hearts' content without any worries!
Ground sprays come in a wide variety of designs, patterns, and colors, enhancing the visual appeal of the splash pad design. From whimsical flowers to playful animals, these interactive water features spark the imagination and encourage creative water play. The splash pad equipment can feature different water effects including fine and heavy particle misters, water fans, vertical and arching streams, vertical and arching water fans, water sheets, water flowers, water cones, and bubbling aerated mounds of water. Each effect can naturally appeal to different age groups and can be used in a variety of ways to promote multi-generational water play.
Patrons can become water conductors, directing streams towards their friends, or engage in a game of "Duck, Duck, Spray!" The water play possibilities are endless, and the only limit is their imagination.
Ground sprays that mist, such as the Cloud 9 ground spray, emit a fine mist that creates the look of fog with a cooling sensation. Misting effects may be a good option for your water playground when water conservation is needed. It is important to note that wind heavily impacts the visual performance of misters and can carry the fine water particles away from the water play area; therefore, misting ground sprays may not be ideal options for your region due to environmental conditions.
Ground Sprays that produce vertical or arching streams and aerated mounds can largely vary in the shape of the water effect. Solid stream effects, such as our Water Round™ (featured above) invite patrons to crawl under and in-between the arching streams.
For safety reasons, water features in splash parks that spray vertically should generally be limited to only 6-feet high. Ground sprays that produce aerated streams, such as our Jet Way™, and aerated mounds, such as our Water Lava™ ground spray, usually require more water; however, they are soft to the skin which appeals to toddlers and those sensitive to stimulation.
Ground sprays that produce sheeting domes of water, featured in our Water Crown™ and Water Flower™ (shown above), are very popular among spray park goers. They create interesting shapes, especially when you use your fingers to break apart the water shapes.
Ground sprays that produce fans of sheeting water, like the Water Odyssey Water Fan™ and Water Wave™, are especially fun to pass through or crawl under at a water playground. Note that these types of ground sprays usually require a higher volume of water to create the desired effects.
5. Interactive Fun That Gets You Moving:
Grounds sprays can enhance water play with programmed events to create choreographed water shows and sequences. Imagine being a conductor of a water show, or anticipating where the next deck jet will pop up.
If planned in the splash pad design process, you can even create water play games like hopscotch with rows of ground sprays that are programmed to create fences of water to navigate through. Additionally, some ground sprays incorporate LED lights. Be it that these types of ground sprays are more sophisticated, this allows a whole new opportunity for choreographed water and light shows, extended hours during the warm months, and even custom holiday shows.
6. Budget Friendly and Easy to Maintain:
Splash pad designs featuring traditional ground sprays (no lights) are also a breeze to maintain. Unlike traditional water park equipment that may require regular cleaning and maintenance due to moving parts, ground sprays generally don’t have moving parts. Ground Sprays are built with durable materials, such as stainless-steel and brass, and can come with textured, paintable surfaces. Additionally, ground sprays and deck jets are more vandal-resistant since they are flush with the concrete surface.
Ground sprays are a key component of any water play area. Fortunately, these types of water play features are very budget-friendly, and in many instances the most cost-effective option for an aquatic playground.
If you're in the beginning phases of splash pad design, or planning to upgrade an existing spray park, ground sprays are worth considering. These interactive, safe, and visually stunning deck jets will not only enhance the overall experience but also provide an inclusive environment for children of all abilities. So dive into the world of ground sprays and get ready to make a splash like never before! Your community will thank you, and you might even find yourself joining in on the fun too!
You can read a full article featured in Pool & Spa Marketing here:
Ground Sprays and Splash Pads - Creating Inclusive and Multi-generational Water Playgrounds