Splash pads in Wichita are a big attraction during the summer months. These splash parks (aka water playgrounds, splash pads, or play fountains) are a great way to enjoy summer for free. They are cost-effective and require less maintenance. Therefore, several have been funded by the city in the past few years. In fact, a few run-down city pools in the area have now been replaced with splash parks because of just that reason.
Our family has visited several of these water playgrounds over the past few summers. They’re perfect for a fun, spontaneous (and FREE) summer outing when the kids need something to do. Tip: water shoes are a good idea to avoid slipping and/or stepping in (or on) something you’d rather not.
Most of the splash pads are usually open by Memorial Day, but the open dates and hours will vary from park to park. For the past several years, the city has even kept them open until the first week of October.
12 FREE Splash Pads
Boston Park Splash Pad
SouthEast Wichita
Location: 6655 E. Zimmerly St., Wichita, KS
This splash pad has a fun aviation theme with many tall pole fountains and small bubble fountains from the ground. Next to the fountains is a nice patch of turf, great for sun bathing after having been soaking wet.
Buffalo Park Water Playground
West Wichita
Location: 10201 Hardtner Road, Wichita KS
The splash pad at Buffalo Park is lots of fun. This prairie-themed water playground has native limestone, sculptural grass-like overhead sprayers and an assortment of ground jets. A buffalo head sculpture that sprays and mists water welcomes patrons to the plaza, which has a colored concrete pattern inspired by the grass seeds of the prairie. Native grasses surround the area. In addition to the fun water spray area, Buffalo park has an outdoor open shelter and picnic tables, a circular drop-off area, and restrooms.*Note that half of the shelter can be rented out on the weekends so please make sure you park your items on the other side if it seems that there is a party going on in the other side.
East Wichita
Location: 5815 E 9th St N, Wichita, KS
The old Edgemoor Park pool was turned into a new water playground/splash park in the city of Wichita.
Evergreen Park Splash Pad
North West Wichita
Location: 2700 Woodland N, Wichita, KS
This new splashpad gives off aztec vibes or flashbacks to the 90’s Nickelodeon show Legends of the Hidden Temple (who remembers this show?!). A little on the smaller side so I suggest trying to avoid this location on the weekends.
East Wichita
Location: 1647 N. Yale St., Wichita, KS 67218
This splash park seems to be a carbon copy of the Osage feature. It also has impressive creature splash fountain features and colorful rings to run through. Again, lots of opportunity for cute photos opps of your kiddos as they run around. Fountains are open in the summer from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
South Wichita
Location: 1323 S. Topeka
This park’s splash pad is really more of a small area with interactive fountains spraying from the concrete floor. Great fun for kiddos to run through as they are playing on the playground but not a place I suggest venturing to with swim getups and water toys.
Linwood South Park
South East Wichita
Location: 1901 S Kansas, Wichita KS
This splash park is one that the city replaces a run-down city pool with. This splash park is much more than just a few fountains shooting water out of the ground. It has really cool water features, bright play equipment, and lots of shade. I highly recommend visiting this one, this summer!
Old Town Plaza Splash Park
Downtown Wichita
Location: 301 N. Mead, Wichita KS
These fountains are in the center of Old Town Square in downtown Wichita. Being that this is in the middle of the city plaza this is not a location where you camp out for very long, nor is it a location to where swimming suits. It is, however, a fun area for kids to run through a few times to cool off in the heat of summer. The Old Town fountain is open from 10 a.m. to noon daily.
South East Wichita
Location: 2121 W. 31st Street South, Wichita KS
One of the most impressive splash parks in Wichita, this interactive fountain features playful creatures spouting water and colorful rings for kids to run through. There are lots of opportunities for cute photo ops of your kiddos as they run around. The fountains are open in the summer from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
South Wichita
Location: 2819 Fees
Due to theft of equipment and extensive repairs required, this location will remain closed throughout 2024.
Riverside Central Park Water Playground
North Wichita Close to Downtown
Location: 720 Nims, Wichita KS
In the heart of Wichita, this fountain is near the free wildlife exhibit in Riverside Park.
Picnic tables surrounding the area and frequently shaded to allow you to take a break from the heat. Spray fountains are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily during the summer.
Southeast Wichita
Location: 1300 S Webb Road
The design of the splash pad is centered around a scorpion that shoots out water. The splash pad is open from 10 am to 8 pm daily during the summer season.
New Market Square Fountains
West Wichita
Location: 21st Street North & Maize Road
These fountains are in front of Old Navy/Dress Barn, and are usually on every day from approximately 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., off during inclement weather.
Splash Pads in Surrounding Areas
13th Street Sports Park in Andover
Location: 1008 E. 13th St, Andover, KS
The Andover Sports Park opened in 2024 and features baseball, softball, and pickleball courts, a park, a splash park, and more.
Admission Fee is Required
Location: 1000 S Hawkins Ln, Goddard, KS 67052
Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s splash pad opened in 2020 and is free for season pass-holders and paying visitors. This splash park is quite impressive containing multiple tall fountains, water buckets, and ground bubble fountains. If you plan to visit Tanganyika this summer, I suggest having your kiddos spend some time cooling off in this new park feature!
Location: 401 Khedive, Maize KS
Hours: The pad typically opens around Memorial Day weekend and closes on Labor Day weekend and is open from 9 AM to 8 PM
This splash pad in located in Maze Ks. There are picnic tables, benches, and awnings for some shade. The city added new picnic tables under new awings to expand the splashpad park! If you get there and the water isn’t on, look for a button on a pole. That starts it going!
Derby’s Madison Avenue Central Park
Location: 512 E. Madison Ave., Derby KS
Derby has a free splash pad in Madison Avenue Central Park, with shaded seating areas and an all-access playground nearby.
Fred A. Cohlmia Park, Haysville Splash Pad
Location: 525 Sarah Ln, Haysville, KS
The splash pad in Haysville is just outside the swimming pool area. It opens in May and usually remains open until October. Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lights go on automatically 9:15 p.m.
McLaughlin Park Splash Park & Lion’s Park Splash Park in Valley Center
Location: 716 McLaughlin, Valley Center KS
Hours: 10 am – 9 pm from Memorial Day to October 1st (or the first freeze)
Valley Center has a free splash pad in McLaughlin Park.
Robert Shryock Park in Augusta, KS
Location: 2923 Ohio St. #2829, Augusta KS
Hours: 10 am – 8 pm from Memorial Day to the second Monday in September
The Augusta splash pad is near Augusta City Lake and – like the nearby playground – has a fairy tale theme. It seems worth the trip to allow your little one to explore!
Avenue A Water Park in Hutchinson, KS
Location: 100 S Main St, Hutchison. The corner of Washington Street and Avenue A in downtown Hutchinson
Hours: Open from Memorial day through mid-August.
Fairgrounds Water Park in Hutchinson
Location: Severance Street between 17th and 23rd.Hutchinson KS. Fairgrounds Water Park is located near the Kansas State Fairgrounds. The water park entrance is on Severance Street between 17th and 23rd
Rice Park Splash Pad in Hutchinson, KS
Location: 2112 N. Hendricks, Hutchison, KS
Andover 13th Street Sports Park
Location: 1008 E 13th St, Andover, KS 67002
Rather than a splash park, Andover’s 13th Street Sports Park has a playground with fun water toys to provide a cooling spray during the summer season.
12 Responses
Riverside splash pad has not been on!
I’ve heard Udall and Derby are both getting splash pads soon, too!
Woohoo! That’s great! Thanks for passing that info along. I’ll definitely check into it and see what I can find out!!
They both have splash pads now. I’m so glad I found other splash pads around wichita. I have grandkids that would love them thank you you what you do. God bless
Thanks for that info, Brenda! Yeah, the splash pads are so much fun. Visiting several of them is a little mini-adventure you can have with the grandkids during the summer. 🙂
Buffalo Park is not completed as of 5/30 and it doesn’t look close to being completed. New Market Square splash pad by Old Navy was also not turned on by 11:10am. 🙁
Aw, rats. Well thanks for the information, Maggie. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the rain slowed down construction at Buffalo Park, and it may even be why NewMarket fountain wasn’t running today. Soon, I would think – these splash parks make summer more bearable when it’s really hot!
Osage was open today though. We drove by and saw lots of kids playing, but didn’t get a chance to stop and play.
Where exactly is the New Market one? I’ve been by there a lot and haven’t seen it
They are kind of hidden if you’re in the car. If you are standing in front of Old Navy or Bed, Bath, & Beyond, you would turn around and look toward Maize Road. You’ll see an area with trees/shrubbery and some flags. The fountain is on the little paved area inside the circle of shrubbery. We drove by there today and saw some kids playing in it. 🙂 I wanted to hop out of the car and join them, it was so hot today!
Haysville has a splash pad outside of their swimming pool. The splash pad is free and runs until 9 PM. It is quite a bit smaller than the one at Osage Park, but it is still a nice little area for kids to play in the summer.
Oh, thank you Megan! Great tip. I love these places, and I’m not even a kid! 🙂