SUMMER AT THE ZOO & SPLASH PARK!

If it wasn't for splash pads/parks, my neighbors pool, and zoos in the summertime with two active kids I seriously don't know what i would do with myself. I mean I know I could get my younger kids more engaged in doing crafts at home, take them to the playground every day, and although they love tennis I don't want them to feel the need to practice every single day for hours to be the next Agassi, or Venus Williams but to have a love for the sport without any obligation, but when it's like 90 degrees driving in a car without air condition while running errands all over south jersey knowing that you're on your way to a place where they have both a zoo, and a splash park really puts a huge smile on their faces, and it is 100 percent refreshing! 

Upon leaving for girls camp we decided to once again travel the short distance of not even 25 minutes to the Cohanzick zoo, and mini splash park. I figured this would be the last fun thing to do with them before i left them for four days! This was our second time coming here, and the second year the splash park has been opened. I'm surprised not too many people know about it so it's kind of nice for it to not be so crowded, because it is small.  It's only two bucks per kid, and for two hours they are splashing away getting automatic buckets of water poured over them. It's nice to walk around the zoo on a nice summer day taking in the sounds of the animals, and watching your kids enjoying the simplicity of a small zoo, and then walking across the street to the mini splash park to get wet. They love coming here, and it's so much fun. 

Here are a few photos from that day...

^^^ i didn't take too many photos of any real animals as most of them were dormant, plus I was having a nice time walking around the zoo for once without my iPhone in hand! ^^^

 ^^^ not real (thank goodness) but they love posing with these statues of the gorilla, and bear. ^^^

^^^ I love this lion water fountain. Every time I see one at a zoo it totally reminds me of the lion I grew up with at home! Don't drink the water though, it's gross. ^^^

^^^ all the jumps this girl did while we were here indicates that she is indeed having a blast! ^^^

Each day I count my blessings for living in an area where there are a variety of simple things to do that keep our kids happy. We need not spend a lot of money to keep our kids entertained. Just walking around the zoo was relaxing and fun . And like i said before, it's the simplest things that keep our children happy, and bring joy to their young life.