Looking for the best splash pads in Waukesha County and Lake Country? You’re in the right place. These family-friendly splash pads offer free (or low-cost) water play near you, perfect for cooling off on hot Wisconsin summer days.
Splash pads are a great option for younger kids; they’re zero-depth, interactive, and designed for safe, easy water fun without the need for swimming skills.
On a hot summer day, what’s better than cooling off in the water? We are surrounded by lakes, but for those with little ones who don’t fancy the beach, try out a local splash pad!
💦 Splash Pads Near You (Quick Staff Picks)
- 🆓 Best free splash pad: Hartland (Nixon Park)
- 🌈 Most inclusive: Pewaukee Sports Complex
- 🛝 Best playground combo: Sussex Village Park
Please thank our splash pad guide sponsor:
7 Lake Country Splash Pads
1. 📍 Hartland Splash Pad (Nixon Park)
- Location: Nixon Park, 175 Park St, Hartland, WI
- Cost: Free
- Hours: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm (daily; seasonal)
- Best for: Toddlers and elementary aged kiddos + open play
Opens Friday, May 22, 2026!
Read more about the Hartland Splash Pad
2. 📍The Grove at Village Park Splash Pad Sussex
- Location: W244N6260 Weaver Dr, Sussex, WI
- Cost: Free
- Hours: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm (daily; seasonal)
- Best for: Toddlers and elementary aged kiddos + open play
The 5,200 square foot inclusive splash pad features three different areas of play: active, family and toddler. The family area contains a 20-foot Splashpad tall dumping feature, water arches, team sprays, and a spiraling water feature. The active area has water cannons, fountains, additional water arches and team sprays. The toddler area, has water jellies, water journey play, and a rotating spray feature.
We love the new inclusive playground right next door. Definitely spend the day here!
Opens Friday before Memorial Day (May 22, 2026) and is open through Labor Day (weather permitting)
3. 📍 Menomonee Falls Splash Pad
- Location: Menomonee Falls Village Park
- Cost: Free
- Hours: Daily, seasonally
- Best for: Toddlers and elementary aged kiddos
Kohl’s Splash Pad at Menomonee Falls Village Park is a must-visit. The new playground is amazing, and the splash pad is right next to it.
Note that the splash pad does NOT have fun and cool features like other splash pads. It’s literally water shooting out of the ground (see pictures below from our visit). But our kids still had a blast!!
See our visit on the Lake Country Family Fun Instagram profile.
See the park on the Lake Country Family Fun Facebook page.
4. 📍 Watertown Splash Pad
- Location: 1 W. Main St., Watertown, WI 53094
- Cost: Free
- Hours: daily, seasonally
- Best for: Toddlers
Head outside of Lake Country to Watertown for their splash pad in downtown Watertown on Main Street, across from the Library in the Bentzin Family Town Square. We love the Watertown Library!
Similar to the Menomonee Falls splash pad, there are no cool features to this splash pad, but the kids still love it!
5. 📍 Oconomowoc Rotary Splash Pad
- Location: Roosevelt Park/Imagination Station 100 E Forest St, Oconomowoc, WI 53066
- Cost: Free
- Hours: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, seasonally
- Best for: Toddlers and elementary aged kiddos
PHASE 2 UNDERWAY! Check out the new seating!
Stay tuned to the Oconomowoc Rotary Splash Pad Facebook page for updates and how to fundraise to speed up the process for shade!!
Full disclosure, I, Erin, am on the Oconomowoc Rotary Splash Pad committee. Groundbreaking took place in the fall of 2023 at Roosevelt Park to start this project! More funds are needed to fulfill all phases of the project, but the project is moving forward! There is still about $80,000 left to fundraise to make this the best splash pad in Oconomowoc. Donations can be made online.
*I had the chance to interview Maria Jorgensen, age 16, and her brother Bobby, age 13. They recently donated $1,000 from the Jorgensen Foundation, which is through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Maria’s and Bobby’s grandparents started this Foundation almost 20 years ago for them and their older cousins.
The grandkids meet to discuss which nonprofit they will donate to. Each brings 3+ nonprofit ideas prepared to share with the group for discussion. The grandparents and parents are present, but the grandkids are in the role of decision-making.
It was Bobby’s idea to donate $1,000 to the Oconomowoc Splash Pad. He wanted to grow and help his community. He really enjoyed how local this project is to his own home, living on Okauchee Lake and how it could help local families. He recognized the Lake Country area is an area with a lot of water, yet not all families have equal access to the water. The Oconomowoc Rotary Splash Pad, once fully funded, will be accessible for free, no cost to any family, and bring more opportunities for playing in the water.
The Jorgensen siblings joined the Foundation when they each turned 12 years old. They are the two youngest grandchildren on the Foundation currently. They will stay on and involved until they graduate from college.
The Oconomowoc Rotary Splash Pad opened initially in late summer 2024.
6. 📍 Pewaukee Splash Pad
- Location: Pewaukee Sports Complex N45W23440 Lindsay Road, Pewaukee, WI 53072.
- Cost: Free
- Hours: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily
- Best for: Toddlers and elementary aged kiddos.
Big news in Pewaukee! We were at the ribbon-cutting for the brand-new Play Pewaukee All-Inclusive Playground & Garrison’s Splash Pad at the Pewaukee Sports Complex and we’ve been back already since August 29, 2025!
This space has been years in the making, bringing together community support, fundraising, and a big dream to create a place where kids of all abilities can play, splash, and make memories together 🌈💦👧🧒
🌟 The all-inclusive playground will be open year-round
Opens on or around Memorial Day Weekend 2026!
We love seeing Lake Country grow with more spaces where ALL families feel welcome.
7. 📍 Elm Grove Splash Pad at Village Park
- Location: 13600 Juneau Blvd, Elm Grove, WI
- Cost: $4-8
- Hours: See below
- Best for: toddlers and preschoolers
SPLASH PAD HOURS OF OPERATION — OPENS JUNE 12, 2026!
Splash Pad Hours while the main pool is open:
Monday-Friday: 11:00am-4:00pm
Saturday: 11:00am-6:00pm
Sunday: 1:00pm-8:00pm
Designated Splash Pad hours (during swim lessons) when ONLY the Splash Pad is open:
Monday-Friday: 9:00am-11:00am
Special Admission Prices for Splash Pad During Splash Pad Only Hours:
Resident $4.00
Non-Resident $8.00
Guide to the Lakes of Lake Country & Waukesha County
Here is a great guide to getting to know the lakes in our area.
❓ Splash Pad FAQs
Are there free splash pads in Waukesha County?
Yes! All the splash pads in Lake Country, including Hartland and Sussex, are completely free to use. The Elm Grove splash pad is the only splash pad with a fee.
When do splash pads open in Wisconsin?
Most splash pads open around Memorial Day weekend and stay open through Labor Day, weather permitting.
Are splash pads safe for toddlers?
Yes. Splash pads are zero-depth water play areas, making them a safer alternative to pools for younger children.
What should I bring to a splash pad?
Bring towels, sunscreen, water shoes, and a change of clothes for kids. And snacks!
