As the summer heats up, it gets harder to entertain the kids. So trade the sprinklers and backyard water hose for a fun romp through an interactive water fountain, splash pad or spray park near you. We gathered a few of our favorite locales that have generous open times — and best of all, entry is absolutely free. Courtesy of DFW Child.

1. Allen

The splash pad at Allen’s Celebration Park features dumping buckets, shooters, sprinklers and more playground equipment. Bring the whole family for a picnic under the pavilion during open hours from 9am–9pm. The splash pad runs from May to mid-September, except for Wednesdays when it’s closed for maintenance. Located just next to the splash pad is kidMania, which the city says is one of the largest accessible playgrounds in the state.

701 Angel Parkway, 214/509-4700

2. Colleyville

The splash pad at McPherson Park features tipping water buckets, a red windmill that sprays water, an archway (made to look like a frog) that sprays those below and more. Encourage a snack and hydration break under the shaded pavilion. Open daily through the end of September from 10am–8pm.

240 W. McDonwell School Road, 817/503-1180

3. Coppell

Bring the kids’ swimsuits when you visit the farmers market in Old Town Coppell at the Main Street Interactive Fountain to get your local goods and produce, and let them cool down by frolicking in the fountains shooting from the ground. Visit Saturdays 8am–9pm or Sunday–Friday from 9am–9pm.

786 W. Main St., 972/304-7043

4. Dallas

It’s hard to miss the spraying and misting fountain in the Children’s Park within Klyde Warren Park, but look closer and you’ll see that the long-bodied water feature simulates the metamorphosis of a caterpillar. The main splash pad is on the corner of Woodall Rodgers Freeway and St. Paul Street. Find more fountains on Hart Boulevard, as you enter the park from either side or behind the main pavilion in Moody Plaza. The park is open 6am–11pm daily, and fountains turn on when the temperature outside reaches 60 degrees.

2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, 214/716-4500

The Big D also boasts water features above the Trinity River in West Dallas. Stroll along the pedestrian-only Continental Bridge (aka the Ronald Kirk Bridge), and you will find not just climbing fixtures and chess table but also touch-activated play fountains made to beat the summer heat. While the kiddos cool off in the fountains and misters, Mom can kick back in one of the surrounding lounge chairs.

100 Continental Avenue

In addition to the splash pads at Klyde Warren and Ronald Kirk, Dallas Aquatics offers 10 spray grounds throughout the city. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, enjoy these free water wonderlands seven days a week. Most are open from 10am–8pm, but hours vary. See website for exact hours.

Beckley-Saner, 114 W. Hobson
Campbell Green, 16600 Park Hill Drive
Danieldale, 300 W. Wheatland Road
Ferguson, 1900 Gross Road
Lake Highlands, 9940 White Rock Trail
Mildred Dunn, 3300 Carpenter Ave.
Pemberton Hill, 6424 Elam Road
Ridgewood, 6818 Fisher Road
South Central, 4753 Fellows Lane
Umphress, 7700 Umphress
Willie Mae Butler, 3700 Dixon Ave.

5. Euless

South Euless Park’s splash pad features touch-activated and timed water works, such as a raining water bucket, spray poles and geysers. Restrooms and water fountains are in close proximity to the splash pad. From May 14 through September 30, this park is open from 9am–8pm Monday– Saturday and 2pm–6pm on Sundays.

600 S. Main St., 817/685-1666

6. Fort Worth

Let the kiddos get wet and wild at the Sycamore Spray Grounds this summer. Swimwear is required at the Sycamore Community Center’s free splash park, which features tipping water buckets and interactive sprayers. Open through summer, this spray ground is available for visitors to splash around every day from 11am-7pm.

Sycamore Community Center, 2525 E. Rosedale St., 817/392-7691

Families can cool off in Cowtown at Fort Worth’s famed Sundance Square. After working up a sweat shopping at the dozens of boutiques, snacking at the 30+ restaurants and taking in the city sights, direct your brood to the fountains in the center of the plaza. Featuring 216 vertical water jets programmed to spurt at different heights, the ground-level attraction is a visual attraction that has come to be a summertime favorite for locals wanting to dip their toes. Fountain play is open Monday-Friday 2-6pm and 1-6pm on weekends.

Sundance Square Plaza, 420 Main St., 817/255-5700

7. Grapevine

The spray grounds at Parr Park are open daily from May–September, from 8am-8pm every day. Spray grounds are motion activated to save water. No need to press a button; just walk onto the pad. Water shoes are encouraged. Adjacent to Dove Park Pool, the Dove Park spray ground splashes kids with a mechanical bucket daily with the same operational hours.

Dove Park, 1509 Hood Lane
Parr Park, 3010 Parr Lane, 817/410-3450

8. Irving

Take your pick of the city’s two locations for zero-depth water fun: the Southwest Spray Park and another spray park outside the Northwest Park Recreation Center. Families can enjoy the bubblers, fountains and more spray features at both parks. Due to water restrictions, the Southwest Spray Park is closed Tuesdays and runs from 11am-8pm all other days of the week. The spray park outside the Northwest Park Recreation Center is open 11am-8pm Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays). The regular operating hours start on June 1.

Northwest Park Recreation Center, 2800 Cheyenne St.
Southwest Spray Park, 2800 W. Shady Grove Road, 972/721-2656

9. Roanoke

The splash pads at Parks of Roanoke and Cannon Parkway Park include colorful archways that spray, stationary water guns and hanging buckets of water that tip. Both parks are open daily from 6am–7pm.

Parks of Roanoke, 107 Hillsborough Drive
Cannon Parkway Park, 750 Cannon Parkway, 817/837-9930

10. Southlake

The playground at Bicentennial Park, which opened in 2015, is designed to look like a big dragon. Kids splash around by the giant dragon’s head, frolic in the green water fountains that twist up from the ground and duck under small spraying archways. Take waterlogged little ones to the adjacent playground’s swings, slides and zip lines to let them air dry.

450 W. Southlake Blvd., 817/748-8019