Raleigh Mom: Millbrook Exchange Spraygrounds

I am a planner and I like to be prepared for everything - it keeps my anxiety at bay :-). Unfortunately it makes me hesitant to try out new activities with the kids by myself so its nice to have friends who explore Raleigh and know the coolest things to do. Today we met some friends at the Millbrook Exchange Pool which has a wading pool and sprayground that opens in the summer. I had heard lots of positive reviews on the place by friends but surprisingly I found very little information online about it. Due to swimming lessons taking place in the lap pool we did not get a chance to swim in there but here's some info about the wading pool and sprayground we visited.

Location: 1905 Spring Forest Rd, Raleigh; it is located in the Millbrook Exchange Park that also has baseball fields, basketball courts, off-leash dog park, tennis center, playground and probably a few other things I've missed.

Hours: The wading pool and spraygrounds are seasonal but during the summer they are open:
M-F 9am to 8pm
Sat 10am to 8pm
Sun 1pm to 6pm

Price: The price for admission at all of the City of Raleigh aquatic centers is the same. Residents pay $1.00 for those age 1-12, $3.00 for ages 13-54 and $2.00 for ages 55 and up. They accept cash, check and credit cards.

Wading Pool: The pool ranges in depth from 10 inches to 18 inches of water which makes it perfect for little ones. The pool was easy for my girls to get in and out of and the entire area was fenced in. I felt at ease as a parent knowing that my children were not going to go too deep and not be able to touch, were not going to get out of the fenced in area and that there was a lifeguard on duty. Inside of the wading pool area there were limited chairs and no tables - this was fine for us since it was HOT and I wanted to sit along the edge of the pool; there is also no food or drink permitted in the area.

Sprayground: As I've recently learned, Maddie is not a big fan of sprinklers and so as we entered this area she held onto me for dear life. The sprayground area has its own fencing and has areas where water comes shooting up from the ground, water cannons, buckets that dump water and other "sprays". The area was large enough that you could avoid getting wet if you weren't in the mood. I stayed close to the water to keep my feet from burning on the concrete, next time I'll wear shoes!