A child braces himself as a jet of cold water shoots up from the Dilworth Park's fountain.
A child gleefully braces himself as a jet of cold water shoots up from the Dilworth Park’s fountain in June 2016.

It’s clear we’re in for another hot Philadelphia summer. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay home; there are plenty of ways to keep cool while exploring our great city.

If a playful spritz of water is more your style than a pool, you’ll be happy to know that all of Philadelphia’s spraygrounds are officially open for the summer! But, wait, what’s a sprayground?

A sprayground is exactly what it sounds like: a playground + sprinklers!

More of them have been popping up around Philly every summer – and for good reason. Spraygrounds use a tiny fraction of the amount of water a conventional swimming pool would use, and though they’re often staffed, no lifeguard is required. This makes spraygrounds extremely cost-effective to taxpayers.

Plus, spraygrounds welcome children of all ages – and adults too.

The interactive Stay Cool Map lists all cooling centers, spraygrounds, and pools throughout Philadelphia.
The interactive Stay Cool Map lists all cooling centers, spraygrounds, and pools throughout Philadelphia.

A list of spraygrounds throughout Philadelphia can be found on Philadelphia Parks and Recreation’s spraygrounds blog, where you can also find information on what to bring to make the most of your visit, too!

All Philadelphia Parks and Recreation spraygrounds are open Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

While spraygrounds are certainly fun, Philadelphia’s free public pools are still traditional hallmarks of summer here in the City of Brotherly Love.

In fact, Philly has more public swimming pools per person than any city in the country! With Parks and Rec staff stationed at each municipal pool, Philadelphia’s pools serve as safe places for residents of all ages to keep cool and develop their swimming skills.

If you don’t feel like getting your feet wet, be sure to research some of Philly’s many cooling centers. Open during times of exceedingly high temperature and humidity, cooling centers are air-conditioned spaces available for public use.

Plus, the Free Library makes reading cool, both figuratively and literally cool with air conditioning. During periods of excessive heat, some branches even have extended hours.

The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management has tips on how to stay safe and cool this summer, too.

Be sure to follow the City on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, too – and tell us how you’re beating the heat!