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Rachel Roland is a mom on a mission - exploring beautiful Arizona (and beyond!) with her two little companions, Jeremiah and Sarah, in search of the best restaurants, attractions, and products for you and your children. See what she has in store for your family today!

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It's officially summer, although we here in Phoenix have been suffering with hot, hot temperatures for several weeks already.  One of the best places to visit during these hot days are one of the many water parks that sparkle in our city - those oases that beckon to us during our many 100+ degree days.  However, if you have little ones, most water parks don't have much to offer.  One park recognized this deficiency and decided to fix it.  Wet n Wild Phoenix recently opened Wet n Wild Jr - a kid-sized water park with mini-water slides for kids 36" tall and up.  We were able to visit recently and Jeremiah and Sarah had a fantastic time.  

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Jeremiah and Sarah couldn't wait to get into Wet n' Wild - it was a hot day and we needed to cool down.  As you can tell, posing for a photo was not top on their agenda - they wanted to play.   

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Before entering the park, all kids are measured and given a wristband showing their height.  This is a great time saver - at Boogie Board Beach (pictured above), there are multiple water slides, all with different height restrictions - and instead of waiting for the employees to measure each child at the top of the slide, they simply check the wristband.   

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Now, I have to be honest - I am not a water slide person.  I am not a fan of heights, and standing in the long lines to go down the 'big kid' water slides at Wet n' Wild was not something I was interested in.  But Wet n' Wild Jr - the lines are short and the rides are open to everyone - including parents.  Jeremiah and Sarah's favorite mini-water slide was the Banzai Racers.  I went down it a few times with the kids before they became comfortable going on it alone, and I have to admit - it was really fun.  There was also the Tiny Typhoon (pictured above) and the Screamin' Streamers - we went on them all but the favorite was the Racers, by far!  

My recommendations: 

Come early!  The park opens at 10am most days (check the online calendar to verify the day you visit).   We visited in the afternoon, and parking (which is $7) was crowded, as well as most of the park - with the exception of the Wet n' Wild Jr area!  

The smallest locker rental is $7 - we opted to just go in with no valuables except for our car keys - we weren't planning on staying all day, though.  If you do plan, I think a locker would be a great rental.  

I always say this, but it's so important and bears repeating: SUNSCREEN!  At this place, I'd be reapplying every 90 minutes, if not more.  

Along the same lines - this is still water, which means it's still dangerous - even though you're not necessarily in a pool, it's still very important to watch your children in the water.  

Wet n' Wild Phoenix is located west of the I-17 on Pinnacle Peak Rd.  It was only about 30 minutes from central Phoenix for us.  Admission is $36.99 for anyone over 42", $29.99 for under 42" and Seniors over 65, and children under 2 years old are free.  However, Wet n' Wild Phoenix is running a great online-only special - everyone pays the $29.99 price, if you purchase your tickets online.   Having little ones shouldn't keep you from enjoying water parks - so head to Wet n' Wild Jr! 

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Photo courtesy Red Phoenix Photography

I'm Rachel - a mom, wife, and 'green' blogger at Small Steps On Our Journey.   If you want me to come visit your place of business, have any questions on this article or suggestions for a future article, you can email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or connect with me on Facebook, and I'd love to chat with you on Twitter!