Now and then I stumble upon a little treasure that I almost don’t want to share for fear it’ll get too popular. Of course, my mommy friend, Tanya, told me so I guess it’s only fair I share it with you. I’m talking about Harbor Island Park. Mamaroneck is shaped like a U and right in the middle is this lovely spot perfect for kids up until about age eight or so.
My husband was a lifeguard there for six years when he was a teen, so it’s not like I haven’t heard of the place. The beach is small with a neat view of boats in the harbor. Granted, the shore isn’t exactly the pink sands of Bermuda, but it’s clean and it’s a great place for little ones to cut their baby teeth on the beach.
There are a lot of things at Harbor Island now besides the beach—things that weren’t there when my husband was a teenage stud, such as the ultra-cool playground. It has various carnivals at the site and a baseball diamond that is also good for kite flying. Aw, but it’s not the nifty swinging discs and playground tower that make the place, nor the beach. Nope. What sold me is the “splashground.”
I’ve never heard of a splashground. Oh, you haven’t either? Well, it’s kind of a kids’ version of the famous Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas. Basically, water squirts out of the ground, walls, and water cannons with a mind of it’s own. There’s no predicting where the water will pop up. Which is great fun, but the water is cold enough to be mistaken for Maine in the winter. I mean, it’s frickin’ cold! The kids, however, don’t seem to care. Maisie ran from fountain to fountain shrieking with delight. My favorite was when one of them turned completely off and she was staring down at it, patting it with her hand, begging for it to start again. Eventually it did, squirting her square in the face. But did she cry? Oh no…she laughed and laughed and then laughed some more.
Maisie may have been the lead laugher, but every child was having an absolute ball. The kids kept each other busy, grownups rested on the sidelines, and lifeguards kept a watchful eye. I’m not sure who was happier with the arrangement, me or Maisie. Go!
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