Wet-N-Wild Wednesdays

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Wednesdays, which resume this year on June 26.

This weekly summertime activity at Buhr Pool typically attracts hordes of youngsters, many of whom come to the pool with their day camp groups. But holiday traffic was light last year, and the pool was surprisingly calm. Still, there was enthusiasm to spare from Buhr's expert staff as well as the twenty or so small fry who came running (despite being told to WALK!) to every activity. The programs feature structured, kid-friendly activities every fifteen minutes. By the time I arrived I'd missed the scavenger hunt and What Time Is It, Mr. Fox? Darn. But a series of parachute games was in full swing. Toddlers to ten-year-olds, plus a few parents, were clustered under the trees at the side of the pool holding onto a rainbow-colored parachute and playing Popcorn with a soccer ball. Then Gail, leading the game, would shout out a color, and kids holding onto that color would hightail it to the other side of the chute. During the break, kids grabbed chalk and created their own artwork right on the concrete while Sheryl Crow sang "All I Want to Do" over the loudspeakers.

Fifteen minutes later came an announcement: "Attention Buhr Pool patrons! There will be a cannonball contest in the main pool!" I jumped into the water to check it out. Little kids and older kids were divided into two groups and then took turns jumping into the water competing for biggest splash. Everyone was praised and encouraged.