Mike Parker: Activities galore for grandkids here in Kinston
Laney, age 11, and Luke, age 9, asked when they could come and spend a few days with Sandra and me. When I checked my calendar, July 30 through August 5 was an open week – no night meetings or other responsibilities except for the two days I work at the Visitor Center on the US 70 Bypass.
While I was working on the CSS Neuse II Saturday, July 29, I texted Lydia at 3 p.m. to see if the kids would be available that week.
“On the way now to drop them off,” she said, adding, “Just kidding.” Kidding or not, Lydia and Brent brought to kids to us around 6 p.m.
What do we do with them? Having things for kids to do is important because the less they have to do, the more they raid the fridge and cabinets scavenging for food. Sunday, we went to church and then ate lunch at King’s.
Monday was breakfast at Bojangles and then a trip to the public library. Luke and Laney love the children’s room of our library. Although they live in Clayton, Clayton does not offer anything like the library facility we have here. After a couple of hours at the library, it was lunch and then home to relax and watch TV.
The next morning, the kids wanted to go to Smith’s Café. They each got a pancake and a side of bacon. Laney likes “floppy” bacon and Luke wants crispy bacon. After breakfast, we headed to the Nature Center’s playground. We were the first on the scene, but soon parents brought other children – smaller children.
One little boy came up behind Laney, tapped her on the back and yelled, “Tag! You’re it!” The game was on. Before long, Luke was also involved.
“We don’t have a park with such a nice playground in Clayton,” they told me. After a couple of hours, I told them we needed to go home and rest a bit. We were supposed to meet Aunt Rachel, Hannah, and Abby at 1 p.m. at the Galaxy Skating Rink.
Of course, we ate lunch and rested. At 12:45 p.m. we left to meet Rachel. We waited until Rachel and her brood arrived so we could stage a mass invasion of the skating rink. Most of our kids are nowhere near confident skaters, so seeing them using a walker was a hoot.
“We don’t have a skating rink in Clayton,” Luke and Laney told me.
By 4:30 p.m., the kids were tuckered out, so we went to Pizza Villa for an early supper. I cringed. I knew if we ate that early, I would have to feed them again – at least a snack – before bedtime.
I had to work Wednesday, so Grandma Sandra fed them at the house. After breakfast, she took them to the budget-friendly Pepsi Sprayground at the Fairfield Park complex. For just a dollar, adults and children – and every child must be accompanied by an adult – can gain entry. Children can play on a cushioned surface and be drenched under buckets of water, bathe in a mist of water, have a water cannon spray off, and dance through a water rainbow – all in one place.
“We don’t have a spray park in Clayton,” they told me.
Thursday morning, we ate at Smith’s and went home to get ready for Lions Water Adventure Park. Although not as budget-friendly as the Pepsi Sprayground, the $10 admission fee per person is reasonable for the number of activities the water park offers.
Laney and Luke immediately got in line for the Zebra Water Slide. Later, after some friendly persuasion, Laney convinced Luke to go down that 32-foot-high tube slide. The park also features the Lazy River, longer than a football field. Dump buckets and sprayers along the way help keep people cool.
For those who want to do some serious swimming, they can get their strokes on at the 25-yard, eight-lane pool. Luke passed his swimming test and showed me his bracelet with pride.
The water park also has a concession stand, convenient restrooms, shaded lawn chairs, and another shady spot near the concessions.
As badly as I hate to admit it, that Thursday was my first trip to the Lions Water Adventure. Laney and Luke’s parents had brought them once before because – you guessed it – Clayton does not have anything like the water park in Kinston.
My grandkids had a blast. Yet, as much as we did that week, we still did not do everything. We did not go to the playground at Pearson Park, and we did not go through the Nature Center or into the Planetarium. We did not go into the Community Council for the Arts (both Laney and Luke love to draw). We just didn’t have time.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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