Venue name: Pelican Bay Aquatic Center
Kid Reviewer: Sam Roldán, 10 years old
What made the experience stand out?
I love to swim but it’s more fun when you can use the areas for big kids. I’m finally tall enough for the waterslide and able to swim well enough to be in the deep end, which is where you fall when you use the climbing wall.
What was the best part?
I was able to go down the big waterslide with my Aunt Katie and Uncle Mike five times. They came to visit from Ardmore, which is cool because I like to spend time with them. That’s not how it usually is when we visit a pool because I have to stay with an adult, which is almost always just my Mom at the pool, and she’s busy in the shallow end with my brothers the whole time. They aren’t tall enough to use the big kid areas yet. Isaac is 5 and Gabriel is 2 and they need an adult with them in the water the whole time. I need less supervision but I still can’t just be on my own in there, like I’m not allowed to run loose. Going with family was the best part because that way I could do what I wanted to do.
What was the worst part?
The pool closes too early. It was 6 p.m. and the sun was shining but we weren’t allowed to stay past then.
Will other kids like this venue and why?
Even if not all kids like to swim, I think they’ll like visiting the pool to cool off. Oklahoma is much hotter than my other country; we go to the beach in Costa Rica but there is no beach here. You can pretend you’re at the beach and relax in a pool chair, wade in the shallow end, use the climbing wall or splash in the fountains.
Would this venue be enjoyed by your siblings? Why or why not?
My brothers always have a good time on the smaller waterslide and in the lazy river, which is like a wave pool. They don’t really like water in their faces and they don’t know how to swim but they’re learning. I also like that they’re tired after they go swimming; the water and the sun, the whole experience, kind of chills them out.
If you could do this again knowing what you know now, what would you do differently?
I would go earlier so I could be there longer. I would also bring money for a snow cone. Isaac is 46 inches tall and I want him to eat and sleep more so that he grows; he only needs two more inches to be able to go down the big waterslide with me. Maybe he’ll grow that much during the summer.
Does what you saw match up with anything you're learning in school or have seen before in a book, on TV, etc.?
Yes, I’ve read about competitive swimming because of the Olympics. I’ve been to swimming lessons before at other pools and this is like the fun part of that.
What do you think you'll remember most about Pelican Bay?
I’ll remember going with my Aunt and Uncle because I got to enjoy the part of the pool for older kids like me. It was really fun!
[Editor's Note: Read all our Kid Reviews at www.metrofamilymagazine.com/Kid-Reviews/]
