Step2 Big Splash Water Park {Review & Giveaway}

{This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, kellyr78!}

With the weather ups and downs we've been experiencing lately, it has not only been difficult to keep track of what season we're in (one day it is sunny and 55° and the next there are 6" of snow?), but it has made our longing for the arrival of spring even stronger.

My visions include relaxing on a comfortable swing or lounge chair with a glass of lemonade while contentedly listening to the sounds of the breeze and the birds chirping. My children, on the other hand? Unfortunately, that's not exactly something that they choose to partake in for longer than a minute. Maybe two.

Instead, I look to offer them ways to stretch their creativity, keep them entertained, and provide hours of fun, all while getting to spend time outside enjoying the long-awaited sunshine. And when it comes to a company that is known for being a leading innovator of quality children's products that are designed to build imaginations and celebrate childhood, Step2 is always a top choice.

One of the nation's largest toddler toy manufacturers, the Step2 Company was founded on the philosophy of quality, value and service backed by a commitment to customer satisfaction. With products distributed to retailers throughout the U.S., Canada and over 70 other countries, this is one name that is recognized and known worldwide for being top-of-the-line and fostering learning and development through creative play in children from birth to school-age years.

Therefore, when the new Step2 Big Splash Water Park arrived, I had no doubt that it would be just the thing to keep Big Sister E and Little Sister B happy with their love of all things related to water.

Designed to provide endless fun, the Step2 Big Splash Water Park offers everything from a catapult to a spinning water wheel to a multilevel pool for characters to swim. Whether kids want pour water down the waterslide or flip swimmers through the air into the pool, this versatile toy has the ability to entertain with ease.

Recommended for ages 2-8, my 5-year-old and 3-year-old took one look at the box and the, "Can we play with this now?" began to repeat time and again.

Knowing that Step2 designs their products to include easy assembly, I laid out the pieces of the Water Park and was happy to see that there were no tools needed to have this constructed.

In fact, it took a total of six minutes before I had each part snapped into place and sat back to look at this colorful, durable, imaginative toy.

Measuring in at a diameter of around 31" and with so many different features throughout this Water Park, it was easy to see that there would be room for multiple children to play at once and express their own creativity.

While the weather outside was still slightly too cold to play with water, that wasn't going to stop us from enjoying plenty of playtime. Fortunately, as this toy only weighs 12.8 pounds, it wasn't difficult at all to lay out a towel and easily lift it right on top. No snow is going to keep us from our water park adventures!

As the included accessory kit provided two swimmers, a cup, a catapult, the tower (with slide and wheel), and green bucket on top, all we needed to do was add water and it was time to play.

With a table height of just under 17" (a total of around 31" with the waterslide tower and bucket), the raised design of this toy helps keep the water inside and kids' feet and clothes clean and dry. Both of the girls were thrilled to be able to move all the way around so that they had access to both of the pools, the slides, the catapult and the full water tower.

Little Sister B quickly discovered the fun of flipping up the white spouts on the water tower to stop it from draining, therefore making it possible to fill up the bucket and let the water all come streaming out at once. Every time it would spin the water wheel or gush down the waterslide, she giggled a little more!

As for Big Sister E, she began coming up with stories immediately about the swimmers (she was certain that they were brother and sister), how they liked to play, and just how much they enjoyed sitting in their "hot tub."

However, as much as they enjoyed all of those aspects of the Big Splash Water Park, the continual favorite has been none other than the catapult. By placing a swimming on the end and flipping them through the air, the girls have spent hours sending them flying over and over again.

I have to admit that they haven't been the only ones having fun with the catapult. I've found myself sending the swimmers flipping and spinning quite a few times as well, simply because it's just so much fun to see them go flying!

For cleanup outdoors, Step2 made it easy to drain the water out of this Water Park, as the drain plug is conveniently located in the lower pool to let all of the water run right out. At first I was concerned that it wouldn't have a tight enough seal and might drip (a strong concern when playing with a water table indoors), but we haven't had a single drop.

For more convenience when you are done playing, the accessories on this table aren't permanently attached. They can therefore be laid down right in the table for storage and to ensure they won't get lost. Although there is no lid to cover the top, the next time the hose is pulled out to add water, any stray dirt or leaves can be washed right out.

With a list price of $39.99, the Step2 Big Splash Water Park is currently on sale from Toys 'R Us for only $34.99 (it is also listed on Amazon for slightly more) and is an affordable way to bring a child's love of water to your home for years to come.

I have no doubt that it is going to be providing entertainment for us for quite a long time, as the open-ended possibilities change each time the kids begin to play. Currently we've even added educational value to the motor skills that this toy is teaching, as the two original swimmers have brought their "extended family" to the Water Park and we've been spending lots of time counting them and letting them take turns on the catapult.

As each one flies through the air, it is fun to see the girls take notice of the different weights and how the amount of force needed changes depending on each person!

Step2 designs and produces new toys each year that continue to receive recognition for their durability, creative play value, and great designs... and their Big Splash Water Park is no exception! With fun like this, I just can't see the kids ever growing tired of it and am so eager to see them enjoy it even more when the weather permits us to play with it outside!


For a colorful, lightweight toy that assembles quickly and easily, the Big Splash Water Park would be a cute addition to any yard or deck this summer and is sure to provide hours of amusement. Visit the Step2 website for more information as well as to see all of the great options that they have for outdoor play!

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be able to have endless imaginative water fun as well, because...

One lucky person will win a Big Splash Water Park from Step2!

To enter to win: Visit Step2 and leave a comment on this post telling me the name of another of their innovative and fun items that you would like to own.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Step2 on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.
1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.
1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

I want to WIN a Step2 Big Splash Water Park and be prepared for summer fun! http://bit.ly/zWDfy1 @thxmailcarrier #giveaway #win

1 Extra Entry (per follow method) if you follow me with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email, become a fan on Facebook or add Thanks, Mail Carrier to your blogroll.
2 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.
3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 26th at 11:59pm CST. By entering this sweepstakes, you are agreeing to these official rules. No purchase necessary, void where prohibited by law. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. This giveaway is open to residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. states only and must be 18 years of age or older.

A big thank you to Step2 for providing a Big Splash Water Park for me to review as well as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.