It was Saturday and I promised the twins they are in for an adventure that would require bringing their swimsuits even though we are not going to the pool.
I worked for about three hours that morning but thankfully, I have a job that allows me to bring my children. The venue for my coverage that morning was also child-friendly so I was able to do my job, wrap it up and then proceed to SM Seaside’s Skypark for four hours of solid playground happiness.
I was excited about that particular Saturday because I was eager to let my children experience the wonderful world of “MyBus.” The twins only knew about the bus “that gives long rides to the beach” so I was quite excited about that ride.
I honestly think that the Cebu City Government — as well as Talisay, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu — should award the management of MyBus for giving us, commuters, a decent, affordable and humane transportation alternative.
Getting to SM Seaside
You leave the terminal of SM City Cebu (located near the mall’s parking lot, which is behind Radisson Blu and just right across Cebu Daily News and Bayfront Hotel) following specific time schedules. The bus system has several routes, but the one that took us to our SM Seaside only stopped at Robinson’s Galleria and the entrance to the South Road Properties (near Malacañang sa Sugbo).
The fare is P25 for adults. The twins are five years old so I paid P20 for each of them. Total fare: P65 for three people for a 15-minute ride in an airconditioned bus.
Sky Park wonder
We entered the mall through its Mountain Wing entrance and to my children’s eyes, they just stepped inside Magic Land. I have been to SM Seaside’s Sky Park once on a weekday at 5 p.m. and marveled at the sunset so it left a positive impression on me, which I rubbed off to my children. I have been telling them about a wonderful park in SM Seaside with a playground and a place where they can get wet in their swimsuits.
Launch on September 23, 2016, SM went all out by making this 20,060 square meter family playground open to the public. It is located on the mall’s rooftop level and yes… it is free! My husband was surprised that a facility as wonderful as the Sky Park is actually open to the public at no charge to the public.
Sky Park has three major divisions: Fun & Play, Sky Play, and the Water Play.
The sun was high up a few minutes after 1 p.m. that Saturday and I was complaining about the heat. But my children were more than eager to explore the park the moment they saw the green scenery and the fountain.
“This is so exciting Nanay!” exclaimed Nicholas.
“Can we stay here forever?” an ecstatic Antoinette begged me.
Both rushed to the “Fun & Play” section where seesaws and slides kept them busy for 25 minutes. We have made it a habit to bring a water bottle for each child so after the initial rush of excitement, the twins had their ice cream and water break before we went on a five-minute walk to the other side of the playground where Sky Play was.
This was the part I was particularly interested in because it was designed by world-renowned Cebuano designer, Kenneth Cobonpue.
It’s a playground like no other because it’s a whimsical take on the usual swings and slides. Instead of slapping the usual park ingredients in this area, SM had Mr. Cobonpue design a playground where flying saucers and dinosaurs became mainstays. SM says this part of the park highlights “the specialized handiwork and weaving techniques of Cobonpue’s products.”
It was a rather long climb, by Nicholas’ standards, in getting to the top of the “flying saucer” and it got Nicholas scared for a while, but he was a brave, little boy who was already giggling after his second slide experience.
The twins took turns in pushing each other on the swing. There was much running and waving as we spent close to an hour in the area.
Because it was the weekend, families have gathered around in the area. Underneath Cobonpue’s woven creations, the young and old sought refuge from the angry heat of the sun. I was watching many of these people intently and I wondered how many of them actually realized that they are sitting/seeking shelter on/from a Cobonpue creation.
Water Play delight
The Water Play section of the park does not open until 3 p.m. so after exhausting their energy at Sky Play, I took the twins on a short bathroom and ice cream break.
The rooftop level of SM Seaside is a gastronomic wonderland, where all you need to to do is to take a pick on which restaurant you want to die for the afternoon. The options are varied, really, and they are not expensive. At the vicinity of Sky Park, there are cafes and restaurants, which sell a meal as affordable as P99.
Because we already had lunch, the twins decided to have ice cream, while I had halu-halo at Ice Castle.
We waited for the Water Play to open, which was 20 minutes after 3 p.m. The twins changed at the Water Play’s own bathroom, which has washrooms and toilets. By this time, Nicholas and Antoinette were already grinning from ear to ear.
Water Play is considered the first wet playground in Cebu. Too bad only children from 3 to 12 years old are allowed inside. Otherwise, you would see me running around its rubberized ground to cool off. Make sure your children wear the appropriate swimming attire so they can use the facility. The Water Play is open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wrapping up
The only downside to this is that there are no benches around the Water Play area for parents to sit on while watching their children. At 3 p.m., the heat of the sun is particularly unforgiving. I got a migraine from waiting so I decided to go inside one of the cafes, picked up a spot which gave me a good view of my children while they were interacting with other children, and ordered iced cold black coffee.
I had them run around and scream and giggle for an hour. They were also about done with the water and the running so they had their shower at the washroom and then we changed to dry clothes.
If you are thinking about letting your children in the Water Play, remember to bring plastic bags — or in our case, reusable bags — that will make room for their wet swimsuits. Also, bring a “top-to-toe” wash, which functions both as a body wash and shampoo, because it will make it easier for you when you give them a shower. Bring a small, quick-dry towel that you can easily stuff inside your bag.
If you plan to do this, then make sure you have a backpack with you. Wear comfortable footwear; a pair of rubber shoes or your trusted flipflops can make a huge difference when you are dragging ultra hyper five-year-old twins with you.
From SM Seaside, we took the MyBus to Parkmall because… we planned to have a dinner of unlimited chicken wings. That is the subject of another blog post.
All in all, I spent for the following for this Sky Park adventure:
- SM City Cebu to SM Seaside: Php 65
- Ice cream and halu-halo: Php 210
- Iced coffee: Php 100
- SM Seaside to Parkmall Php 65
TOTAL: Php 440
Check out the fun afternoon we had at SM Seaside City’s Sky Park here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg9UnvL6nFc
