There’s nothing like a toddler’s first experience splashing about to beat the summer heat, and 17-month-old Jalen Lyons was thrilled with the inflatable pool his mother, Tasha Lyons, brought home Sunday.

&uot;I didn’t know it was going to be this big,&uot; Tasha said as she filled the pool with the water hose in the yard of her home on John Dale Drive.

Jalen quickly got accustomed to the water, tossing a ball and other inflatable toys in and out of pool to his cousins, Kendra and Tyran Lyons.

&uot;Look at this,&uot; he shouted, gleefully clapping his hands as other family members and friends arrived to watch the fun.

There was a collective pause when Jalen slipped and got his shorts wet for the first time.

But the youngster quickly righted himself and kept playing. &uot;He loves to play in the bathtub, so I thought he’d like this,&uot; Tasha said.

Colored blue, red and yellow and divided by a volleyball net, the pool also included an inflatable basketball goal and a toy T-ball stand.