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Spa facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
For the municipality in Belgium, see Spa, Belgium.
For the hydrotherapy water pool, see hot tub.
Taj Spa 4
Ayurvedic spa in Goa, India.

A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are especially widespread in Europe and Japan. Day spas are also quite popular and offer various personal care treatments.

Origins of the term

The term came from the name of the town of Spa, Belgium. This name was known back in Roman times, when it was called Aquae Spadanae. It may be related to the Latin word "spargere" meaning to scatter, sprinkle or moisten.

Images for kids

  • Medicinal spa of Harkány

    The medicinal spa of Harkány is supplied by thermal wells that produce high sulphide content chloride water containing sodium-, calcium- and hydrogen carbonate.

  • Solun - bizantsko kupaliste

    Byzantine Bath in Thessaloniki.

  • Banja Slatina ljeto

    The Slatina Spa in the Republic of Srpska, BiH

  • Diocletianopolis The Southern Gate at Night

    The spa town of Hisarya in Bulgaria. An ancient Roman city was built in the 1st century AD because of the mineral springs in the vicinity.

  • 2006-05 Archeon binnenhof badhuis-2

    Coriovallum Roman baths in Heerlen, The Netherlands (reconstructed)

  • Baños de Alange

    Roman Baths of Alange, Extremadura, Spain

  • Bagno del Papa

    Bagno del Papa in Viterbo.

  • Széchenyi Gyógyfürdő thermal spa in Budapest 008

    A thermal spa (Széchenyi thermal bath) in Budapest, Hungary

  • Turkish spa Sina (Hammam)

    Turkish spa Sina (Hammam) in Trenčianske Teplice, Slovakia

  • Old Spa Gran Hotel La Toja in 1907

    A section of the demolished Balneario da Toxa spa set in A Toxa Island, in Galicia, Spain

  • CarolusThermen01

    Waterfall, Carolus Spa, Aachen, Germany

  • Jefferson Pools Gentlemen

    Gentlemen's Pool House, Jefferson Pools, Warm Springs, Virginia, built 1761 it is the oldest spa building in the United States. The spa waters flow through the centre of the building. President Thomas Jefferson bathed here.

  • Ladies' Sulpher Vapor Baths - DPLA - 1537c21d91b68c8a1e88aedc3655f2da (page 1)

    Ladies' Sulphur Vapor Baths in the Hotel Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, 1919

  • Vučkovec (Croatia) - jug

    The healing power of mineral water used to treat patients and other users in the lazy river section in Vučkovec, Croatia

  • Flamingo Spa Vesipuisto

    Flamingo Spa, a part of the Flamingo Entertainment Centre in Vantaa, Finland.

  • VarshetsRenovatedSpaCenter

    Spa center in Varshets, Bulgaria.

  • Colorful, mirror Fortepan 716

    Spa in Hungary, 1939

  • Ognyanovo-Delta-Hotel-Mineral-water-swimming--pools

    Mineral water swimming pools in Blagoevgrad district, Bulgaria.

  • BalnearioAlange

    Balneo area in Alange

  • Spa JPG05

    The casino garden in Spa, Belgium

  • Beltéri gyógymedence Hagymatikum

    Medicinal water bath in Makó, (Hungary)

  • COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Zwemmen in de vijver bj de waterval TMnr 60050142

    Bathing in Bogor, West Java

  • Mt. Taisetsu KOGEN hot spring 2（Open-air bath）

    Japanese Onsen, in Hokkaido

  • Palatinus Strandfürdő. Fortepan 78086

    Spa in Hungary, 1939

  • Budapest, Gellért fürdő, hullámfürdő-medence, 4

    Gellért baths in Budapest, Hungary

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Spa (salud) para niños

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