FREE:
Westerville Community Center: small indoor play set located in main lobby area (by pool viewing area). Best for kids 6 and under. Chairs nearby to watch kids.
Central Park Playland: Westerville. Indoor play climbing structure inside of the Westerville Community Church. Open play during designated times throughout week, check website for hours. Best for kids 6 and under. Socks required. Benches to sit and watch kids.
Grange Audubon Center: Downtown. Has a small indoor play room with costumes, climbing structure and cave. Also has a library of books for various ages, and room is full of windows with viewing of many bird feeders (microphones on bird feeders project into the room so you may hear all the birds). Closed Mondays. Tuesday through Fri. 10am-5pm, Sat. 10am-3pm, Sun. 12-5pm.
Libraries: All locations. Most libraries have fabulous kids areas where you can play and read to your child. There are also many great different storytime programs, you can find them in our weekly story time listing article HERE.
Polaris Mall: Zoo themed play area. Best for kids 6 and under. Benches surround.
Graeters : Dublin. Indoor play area, ice cream themed, for kids 6 and under (it says 10 and under, but I think 6 and under is more appropriate) Though this is inside Graeters, purchase is not necessary to play (though... it’s hard to enter Graeters without getting some yummy ice cream!).
Shops at Worthington Place: (formally Worthington Square Mall) Indoor play area with a treehouse type structure and soft fake grass. When it's warmer there is also a small outdoor play area.
*Vineyard Community Center: Westerville. Free two story playground - climbing and sliding for ages 4 through 11. There is also a "Noah's Ark" area for ages 3 and under. Note: the door is always locked for security purposes, but a staff member will let you in. M-F 6-8:30pm, Sat. 9am-2pm, Sun. 1:30-5:30pm. Adults need to stay.
Pay to Play:
Piccadilly: Bexley. Fun modern indoor playspace. They have open play and also structured classes (registration required), Explorers club (parents morning out) and parents date night. Wifi and healthy food options are offered on-site, as well as coffee. 6-12 mos $5, day pass $10 first child, $5 per sibling (day pass entitles you to return visits on same day)
Firefly: Clintonville. Fun indoor playspace for kids 6 and under. Have special music, story and art times weekly. Wifi, snacks and coffee are offered on-site. Open Monday-Saturday, most of the day (see website). 0-12 mo free, 12-23 mos $4 and 24 mos and up $6.
Eat Play Love: Lewis Center/Polaris. Play cafe for kids, will have some scheduled classes to sign up for, and healthy food for sale too. First child $8, siblings $6, children 12 months and younger are free.
*Super Games: Worthington. Inflatables and games. Lots of different inflatables for kids of all ages. Special toddler open play times, as well as general open play, socks required. Lobby has small rock wall, pool, and other games. See website for open play times. $9 first child, $6 per sibling
*Kingdom of Bounce: Columbus (south of Easton). Inflatables. Lots of different inflatable. Seems (to be) best for kids 8 and under. Open play times are offered throughout the week (socks required), see website for list of open play times. $7 first child, $3 per sibling, discounted punch pass is also available.
*Magic Mountain: Polaris and Reynoldsburg. Large climbing (KidsGym Playland) structure, as well as variety of video games and laser tag. Food available on-site.
Recreation Outlet: Powell. Indoor showroom of playsets, trampolines, basketball courts (and more) that offers play time on their equipment. Great for younger kids, and even some older ones. Playtime is offered Monday-Friday all day ($5 per child). They also have special Charitable Play Hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 9am-11am, $1 donation per family. Play passes for weekends are offered via membership.
*COSI: Downtown. Of course an indoor playspace Mecca! Little Kidspace is perfect for the 6 and under crowd. Free with membership, or paid admission (remember there is $5 parking/$4 for members) - or 50% off with The Works membership.
*The Works: Newark. Small science center with hands-on activities. Has a nice little kids’ space with lots of pretend play and building. Offer Curious Kids programs on Tuesday at 10:30AM. 50% reciprocal benefits with COSI membership, or paid admission.
Columbus Museum of Art: Downtown. The Wonder Room located on the first floor is a super fun space for kids ages 3-14. There’s clay building, metal mobile making, books, fort building, magnetic play, and more! Free with membership or paid admission.
Lattes & Lollipops: Powell. Fun indoor playspace for kids 7 and under. Healthy food and coffee on-site, as well as wifi. First child $10, siblings $5 for two hours. Also offer a quick play pass for 30 minutes - first child $4, siblings $2. They offer different classes as well.
Chuck E Cheese: Dublin and South. Indoor play place and pizza restaurant. Coupons for pizza, drinks and tokens can be found on their website here. One of our fabulous readers, Kristen P., tells us that the Dublin location is typically quiet and clean during the week.
Little Green House Play Cafe: Grandview. A fun indoor playspace built like a little town. The healthy, yummy Bellwther Kitchen (which kids can watch through a glass window) is attached for great snacks and also a take home dinner, if you are interested. Open M-F 9a-6p and Sat. 9a-1p. $5 for children 7month and older, 6mos and under, as well as adults, are free.
AHa Children's Museum: Lancaster. A fun hands-on adventure featuring more than 25 exhibits for children ages 0-7 (and older) in a 4000 sq ft space - lots of photos on their website will give you a great look. $5 admission for all ages. Membership available.
*Gym Skills: Gahanna. Fun gymnastics equipment and obstacle course for stay and play open gym time Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday from 9:30-11am. Children walking through 5 years with an adult. $5 per child. Also, open gym every Friday 6:30-8pm for ages 6 through 18 ($8 for non members, $5 for members).
*Glow Putt Mini Golf: Gahanna. A fun glow in the dark inside putt putt golf place. Multiple summer specials HERE. We've been - it's small (and cheesy), not too hard and my kids loved it. There are photos on their website.
*Gahanna Lanes Bowling: Gahanna. Bowling alley. We've never been here but I've heard great things from others. 614-471-1111
*Star Lanes: Polaris/Westerville. New bowling alley. Again, we've never been here but I have heard it's fun. Kids eat free on Wednesday nights with purchase of an adult meal.
*Chiller: Easton, Lewis Center, Dublin and downtown. Ice Skating fun for all ages. Open skate times and admission are listed on site by location.
*Lazer Kraze: Lewis Center. Inflatables and laser tag. Our kids been to parties here and loved it.
*Sky Zone: Lewis Center. Indoor trampoline park. A few trampolines (huge) and foam pit. There are many events HERE for all ages, including young ones (in my opinion, it's better to bring your young ones to a time specified for them, or during a slow time - it can be crazy when it's busy and you have little ones).
Peapod Play Cafe: Gahanna {Opening Postponed} Enjoy a fun play cafe with interactive toys, modern play spaces and space for parents/caregivers to relax and surf the web, catch up on mail, or visit with friends. Ages walkers through 7 with an adult. $10 per child, $6 an additional child or $4 additional for three or more children.
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery: Dayton. Fun children's museum with many hands on activities throughout, as well as a live animals on display. Ideal for ages 3-8 in my opinion - if you are up for the drive (about an hour or less from Columbus). They have things younger children would love too, but not sure there are enough to merit the drive time. They offer reciprocal benefits, so if you have COSI membership, you get 50% off admission. We just visited this museum in October. I would say, if you are up for the drive, and have a COSI membership to get the discount, this would make for a fun day trip and something new to do. My kids (ages 6, 6, 8) LOVED it.
*Also suitable for older children.
Special Needs Children {peer groups are welcome}
Wings to Fly Playspace and Activity Center: Westerville. A fun indoor playspace geared towards disabled and special needs children. Extensive research has been done to meet needs of children with gross motor disabilities and delays, as well as fine motor, speech, sensory and more. Offers weekly classes (art, music & movement, Baby Signs), open play and use for birthday parties.
If you have any great Columbus indoor play places that we missed, please send us an email with the info (wendyd@macaronikid.com). Thank you!
Please note: prices listed are subject to change by the facility.
***********************
OR, if you are just looking for fun learning and playing activities to do with your kids at home, check out our Learning and Playing at Home Pinterest board HERE with activities for both young and older kids.
