Best Indoor Playgrounds in the Twin Cities (Local Map)

Hannah Scott said:  The Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground is nature themed, so it's a great way to have faux outdoor adventures even when the weather is less than cooperative. Kids will love exploring the tree house, cave, cliffs, slides, tree foam forest, and more! Note that this is a particularly popular destination on no-school days, so the price increases a bit when ISD 833 is not in session.

Age: 1-12

Cost: from $3.50/child

Hannah Scott said:  Good Times Park is home to a wide variety of play spaces and equipment for all ages: including a turf field, basketball court, playground, building area, climbing web, and crawling area for the youngest kiddos. A nursing and diaper change facility is a nice perk, and a picnic area (still indoors) is great for a much-needed snack or lunch break.

Note: This play space is not supervised. Admission is purchased online, and a unique same-day code will be sent to you to grant you access to the facility.

Age: 1-17

Cost: from $8/child

Hannah Scott said:  Millz House is a recreation showroom featuring swing sets, trampolines, game tiles, and basketball courts for sale. During open play times, kids can enjoy the equipment for a small fee. It's a win/win!

Age: 10 and under

Cost: from $6/child ($18/family)

Hannah Scott said:  The Blast is a unique space-themed indoor playground, complete with launch pads, propulsion launchers, a space jet, Milky Way tunnel, and a wormhole slide portal. The structure itself might not be that much different from many other indoor play spaces in the area, but the themed attention to detail here is a breath of fresh air for a different kind of imaginary play!

Age: 18 months - 12 years

Cost: $4/child

Hannah Scott said:  

Gleason's Gymnastics School offers weekly Open Gym time for kids to experience the gymnastics equipment at their leisure rather than in a structured class environment. School age (K- 13 years), Preschool (age 0 - Kindergarten), Teenage (age 13+), and homeschool (4 - 13 years) time slots are available. Kids can use the trampoline, bars, tumbling mats, and foam pit, and preschool open gyms also include a fun circle time!

Age: 0+

Cost: from $8/child ($10/family)

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays

Hannah Scott said:  Shoreview Community Center has a Tropical Adventure themed play space available to both members and nonmembers. Kiddos can explore caves, swing, slide down a pretend waterfall, and enjoy a five-level spiral slide. Open play areas encourage jungle imaginary play!

Age: 1-10

Cost: nonmembers $6/day

Hannah Scott said:  Burnsville Mall recently upgraded their play area with a new "Explore Minnesota" theme. Now kids can interact with various characters like a bear, moose, and foxes, pretend to roast marshmallows around a fire, camp out in a tent, and drive in a model of a Honda Odyssey.

Ages: most appropriate for primary school and younger

Cost: free

Hannah Scott said:  Open Gym at Five Star Ninja Warrior gives school-age kids and teens a chance to experience the ninja course without the commitment of regular classes or membership -- and have a blast doing it! You'll find all of the standard ninja equipment and obstacles for climbing, balancing, jumping, swinging, hanging, and more. Be aware that open gym does not include immediate supervision by the ninja warrior coaches, so be prepared to supervise closely!

Age: 6+

Cost: $17/hour

Hannah Scott said:  The Eagle's Nest indoor Playground is full of open-ended creative fun, thanks to a web tower, weave slide, walk-on piano, tight rope, hanging "foam forest," ball pit, and more! A special toddler area features foam play, a tree slide, and mini versions of the big kids' play structures. Note that this playground is a big hit, an only a certain number of kiddos are admitted at a time for safety reasons. On high-traffic days like school holidays, you may want to call ahead!

Age: 12 months - 12 years

Cost: $6

Hannah Scott said:  IGM Gymnastics offers two Open Gym times on Fridays: one for younger kids (ages 1-6) in the morning, and one for older kid (ages 5+) in the evenings. Both time slots include access to the gymnastics equipment, foam pit, and trampoline.

Age: 1+

Cost: from $8/child

Hannah Scott said:  This place is every parent's dream: comfortable seating and a quality caffeine fix for the adults, creative play area with allll the creative play materials you could imagine for the kiddos: a log cabin, train table, instruments, doll house, diggers, building materials, puzzles, books, role play materials, and even a live turtle! All ages are welcome, but the playroom is geared towards preschool and younger.

Age: all

Cost: free

Hannah Scott said:  InnerActive is open 365 days a year, so it's a perfect choice for school breaks, rainy or snowy days, or any other time cabin fever strikes! Activities include an indoor playground, climbing wall, basketball court, turf field, jumping pillow, large building blocks, and even a dedicated toddler space. As an extra bonus, outside food and drink IS allowed -- score!!

Note: Passes must be purchased online in advance.

Age: 1-17

Cost: Day pass from $9.75/child

Hannah Scott said:  What do you get when you bring your child to a room full of rainbow-colored swingsets, basketball hoops, and trampoline? Hours of fun! That's what you'll find at the showroom for Rainbow Play Systems, and the public is welcome to come have a blast on the equipment during designated Pay-to-Play times.

Age:all

Cost: $7/child (2 hours) ;16 months and under are free

Hannah Scott said:  Edinborough Playpark features three separate areas for kids to enjoy: Adventure Peak (a large climbing structure with slides and tunnels), Little Peak (a padded area for toddlers with music elements), and the Great Hall (a gym with bounce house, scooters, and small basketball hoops). Admission grants access to all areas.

Age: 1-12

Cost: $8/child

Hannah Scott said:  Open Gym at Dynamic Gymnastics gives kids (both members and nonmembers) an unstructured time to use the gymnastics equipment and facilities. They can spend that time getting in extra practice, or just have fun with friends!

Age: Preschool and Up

Cost: from $7/child ($12/family)

Hannah Scott said:  Obstacle Academy offers a truly unique birthday experience, giving kids a chance to learn some Ninja Warrior skills and practice on an age-appropriate timed course. The party hosts are ninja warrior coaches, and your party will have exclusive gym access, as well as access to a party room!

Age: 5+

Cost: $249 - $499 for 10 participants

Hannah Scott said:  This family-owned play space is a great bet for the younger crowd. It's a small structure than some of the others on this list, so parents will easily be able to keep a watchful eye on their energetic little ones. Outside food is not permitted (although coffee is welcome -- tired Moms rejoice!) but an extensive snack bar offers a wide variety of meals and snacks to keep your kiddos going.

Age: 1-12

Cost: $7/child (cash only -- ATM in lobby)

Hannah Scott said:  Playworks offers Family Play times to bring the whole family together.... and you won't be pulling teeth to make it happen, thanks to a giant play structure, interactive games (including an interactive dance floor), video games, and a whole lot more. Age-appropriate toys and activities are also available for the smallest members of the family, so everyone can have an amazing time together.

Age: 0-12

Cost: $6.50/day (age 1-2); $9.50/day (age 3-12)

Hannah Scott said:  Brookview Backyard is 3,000 square feet, and 3 stories high! It's great for gross motor play, thanks to its numerous slides, climbing nets, tunnels, and more. A separate play area for kids ages 2-5 keeps the little ones safe and lets the bigger kids have more uninhibited fun.

Age: 2-12

Cost: $5.50/child

Hannah Scott said:  The Ridgedale Center's new play area is 6,000 square feet, and boast seven different "exhibits" for kids to enjoy: play houses and cars, a train table, foam blocks, and more! Infants and toddlers have exclusive access to sensory play and tummy time mats as well.

Age: 0-12

Cost: free

Hannah Scott said:  Located at the Williston Fitness Center, this Treehouse is seriously epic. The entire structure is several levels high, featuring crawling tubes, climbing ropes, slides, hanging rings, bridges, and more. Your kids will exert some serious energy here, guaranteed!

Age: 12 and under

Cost: $6 (free for members)

Hannah Scott said:  The Eden Prairie Community Center boasts a super fun indoor play area, open to members and nonmembers alike. It's several levels high and gives kids plenty of opportunities to slide, jump, crawl, and even climb (thank to the mini rock climbing wall). A special infant and toddler area is also available.

Age: no limit specified

Cost: Nonmembers from $5 (under 18 mo. free)

Hannah Scott said:  Mini-Hops hosts a Mini Gym Open Gym for preschoolers 5 and under, and a Recreational Open Gym for kids ages 6 - seniors in high school. Students can choose to work on gymnastics skills, or simply use the facility for fun. Note: register online in advance for the best price and guaranteed entry, as this is a popular open gym.

Age: preschool - seniors in high school

Cost: from $8

Hannah Scott said:  Playground Plaza is home to a large play structure (the kind you'd find at a park), a giant turf field, and a huge jumping area for kids of all ages to enjoy. The facility is not monitored by staff onsite, and requires a unique code to enter -- emailed to you at the time of online pass purchase. For that reason, be prepared to keep a closer eye on your kids than you would at a staffed facility.

Note: All passes must be purchased online.

Age: 0-17

Cost: $10/child (under 1 is free with paying child)

Hannah Scott said:  The Maple Grove Community Center houses the Maple MAZE Indoor Playground, a large structure that includes a climbing wall, tree house, four slides, crawling tubes, and more. A toddler area (featuring molded animals to crawl, on, in, and around) offers fun for kiddos 3 and under.

Age: 1-12

Cost: from $5/child

Hannah Scott said:  PLAYSpace is all about learning through play, which is why they offer a wide variety of stations for kids to enjoy: sensory, building, dramatic play, art, imaginative play, and more! Your little ones will thrive, and you'll love watching their creativity blossom!

Age: no specification, but geared towards elementary and younger

Cost: $10/first child, $5 each additional child (under 12 months: free)