Mom’s Guide to Indoor Play Places in the Iowa City Area!

Are you looking for a place to take your child to burn off some energy? Maybe somewhere they can run around and play and give your furniture and house a break? The Iowa City area offers some terrific indoor play areas, and this guide can help you choose which one is best for you. Make sure to print this off or pin it for later…maybe you’ll find an old stand-by or decide to try something new!

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Playground @ the Coral Ridge Mall

Age Range: Crawling and up (including early school-age)              
Cost: Free
Days/Times: M-Sat 7:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.  Sun 7:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

The mall playground is a great option if you’re looking for some free fun. Bonus: you can get some shopping done or grab a bite to eat at the food court when the kids are done playing.  There is ample seating so you can sit and watch or chat with a friend while your kids play. A couple downsides are that there is no door to the entrance, so if you have a runner you have to stand at the entrance to make sure they don’t escape. It also can get very busy during prime time hours, so it can be a little tough to keep an eye on little ones. This is especially true on the weekends or after school when bigger kids are often brought to play. If you have a baby or toddler I would definitely recommend heading here during the early morning hours or after lunch if you can push back nap a bit.

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Kids Campsite Play Area @ the North Liberty Community Center

Age Range: Crawling-5 yrs (under 48″ in height)           
Cost: Free
Days/Times: M-F: 9 a.m.-8 p.m.  Sat/Sun 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Having a toddler, the Kids Campsite Play Area is one of my favorites. Think: mall playground on a smaller scale, with a door that CLOSES so kids can’t escape! I love that my kids can play unassisted, which means I can actually talk to other moms while we’re there! This is also a terrific option if you work outside the home during the week, since it’s also open in the evenings and on the weekends. I occasionally take my older daughter with us on the weekends, but I’d say this play place is ideal for babies who are crawling up through age 4.

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Tot Time @ Scanlon Gymnasium (at Mercer Park, Iowa City)

Age Range: 1- 6 yrs            
Cost: $1/child; $10/13 punches
Days/Times: M-F 9:30-11:30 a.m. 

I really like the tot time at Scanlon because there are a TON of options for kids to play with.  There are balls, climbing toys, lots of ride-on toys, and play houses.  Bounce houses are up on Fridays, and occasionally other days, too. This is a great place for your kids to burn off energy and is good for a wide range of ages.  Do be aware that if you decide to go over Spring Break or on school holidays it will be extra busy, and there will be a lot of school-aged kids there, especially on bounce house days.  It’s not a deterrent to going, but you definitely want to give some extra supervision on those days!

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Tot Lot @ the Coralville Rec Center

Age Range: 1-4 yrs           
Cost: $1.00/child | 10 & 20 punch cards available
Days/Times: T/TH 8:30-11:30 a.m. (Open Nov-March only)

I really like the tot lot at the Coralville Rec Center because it’s smaller than Scanlon and it’s a little easier to keep an eye on your littles. There are still a lot of toys to play with, and kids can go on the other side of the gym to play with balls. In my opinion, it’s ideal for kids age 1-3. 

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Lunch Bunch @ Iowa GymNest

Age Range: 1 and up (including school-age)    
Cost: $5/child (members) | $6/child (non-members) | 10 punches/$45 | Ages 2 and under are free
Days/Times: M/Th/F 11:30-12:30 (Coralville) | T/W 11:30-12:30 (Iowa City)

Lunch Bunch is a great place to take your kids to burn off some energy before nap time! Children are able to play with various equipment throughout the gym in a supervised, but unstructured environment. Pack your lunch and eat at one of the tables when you’re through. This is a perfect place for a play date or just to take your kids on your own.

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Open Gym @ Synergy Gymnastics (North Liberty)

Age Range: 1 and up (including school-age)           
Cost: $5/child
Days/Times: M/T/W 11:00-Noon

The open gym at Synergy Gymnastics is really fun for kids of all ages.  There are individual areas for smaller children who are crawling/just walking, small gymnastics equipment for toddlers, and larger equipment for bigger kids. There’s a trampoline, foam pit, and a bounce house as well. It’s a great place to take your younger kids, as well as a fun place for school-age kids during breaks. Because of this, be aware that it gets very busy when schools are on break!

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Iowa Children’s Museum (Coral Ridge Mall)

Age Range: 1 and up (including school-age) 
Cost: $8/each (1 and up). Memberships available.
Days/Times: T/W/Th/Sat: 10:00-6:00, F: 10:00-8:00, Sun: 11:00-6:00

Our family loves the ICM because there are so many different activities to choose from! It’s hard to choose a favorite! There is something for kids of all ages, including adults.  If you plan to go frequently or have a large family, I definitely recommend purchasing a membership…it’s definitely worth it.  Also, if you go on the last Friday of the month you can receive free admission to the museum during STEM Family Free nights from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

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Get out there and enjoy some indoor fun!


 

Kaitlyn Swaim
Kaitlyn is the owner of Cedar Rapids Moms Blog and is an Iowa girl who has been married to her husband, Joshua, since 2007! She’s a busy work-at-home mama to their 5 children: 3 girls and 2 boys! A true Hawkeye, she graduated from the University of Iowa with her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, something that comes in handy on a daily basis while trying to raise 5 kids! Her favorite things to do include spending time with her family, cheering on the Hawkeyes, reading a good book, shopping (of course!), and checking out all the activities the Corridor has to offer!

3 COMMENTS

  1. These look like great ways to keep the kids entertained! What I like about them is that they’re all a little different, so you can definitely spice it up and try somewhere new. Thanks for sharing!

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