post-21475 thumbnail

Posted by Lysa Miller, guest blogger of Ladybugz Interactive Agency

With February school vacation around the corner, lots of families are getting ready to hit the road and plenty of others are planning to enjoy a little down time. And if you’re looking to get the kids out and about without making them brave too much of the cool weather, there are plenty of places to do it!

Massachusetts has all sorts of indoor activity spots, many of which parents might not know about, ranging from sprawling trampoline parks to rock climbing gyms. Whether you’re here for a visit and want to get the kids moving or if you’re just looking for something fun to do nearby, you have a variety of choices.

Here are five great places for kids to have indoor fun during the next week or two when you and the kids are on break.

One Stop Fun – Westford, MA.
Appropriate for ages toddler – 12
One-Stop-Fun is an oversized indoor playground with a two-story climbing jungle gym of mazes, ball pits, tube slides and climbing features.

Carnival Days,” scheduled for February 18 and 19 during vacation week, will offer a bevy of activities, including: a rock wall, an open gym, freeze dancing, races, contests, Peter Pan rides and make-your-own Sundaes.

At One Stop Fun, all activities and games are monitored by gym staff, so the kids will be safe and there won’t be any worries about getting a fair turn. With all there is to do, it will also take your kids a while to do everything at this place, if it ever happens!

No outside food is allowed at One Stop Fun but there is a small café that offers pizza and other snacks. Socks are required.

Admission, online registration and details at: http://www.onestopfun.com.

One Stop Fun

Photo: Getting a move on at One Stop Fun

Extreme Field Day for Kids – February 18 in Worcester, MA!
Appropriate for ages 4 – 13
Get ready for some extreme training for kids! Extreme Field Day for Kids is a challenging (but fun!) indoor obstacle course for kids taking place at the DCU Center, with lifting, climbing, running and jumping aplenty.

There will be no bouncy houses or indoor playgrounds here. Your children will be sprinting, climbing over and under walls, navigating cargo nets, scaling ramps and performing all sort of exercises, which are carefully coordinated to be age appropriate.

Kids are broken down into age groups of 4-5 years old, 6-8 years old, 9-10 years old and 11-13 years old and then compete with kids in those age groups. When kids cross the finish line, they will have achieved “A Moment of Glory for a Lifetime of Fitness,” all in less than 24 hours. To obtain more information and details about the obstacle race day details, you must sign up online with your email. Cost is $39.

More details at: http://extremefielddayforkids.com/

Central Rock Climbing Gym – Watertown, Worcester and Hadley, MA
Appropriate for ages 6 – adult
Rock climbing

Photo: Climbing at Central Rock Climbing Gym

Central Rock is a healthy outing for the entire family. These large rock-climbing walls vary from easy to expert levels and your kids will learn to master them quickly.

Putting on the equipment is quite easy and an adult always has to “belay” the children (that is, manage the rope in case kids fall) as they ascend. So, if you’re visiting the walls with a number of children, make sure you have enough adults to belay the children for climbing.

Central Rock does not offer a café, so I highly advise you to bring a snack to keep you going, because this activity will burn a lot of energy. To keep your kids busy during February vacation, Central Rock in Worcester also features a “Vacation Climbing Camp.”

More details and pricing at: http://www.centralrockgym.com

BB Kidz Klub – Westford, MA
Appropriate for ages toddler – 8
BB Kidz Klub is similar to One Stop Fun, with plenty of activities for toddlers, preschoolers and younger grade kids, along with inflatable slides, bouncy house and an obstacle course.

For little ones in particular, there’s an indoor track with small cars, which kids can push and ride. For older kids, there’s air hockey, a three-story high soft climbing castle and street basketball machines.
BB Kidz Klub has room for cerebral exercise, too, with the Lego station and big Connect Four games.
Outside of games, there is ample seating space for moms, dads and teenagers to enjoy their complimentary coffee and WIFI for iPhones or iPads as well.

More details and pricing at: http://www.bbkidzklub.com

Jamtime – Natick and Maynard, MA
Appropriate for ages toddler – 8

Jamtime

Photo: Before the plunge at Jamtime

Like the BB Kidz Klub, Jamtime is an indoor play place geared towards toddlers, preschoolers and the younger elementary grades. Playground structures are designed for small bodies and offer great climbing and exercise. Jamtime also has a bouncy house at both locations in Natick and Maynard.

Jamtime is a great way for kids to meet other kids their age and engage in free play, like playing with dishes and food in the dollhouse, playing dress up fireman with the miniature fire trucks and cars or just simply finding their own way to have fun among all the toys and play structures. During vacation week, there will be various activities at each location, such as animal adventures shows, storytellers, arts and crafts, magicians and more.

Jamtime offers a variety of healthy snacks for sale but also allows outside food. For mom and dad, there is WIFI, too, meaning that a little work can get done while the children play. Cost is $10 per child and socks are required.

More details at: www.jamtime.com

Lysa Miller is a Massachusetts-based writer whose work covers notable local businesses around the state. Follow her on Twitter @ladybugzinc.
Photo at the top of One Stop Fun via Facebook.

TOPICS: ,