3 Reasons to Avoid Indoor Playspaces

on January 3, 2012 at 4:45 PM

indoor playspace problems One of the biggest fears of parents of active toddlers is the bad weather weekend or holiday break. If you can't run that kid around outdoors, he's going to start bouncing off the walls -- and fast. Which is why I'm a big fan of the indoor play space. Especially since there are two super cute ones very close to my house.

My kids love them, I can (sometimes) sit down for a minute, enjoy a cup of coffee, and if the gods are smiling down on me -- even plug in my laptop and get some work done. Even though I've had some hugely awesome experiences with the indoor play space, having spent more time than usual at them recently, I'm realizing there's a dark side to these houses of fun.

1. The Cost

When it dawned on me that I was shelling out close to $20 for an hour or two of entertainment, I realized I could have gone to the mall for free. Or for the cost of Pinkberry, perhaps. But when I called up a few play spaces to see how much it would cost for a birthday party and discovered my options started around $600 for a very small amount of kids and went up to $2,000, I realized what a racket this whole indoor play space situation really is. I mean, two grand for a kid party? What are they (organically) smoking?

2. The Germs

It doesn't matter if the wall decals are amazing and you want to emulate the woodland creature theme in your own home, they're still covered with germs. Every virus, cold, flu, polio microbe that exists in your town will find its way to the play space -- and into your child's sinus cavities.

3. It's just not as cool as you think it is

The main differences between a terrifying trip to Chuck E. Cheese's and a brand spanking new indoor play space comes down to design and quality of snacks. Sure these things may be important aesthetically, for your health and environmentally; but at the end of the day, you're in a closed in space breathing recycled air where grubby hands have tainted every surface that exists. Why not spend less at Chuck E. and have a cheap toy prize to show for it?

Do you spend a lot of time, and money, at indoor play spaces?

Image via D'Arcy Norman/Flickr

About the author April Peveteaux

writes about anything that gets stuck in her craw. A mom of two in Los Angeles, she can't believe she practically lives in the country now after attempting to raise kids in Brooklyn.

Filed Under: child care, fun & games, safety, toddler activities, toddler health

Comments (9)

jaydensmom1726

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:00 PM

cuz we dont have a chuck e cheese where i live .hell we only have one indoor place to take my kid and its like 5 bucks for kids over 2.

which is cheaper than going to the one fast food place that has indoor play ground

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Melissa042807

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:06 PM

We have two options - the play space at the mall or the "toddler room" at a nearby ministry center, both free and open to the public. I like the "toddler room" way more because it has an age restriction. I don't have to worry about my toddler getting plowed over by any rowdy kids old enough to know better.

Which is why I hate - HATE - going to the play area at the mall. We only go when we know it's not going to be crowded, because one time we went and it was psycho crowded, and there were these big elementary school age boys playing tag and being completely out of control. I was about fit to break out in hives. I knew someone was going to knock heads and crack a skull, the way those boys were tearing around without regard for any of the smaller kids. I finally told Husband I needed to leave. I couldn't take it any more. I'd rather go sugar my kid up with ice cream than sit there and wait for the inevitable crack and wailing of a collision because some dumb kids old enough to know better were misbehaving.

LucretiaMcEvil

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:13 PM

We don't go to places such as Chuck E. Cheese often enough for cost to matter. I take my 19 month old to the park or the free indoor play area at the mall that has quarter rides for babies as well.

We have a huge backyard with a wooden swingset/playhouse with 2 slides that we share with our duplex neighbor. My parents about a mile away, so there is always somewhere for us to go without spending money.

We don't freak out over germs. I bathe my boy every night and clean his hands before he eats.

Germs are sometimes a good thing. They make you develop a stronger immune system.

alaskamomof6

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:24 PM

Three reasons to take your kids to an indoor playground:

1. The cost of therapy is much higher.

2. Kids can fight off germs more easily than they can go out to play when it's below zero outside.

3. The cost of straight jackets is also higher.

I have three boys who are 4, 4, and 2 and I live in Alaska. Sometimes we're all going crazy, and if we went to the mall I'd end up spending more money and pulling out all of my hair. The playplace we go to is clean, fun, and they can wiggle to their hearts content while I detox my cabin fever with a nice latte. Sure, Chuck E. Cheese's might not be a great idea, but if you have a local indoor playground, why stress over germs if you need to get out of the house?

BriLee

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:27 PM

I live in Seattle. I've got a 4 year old and a 2 year old, plus I'm pregnant. Sooo, in winter it's either go to indoor playgrounds...which are mostly free or sit around at home. I choose to get my boys out of the house. If it was just snow or cold we'd go outdoors but you can only splash in mud puddles for so many days of the week. We enjoy our free entertainment and lucky for us we have only gotten the sniffles once this season and before that once the season before. I only wish we had more indoor playgrounds for our boys to run off energy with their friends.

Nonmember comment from Julie

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:32 PM

I love going to family entertainment centers. Everything is expensive. Plus 2000 for a birthday party... wow how many kids did you invite to get to that amount. A place near us does not even come close to that. We booked a private party room, played some indoor mini golf, food, for under 400.00 Germs, they are everywhere. The place we go to is very clean. The ones in restaurants like McD, well they are not that clean and this is the lack of the cleaning by the restaurant owner. Overall, I like to take my kids there, they love it and have a great time. I don't like the Chuck E Cheeses, they are just token after token. No fun at all. We go to a great one in Langley and they have an indoor playground, laser tag, 3D golf, toddler area, great food, small bowling lanes and a climbing wall. We try different things every time we go.

vamom08

on Jan 3, 2012 at 5:33 PM

I have a backyard but if I wanted to take my daughter somewhere it would have to be the new mcdonalds they built in our area they have a nice play area kids are going to be around germs unless you go put your kids in a bubble they wont be expose to junping.

ashja

on Jan 3, 2012 at 8:37 PM

all these auto-immune diseases have only been around since people started killing off useful bacteria like psycho-freaks! An immune system with no work to do will attack its boss...just like in my old office...

Curious11

on Jan 5, 2012 at 5:04 AM

I think they're fine and will take my son to them when he's older. Life is balance. So what if they're occasionally dirty, expensive and indoors... our other days of free natural whatever will balance it out, I'm sure.