Let's Play - Huntsville
A new indoor playground opened in Huntsville recently called Let's Play. My best friend, Emily, and I decided to try it out on a whim a few weeks ago. It isn't exactly right down the street from us. It is actually about 15-20 minutes drive from where we live. That doesn't seem too far, but it does usually require a little more planning when you have cranky one year olds! Anyhow, we happened to be near it one day visiting a consignment shop, and we decided to just try it and see if it was really fun for our aged kids.
First off, this is WAY more than an indoor playground. Almost every surface is soft...the floors, most of the toys, some of the walls, etc. This is great when you have a newly walking 15 month old trying to run everywhere and conquer every activity. It is a huge facility too; not just a small area for all kids to play inside.
A big positive (although not closely monitored by parents or employees) are the sectioned off areas for different children. There is one area for kids under 3 feet, another area for kids under 4 feet, then everything else. A variety of problems arise from this method of sectioning. One, a kid under 3 feet can be a range of ages from as young as 1 to even 3 or 4. A 1 year old and 4 year old playing in the same area isn't always the best mix. Second, not everyone follows this "rule". We saw numerous kids in the under 3 feet area that were well over 3 feet. I am talking 6 or 7 years old. Ordinarily this wouldn't bother me, but the few I noticed were not playing nice at all. For instance, one kid was using foam blocks and building them as high as he could. Then he would stand on a foam chair next to said blocks and knock them over as hard as he could. Thankfully my child was not in the path of the falling blocks. I understand if a 7 year old wants to play with his 2 year old sibling in the 3 feet and under section, but then the 7 year old needs to be mindful of the age of the kids he is playing with.
So the 3 feet and under section contained a lot of fun things for Melody to do. There was a large piano that was made of foam that played music as you walked over each key. You could find lots of foam blocks all over the place too. A small tunnel, playground contraption was along the wall. It is something like you would see at a Chick-fil-a. It contained different climbing levels made of cushion, a tunnel or two, and two slides that ended in a small ball pit. The areas were large enough that a parent could walk with their child if they wanted. There were also a few stand alone slides, a carousel contraption, and another spinning toy thing (ha!). Parents could find plenty of foam benches throughout this area as well [I spent much of my time chasing Melody though].
We didn't spend much time in the 4 feet and under section, but it contained similar things, but on a larger scale. There was an open area containing tables and chairs and lots of space to run. A dance floor was in the middle of this open area that would light up with each step you took. Then there was a larger area for older kids (up to 12 years of age). We didn't explore this area, but there were blow-up contraptions, lots of slides, ball bits, and an obstacle course.
One of the selling points for me was the price. For Melody, it was only $6+tax. It is more for kids 3+, and it is more expensive on the weekends. I found this to be a VERY reasonable price. Not everyone may agree, and I am not sure I would agree if I had much older children. But to have a place my child can pretty much roam freely and has little chance of getting hurt, this price was worth it. Oh, and one of the best parts, you can come and go as you want all day! I took advantage of this on our visit. Emily and I went for about an hour and a half then left for lunch. Brad and I returned when he got off work that evening so he could watch her play. It would be really ideal if you wanted to leave for lunch then return.
Some other things to note. Socks are required for EVERYONE, and no shoes are allowed in the play areas. They have cubby holes you can place your shoes in before entering the play area. A waiver must be signed before playing. I recommend doing this before you go. Even if you don't know for certain you are going, you can still sign it and go later. They just look you up by your phone number. Technically you are not allowed to bring outside food and drink. I am not certain how strict this rule is because I saw plenty of people with outside drinks at least. They do have drinks, snacks, and some toys available for purchase. They do offer multiple rooms for birthday parties which look to be reasonably priced. And while I didn't visit the restrooms on either of my visits, the common complaint I have read is that there are not enough changing tables. Apparently there are only two, and they are in separate restrooms (one in women's and one in men's). Most people complained that the men didn't need one, but I disagree with that assessment. My husband has changed more diapers in public than I have I am sure!
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for somewhere fun to take their toddler or children. I can only speak from the toddler experience, but we loved it. We will definitely be back soon!
