As the weather turns colder and winter sets in, I know we as parents are trying to come up with ideas to keep our little ones entertained. Sometimes bundling them up and putting them outside for some play time just isn't the answer because of the icy rain or snow. Or you just need a break from the cold in general, but the kids still need to burn off energy and you're tired of being at home.
Whatever the reason, I've compiled a list of a couple of indoor areas for your little ones to play. Some of these places are free or have a small entrance fee.
Play Tyme Gym
Location: 2082 E Grande Ave, Lindenhurst, IL 60046
This family-run, indoor play gym is located in Lindenhurst, right off Grand Ave. It's kind of small, but still offers a place to play outside of the house- or maybe to meet up with friends for playdates. There are two levels. The main level has more of the athletic play areas including a green turf, a kid-friendly basketball court, and climbing structures. Towards the back are stairs to go to the basement. On that floor, you will find more hands-on, fine-motor play. They have various sensory play tables, a couple of playhouses, and a reading nook.
I suggest checking hours via the Facebook page. The owner currently doesn't have set open play hours due to COVID.
*Change diapers prior to going in. The bathrooms are single toilets and tiny, with no changing tables.
Gurnee Mills Mall
Location: 6170 W Grande Ave, Gurnee, IL 60031
This cute, soft play area is located at Gurnee Mills Mall off Grand Ave and very close to I-94. The closest entrance would be through Buy-Buy Baby/Bed Bath & Beyond.
My kids love climbing this mock, mini- Chicago. The play structures include Navy Pier, Willis (Sears) Tower, and the iconic Chicago hot dog.
They also have boards on the walls for babies to play with and charging stations in case you need to recharge while the kids burn their energy.
Hawthorn Mall
Location: 401 Hawthorn Ctr, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
This nature-themed, soft play area is located at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills. The closest entrance is JC Penny.
Surrounding this play area are numerous kid-friendly shops, a kid salon, and snack bars. The restrooms and family rest area are also adjacent to this play area and are kept in very nice condition.
Yu Kids Island II
Location: 401 Hawthorn Ctr, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
This adorable indoor playground is also located at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills. Admission varies depending on the time of day, and whether you go during the week or on the weekend. It averages about $10 per kid. Non-walking infants and adults are free. The height limit is 48 inches. Socks are required.
My toddler absolutely loved exploring and playing here. Some of the structures are constantly turning, which made for a fun challenge for him, as he loves scaling everything he can. Some other favorite features for him were the slides, a small climbing/bounce house, and the balloon floating pit.
***(12/12/2022 UPDATE)***
Yu Kids Island II in Hawthorn Mall has been under construction for a few months now. That whole section where it was located is actually under renovation. I spoke with the owner briefly and they are unsure when they will be reopened. Hopefully soon! If not, it's a bit of a trek, but they do have another location at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.
XFactor
Location: 4 Oak Creek Plaza, Mundelein, IL 60060
This trampoline park is located in Mundelein. I'm not going to lie, when we first pulled up I thought the GPS was broken. It's located in an old, mostly empty strip mall (except for this place). The strip mall and parking lot in general need a lot of TLC. However, once we entered, we were very pleasantly surprised.
This place was big. Lots of trampolines and bounce houses to jump and play on! There are also foam pits to jump into, which were my 5-year-old's favorite. If you need a break from the jumping, they also have a couple of arcade games and a snack bar available. Grip socks are required.
Sky Zone
Location: 701 N Milwaukee Ave, Ste 244, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Down the street from XFactor, over in Vernon Hills, is Sky Zone. It's another trampoline park with just a couple of different additional features. They don't have bounce houses for littles, but they do have a zip line and a pretty cool slide that catapults you onto a giant pillow.
I would say XFactor was a little more little kid friendly. And Sky Zone was more geared toward older kids and teens. Both fun! Just some slight differences.
SkyZone, like XFactor, made us buy their own in-house grip socks. Neither location likes it if you bring your own or another competitor's grip socks. Just something to keep in mind.
Lake Villa District Library
Location: 140 N Munn Road, Lindenhurst, IL 60046
We love our local library! Aside from the thousands of books and various materials they have available to borrow, they also have frequent storytimes, activities, and seminars for the whole family.
To have some quiet playtime out of the house, they have an adorable play area for the kids. The area includes play tables, puzzles, activity boards, a play kitchen, and a playhouse-reading nook.
Best of all, this library is huge! The entire lower level is devoted to kids! So even if they talk or make some noise, you don't feel super guilty as you might in other libraries because the floor separation allows for that liberty.
Wauconda Area Public Library
Location: 801 N Main Street, Wauconda, IL 60084
This is another awesome public library with an entire floor dedicated to children. The children's floor is also located on the bottom and can be accessed via elevator. It's a little smaller than Lake Villa's library but equally as awesome! Lake Villa's library has a nature theme, and Wauconda's is outer space! My boys absolutely loved the spaceship play structure and slide.
They also had a giant Lite Bright wall, a play kitchen and laundry area, a video game area, a large, interactive educational screen, and various adorable reading nooks! This is definitely a place we have added to our must-frequent list.
The Treehouse Play Cafe
Location: 985 S Rand Rd, Lake Zurich, IL 60047
My oldest had a day off a few weeks ago. For some one-on-one time, we decided to check out this place.
It was recently reopened under new owners within the last year. I'm not sure how it looked before, but it's a very adorable indoor playground. And as the name suggests, it looks like a giant treehouse. In addition to the main play structure, there is also a separate, smaller area for babies and toddlers.
The atmosphere is very trendy, with various opportunities for cute photo ops.
Admission was a little pricey, however, they're considering offering memberships soon. So that could be a financial benefit to families down the road.
The food, snacks, and drinks were very affordable and obviously catered to kids and families. Selections included cupcakes, cookies, goldfish, juices, milk, sodas, chicken tender baskets, etc.
A note I should share is to prepare for crowds and noise. There is ample seating for parents and families. However, it took over 30 minutes to wait in line to pay and get in. We arrived right when they opened and the line was out the door. It wasn't even a weekend. It was a Friday. From what a friend told me, this place is ALWAYS packed.
If I didn't have a headache that day, all the noise may not have bothered me so much. But it even got to my 6-year-old. After just one hour he wanted to leave. He does have autism, but if he's having fun, he can usually distract himself enough to keep playing. But it was even too much for him.
Overall, very cute play place. Hoping to take all 3 of my boys one day so the youngest two can also check it out. Just need to figure out if they have slower times.
***NEW TODDLER PLAY AREAS WE WILL BE REVIEWING SOON:
Play Cloud Indoor Playground- 653 Railroad Ave, Round Lake, IL 60073
Children's Neighborhood Museum- 814 Hart Rd, Round Lake, IL 60073
*Please note that this list is not all-inclusive. There are still some places in Lake County I intend to visit and review soon. I will add them to the list after our visits. I just wanted to provide something for now before the holiday breaks arrive.
Stay warm and enjoy!
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