Working on their ‘A’ game at Takoma Park’s Chuck E. Cheese.
Schools are closed tomorrow for Presidents’ Day. Use this list of fun, indoor things to do and places to play with the kids around the Route 1 area as your guide for the day! Activities in Hyattsville, Mount Rainier, College Park, Laurel, Takoma Park and more! Know of other great ideas? Enter in the comments and we’ll add then to the list.
Kids Indoor Fun Near Route 1
PINBALL! (Ages 5+)
Over 29 pinball machines to choose from! Young’n plays pinball while you enjoy some fresh coffee or tea from their Witches Brew Cafe. Or you play pinball, too! See what fun we had at MOM’s Organic Market here!
When: 9am-9pm
Where: MOM’s College Park
Cost: Up to you! (Bring dollars/quarters (they have a change machine). Most games are 50 cents to play.)
Hyper Kidz Playground
Super-duper fun indoor playground in Columbia, Maryland that’s perfect for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and older kids to climb, slide, carousel, bounce, jump and run all around!
When: Check website
Where: Columbia, MD
Cost: See website
Board & Brew is a fun place to check out with your 5+year-old crowd. Check out our review of the Board & Brew here. With over 500 board games including Operation, Perfection, Hungry Hippos, etc., you’ll easily have a good time! Speaking of eating up, they also have a good menu of kid-friendly options. And for fellow coffee afficionados, they rotate between Vigilante, Mad Cap and Counter Culture coffee – so you’ll be sure to get a tasty, quality brew while you’re there!
When: Opens at 7 am (always check)
Where: 8150 Baltimore Ave, College Park
Cost: (Before 4pm) $2.50 p/ adult for games (so you pay $2.50, your child is free) + the cost of whatever you may order from menu.
Even when there’s not a specific program to check out, this place is still a good morning/afternoon’s spent exploring the exhibits, taking your pick of any of the activities on the “Family Adventure Cart” including an Adventure Backpack, Scavenger Hunt, Bug Kits, Field Guides, etc. My review of Patuxent Research Refuge here!
When: 9am-4:30pm
Where: 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop, Laurel
Cost: Free!
The Center is full of hands-on exhibits and live animal displays – perfectly sized for pint-sized preschoolers and older kids.
When: 11am-4pm
Where: Watkins Nature Center, Upper Marlboro
Cost: Free!
Mt. Rainier Nature Center
Check out some hands-on exhibits, live animals, educational displays, a play area and more at this fun, free, petite, local site. For a sneak peek, read about our time here! (Tip: Build in some time to check out The Waterhole in Mt. Rainier. Great, local organic juice spot. Kid-friendly, too!)
When: 9am-5pm}
Where: Mt. Rainier Nature & Recreation Center, 4701 31st Place, Mt. Rainier
Cost: Free!
Indoor Playground / Smaland at College Park’s Ikea
You get to chillax or shop while your young’ns play at Ikea’s indoor playground AKA Smaland. Ball pit, tunnels, toys, etc. Children must be potty trained and be 37” to 54” tall (so children typically b/w ages of 3-6). Tip: (1) Best to arrive earlier on in the day as day progresses, so do the entrances lines.
When: 10:30am – 7pm
Where: 10100 Baltimore Avenue, College Park
Admission: Free!
National Portrait Gallery
Check out the kids Explore! Room at the Portrait Gallery. Afterwards, kids can get their wiggles out running around the atrium. More tips on visiting this museum with kids here.
When: 11:30am-7pm
Where: National Portrait Gallery, DC
Cost: Free!
Chuck E. Cheese
We know – but Chuck E. Cheese and its range of games is pretty much a home run with kids and this location is on the cleaner side of things so….
When: 11am-9pm
Where: 1127 University Blvd East, Takoma Park
Cost: $15+
Rollingcrest Chillum Splash Pool
Our kids love this awesome indoor waterpark, right here in PG! Specialized water play area for pre-schoolers with slides and spray features, family pool with water slides and spray features, a vending area and shower /changing facilities with lockers (lockers are available but require you to bring your own lock). While parts of the facility are dated but the kids always have a blast.
When: 4-5:45pm
Where: Rollingcrest Chillum Splash Pool, 6122 Sargent Road, Chillum
Cost: 2 & under are free! Ages 3-17: $5. Adults:$6
Let’s Go Bowling!
Check out the new-ish bowling alley (in old AMF bowling location). They’ve also got an arcade section. And the food was better than expected! 🙂
When: Check website Where: Bowlero, 9021 Baltimore Ave, College Park
Cost: Before 8pm, games are $4/person; shoes are $6/person
Another idea is to explore a new-to-you library! Check out our visits to these great, newly reopened PGCMLS libraries and let your imagination dream up what’s to come!
- Explore The Laurel Library’s Children’s Room (Dinosaurs, Books, Toys & more)!
- New Carrollton Branch Library Reopens After Bright Renovation
And while we don’t – yet – have specific posts on these, our favorite outdoor spots to play (especially scooter around) are Bladensburg Waterfront Park, Lake Artemesia and the grounds of the Riversdale Mansion.
Enjoy!
Hurrah! At last I got a blog from where I know how
to actually obtain useful facts concerning my study and knowledge.
Thank you for the positive feedback! Hope you find the list useful today!
Great post!