It probably is. We just started to focus on some rainy day destinations and want to improve what we have on our site. We already have an Indoor Playgrounds section but would like to beef it up.
Update- Mcdonalds is doing away with playlands in 2023- so unfortunately that won’t be a part of the indoor places to play. Feel free to comment of any playland that you know of!
Here is a list of some of our favorites and a map to go with it. We started including some local McDonalds Playlands. There’s plenty of McDonalds that show up on your GPS but not all of them have playlands. We would appreciate your comments on Indoor Places you like to go. We want to make this a list built by NJ parents! Comment below, let us know where you like to go. Would you like to guest post a new place? We encourage reviews from parents, and will post them.
For nostalgia- here are the prices from long ago – The only ones that are still in existence are
Imagine That, Trailside, Jersey Gardens. So sad to see good places leave us. Make sure you support your local playplace 🙂
| Title | Description | Website |
| McD Playland- Hackensack | Rainy Day at Van Saun, this Playland is about 3mi away | Â |
| NJ Childrens Museum | $10/person (kid or adult) but your kids will be entertained at this indoor play area, close to Van Saun Park | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=1767 |
| Imagine That | $9.95/child, $7.95/adult Lots of rooms, big space! | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=629 |
| Kidnetic | $10/first child; $8/siblings; adults babies free | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=637 |
| McD Playland- Fairfield | Rainy Day at Community Playground in Montvile, Playland is about 6mi. Away | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=158 |
| Giggles Playstation- Rockaway | $10.45/admission wkds | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=646 |
| Kid Junction- Branchburg | 8.95/child over 2yr; $6.95/child under 2yr;Â Adults, infants/non crawlers- free. Multiples get 10% off | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=628 |
| Kidz Village- Kenilworth | $9.99/child over 2; $4.99/child under 2; Infants/adults: free | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=630 |
| McD Playland- Watchung | Rainy day at Watchung, this Playland is about 4 miles away | Â |
| Trailside Nature Center | Free, Wonderful! | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=670 |
| Jersey Gardens (Outlets) | free indoor playspace and Jeepers | https://www.njplaygrounds.com/?p=614 |
| McD Playland- West Orange | Â | Â |
| McD Playland- Pompton Plains | 500 Plains Dr. Pompton Plains (according to McD website) | Â |
thanks to Meg and Betty on Facebook for the following places added to the map:
Funtime Junction Inc
Funplex- East Hanover
McDonald’s-Hasbrouck Heights
Staten Island Childrens Museum
Please Touch Museum
Various Chuck E. Cheeses
and Community Childrens Museum which we’ll be posting this coming week
make sure you click on “Categorized markers” on the map to see the listings in “list form”
Kid’s Kingdom in Northvale – great playspace in NNJ
http://www.njkidskingdom.com/
cool, via facebook I got some great feedback, now map includes:
kids kingdom (tks simkatz)
Monmouth Museum at Brookdale College
JungleRRRific (3 R’s)
Liberty Science Center, Northlandz, double decker carousel at Freehold Raceway Mall, Woodbridge center mall with carousel and train ride, Crayola Factory & National Canal Museum in Easton, Adventure Aquarium in Camden, CMOM (Children’s Museum of Manhattan), American Museum of Natural History in NYC, Franklin Institute in Philly, Lost River Caverns in Hellertown, Pa,(but maybe that’s getting a bit too far from Jersey)
One more I’d include, though it’s a bit expensive, is Northlandz in Flemington. It’s a mile walk indoors past incredible numbers of model trains with bridges and towns, and there is only one way to go and very nice staff, so even if your child were to take off running he couldn’t get lost, he’d just end up in the lobby. A great way for a train lover to burn off some steam in bad weather.
How about IKEA in Elizabeth? We went yesterday and they have a nice indoor play area (free and monitored) that kids of the right height can use while their parents shop (must wear socks). But my two-year-old, who was too small, still had a terrific time just following the arrows on the floor through the maze of the store.
Plus you can watch all the planes taking off and landing at Newark Airport from the cafe windows.
And it’s all free (assuming you can resist buying something there!).
excellent! I actually love Ikea, I’ll take pics next time I go.
East Brunswick now has Jumping Jungle. It’s just inflatables (and some arcade games), but my 3 kids age 5 through 10, boys and girls, all worked up a big sweat. I liked how the staff (who seemed to be college age kids, or older high school) all seemed to actually enjoy being around children and were in a good mood. They actively limit the number of people entering the inflatables to keep things safe. The management also limits the number of people who even enter the building – on a busy day, we have been turned away because we didn’t have a reservation, and reservations are free even if you don’t end up showing up, so do call to make a reservation if it’s a winter or rainy weekend or holiday.
Prices are $7 to $9 per kid, depending on how long the “session” is. Another thing I like is that parents are free.
The only real downside, in addition to being turned away when they’re booked, is the parent hangout area, which is at least in the middle of the place for easy viewing, is tiny, packed, and sorely lacks sufficient seating. Wear good shoes for standing the whole time, or prepare to sit on the floor.
Just heard about Camp Iliff in Newton, huge indoor play area.
How about iPlay America in Freehold?
http://www.iplayamerica.com/