During the rainy and chilly months of the year, there’s no shortage of ways to get outside, but sometimes staying in is the best option. For families with young children, indoor playgrounds are a welcome winter destination. These spaces are fully staffed havens where babies, toddlers and elementary-age kids can jump, wiggle and play their way through a wintry day.
An indoor playground can be as simple as a collection of toys and areas for imaginative play, or they can house colorful indoor “soft play” climbing structures with padded surfaces, ball pits and equipment. Some indoor playgrounds even have obstacle courses that appear designed to train the next generation of Olympians. In many locations, parents can enjoy a drink or a snack from an on-site cafe. Here’s your guide to some of Oregon’s top indoor playgrounds.
Castles and Folklore-Themed Play In and Near Portland
In the Portland region, you’ll find a huge variety of distinctive play spaces tailored to various age groups. Among Oregon’s first indoor playgrounds since it opened in 2011, PlayDate PDX, in Portland, enchants with a three-story, castle-themed play structure and a toddler area. Children can weave through tunnels, climb nets and slide their way through.
Beaverton’s Monkey King Play Palace — which also has a second location in Portland — has a distinctive design. Named for the legendary Monkey King from Chinese folklore, it features an expansive play structure, slides, ball pits and climbing areas, with a giant painted monkey face and a pavilion modeled after historical East Asian architecture.
In Hillsboro Ocean Plays is an ocean-themed indoor playground where little mermaids can burn off energy exploring a large play structure with slides, tunnels and climbing walls. Everything here is printed with images of colorful coral and anemone, as well as sea creatures from some beloved under-the-sea movies.
Best suited to younger toddlers and babies, Milwaukie’s The Wiggle Room was designed by a pediatric occupational therapist. This cozy play space has a soft climbing structure that’s much smaller than those for older children — it’s geared to ages 2 to 6 — and a separate sensory toy area for those under 2.
The Montessori- and Waldorf-inspired toys at LEKA Playland (leka means “play” in Swedish) are designed to foster creativity and cultivate motor skills through open-ended play for kids up to 5 years old. There are Scandinavian-inspired play structures and a water table at the Tigard location, and a giant communal sandbox at its 4,000-square-feet DiG PDX facility in Beaverton. Open to little ones from babies to 12-year-olds, the sand and toys are sterilized regularly.
Head Under the Sea or Out in Space in the Willamette Valley
True to its name, Eugene’s outer-space-themed indoor playground is out of this world. At PlaySpace Cafe, kids can explore the Space Station-themed play structure with lunar and astronaut cutouts. There’s also a soft play area for toddlers with a big foam rocket ship for climbing.
If you really need to help your kids burn off some steam, head to Athletic Edge Adventure Park in Salem. A three-story play structure, a Toddler Village, arcade games, a zip line, mini-golf and a cafe mean there’s plenty to do at this 30,000-square-foot facility.
How to Play Elsewhere in Oregon
At Wippersnappers Kids Play Place, located in Sandy, adventurous kids love their 3-level play structure, two bounce houses, a rock climbing wall and slides. Toddlers have a separate zone shielded from the shenanigans of the bigger kiddos.
In Bend Cascade Indoor Sports is home to The Bigger Play Thing, more than 7,000 square feet of climbing structure with numerous slides, rope climbs and a Tarzan swing. The facility is also home to Trampoline Zone, an interactive activity center with an acrobatic obstacle course. Parents of younger kids will love Little Bug Play Hub, an inviting, Montessori-inspired indoor play space in Redmond designed for children ages 0 to 6. There’s an emphasis on imaginative and open-ended play, with climbing structures and role-play areas perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.
Most indoor playgrounds require parents to remain in the playground area with their kids, but in Grants Pass, there’s a fully staffed option so kids can play while parents enjoy a fitness complex with a spa. Located inside Club Northwest, the sprawling KidZone is 60,000 cubic feet of climbing structures, ball pits and trampolines for kids up to 12.
Visitors to the Oregon Coast can warm up a foggy day with a stop at Coos Playtopia in North Bend, not far from Coos Bay. It’s designed for kids up to 9, with a focus on pretend play. There’s a whole block of mini storefronts — a cafe, a vet office and more — designed to spark creativity and curiosity. There’s also a dedicated toddler zone with wall-mounted sensory toys and a train table.
