Calgary’s Top Indoor Play Gyms
Greater Calgary is tops for year-round family fun. During winter, when it’s a bit too cold to play outside, families have a host of indoor kid-friendly gyms and activity centres to choose from. We polled our Excel staff and come up with our top spots for monkeying around with your little ones.
TommyKPlay. With locations in north andsouth Calgary, TommyKPlay has become a local favourite for families. Each centre offers plenty of fun for every age group. Tots can crawl around in the toddler areas, while their older siblings go bananas on the massive play structure and roller race track. You’ll also find party rooms for birthdays and comfy seats and coffee for parents.
Inja Nation. Work up a sweat at Inja Nation in northeast Calgary. Bounce around in the trampoline park, test your mettle on the climbing walls and push yourself to the limit on the ninja and military obstacle courses. Little ones can play safely on the kids’ ninja course and in the trampoline rooms. Parents can choose to participate, or grab a coffee and watch the fun.
Flying Squirrel. As the location for Excel’s annual family Christmas party we can safely say that Flying Squirrel in northeast Calgary offers the ultimate in family fun. It’s definitely a toss-up trying to decide if it’s the parents or kids who have the better time on the indoor park’s wall-to-wall freestyle trampoline court. You’ll also find dodgeball courts, foam pits, a rope swing, ninja course and a safe spot for tots. If you host a private party, the pizza’s included – and it’s totally delicious!
Shakers. High-flying excitement awaits you at Shakers in southeast Calgary. Plan to spend a whole afternoon – or day – here, as the kids will never want to leave. The older kids will love the laser tag, arcade, go karts and rock climbing wall. While the little ones will want to play all day on the massive inflatable village, complete with obstacle course. There’s also bowling and mini golf, which are the perfect venues for a little family friendly competition.
Hop, Sip & Jump Play Café. Families can play, dance and learn at Hop, Sip & Play in northwest Calgary. Kids will love climbing on the two level play structure, singing and dancing on the interactive floor and disco and buildings towers with giant Lego blocks in the playroom. This fantastic centre also offers a great selection of parented and un-parented dance, yoga, music and fitness classes.
Play-A-Latte. Located in southeast Calgary, Play-A-Latte is a great play area for younger children. Parents can relax with a coffee, and watch their kiddos bounce in one of the many bouncy castles and play on the tot-sized structures. As with all indoor play gyms, socks are required and no outside food or drinks are allowed.
YeeHaw Play. In Airdrie, families head to YeeHaw Play to burn off excess energy. You’ll find 8,000 sq. ft. of fun, including a three-story play structure with multiple slides and a brightly coloured tot area for your smaller ones. Stay for lunch as the deli serves up snacks, pizza by the slice, sandwiches and wraps.
-By Mhairri Woodhall