Ok.. ok.. We may be a little biased in this regard, but it doesn’t change that fact that there actually ARE lots of benefits of indoor playgrounds. In this post I’m going to mention what I think are the top 5 benefits of spending your time at an indoor playground this summer (or really any time). Of course, others will have their own reasons why they go but, as for me (a father of four) my reasons mainly stem from sanity. I think to myself on the regular “How can I stay sane today?”. Well, worry no more sanity, you’ve got some help!

My top 5 benefits of indoor playgrounds

It’s a great way to get out of the house – kinda

Look, being outside is AMAZING. Sometimes. Sometimes it sucks! ESPECIALLY with a little one that WILL. NOT. STOP. RUNNING. Going to an indoor playground allows them to run around and for you to not worry if your LO is out in the parking lot trying to hitch a ride somewhere. Have you ever thought to yourself, “Self? I haven’t seen my child in the last 10 seconds, OMG, she’s gone! I can’t believe I would ever let myse.. oh there she is on the slide”. If you said yes to that, then you should go to an indoor playground. It’s contained, protected, AND if the place close to you is anything like The Wiggle Room, you’ve got some comfortable places to sit (yes, I said it. SIT) while your LO goes off and does her thing.

When the weather, for lack of a better word, sucks…

I’m in the Mid-Atlantic. Anyone in that area can tell you we’ll go through all four seasons in one day at a whim. The weather person sometimes doesn’t get it right. So when the humidity percentage is in the triple digits and the 87-degree temp has a real feel of “holy crap, I didn’t know I can sweat that much”, an indoor playground is your absolute best friend. It’s always air-conditioned and comfortable. On those crazy hot or bitter cold or just when the weather is… unpredictable at best. That is the place to be.

It’s an excellent way to meet other human adults

There really are only so many times a person can say “stop pooping on the floor” before they need to get out of the house and have an actual conversation with another mom or dad. The reason The Wiggle Room came to exist was because of stay-at-home parents. I know for us, our kids’ sleep schedules never match, they eat totally different things and they ask about 14 zillion questions about stuff that didn’t matter, like at all. A park can help with getting the kid’s energy out, but an indoor playground being more contained almost forces you to have conversations with others. It’s also one of the only places where you can look like a hot mess and not be judged.

It’s a great place to be creative in a safe space

I’m in the “let them create and that’s how they learn” camp. Creativity sparks the imagination. This is one of those things that can be done, inside and outside, but it still is so important it belongs on this list. Indoor places will almost always have some sort of creativity section or class you can take with your little one. It’s a great way to help them express themselves and have fun in a safe and controlled environment!

Working from home with kids is.. Possible!?!?

This one is especially important for me because I work from home. It can be really hard to get any work done when my kids are running around and yelling (which let’s be honest is most of the time). But, when I take them to indoor playgrounds, they can run and yell to their heart’s content while I sit back and get some work done. And, if I need a break from working, I can always join in on the fun. Win Win!

I hope you enjoyed my list of the top five benefits of taking your kids to an indoor playground. What are some of your favorite benefits? Let me know in the comments below!

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