Great Indoor Playgrounds for Kids in Woodland Hills

Unbeknownst to many and interestingly enough, it was Germany that was instrumental in emphasizing the importance of physical development and initiating “apparatus-equipped” playgrounds in the United States. This influence prevailed in parks and schools for older children into the 21st century, with the history of playgrounds for younger children – as well as emphases on child development – also rooted in Germany, notably with Frederick Froebel. Fast-forward to 2016: The concept of indoor playgrounds (or indoor “playspaces” as they’re known in trendy circles) has come to represent a modern alternative when the weather refuses to cooperate, or when you don’t want to stay locked up at home with a pack of crazed little banshees.

Contrary to popular belief, the weather isn’t perfect in Los Angeles 365 days of the year – winter often equates to rainy days, which means wet playgrounds, while summer normally brings blazing hot temperatures and overheated kids. With locations throughout Los Angeles, there’s sure to be a great indoor spot close to home to entertain the little ones…and we’re going to highlight some of the best indoor playgrounds for kids in Woodland Hills.

Giggles ‘N’ Hugs Family Restaurant & Playspace, with three locations throughout the Los Angeles area including Century City at 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard #155, Topanga at 6600 Topanga Canyon Boulevard #2008 and Glendale at 3222 Glendale Galleria Way, is an award-winning, family-friendly complex that fuses great food with fun times for the kids. From endless activities and premium children’s entertainers to incredible birthday party packages, Giggles ‘N’ Hugs is one of the go-to indoor “playspaces” in the Woodland Hills community, voted the number-one birthday party and best pizza place in L.A. by none other than Nickelodeon, best indoor playspace by Red Tricycle (redtri.com) and best family and kid-friendly restaurant by CitySearch and GoCityKids.

My Gym Woodland Hills, located at 22027-B Vanowen Street, is far more than just an indoor playground. Here, an extraordinary program and facility has been devised to help children six weeks through 10 years of age develop physically, cognitively and emotionally. Structured, age-appropriate weekly classes incorporate dance, music, relays, games, special rides, gymnastics, sports and more, while children gain strength, balance, coordination, agility and flexibility in addition to developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem. Dubbed “the experts in children’s fitness,” My Gym locations around the world keep children healthy by making fitness fun while improving their lives in ways simple “indoor playgrounds” could never dream.

We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gym, situated at 23010 Ventura Boulevard in L.A., is committed to providing a safe, nurturing and fun environment to foster learning, exploration and “safe sensory experiences.” Through its nonprofit My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation, this facility provides social skills groups and activities for children across the spectrum, which encompasses fun and motivational environments to help them learn in the areas of strength, movement, sensory processing, communications, positive behavior modification, social interactions and self-care skills. What’s more, unique equipment assists all children in their neurological growth and development, some of which includes suspended gear with swings for balance and vestibular treatment, crash mats and pillows for motor planning and strength, tunnels, zip lines and more.

The Little Gym of Calabasas, located at 23241 Ventura Boulevard, offers progressively-structured classes and a positive learning environment that creates “optimum opportunities” for children to learn new things and build self-confidence…all with a grin that is guaranteed by Little Gym reps to stretch from ear to ear. Trained instructors nurture happy, confident kids through a range of classes such as parent/child studies, gymnastics and fun extras like parties, camps and more. The Little Gym of Calabasas also embraces a proprietary philosophy it calls Three-Dimensional Learning, in which physical activity becomes a conduit for nurturing the whole child; this approach to skill development ensures that every class the facility offers fosters growth in three holistic dimensions: Brain Boost!, Get Moving! and Citizen Kid! If you’re looking for your child to grow into a well-rounded, well-adjusted super kid, no ordinary “indoor playspace” will do…you’ll have to check out the myriad of services offered by The Little Gym of Calabasas.

With a name like Outside the Box, you know the venue must be something different. Located at 20841 Ventura Boulevard. OTB places focus on specialized exercises and activities that increase brain development during the critical periods and early stages of growth. OTB groups include sensory stimulation, explanation of activities and developmental benefits, social interaction (child-to-child and child-to-parent/caregiver), social learning with peer groups and attachment and bonding. All of Outside the Box’s instructors boast years of prior work experience in early education, child development and/or likeminded fields, and, perhaps best of all, all teachers have a passion and share a love for working with infants and young children.

Indeed, the concept of an “indoor playground” has evolved to become something that resembles an advanced classroom. Yet each of the aforementioned indoor playgrounds for kids in Woodland Hills retain a single, solitary theme: Believing that our children are truly the future…on a rainy day or not.