Top Indoor Playgrounds & Play Spaces in Houston

Little girl playing at an indoor play space in Houston. Photo courtesy of Frogs, Snails and Fairy Tales
Little girl playing at an indoor play space in Houston. Photo courtesy of Frogs, Snails and Fairy Tales
2/2/24 - By Kate M

Having a list of fun indoor play spaces in Houston is a must practically all year. After all, we're often navigating either hot and humid summer days or wet winter storms, which necessitates having an arsenal of great indoor options. Fortunately, there's plenty of indoor activities in Houston perfect for kids looking to burn off some of that endless energy. Heck, we even have the largest indoor playground in Texas nearby!

Read on for our favorite indoor playgrounds for any day of the year, and if you still need more indoor fun, check out our Guide to Indoor Fun in Houston for Kids.

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Kids Empire is an indoor playspace in Houston with  fun play spaces for big kids and toddlers Kid's Empire 
Kids Empire is an indoor playspace in Houston with spaces for big kids and toddlers. Photo courtesy of Kids Empire

Best Indoor Play Spaces in Houston's Inner Loop

1. Wonderwild - The Heights

Wonderwild is a safe indoor play space for kids ages eight and under to explore their physical abilities on three-story playscapes with climbing structures, jumping pillows, a toddler-sized ball pit, and giant slides. Creativity is encouraged through fun areas such as play kitchens with toy food, kitchenware, and a play workbench. Big kids ages five to 11 can explore the Wonderwild(er) area, which takes up half of the large play area and has an indoor ropes course and a go-kart pedal track. Food and drinks aren't available for purchase at Wonderwild, but guests are also welcome to bring their own. Socks are required on the Wonderwild side, and closed-toed shoes are mandatory for the Wonderwild(er) side. Birthday parties are epic at this venue, boasting intricately themed birthday packages complete with decorations. They also host their own parties for various holidays and special events where kids can dress up and engage in activities like crafting and staff-led games. 

2. Main Street Indoor Park at First Methodist Houston - Downtown

Main Street Indoor Park is an indoor play space for kids aged five and under that is FREE and open to the public. The space is beautifully designed to look like a busy main street with doors to shops, a green space with benches in the center, and a train-themed climbing structure. The venue often hosts crafting activities and story times free of charge, and a train table and craft tables are open for kids to use for playdough and coloring. Parents are welcome to bring small snacks for kids to enjoy as well. Parent supervision is required at all times, but that is a small price to pay for all of the free fun that can be found at this spot. Free parking is available in the reserved spots in the lot on the southeast corner of Travis and Polk Streets across from the Houston Police Museum. 

3. Kids Empire - Westchase

Tackle floor-to-ceiling climbing walls, race through play structures, dive into ball pits, bust a move on the dance floor, and more at Kids Empire. With both a dedicated big kid area and a toddler area, there is something for all kids at this indoor playground. Kids can even ride around on vehicles just their size in both sections of the play space. Plus, your day pass gets you all-day access and re-entry if you leave and come back on the same day! 

Best Indoor Play Spaces West of Houston

4. Hooray Indoor Playground - Katy

This Katy spot will give kids of all ages more fun than they can handle. Separate play areas offer age-appropriate spaces for kids to explore. For babies and toddlers, a wooden playscape boasts small slides, rockers, and several types of educational toys on soft padding. The area for older kids provides a climbing structure complete with a ball cannon, tunnels to crawl through, and of course, slides. Hooray Indoor playground offers open play time, purposeful play classes for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kids' birthday party packages. 

5. We Rock the Spectrum Kid's Gym - Memorial & Bellaire

We Rock the Spectrum is a special play space featuring a safe, fun, sensory-friendly environment for children of all abilities and levels. Each play area has a double feature: not only are they fun, but they also focus on different sensory skills. Trampolines build leg and core strength, suspended equipment and swings challenge balance and vestibular treatment, sensory-based toys promote improved auditory processing and fine motor skills, and more. This play space is truly for all ages and abilities, so everyone feels welcome and included when they come to play. 

6. Slick City - Katy

Slick City, billed as the world’s largest indoor waterless slide park, has a location inside Katy Mills Mall. There is an entire section of large slides for kids four and up, a play area with a climbing structure and smaller slides for kids three and under, go-karts, multi-sport air courts, and a party area. They also have a large selection of hot food, snacks, candy, and beverages available for purchase at the park.

7. Frolic’s Castle at Memorial City Mall - Memorial City

Frolic’s Castle is a free medieval-themed play area inside Memorial City Mall in the Sears Wing. Fully ADA-accessible, the three-level play area is designed to look like a castle with a drawbridge and catapult. It is surrounded by an Enchanted Forest full of wizards, knights, and other fanciful creatures. Many features have interactive sounds, such as a snoring dragon and a bubbling cauldron. For small toddlers and babies, there is Puffy’s Playground, which features soft play objects for kids under 32 inches tall. While the space can get very crowded, there is a security guard at the entrance to regulate traffic at all times. As a bonus, kids can also ride the train around the very same mall or visit the double-decker carousel! 

Best Indoor Play Spaces Northwest of Houston

8. Kidtastic Park - Cypress

There are two play spaces at Kidtastic, one for the big kids and a separate area for the little kids, making this a safe, fun environment for kids of all ages. Parents can monitor kids easily from the hangout area, which has great visibility to both play areas but also features monitors that project any areas that aren't readily visible. Older kids can go down big slides, shoot across a zip line, and blast each other from the ball blaster zone. Little kids can try and catch floating balloons, go down little slides, and crawl through mini tunnels. You can purchase day passes to play or bundle multiple visits with a play pass. Kidtastic Park also offers birthday party packages at various price points. 

9. Kanga's Indoor Playcenter - Cypress

Kanga's Indoor Playcenter is a multi-level playground packed with unique features like the fan favorite Pirate Ship Ride and standard favorites like slides, ball pits, and more. Parents can relax with snacks and coffee in the cafe area while kids play, so everyone can take a fun break during the day. There is also a dedicated area for babies and toddlers to play safely - no big kids allowed! Kanga's Indoor Playcenter offers birthday parties, with the option to host a private event for your get-together. 

the largest indoor play space in Texas playspaces in Houston 
Photo courtesy of The Play Space

Best Indoor Play Spaces South of Houston

10. The Play Space - Webster

With 16,000 square feet on the ground and three levels, The Play Space takes its title as the largest indoor play space in Texas seriously. Once inside, you'll be transported into outer space through the playground's intergalactic theme, which features ball-blaster arenas, 20-foot slides, endless tunnels, obstacles galore, and an arcade home to over 35 various games. Little ones can head to The Baby Space for children 18 months and younger or The Tot Space for children ages four and under. The Baby Space features a padded playground perfect for ground play, crawling, and taking baby steps. The Tot Space has four different imaginative areas that foster creative play, as well as a miniaturized version of The Play Space, so younger kids can practice and prepare to make their debut in the big kid area. 

11. Frogs, Snails and Fairy Tales - Sugar Land

Toddlers and small children can play safely to their heart's content at Frogs, Snails, and Fairy Tales in Sugar Land. The fairy tale town is filled with activities that encourage young children to use their imaginations, and it has all the pretend play a kid could want: think a kitchen and café to musical instruments, building blocks, stuffed animals, and more. The playscape is open by reservation only, and your booking allows for two hours of indoor play. 

12. Majestkids - Sugar Land

Majestkids Playland specializes in playtime for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Majestkids has two separate playlands for older kids and kids under 45 inches. The ninja adventure playground is designed to test children's skills and challenge them in a fun and safe environment, with balance beams, wall climbs, rope bridges, and zip lines. The playground for smaller kids has various play structures including soft play areas, slides, ball pits, and more. They even have a cafe on sight,  where families can enjoy healthy snacks and light lunch items like veggie cups, soups, sandwiches, smoothies, and kid favorites like chicken nuggets and pizza. 

13. Cheeky Monkeys - Sugar Land

Cheeky Monkeys is an “edutainment” soft play area & kids' birthday celebration destination for 10 months to 8 years old. The play area features a giant 3,000-square-foot play structure for children over the age of 4, a smaller play area for toddlers, and a pretend play section with a Monkey Market, Club House, and Arts and Crafts area. There is an on-site cafe, free wifi, and seating for parents. Cheeky Monkeys offers themed birthday parties and other party packages. 

 

Best Indoor Play Spaces with Multiple Locations in Houston

14. Giggles and Fun - West Houston & Katy

Giggles and Fun is a large play space with themed play areas including a grocery store and barn with toy ponies to encourage imaginative play. Children can engage in active play on climbable structures with slides and tunnels, as well as push toys and ride-on toys. They host decorated birthday parties with your choice of theme, and you can even rent out the entire facility for private events. 

15. Bounce N Play - Pearland, Seabrook, & Willowbrook

Bounce N Play is an Indoor Playground offering Open Play and Birthday Parties for babies, toddlers, and kids ten and under. Bounce N Play has several play areas to keep your little ones entertained. Their baby area is exclusively for little ones under two years old and features a ball pit, foam building blocks, and wall panels with sensory activities. Another area features a medium-sized play structure with a giant ball pit and slide, and the largest play space features slides, tunnels, a rope bridge, and more. In the center of the facility is an inflatable Jumping Cloud, which you won't find anywhere but at Bounce N Play. 

 

This post originally published in 2016. Photos courtesy of the venues, unless otherwise noted

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