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Attending the Paw Patrol Experience

Located inside The Shops at Hudson Yards, the Paw Patrol Experience takes place on Level 5—little kids are sure to spot the tell-tale paw prints on the lower floors leading to the escalators. (Just note that while CAMP is hosting the experience, it's in a separate location than the CAMP store itself, which is on Level 2.) The set-up takes up almost the entire floor, and the giant photo of Chase that you see when you first enter makes for a great photo-op.

Once registered—tickets are timed and you get an entry bracelet—a staff member is there to hype kids up with lots of cheers and high fives before they push open the door to start the experience. Kids are given a sticker sheet and activity booklet, then get to choose their favorite pup—mine went with Skye and Marshall—and are given a lanyard corresponding to their favorite characters.

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Step into the pink-hued Sky play space at CAMP's new Paw Patrol Experience

Lots of Activities to Try

Inside Adventure Bay, there are a number of different areas and set-ups to check out, starting with the oversized Lookout Tower. It includes a slide (always a good idea) and kids can play on the interactive screen. From there, kids can try out all of the different exhibits, which often correspond to a specific pup.

For example, Rubble’s Play Pit has lots of blocks and Magna-Tiles to build with. My 7-year-old enjoyed sorting stuffed toys (coffee cups, cans) in the recycling area, which is a great game for little Rocky fans. And my 4-year-old was blown away by the area dedicated to Skye. Small rooms painted in bright pink, with writing on the walls and wind activities to try (keeping a scarf blowing in the air, for instance) kept her totally enthralled.

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Work your wiggles out on the scooter track at CAMP's Paw Patrol Experience.

In general, the whole experience had a children’s museum feel to it, with STEM-like activities that will definitely keep kids engaged, without realizing they’re actually learning. And kids are also able to get out some physical energy, too, with the opportunity to ride scooters around a track and, in the Adventure City area, try their hand at a toddler-friendly take on a zip line and other obstacle course style set-ups. My kids loved these and both went on the zip line multiple times.

The Paw Patrol Experience ends with a 15-minute Rescue Mission show, where kids each get to try three different “missions”—from building with blocks to racing cars along a track. While you wait for your show to start, there are ride-on cars the kids can sit in and pretend to drive. Be forewarned: They don’t actually go anywhere, in case you need to prep the kids ahead of time!

A Great Interactive Event for Kids

Overall, the Paw Patrol Experience was a great outing for my crew. As far as the target age range, this is perfect for the preschool and kindergarten set. My 4-year-old was so excited and able to participate in all of the activities—and she had a great time doing it. And, while my 7-year-old was on the higher end, age-wise, he too was able to take part in all the activities, and was able to grasp some, like the recycling game, even more.

I also liked that there were lots of details taken into consideration—from the cars for kids to play on to fend off complaining while they waited for the Rescue Mission show to start to the choice of favorite pups when we first entered the experience, which made it feel personalized.

Throughout the experience, the staff was super engaged and enthusiastic. At one point, the wait for the Rescue Mission show was a bit longer than expected, and a staff member came out to do a “warm-up” with the kids—touching toes, stretching, that kind of thing—which was a great idea to help not only get kids excited, but keep them distracted, too.

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When you enter the Adventure Bay, kids are given a lanyard with their favorite pup's moniker on it. 

We went on opening weekend and found that, while the mall itself was busy, the Paw Patrol Experience wasn’t crowded. We didn’t have to worry about kids running into each other, or super long waits to ride a scooter or go on the zip line. We spent an hour during our visit—about the amount of time they recommend, though you can stay longer if you wish—and we felt like we got a good feel of the experience. Though there’s a gift shop on-site, my husband and I appreciated that they didn’t deposit you into it at the end, like so many kid-centered attractions.

Once you’re done, you can check out the rest of what the mall has to offer, including the CAMP store on Level 2 and a number of different restaurants and coffee shops, including kid-friendly spots like Dylan’s Candy Shop and Shake Shack.

Know Before You Go to The Paw Patrol Experience

• The Paw Patrol Experience is open through Sunday, January 2, 2022.
• Tickets must be purchased in advance and prices are $30 per person (adults included!) on weekdays and $35 on weekends; kids under 2 are FREE.
• Everyone over the age of 12 must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks are required for kids.
• There are bathrooms throughout the mall.

Photos by the author