Winter in Colorado is beautiful but is sometimes best seen from indoors–especially when the temperature drops below freezing and the yard is buried under a foot of snow. But kids tend to get bored quickly at home, making it nearly impossible to spend every snow day cooped up in the house. Luckily, Denver has many options for indoor play areas. Here are our top seven choices for indoor playgrounds that will keep your kiddos entertained while staying warm.
Mars Outpost at the Colorado Mills Mall
Free | Ages 0 to 6 | 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood | simon.com/coloradomills
Located inside the mall between Build-A-Bear and Claire’s is a space-themed playground where kids can imagine they’re astronauts exploring new planets.
Kids Dig
$20/60 min. | Ages 1 to 7 | 8601 W. Cross Dr., Unit B6-1, Littleton | thekidsdig.com
Colorado’s largest indoor sandbox offers a quarry-themed play environment where kids can dig and play with construction toys.
Dinosaur Gulch
Free | Ages 0 to 5 | 3000 E. 1st Ave., Denver | shopcherrycreek.com
Created by the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, this play area offers fun dinosaur structures and educational signs that teach kids about prehistoric animals.
Lava Island
$20/all day | Ages 0 to 17 | 452 N. Sable Blvd., Aurora | lavaisland.com
Decked out with a trampoline court, foam pit, ninja course, and themed rooms for all ages, Lava Island offers an exciting escape from the cold weather.
Kids Wonder
$15/120 min. | Ages 6 months to 6 years | 7562 South University Blvd., Ste. GG, Centennial | kidswonder.net
Designed to help kids enjoy the wonder of simple play, Kids Wonder offers rooms that focus on imagination, creativity, and physical movement.
Spark the Senses
$16/all day | Ages 0 to 7 | 8230 S. Colorado Blvd., Unit A, Centennial | sparkthesenses.com
This playground centers around sensory play and provides opportunities for children to engage their imagination through tactile experiences such as climbing walls, gem panning, digging in sandboxes, or crafting.
Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus
$18.75/all day | Ages 0 to 10 | 2121 Children’s Museum Dr., Denver | mychildsmuseum.org
Along with fun educational exhibits, this museum has several themed play areas that allow kids to interact with the concepts they’ve learned about.
