Weekly, I’m tasked with the challenge of filling out Orson and Nova’s visual schedule. I try to plan at least one special “adventure” with my toddlers every week; otherwise, we all get stir-crazy pretty easily. I’m thankful that there’s no shortage of toddler outings we can take advantage of nearby, but how does one choose?
One of their favorite toddler outings has consistently been a weekly trip to the San Antonio Zoo. Unfortunately, with my seasonal allergies wreaking as much havoc as they have lately, outdoor outings are out. We still want to take our adventures and have fun, though! Here’s a list of our favorite indoor toddler outings that we’ve been taking advantage of while the pollen takes advantage of yours truly.
Little Land Play Gym
Marketed as “Play with Purpose”, this place is magical! The equipment is all designed by pediatric therapists, specifically targeting growth, development, and meeting important milestones for children. The environment itself promotes exploration, and there is something for everybody.
Orson is deep into puzzle obsession right now. Little Land had a stacker puzzle that captivated him for, easily, 20 minutes of our visit there this morning. And we were honestly surprised by Nova. She’s been our physically-active, run-amok, get-into-everything, gross-motor-skills girl! Our toddler outing here revealed a new side to her, as she spent a great deal of time focusing on more fine-motor skills requiring more dexterity and patient focus, like the giant Lite Brite walls and peg/cogwheel workstations. She got so into it!
They also enjoyed the multitude of slides, hammocks, swings, ramps, foam blocks, a ball pit, and a carefully-curated collection of toys. I recognized many Green Toys and Learning Resources products I’ve been considering buying for my babies, like color-sorting activities, pretend food play sets, rocket ships, and a doll house. And I loved the Montessori table and chairs and play kitchen space!
Nathan and I had almost as much fun here as the toddlers and greatly appreciated the staff member frequently cleaning to maintain a low-stress environment, as well as the soft, ambient music playing overhead. There’s some café table seating for parents to watch from afar, but hands-on play is absolutely encouraged and so fun! Thing to note here: socks are required for all playing parties.
Pros:
Cleanliness and spaciousness. Fairly calming environment and limited class sizes. We went on a Saturday morning at open and were the only ones there for roughly 20 minutes or so. When we left at 11:30, there were only 3 other families present. Variety of programs offered apart from “Open Play”, such as Parents’ Night Out and Camp. Variety of specialized equipment chosen and designed by experts in childhood development. Convenience for us (the new NB location that opened June 1st is only 5 minutes from our house).
Cons:
Hands down, our only issue is the expense. Orson and Nova are $14, each. I will say, though, that single-day “Open Play” passes are good for coming and going that whole day. I dream about getting a membership here, and they are pretty reasonably priced, especially for larger, multi-kid families. For a single-child, a membership costs $39/month for unlimited play, unlimited visits. For a family membership, it costs $69/month. Fine print: you have to pay upfront for a minimum of 3-months for either.
McKenna Children’s Museum
We adore McKenna! After we moved to New Braunfels but before Nova was born, I’d take Orson here to explore. We loved it so much that we got a very reasonably priced family membership for the year. Flash forward to Orson and Nova both being active, mobile toddlers, I’m sad to say it’s currently taken a backseat to other toddler outings.
Our love for McKenna has in no way diminished! It’s just that this place is expansive! There are so many awesome play areas and exhibits with so much endless variety, it’d be impossible to manage Orson and Nova single-handedly. It still makes a nice weekend outing when Nathan can accompany me, but for their ages and stages, a return membership likely won’t make sense for another year or two.
That being said, this place has everything. A designated 0-3 year old playspace. Indoor and outdoor play structures. A kiddie grocery store. A rocket ship and ambulance. So many pretend play opportunities, like dress-up, a play kitchen, a camping site, and a hospital. I love the variety of science exhibits such as the “Amazing Airways” room and the “Space Walk”.
The museum hosts crafts and classes. There’s an awesome gift shop with a wide array of educational toys and all the Green Toys you could hope to find. And I’ve taken the kids to Forty Six Coffee House and Bakery more than once after McKenna visits since it’s right inside the museum entrance. Delicious!
Pros:
Wide variety of attractions! Budget-friendly all day play pass for $8/person, or a value family-of-four annual membership for $145 that pays for itself pretty quickly. Indoor and outdoor play. Great gift shop and café. Educational hands-on play opportunities that promote imagination, growth, and development.
Cons:
If you have two mobile littles, you can’t closely supervise both of them at once because of how expansive McKenna is, but at least it feels like a very safe, enclosed environment. It can also get a little crowded here with field trips or parties.
Jungle Jam Party and Play
On the list of toddler outings, this is the one that Orson can most easily request by name. Without a doubt, he and Nova had an absolute blast when I brought them here. There’s an awesome set-up for the parents/caregivers with comfy chairs, café seating, concessions, and a fairly clear view of the entire play area.
I’ll clarify why I say “fairly”. There are gaps behind the play structures that have a somewhat obstructed view. Trying to supervise two active toddlers at once, both wanting to run in their own directions, it took me a minute to see that Nova had been accosted by two doting, overly-affectionate little boys behind the play equipment that were taking turns hugging her more than she liked, based on the face she made at me. Lots of other kids here to build social skills with, just make sure you’re watching closely if you’ve got little ones.
I like Jungle Jam a lot, I’m not sure I love it just yet, but I know Orson and Nova do, and that’s why it made my list of favorite toddler outings. I will say, this is likely because I went late in the day when businesses are usually busier, and I was wearing flip-flops, so I couldn’t get in the structures and play with my babies like I normally would. There is a designated toddler space, but Orson and Nova don’t want to limit themselves. Only issue there is that some of the older-kid stuff is just a lot harder for them to navigate or feels inaccessible without help. I’ll be better prepared next time, and I imagine I’ll be able to embrace it far more.
Pros:
Fair spread of attractions (large play structure, designated toddler space, a bounce house, and a “discovery zone” with more hands-on, sensory-type play). Comfortable accommodations for caregivers. Budget-friendly day admission for occasional visits ($15 for Orson and Nova together, $12 if it’s on a discounted Monkey Monday). And they host special events like visits from Santa or the Easter Bunny!
Cons:
Maybe too challenging right now for my 18-month old and timid 2.5 year old. Play structures are open to kids up to 10 years old, so it can get a bit rowdy without truly separated play areas or designated age schedules. My toddlers had a wild time in the bounce house with the older kids, just supervise closely and everyone should be fine!
One thing to note that was slightly concerning to me, solely because I was watching two young toddlers by myself while it was bustling here…the bathroom situation. The doors were always left open when not occupied, and I’d have to herd my kids away from trying to explore the bathrooms and shut the door myself. To me, it feels like a slight safety issue, but maybe just because I feel more spread thin and my babies are at a different stage than most of the kids here.
Azalea’s Fiestas
Next on my list of toddler outings: Azalea’s Fiestas. I have such a soft spot for Azalea’s after taking Orson and Nova here. It’s very unassuming at first glance, a sweet, little, hidden gem off of the Texas Ski Ranch complex. A bounce house/party rental business with a brilliant side-hustle to have open play days with the equipment when it’s not in circulation!
They have a soft, safe, toddler-designated play space complete with a Little Tikes slide and ball pits, early-walker toys, and small, little-kid-friendly bounce houses. Second to McKenna, this was the first real active, indoor play zone we went to for toddler outings, and I saw a spark in Orson and Nova here. Particularly in Orson. He’s the skittish one; timid, sweet, and sensitive, quick on the draw to say “All done!” from nervousness.
By the time we called it a day, he had been getting on the small ball-pit slide repeatedly (which was already growth), and he and Nova had both graduated to the full-size bouncy castle with a big slide! I actually broke a sweat trying to collect them. Getting them ready to leave, Orson was disappointed that our visit was over, and Nova kept trying to make a break for it to keep playing! We all had so much fun.
Jasmine, the business owner, was so kind and hospitable. Azalea’s was low-key, not crowded by any means. For the majority of our play time there, it was me, Orson, Nova, two dads, and two other toddlers. Honestly, there isn’t much else to say besides it’s a must-visit space to get out some energy.
Pros:
Inexpensive! Babies up to 2 years old are free, 2-4 year olds are $6, adults are also free. For the three of us to go play, only paying $6…this absolutely makes my list of favorite indoor toddler outings! (One caveat: I would not say that the annual memberships are budget-friendly, unless your kids are obsessed with bouncy houses and would play here multiple times a week). Jasmine has some concessions available in case you want a drink or snack. Everything feels well maintained and safe, and, at least when I was there, it doesn’t get crowded.
Cons:
There isn’t a ton to do, but paying $6 to let my toddlers work out some energy and build some confidence was absolutely worth it. Just don’t go in expecting the biggest variety or best-of-the-best toddler activities, because it’s a party rental side hustle, and you won’t be disappointed. There isn’t great signage from the parking lot (at least where I parked), so I just intuitively followed a guy with a toddler, assuming he was going where I was headed, and it worked out. Side note/possible con: I don’t know how many events they host, but hours and days that Azalea’s is open for play is subject to change based on rental availability and parties. Just something to keep in mind.
Update:
Sadly, since the writing of this post, Azalea’s has closed its doors.
Honorable Mention on my list of favorite toddler outings?
New Braunfels Public Library
It may be harder for him to articulate at 2.5 years old, but Orson tries to request this outing by name. The public library has a charming play space for young kids, complete with a play kitchen, puzzles, a myriad of assorted toys, a Montessori staircase/rocking boat, and a quiet nook for children to read. We try to fit in a library visit at least once a week, but that brings me to the pros and cons.
Pros:
FREE. So many events tailored for infants, toddlers, young kids, and their families. An awesome program that encourages kids (or their parents, depending on the child’s age) to read 1000 books before Kindergarten. The list is endless of the amazing, FREE programs NBPL puts on for our kids.
Cons:
The reason why we try to fit in a library visit, but haven’t this past week and a half? It. gets. stressfully. crowded. It’s hard to navigate through the sea of parents and young children, and between that and gaps between where the bookcases are situated, let’s just say that Nova has escaped into the “grown-up” library enough that I probably have a reputation there.
