School is out, the official start of summer is almost here, and man, is it already hot! The pool and the park are always great options, but when you need some air conditioning, here are 9 indoor play places in Plano that keep the kids busy and everyone cooled off.
1. Crayola Experience
Larger than an NFL football field, there are 22 exhibits and attractions at Crayola Experience! Allow 3–4 hours inside to experience it all. Exhibits include Toddler Town, Paint Palette, and Adventure Lab, just to name a few.
Food & Beverages: Outside food and drink are not allowed. Cafe Crayola and the Snack Shack are located inside the facility. There is a food court located inside the mall, as well as several other kid-friendly restaurants attached.
Know Before You Go: Strollers are permitted inside but subject to search.
Location: 6121 West Park Blvd. (inside The Shops at Willow Bend)
Admission: $27.99 for patrons age 3 and older, save $3 if purchasing tickets online (2 and under are free)
Operating Hours: Mon–Fri: 10am–4pm; Sat–Sun: 10am–5pm
2. Play Street Museum
Play Street Museum is an indoor children’s museum and play space designed for kiddos aged eight and younger. It’s independent play in a safe place with other kids, offering activities and toys based on a theme (PSM Plano’s theme is “The Great Outdoors”). There are also locations/themes in McKinney, Murphy, Allen, and Lake Highlands.
Food & Beverage: No food or drink is not allowed inside the play facility. Outside beverages are encouraged in the waiting area for both parents and kids.
Know Before You Go: Strollers are discouraged from being brought into the waiting area. There is a designated diaper changing station in the restroom. They also have free WiFi! You can sign the required waiver in advance if you prefer.
Location: 5964 West Parker Road, Suite 120 (just east of the Tom Thumb)
Admission: $13 per child ages 1–8. Older and younger children are free if accompanied by a paying sibling.
Operating Hours: Mon–Fri with timed sessions as follows: 8:30am–10am, 10:30am–12:30pm, 1pm–3pm, and 3:30pm–5:30pm. Reservations preferred, but walk-ins welcome as long as there is space.
3. The Little Gym Plano
Kids as young as four months can enroll in a weekly class to start developing skills and confidence through supervised play.
Location: 5813 Preston Road, Suite 574 (directly south of the future HEB location)
Admission: Weekly classes start at $28.75 per class, with special events and drop-in opportunities available.
Operating Hours: Scheduled classes offered throughout the week.
4. Cheeky Monkeys
The 3,000 square foot indoor facility features arts & crafts, a two-story clubhouse, open gym, slides, rocking climbing wall, blocks station, and more. Kids of all ages will find something fun to do in here!
Food & Beverage: Cafe located inside facility with sandwiches, snacks, and drinks for purchase.
Know Before You Go: There is free WiFi in the cafe! Socks are required to play. You can sign the required waiver here.
Location: 8300 Preston Road
Admission: Mon–Fri: $15.99 for all-day play or $12.99 for one hour. Sat–Sun: $12.99 for the first hour and $4.99 for any additional hours. (Charges are for children 10 months to eight years old.)
Operating Hours: Sun–Thurs: 9am–6pm; Fri–Sat: 9am–8pm
5. Safari Run
Climb, slide, jump, and more in their giant jungle gym and obstacle course! Play games in the arcade, enjoy a snack in the lounge, and let younger kids have their own safer space in the toddler area.
Food & Beverage: No outside food or drink is allowed. Snacks and drinks are available for purchase but cannot be consumed within the play area.
Know Before You Go: It is a peanut-free facility. Socks are required to play. You can sign the required waiver here.
Location: 2300 Coit Road, Suite 300 (just north of Aldi grocery store)
Admission: $14 per child over 1 year old; adults and babies are free.
Operating Hours: Mon–Fri: 9:30am–6pm for open play
6. Adventure Kids PlayCare
Let Adventure Kids give you a much-needed break! As-needed drop-off care is available seven days a week; sometimes reservations are required. There is free play, structured activities, meals and snacks, arts & crafts, and more!
Food & Beverage: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served for $5/meal for preschool and camps, with snacks at various intervals. Meals and snacks packed from home must be nut-free and can be refrigerated at the facility.
Know Before You Go: Immunization records are required. You can sign up for a drop-in care account and begin registration at home.
Location: 4817 West Park Blvd., Suite 830 (just west of Studio Movie Grill)
Admission: $14/hour for kids up to 18 months; $12/hour for kids over 18 months; $7/hour for each additional sibling over 18 months. Preschool and camps have varying fees.
Operating Hours: Mon–Thurs: 7:30am–8pm; Fri: 7:30am–10pm; Sat: 10am–10pm; Sun: 11am–7pm
7. Play Area at Willow Bend Mall
Sculpted out of kid-friendly foam, this 1,960-square-foot play area gives a nod to historic Plano locations with slide, seesaw, fire truck, merry-go-round, and more.
Food & Beverage: Food and drink are discouraged from being consumed on the play structures. The food court plus several snack options are close by.
Know Before You Go: Socks only! Cubbies for shoes are by the entrance. This is an unsupervised area, so parents need to stay vigilant about monitoring their own children.
Location: Willow Bend Mall, 6121 West Park Blvd. (just outside of Crate & Barrel)
Admission: It’s FREE!
Operating Hours: Mon–Sat: 10am–8pm; Sun: 12pm–6pm
8. Kid Mania
Their five-story Mania Maze is 143,000 cubic feet of fun! Slides, tunnels, ball pits, indoor jungle gym, an arcade, and more! There is also a toddler area for younger kids.
Location: 7252 Chase Oaks Blvd.
Admission: $3.99 for ages one and two; $9.99 for ages 3–18; $1.00 for ages 18 and older; infants are free. There are individual and family passes available.
Operating Hours: Mon–Thurs: 10am–9pm; Fri: 10am–10pm; Sat: 9am–10pm; Sun: 11am–8pm
Food & Beverage: No outside food and drink is allowed. KidMania Cafe is open during operating hours and features pizza, salads, sandwiches, regular kids’ meals, desserts, snacks, and drinks for purchase.
Know Before You Go: There is an adults-only area with free WiFi with sight lines to all of the kids’ areas. Socks are required to play.
And one more indoor play place just outside Plano:
9. DinoKids Play Center | Allen
Designed for children ages 10 months to seven years, the play space has slides, a soft jungle gym, puzzles, cars and trucks—all the fun things that younger kiddos need to engage!
Food & Beverage: No outside food and drink is allowed. No food and drink inside the play area.
Know Before You Go: Strollers are not allowed in the play area. There is a designated diaper changing station in the restroom. Socks are required to play, for both kids and adults. Sign the required waiver here.
Location: 1201 West McDermott Drive, Suite 112, Allen, TX 75013
Admission: $12.99 per child with one adult; $5 for each additional adult. Private play options and Play Passes are available.
Operating Hours: Mon–Thu: 9am–6pm; Fri: 9am–5:30pm
Stay cool, let the kids run wild indoors, and have a great 2022 summer!
Don’t miss the Collin County Moms Guide to the Month of June, our Summer Camp Guide, and Guide to all things SUMMER in Collin County for more things to do with the kiddos.
