Indoor Kids Play Places for Lansing Families
Rain or shine, winter or summer, no matter the mood, Lansing has indoor kids play places and options of all sorts. Some of these places I’ve been going to since I was a kid and others are new ideas that have blown up all over the country.
Play comes in many forms – from chill to bouncing off of the walls. These ideas are tested and proved to be a good time. If I haven’t been to them myself, I’ve gotten the close friend approval that these are up to par.
So, drum roll please, here are 34 places to play indoors around Lansing and mid-Michigan!
Lansing Family Fun’s Top Picks for Fun Indoor Kid Play Places
Here is our list of awesome Indoor Kids Play Places:
1) Aim High
The former Aim High building was sold, but the Summit is now working on adding courts.
2) Al!ve
Kids play and have a blast while you do – whatever you want! From working out to relaxing with a drink, the possibilities are endless.
3) Bowling
- MSU Union Building This is a family favorite. Bowling is always fun, but a stroll through campus makes it even better. Don’t forget to stop at the MSU Dairy Store located in the same building!
- Spare Time Lansing There are many other options for indoor fun here, too. Laser Tag, Arcade, and more.
- Royal Scot is another family favorite on Lansing’s west side.
- City Limits on the east side of Lansing and also in Mason.
4) CADL (Capital Area District Libraries)
Check one of 13 locations for indoor fun.
5) Castaway Play Cafe
Indoor play structures and bounce houses are such a great idea for those long winter months or to get out of the heat.
6) Community Centers
Indoor activities throughout the year including greenhouse workshops and more!
- Allen Neighborhood Center
- Foster Community Center
- Hannah Community Center East Lansing
- Letts Community Center
- Schmidt Community Center
- Valley Farms Community Center
7) Edru Skate
Blast from the past?! This is still alive and kickin’. Have so much fun bonding with your kids while you remember back to when you were hoping to hold the hand of a cute boy or girl.
8) Eli & Edyth Broad Art Museum
Enjoy their kid’s area in the lower level and a coffee bar with snacks and treats. They also have a First Saturday monthly Family Day.
9) Extreme Fun
Have extreme fun in Okemos and Lansing
10) Fenner Nature Center
Play indoors with many different interactive science and nature learning stations. Our family loves it here and it’s home to the Apple Butter Festival in the fall and the Maple Syrup Festival in the spring.
11) Gymnastics
Flip, flop, jump, the energy out at open gym times. At some of these locations, parents, you can join in, too (I felt like a kid again at a recent birthday party)!
- Red Cedar Gymnastics (South Lansing)
- Twistars (Dimondale)
- Kiki’s (DeWitt)
12) Ice Skating/Open Skate
13) Impression 5
Catch their FREE story and playtime with your CADL card. I’ll warn you, once you go you’ll want to get that membership. It will pay for itself within 2-3 visits. You can even bring guests!
14) Jump the Day Away
- Launch
- DEFY (formerly District Five)
- Jumpin Jax
- Springz
- Zap Zone
15) Lansing Indoor Sports Arena
Drop-in for soccer and kids play dates.
16) Library
Play games, puzzles, do a puppet show, crafts, and more at any of these local libraries:
- Delta District Library. (Story Times all week and tons of options for the older kiddos)
- CADL Downtown Lansing Library
- Okemos
- Grand Ledge
- East Lansing
- DeWitt District Library
- Portland District Library
- Briggs District Library (SJ)
- Ionia Community Library
- Jackson District Library
17) The Mall
Talk with friends as your kids play at the play areas in Lansing and Okemos.
18) McDonald’s Play Place
Take all aged kids to the renovated play area. Located on Jolly and Dunkel. 2530 E Jolly Rd, Lansing, MI 48911
19) Michigan Historic Center/Museum/Library
Your whole family will love it here. You know the saying that’s an “Old Faithful”? That’s the term I love to use for this place. I loved it when I was 5 and I love it now. Companies even have their work parties here. It’s a GUARANTEED great time.
20) Michigan Justice Building
Ever think about going here? Me either until I heard you can take a guided or self-guided tour.
21) Michigan State Capitol
Take a guided or self-guided tour in our beautiful Capitol Building.
22) MSU Children’s Garden Center/Horticulture Center and Butterfly House
Here you’ll enjoy indoor storytimes and their activity center all year long. Stroll through the greenhouses, too. Our family loves to go in the summer, but surprisingly in the winter as well! The warm greenhouses feel so nice in the cold weather months and there’s always something new to see.
23) MSU Museum
See the dinos and learn about Michigan’s wildlife. Their permanent exhibits never tire and they always have something new to discover. There are lots of options for young and scavenger hunts for the older kiddos.
24) See a Family Movie Matinee each month on Saturday morning.
25) play.
Parents like play. because it’s an all-in-one spot. Plus, play. continues to schedule fun events for kids and families.
26) Preuss Pets
Feed the koi fish and visit all of the animals.
27) REACH Art Studio
Get creative and learn different art styles on Wednesday afternoons/evenings.
28) Swim no matter the weather at:
- Schmidt Southside Community Center’s
- Goldfish Swim School offers open family swim times.
- Foster Community Center
- IM Circle Pool on MSU Campus.
- Hannah Community Center East Lansing
29) Taggart’s Place Playground
This amazing indoor playground at the Portland Church of the Nazarene is a favorite (and FREE) indoor play spot of mid-Michigan parents!
30) TimeOut Play Cafe
Drink coffee and let the kids play.
31) Tree House
Play, Play, Play in Chelsea, MI
32) Waterparks are so fun!
Visit one of several indoor waterparks less than two hours from Lansing.
- Mt. Pleasant: Soaring Eagle Waterpark, 1 hour from Lansing
- Grand Rapids/Lakeshore Area – Holiday Inn Express South, Holland Aquatic Center ($6 per person!), Kroc Center, 45 min to 1 hour from Lansing
- Ann Arbor, Splash Universe, 1 h 21 m drive from Lansing
- Windsor: Adventure Bay Waterpark, Do you have an enhanced driver’s license or passport and your kids’ birth certificates? 1 h 35 min drive from Lansing
- Zehender’s Splash Village, 1 h 15 min from Lansing
33) Woldumar
We absolutely love this place. They have storytimes and areas to learn about nature in their welcome center. Read, color, explore! Then head outside for a great hike or play in their natural playground.
34) Zap Zone
Glow golfing, laser tagging, and arcade fun.
Does your family have Favorite indoor kids play places and areas? Comment below and let us know where we should visit next.
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