Indoor Kids Play Places Mean Year-Round Fun and Lansing Has a Long List to Choose From!
Rain or shine, summer or winter, no matter what mood you’re in, Lansing has indoor kids play places galore.
Some places like Impression 5 and the Michigan History Museum have been around since we were kids and continue to stay on our favorites list, but these days there are tons of fun and new options popping up all the time.
We’ve narrowed it down to our 55+ favorite indoor play options in the Lansing area. The hard part though? Where to go first.
Top Indoor Kid Play Places Around Lansing
Play comes in many forms – from laidback fun to bouncing off the walls.
These inside options for kid play places are tested and proven to be a great time. If we haven’t been to them ourselves, we’ve gotten close friend approval that these are up to par.
So…..drum roll please! Here are our best places to play indoors around Lansing:
Abrams Planetarium
755 Science Rd
East Lansing, MI 48824
Learn about astronomy and space science right here in the heart of MSU’s campus. Public shows are offered Friday nights, Saturday nights, and Sunday afternoons.
Al!ve Charlotte
800 W Lawrence Ave
Charlotte, MI 48813
An experienced-based health park open to the public with no entry fees or membership requirements. They have GROW, an enrichment area for kids. Rates apply to some children’s activities.
All Skate Fun Center
1313 W North St
Jackson, MI 49202
Roller skating, laser tag, fun shop counter, and more at this rink that’s about 35 minutes from Lansing. Bonus All Sake Fun Center participates in the Kids Skate Free program.
Castaway Play Cafe
1800 N Burkhart Rd
Howell, MI 48855
Indoor play structures, bounce houses, laser tag, arcade, toddler play area, “Create-a-Pal” stuffed animal maker, and The Challenge Zone (a ninja-style warrior course).
Chuck E Cheese
5451 L W Saginaw Hwy
Lansing, MI 48917
“Where a kid can be a kid.” Arcade, games, prizes, food, and performances. It’s always a treat to go for a birthday party, but you can play here anytime.
City Limits (two locations)
2120 E Saginaw Hwy
East Lansing, MI 48823
801 N Cedar St
Mason, MI 48854
Bowling, cosmic bowling, and food make for a fun day out.
Community Centers
Allen Neighborhood Center
1611 E Kalamazoo St
Lansing, MI 48912
Foster Community Center
200 N Foster Ave
Lansing, MI 48912
Gier Community Center
2400 Hall St
Lansing, MI 48906
Letts Community Center
1220 W Kalamazoo St
Lansing, MI 48915
Schmidt Community Center
5825 Wise Rd
Lansing, MI 48911
Lansing offers these great community centers that offer indoor activities and programs throughout the year including greenhouse workshops, theater plays, meet-ups, swimming, sports, resources, and plenty more each unique to the center.
Don’t skip over the E.L. Hannah Community Center in East Lansing which offers a swimming pool, gyms, and programs.
DEFY
820 S Waverly Rd
Lansing, MI 48917
Formerly known as District 5, this trampoline park offers a basketball court, extreme dodgeball, battle beams, a ninja course, a dedicated little kid areas, and of course tons of trampolines. Check out their memberships which can be totally worth it after just a couple visits.
East Lansing Ice Cube
2810 Hannah Blvd
East Lansing, MI 48824
Public skating times are offered throughout the year and it’s always a cool time!
Edru Skate
1891 N Cedar St
Holt, MI 48842
Lace up those skates for a day of fun and exercise! Wear out the kids and then take a break at the snack counter. They offer laser tag, an arcade, and an ice cream shop.
GymKind Academy
1982 W Grand River Rd Suite 420
Okemos, MI 48864
Open gym with self-guided learning available on select dates for children in 1st through 9th grades. Play & Learn Explorative Open Play Time is for Walkers to Kindergarten along with a special adult. (Adult participation is required).
High Caliber Karting & Entertainment
1982 W Grand River Rd Suite 800
Okemos, MI 48864
High speed kart racing, combat karting, handicapable go-karting, axe throwing, rage rooms, games, food, and more.
Imagine Planet
730 Tomlinson St
Jackson, MI 49203
A safe and welcoming place to explore science through animals and hands-on activities. Admission is FREE and there’s fun for all ages.
Impression 5 Science Center
200 Museum Dr
Lansing, MI 48933
I5 has it all! Fun and interactive exhibits for all ages to challenge their understanding of science. My kids never want to leave. Open to the public Tues – Fri 9:30AM – 4PM; Sat 9:30AM – 5PM; and Sun 11:30AM – 5PM.
Jaxon’s Playhouse
2151 Ferguson Rd
Jackson, MI 49203
Jaxon’s Playhouse provides children an outlet to have fun in a safe indoor setting. They can climb and slide on the indoor play structure and make believe they’re a firefighter, teacher, or veterinarian in the “village.”
Jumpin’ Jax Bounce Arena
1475 Lake Lansing Rd
Lansing, MI 48912
Let the kids jump the day away at Lansing’s largest indoor bounce arena. Call or check their website for current open bounce times. Closed Mondays.
Kiki’s Gymnastics
1161 E Clark Rd Ste 330
Dewitt, MI 48820
Blow off some steam and try new tricks at open gym Mon – Fri 10AM – 1PM; Sat & Sun 1-3PM. $10/child, parent must remain onsite, but coaches will be on floor to assist.
Launch Trampoline Park
1982 W Grand River Ave
Okemos, MI 48864
Located in the Meridian Mall near the JC Penney wing, Launch provides hours of entertainment for the whole family. Trampolines, arcade, ninja course, Launch Escape, laser tag, dodgeball, battle pit, slackline, basketball, launch pad, tumble tracks, food, and more.
Libraries
Read the day away, play in the play areas, catch a story time, put on a puppet show, have craft time, and much more at your local library. Check what our local libraries have to offer:
– Capital Area District Libraries (CADL) with 13 locations
– Delta District Library
– Grand Ledge Area District Library
– East Lansing Public Library
– DeWitt District Library
– Portland District Library
– Briggs District Library (St. Johns)
– Ionia Community Library
– Jackson District Library
– Howell Carnegie District Library
Mall Play Area
Meridian Mall
1982 W. Grand River Ave
Okemos, MI 48864
Lansing Mall
5330 W Saginaw Hwy
Lansing, MI 48917
Both malls have a public, open-air play area for little kids and they’re FREE. This is a great place to meet up with a friend for a quick chat or let your kiddo blow off some steam before naptime.
McDonald’s Play Place
2530 E Jolly Rd
Lansing, MI 48911
You can eat lunch or sip coffee while the kids play in this casual environment.
Michigan History Museum
702 W Kalamazoo St
Lansing, MI 48915
Learn Michigan history and experience cool, hands-on exhibits geared toward kids at the Michigan History Museum. We’ve laid it all out for you in our Michigan History Museum article with info + tips to have a fantastic adventure. There’s a dedicated kid center and Sundays are FREE!
MSU Broad Art Museum
547 E Circle Dr
East Lansing, MI 48824
That unique-looking structure on the corner of Grand River and Farm Ln in East Lansing? That’s the Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum! Always free and open Wed – Sun 10AM-6PM. Get connected with art with a permanent collection of 10,000+ works. There’s a kids area on the lower level, and the first Saturday of the month is Family Day which is FREE.
MSU Bug House
288 Farm Ln
East Lansing, MI 48824
Get up close and personal with live insects and arachnids.
MSU Museum
409 West Circle Dr
East Lansing, MI 48824
It’s a Creative Collaboratory! The MSU Museum is a place to come to “openly explore, express, and experiment with ideas across disciplines and interests, and indulge their natural curiosity about the world.” Regular hours are Tues-Sat 10am-5pm.
Munn Ice Arena
509 Birch Rd
East Lansing, MI 48824
Come skate on the same ice as the MSU hockey team! On the beautiful campus of Michigan State University, Munn offers public skating throughout the year.
Nature Centers
Fenner Nature Center
2020 E Mt Hope Ave
Lansing, MI 48910
Harris Nature Center
3998 Van Atta Rd
Okemos, MI 48864
Woldumar Nature Center
5739 Old Lansing Rd
Lansing, MI 48917
Howell Nature Center
1005 Triangle Lake Rd
Howell, MI 48843
Play, learn, and explore indoors with interactive science and nature learning stations at these local nature centers.
Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center
5153 Marsh Rd
Okemos, MI 48864
The Nokomis Cultural Heritage Center is dedicated to the preservation of history, arts, culture, and language of the Anishinaabe people (Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi nations). Come learn and experience the programs, exhibitions, and special events. They offer programs like poetry reading, language, ribbon skirt/shirt making, drum making, drum instruction, firekeepers, and medicine planting.
Preuss Pets
1127 N Cedar St
Lansing, MI 48906
Stroll through this iconic Lansing pet store and see lizards, snakes, reptiles, birds, fish, mice, rats, bunnies, ferrets, gerbils, hedgehogs, and much more! Walk on the bridge over the in-store river and even feed the koi fish! You can keep the kids entertained for quite a while just perusing this pet emporium.
REACH Studio Art Center
1804 S Washington Ave
Lansing, MI 48910
This non-profit community art center offers all sorts of art experiences for all ages and economic levels. Check out their Walk-In Wednesdays from 4:30 – 6PM.
Royal Scot
4722 W Grand River Ave
Lansing, MI 48906
60-lane bowling center with bumper bowling available, cosmic bowling, neon balls, and a full bar and grill.
Spare Time Entertainment
3101 E Grand River Rd
Lansing, MI 48912
Bowling, arcade, axe throwing, escapology rooms, bumper cars, and volleyball. Located near Frandor.
Springz Trampoline Park
936 East Mall Dr
Lansing, MI 48917
Trampolines, glo golf, laser tag, virtual reality, bumper cars, spin zone,
Swimming
Goldfish Swim School
5135 Times Square Dr Suite B
Okemos, MI 48864
Schmidt Community Center
5825 Wise Rd
Lansing, MI 48911
E. L. Hannah Community Center
819 Abbot Rd
East Lansing, MI 48823
Swim year round at these indoor swimming places around Lansing.
Taggart’s Playground
9466 Cutler Rd,
Portland, MI 48875
Have loads of fun at this indoor playground that was designed to replicate the city of Portland! It’s located inside of Portland Church of the Nazarene and open Mon, Wed, & Fri 9:30 – 11:30AM. Closed on holidays.
Take a Tour
Michigan State Capitol
100 N Capitol Ave
Lansing, MI 48933
Michigan Hall of Justice
925 W Ottawa St
Lansing, MI 48915
Beaumont Tower on MSU’s Campus
375 W Circle Dr
East Lansing, MI 48824
Try these out-of-the-box ideas for spending a day indoors. Check their websites for tour times.
The TreeHouse in Chelsea
1101 S. Main St.
Chelsea, Michigan 48118
The TreeHouse in Chelsea is about a 50-minute drive from Lansing. This 9,000 square feet facility has a huge climbing and playing structure, five slides, a baby and toddler area, swinging bridges, basketball hoops, and of course a huge treehouse!
Tinkrlab
2650 E. Grand River Ave, Suite A
East Lansing, MI 48823
Tinkrlab is a kid-focused maker space that focuses on teaching kids how to make and create things. Creativity and curiosity are encouraged in a safe environment, with hands-on teaching.
Water Parks
Soaring Eagle Water Park in Mt. Pleasant
Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Grand Rapids
Holland Aquatic Center in Holland
Zehnder’s Splash Village in Frankenmuth
Bavarian Inn Lodge in Frankenmuth
Plan a visit one these indoor waterparks less than two hours from Lansing. Want even more waterparks? Check out this big list of Michigan indoor waterparks.
Zap Zone
936 Mall Dr E
Lansing, MI 48917
Laser tag, glo golf, bumper cars, arcade games, trampoline park, and a bear factory will fill your day with fun.
NOTE: Zap Zone is moving to the Lansing Mall as of December 15th, 2023!
Pictures of Indoor Play Options around Lansing
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