"Northbrook Play" is a children's play area located inside the Northbrook Court. It's a wonderful…read moreuse of a vacant space, as many retailers have closed their brick and mortar stores nowadays. I would say if you happen to be nearby with a young toddler, stop by and let your kid release some energy and gain some fun playtime. It's a small venue. Parents get to sit down on comfy couches and watch their love ones play. I would say some parents there were too comfortable and they were on their phones while the kids were left unattended for a little bit... Anyways, all I wanted to say was that parents may take a short break to catch a breath. There are a theater stage, a walkway leading to a small slide, climbing obstacles, a fun selfie station and an infant playground. There is not much else, so don't make a long trip coming here. There is a designated stroller parking and shoes are asked to be taken off. I saw most kids do that, yet the parents were walking with shoes on. I wasn't sure what the policy really was. Certainly everyone's shoes should be dirty enough and shouldn't be worn on this relatively clean area. Our 2-year old toddler had fun. There is a tree house downstairs in the mall for kids as well, free of charge. I found this mall pretty boring and noticed a good amount of vacancies. I think they started some type of renovation or expansion. The restrooms were quite clean and maintained, with toliet covers provided. "Northbrook Play" is completely free and anyone is welcome.

Can't believe this place is free. The cleanliness and well-made decor remind me of other play areas…read morethat you have to pay to get into. We came here with some friends who also have young kids. The parents hung out on the comfy couches (enough room for us and much more) while the kids ran around and played. There's no staff on site, so I'm amazed how well they keep it clean. There's things to climb, a slide, a stage for pretend play. Not too many interactive activities like at a children's museum per say, but my kids just needed a place to run and climb around. There are certain times of the day it's closed (for cleaning I'm guessing). We came at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon and had the whole place to ourselves. It was luxurious. I'll definitely be back again.

This is a great place! We had our two year olds birthday party here and it was the best possible…read moreexperience I could have hoped for. The owner was very sweet and easy to communicate with from start to finish. The inflatables are so much fun and my daughter could go up and down those slides all day. All the adults that came had the best time too running around with the kids. There's a snack bar and very clean restrooms. There's also a baby area so that they have a place to get their energy out too. Overall, really can't say enough good things about this place. We will definitely be back!

A parents dream!! Comfy couches, plenty of tables, hours of fun! What more could you ask for!!…read more Stopped here after a friend suggested it. It was the perfect "go run around" place!! Girls had the best time! Came out when they needed water and even got a small little prize as we were heading out! Bathrooms and locker area was so clean! Staff were deep cleaning the baby area, SO impressed with the attention to detail!!

Had a great time at Funtopia with my kids. So many climbing walls, it was a good time (especially…read morethe Christmas theme for the winter). I had the chance to check out their party rooms as they were running kind of a family open house for their Christmas time. Lots of fun challenges for the kids as they put snowflakes and cookies on the climbing walls for kids to collect for a prize. They had a food buffet showcasing some of their food options pizza, pizza puffs, meatballs, chicken tenders. Salad and hot chocolate. The staff was super friendly and good with the kids. We had a great time. The party space accommodates several groups at the same time.

Great variety of activities for all ages. Plus, there are tables for parents to hang out or work…read more Free wifi!

My daughter (4) and I found ourselves in the area this Saturday afternoon, and we are always…read morelooking for new play places that won't overstimulate me, but will keep her occupied for a solid two hours. I was very excited to scope out Playroom Cafe. Playroom Café is the perfect spot for a play date/mommy coffee date, with their small cafe menu that offers coffee, small bites, milkshakes and a shockingly semi-healthy kids' food menu. The area is bright, clean and inviting, with plenty of space for adults to relax while the children explore. I love that I can see my daughter from any angle of the seating area. Solid European song selection as well, I can't even tell you how peaceful it was to not have to listen to children's music for two hours. They offer semi-private and private birthday parties and have a super cute private area to help your littles celebrate! I will definitely be adding Playroom Café to our regular rotation and for possible birthday ideas in the future.

Surviving with 2 young, active boys during winter in Chicago requires a search for quality indoor…read moreplayground. Fortunately, I have found some in the city and Chicagoland. "Playroom Cafe" is officially added to my list of children's cafes, even though it is a bit farther away from where we live. "Playroom Cafe" is located on the second floor in the Randhurst Village outdoor shopping area. The admission fee for each child is $17, with 2 adults allowed. The layout is nice and adults can supervise their kids with mostly unobstructed view while sitting down. Food offerings mirror the typical cafe items you can find in most places. Shoes are required to be off inside the cafe/play area for everyone. During our visit, we saw the staff who did a great job keeping the venue clean and things were picked up from the ground in a timely manner. They were also working on setting up a private, members-only party when we were there. Therefore, there was a plenty of people working and serving the patrons on a Saturday afternoon. Our boys had an awesome time releasing their energy and enjoyed the waffles and berry smoothie. My partner and I took turns to hang with them at the play area, which was nice to share responsilities while finding time to relax and sipping a cup of joe. We probably will be back at some point because the drive to Mount Prospect is quite long. Nevertheless, we like "Playroom Cafe" and will recommend for patents who are specifically looking for kids-centric cafes in Chicagoland.

I've been attempting to keep my busy tot as active as possible during these last few weeks of…read moresummer, and had FunFlatables on our "Summer '24 Bucket List". For just $12 you have access to all day play from 11am-7pm (11am-6pm on Sundays), and you're able to come and go throughout the day as long as you have a dated wristband. They have multiple party package options for anyone interested, but the space does remain open to the public during your party time (which is the norm for most kid party places). We came at 3:50pm on a Tuesday, and had the entire place to ourselves. The inflatables are well maintained, and the toddler area is clean and spacious. The manager was very friendly and personable, and notified us that there are coupons available on the site for the next time we'd like to purchase more than one open play pass in order to save a few bucks. I think if there were more kids here, my daughter would have wanted to stay longer, but we did get a solid hour in, and she asked me if she could have her birthday party here ;).

A lot of flatables for kids and kept them entertained. Loved how there was enough room for multiple…read moreparties and the service was decent. No complaints! Will be going back in a couple of weeks.

My partner and I were looking for another indoor playground for young kids as our weekend…read moreexcursion. Mama Rosa did a little Yelp search and found "Time Out Party and Play" and we executed our plan to check this place out with our little ones. The place had a cute vibe. The one-time open play admission was $15, without the entry to the sensory room. The attendant was very kind and allowed us to use the sensory room without an extra charge. Honestly, the sensory room was my favorite part because the room was actually serene, soothing, and great for kids who wanted to take a break from the physical play. The setup was quite inspiring in that sensory room and I could definitely see it as my ideal room design. Interactive, learning-driven toys were filled on the walls and and it was fun to see the kids jumping on the water trampoline. Patrons were courteous and I could see my older one had a lot of fun. My younger one was slightly timid due his petite size, but he ended up sticking to the small slide adjacent to the large two-story playpen. Some parents were able to "relax" for the time being by chilling at the cafe area nearing the playground. I believe there was a menu available to order the food and drinks in from a third-party coffeeshop. The register, on the other hand, had some pops and juice boxes for sale. "Time Out Party and Play" caters for birthday parties. I took a glance on the pricing poster and it seemed pretty reasonable to me if any parent wanted to plan an official birthday celebration by inviting friends and families. Nowadays the mall has gotten so much more emptier, yet a business like this should be a keeper! We don't live anywhere near the Hawthorne Mall in Vernon Hills, so we will be back when we can.

I had been eyeing the signs for Time Out Party & Play for what felt like an eternity, waiting for…read moreit to open so that my daughter and I could FINALLY check it out. Well today, my friends, was the day!! We came in about 4:45pm on a Saturday. There were maybe 5 other children playing. I had already checked out the prices, so I knew what to expect: $20 for open play, $28 for open play + drink + toy or $15 for open sensory play (great for toddlers and babies). Although I was initially a little hesitant about the $20 open play fee based on the space, I can confidently say that I got my money's worth, as my daughter was entertained for a solid hour and a half, and still didn't want to leave. The sensory area is a wonderful, quiet, low-light space for toddlers and babies who would otherwise be overwhelmed (or trampled) in the play area. The main play area is great, as you can see your child from just about every angle, and even on a busy day, the space is small enough that they're a safe distance away from you at all times. Adults aren't allowed on the second story of the play gym, but even my reserved 3 year old was able to maneuver most of the stuff on the second floor with confidence and ease. There are plenty of seats and tables for parents to hangout, or for kids to take a break, and cubbies for your shoes (socks only play). Great play space for kids 6 and under, but somewhat older siblings could enjoy the space as well! They offer private and semi-private party packages at a reasonable rate, too! The staff was friendly and helpful, and took the time to answer all of my questions.

Devin was so helpful and made the experience amazing. He brought such a positive energy and all the…read morekids were excited.

Angel and the team at Kids Empire Deerfield were excellent! Angel answered all of my many questions…read morebefore our kids' birthday party, was so calm and patient and helpful with me, and went out of his way to make sure my family had a great experience. Angel is a really special asset at the Deerfield location -- consider yourself lucky to get to work with him. It's such a delight to be in a location that is so specifically designed to make sure kids have a great time! Highly recommended!

Kayla provided excellent customer service during our visit to Kids Empire! She was friendly,…read morehelpful, and very welcoming. You could tell she genuinely cared about making sure everyone had a great experience. Kayla went above and beyond to help us and made our visit even better. Employees like her are what make a business stand out. Highly recommend Kids Empire, and especially Kayla!

Good for an inexpensive couple hours of energy release. Best part is you pay about $23 and can go…read morein and out all day.

We love The Hangout! We've been here a few times since the new owner took over and this is one of…read morethe few play places where my daughter has the space to actively engage with other children in a natural space that isn't overstimulating. It seems like there is something new every time we come here, without being overwhelming or cluttered. We have also taken a few classes here as well, and have enjoyed every single one. I appreciate that drop in play is under $20, and the one-time and weekly classes are always reasonably priced.

We LOVE the Hangout! Absolutely fantastic spot to bring the kiddos! The new owner, Alexis, has done…read morean absolutely amazing job revitalizing the space and making it SO WARM and INVITING for my children. The classes are especially great, and a major highlight to this space that I haven't seen at any other "indoor play spaces" - Alexis does such a great job organizing and creating fun, engaging classes for all ages. She's always got a schedule for new and fun classes! If you've got young kids, this place needs to be on your radar!