A magical place! My 6-year-old son is autistic and it was such a relief to be welcomed by a team that just gets it. The space is super clean and feels like a kid's dream. There's so much to do, climbing, building, exploring, getting wiggles out, and even a quiet room to chill. You can tell the folks behind it really thought through everything. The vibe, the décor, even the website feel so neurodiverse-affirming. They have tech to help build community around members too. We live in Novato so the distance makes a membership tough right now, but I'm hoping we can join in the summer when school isn't in the way. I'd love to see Spirited Play Labs expand to more places as this is the future IMO (please come to Novato, I'll help!). For families like ours, where typical play spaces can feel stressful or isolating, this place is a true gem, welcoming, thoughtful, and hopeful for the future. Thank you!!! read more

Spirited Play Labs - Levi playing dress up - Kids Activities Near Me - Berkeley, California

We've been coming to SPL for years, and it has always been such a positive experience. The play sessions with Lia mean so much to us. we truly appreciate her patience, guidance, and support. Every visit, we notice progress. My daughter used to play only by herself, but now we see her becoming more independent and interacting with Lia, which fills our hearts. As a mom of a child on the spectrum, I know how hard it can be. My daughter doesn't have friends, but when we come here, she has one. In other spaces, the stares that come with her stimming can be so difficult to ignore, but here at SPL, we feel safe, accepted, and not judged. That sense of belonging is rare for special needs families, and we are so grateful to have found it here. I love how the staff embraces inclusion and acceptance. it shows in everything they do. I truly wish there were more places and programs like this for our kids, because families like ours need community. read more

We had my son's birthday party there and it was so easy! The staff helped me clean up and set up. All of the kids had a blast playing in the space. The parents loved it too as it was way less stimulating and quieter than those crazy bouncing places. What was great was I felt comfortable inviting all kids in his class because it was such an inclusive and comfortable space. We love spirited play labs! read more

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Passionate, involved staff who are invested in child development education and practice respectful parenting practices. The environment is safe, not overstimulating and well planned out and organized based on the type of play. It offers quiet/calm corners and ample seating for adults. Snack areas are well maintained and complementary water and sink access for dishes. The staff do their best to get to know you and your children and their fees are very reasonably priced. They also offer members only events and classes which is great. We appreciate how flexible their membership structure is for daily sign ups on sessions. It's especially inclusive for us neurodivergent folk while providing a fun, safe space for all. We've been coming here since my 4 year old was 7 months old, SPL is our second home! read more

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Well run, engaging and joyful with staff that are kind, effective and welcoming. Booking is easy and families are helpful to each other and respectful. My family is so grateful for this space and resource. read more

Wonderful place! We attended a birthday party here last year, it was a blast! I have two spectrum kiddo's with very different sensory needs and this place hit the nail on the head for both of them. Enclosed walls great 360° views to spot your kids from and two massage chairs for tired parents. This was a pretty obvious choice for my son's 5th birthday party! Jorja was pleasant, professional and on top of it for all of the booking, fun to talk to on the phone as well! Will update review after party! Downsides: Small shared parking lot with a yoga studio, Non-members = $$$ Upsides: Pretty much everything else. Fun, clean, fort building and crawling/ tumble space, scarf fan. Bright natural light. Quieter sensory rooms and a reading nook! Massage chairs friendly staff and more! read more

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SPL Berkeley is such a gem for families. The staff are warm and genuinely "get" kids, especially those who might not always feel at home in more traditional play spaces. The environment is playful without being overwhelming--full of things to explore, but designed in a way that feels safe and supportive. My kids always leave happy (and tired, in the best way), and I leave feeling like I've found a place that truly understands what families like mine need. What makes SPL stand out is how intentionally they approach neurodiversity. Instead of trying to fit kids into one mold, they meet each child where they are and celebrate them for who they are. That kind of acceptance is rare, and it creates a space where parents can actually relax, too. It's not just a play space--it's a community that values difference and joy equally, and I feel lucky to have it here in Berkeley. read more

The most amazing inclusive space for my kiddos (8 and 1) to play. The staff are super kind and supportive and the community is outstanding. We've attended camps, single sessions and hosted a birthday party here and my 8 year old autistic son feels so safe and cared for here. We love the SPL space and community and feel so fortunate to have this resource for a play option. It's a great alternative to usual public play spaces that allow for more understanding playmates and parents. read more

Spirited Play Labs - Kids Activities Near Me - Berkeley, California

Finally a place for neurodiverse children !!! At first it seems like this business could work on the Planning & communication but that was swiftly dealt with when the owner Lindsay called me :-) luckily this week was a "soft opening " and we were able to try it out ! Spirited play labs is a membership-based play space for children 0-8months of all abilities. It has a particular slant to neurodiverse children and others who are differently abled (The owner has a speech therapy background). - you reserve your team, the max is 12 families - you can reserve back to back Membership is waived if you are regional center clients (discuss with your case manager) There are 2 locations : Berkeley and San Ramon. Berkeley has a small parking lot and is beautifully decorated , the site closes at 6:30pm. My son LOVED it and felt right at home. Or ask beautiful and bright : - you have to remove your shoes when you enter or bring socks AND they have slippers for you - it's safely gated and all activities and rooms are kid - focused at their level - parents can relax in various sitting areas, the site offers sparkling water and soda for you! - there are at least 2 attendants available to play with your kid - there's a quiet room for sensory management - a kids snack room with little people tables - a clean changing room / kid bathroom - activity tables - quite a few play rooms - a puppet theater - trampolines and indoor swings etc... read more

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It was our first time visiting. Our son has a really hard time going to new places. He transitioned with no problem. That staff was really nice and helpful. We will be back read more

I cannot recommend Spirited Play Labs highly enough! We have been bringing our two daughters here for almost a year now, and it has truly become their favorite place to be. It is rare to find a space where children don't just play, but truly thrive. The facility is top-notch and equipped with every amenity the kids could possibly need to stay engaged and happy. It is also one of the few places where I can actually feel relaxed as a parent, knowing they are in a safe, thoughtfully designed environment. What really makes this place special, however, is the incredible staff. They are so caring, patient, and genuinely passionate about helping kids. A special shout-out to Jorga, who manages the place! Her leadership and dedication are evident in every detail, and she goes above and beyond to ensure every family feels welcome and supported. If you are looking for a professional, warm, and high-quality community for your children, this is it. We are so grateful to have found them read more

We absolutely love Spirited Play, and so do both our 1.5-year-old and 5-year-old. The space is safe, fun, and full of so many different creative play opportunities for our kiddos. They can both easily entertain themselves for hours on end, and the space is set up really well for them to engage in self-directed play. In addition to the great space, the folks who work here are so good with kiddos, and put in lots of effort to make sure they feel welcome and engaged. So grateful to have Spirited Play in our community! read more

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My son and I came here recently on a class field trip. It is a well thought out space and all the kids had a blast . The employees there were friendly and kind to the kids . My son is already asking when he can go back again . read more

We visited this center when in town after the Tilden Train ride. This play center is meant for children ages 0-8 yrs per the owner. My son is the on the younger side but he was still able to enjoy. He rode on the large swing, climbed around the soft play area and played with the little town that was conveniently on the ground. They had bigger toys for the big kids like little bikes with ramps, monkey bars, and climbing areas also. There was a nice eating room, "play pretend" room and sensory room which we had some downtime in. What I love about the center is that it's for kids of most ages and all abilities so everyone can find something of interest. The price was a little high for us $35 for 90 minutes but I think much more reasonable if you are a member and pay that price. We will most likely go back when we are in the area. The lady at the front was friendly and took us on a tour of the facility before which was super helpful. read more

We have been coming for about a year. They have caring and thoughtful play coaches. The facility adds new items and modifies their arrangements periodically. Friends often join us for play dates. Wonderful place for kids. read more

I went during their posted open hours and they were not open. Disappointed overall. Their voicemail did not suggest different operating hours so I don't know how play times are arranged but apparently drop in is not how they work. read more

An amazing location and the staff is incredibly helpful and kind! My kids have a blast here. Thank you Jorja!! Highly recommend to families nearby! read more

Spirited Play Labs is an amazing space. It's spacious, beautiful and clean and the staff are kind and caring. The set up is very intentional, allowing for all kinds of play. There is a variety of sensory materials and activities for kids, including a quiet dark room with fun lights and cozy places to take a break. We held our daughter's birthday party here and the staff couldn't have been more accomodating and warm to us. We booked this last minute, and they made everything so easy for us. Our daughter had an absolute blast and many parents commented on what a great time they and their kids had. I can't recommend this place enough! read more

It's a safe and welcoming environment for my son on the spectrum. Also, all the staff members are so welcoming and understanding. We love SPL especially the manager Jorja (she's awesome!!!) read more

SPL in Berkeley is a wonderful space, safe, affirming, and engaging. Both my kiddos love spending time here, finding something new to explore each time they visit. One kiddo attended their summer camp and worked on play skills and autonomy and it was overall such a positive experience. So much so that we continued that work by adding DIR Floor time with Ms. Danielle. I can't recommend this SPL enough. read more

We rented SPL on a Sunday for my kid's birthday party. SPL made everything so easy. Everyone commented on how amazing the space is and how much they enjoyed themselves. The kids didn't want to leave. And, as parents, it was one of the easiest parties we threw. The fact that we didn't have to clean up the space when we were done was amazing. Having a kitchen with a working coffee pot was also greatly appreciated. I would definitely recommend this location to rent for parties. read more

Not a great place to visit! The most annoying part you cannot change your schedule. What?!! Their play coach can cancel you without any notice. And that place was not allowed to sit in because a worker is cleaning the room during business hour. ???!!!! Very rude. Avoid it for all your cost! read more

We had a super fun birthday party here for my kids. The space is really big and keeps a wide age range of kids busy and happy without having to plan any entertainment. The staff are really friendly, accommodating, and great communicators. We also checked out the place before the party and my kids LOVE playing here. There is something for everyone and it's set up really well. All the other parents were raving about it too! I'm so glad we found this place. read more

It's a very calming place, always fresh, comfortable and clean inside. My son enjoys going there because it's never too crowded. The ladies who work there are amazing! Always smiling and welcoming! read more

Everything about this space is INCREDIBLE, deeply intentional and thoughtful. I am SO impressed and so was my kiddo. First, it is beautifully designed and so pleasant to be in. The toys and play items are interesting and exciting. The staff were excellent- engaged and connected with my kiddo and made us feel so comfortable. And most of all I love that they appreciate and support all the ways in which ND kids play and engage. This is probably the single most welcoming space for ND kiddos and families I've seen to date! read more

Spirited Play Labs - Play equipment - Kids Activities Near Me - Berkeley, California

SPL is such a special place. Our daughter goes with our nanny multiple times a week and is greeted with such warmth and kindness by the staff. The space is big enough where she's never bored, but intimate enough where she's not overwhelmed. She started going when she was 14 months and is going to be two years old soon. She still loves going, and so does our 4 year old. It's truly incredible how SPL creates a space that feels so intimate, safe and welcoming for a range of children and ages. read more

I used to love this place but as time has gone on it has become more restrictive. The membership says unlimited play but you are confined to an hour and a half at time slots that don't work with school aged kids at all. It's not worth getting more than 1 membership bc you can't book back yo back sessions. For families who travel to this location it's starting to not be worth it with the rigid schedule and very limited play time. For kids who need just that- flexibility and understanding I hope for more from a place that caters to neurodivergent kids. My kids have also been hurt on multiple occasions by other kids and it's just been shrugged off. I hope some of this changes bc we would like to keep our membership and possibly get a 2nd. Edited to add: I urge you to reconsider your current limits and the schedule. Your membership expressly states unlimited play. That is false advertising. It isn't unlimited at all. An hr and a half a day isn't enough especially if you are driving 30 mins each way. A 3hr block would likely be a great amt. - or the ability to book back to back sessions. It isn't realistic for families who don't live close. I won't be traveling to Antioch. It is incredibly far for my family. It seems like this is yet another place that isn't quite looking at the child's/families needs? Maybe make an exception for school aged kids- or offer a certain block of time a wk- to be used how it fits each family.the current schedule doesn't allow for school aged kids to come at convenient times- straight from school. They lose almost an hr. We have been waiting for likely close to 6mths- paying the higher rate for therapy- we have been incredibly understanding but the lab doesn't seem to extend the same courtesy- understanding read more

I visited this place a week ago for my niece and I was blown away! I was greeted right away and met with the friendliest associate named Jorja. She was super nice and informative about the services that they offered here. She was not only welcoming to me but to my niece as well who has autism. I was surprised at how well she was around her as it can be difficult to interact with her as she is non-verbal. I will definitely tell my sister to move forward with the membership! read more

We love SPL and travel close to an hour each way just to be there for an hour and a half. Leaving the house by myself with 3 kids under the age of 5 is no easy task, but well worth it in my eyes because of how much fun the kids usually have when we're there. We had a terrible experience at SPL Berkeley today and it's left me feeling very uneasy. Another boy was there and repeatedly aggressively snatched toys out of my kids hands, tried to punch my son, and almost knocked over my 9 month old baby, the 3 adults that came with him did nothing. Me and my children felt extremely unsafe. After this all happened Zoe (the manager) asked me if me and my kids would move into a different section/room. I don't think it's fair to ask us to move when we were not the problem to begin with. I had to gather my 3 children and leave as quickly as possible which is not easy after they were so excited to be there. My kids were extremely upset and confused. Please tell me how I can explain to a 3 and 4 year old why they had to leave when they were not being bad. At what point is staff trained to get involved when the guardians of other children refuse to discipline? read more

Spirited Play Lab had been an enjoyable place for my daughter to visit. We are putting our membership on pause on the basis of our negative experience with one of their employees who was visiting off duty with her sons on July 23, 2024 in the afternoon. After my daughter placed a couple of toys from the main area to another room, I attempted to pick up the toys after her. I was told by that off duty staff member, who was in the room with her sons, to "relax" in a demeaning tone. Before even having the chance to respond, she held out her hand in a stop gesture and rudely told me to "relax" again, then proceeded to tell me that she works there sometimes. I decided to remove myself from the room because I did not want to escalate the situation for the benefit of her sons as they were still present. As she disclosed to me that she is an employee, I assumed that she was speaking on behalf of the company, therefore, I informed one of the staffs about the incident. I fully understand that staff are there to clean up throughout the day. However, I choose to set a good example for my daughter to clean up after playing. It is not any of her business what I do, especially when I did not ask for her opinion or advice. For her to direct me to relax is rude and beyond unnecessary. As a matter of fact, my daughter's therapist was present with my daughter and I was having a relaxing time, prior to the off duty staff's arrival. This experience does not reflect the quality of service I have received from other employees there as they have been friendly and welcoming. I hope management will see this review and provide that particular employee with some customer service training that she apparently needs. read more

The fact that my son with limited speech clearly tells me "I want to go to spirited play labs" on almost a DAILY basis, speaks volumes on the environment. It's incredible and thoughtful design successful executes the intention of creating a not only a safe space for neurodiverse children but a place that fosters a sense of understanding, validation and encouragement for the interests, needs, curiosities and joy of autistic children and families. I'm incredibly grateful for the people that came together to make this vision rooted in compassion and love come to a beautiful fruition. read more