This is a great place for indoor fun! Unfortunately it is…read moreclosing. The whole mall is closing ,and being torn down. What a shame Norfolk did not do more to keep this place viable.It could have been saved with lower rents,and incentives,but as usual we build,and tear down viable structures. Wish the whole play area could be transported somewhere else.

Eh, I guess it's good for the little ones to run a little to burn off some energy. Not too much to…read moreit though. Not to mention the fact the mall itself was so hot.

Very spacious and fun for the kids to make slime. Great indoor activity on a rainy day…read more Needed to find something for the kids to do and out of the house/hotel. Location/ at the mall, by JC Penny entrance Cost/ not bad for the slime experiment effect $25 What you get/ make slime of choice and free slime jar by the store Service/ helpful. The guy was there to help when needed, otherwise, my kids had fun independently making slime and adding all the glitter, puffy balls, and charms. My daughter had an axolotl (spelling?) charms. Overall, if we lived here, my daughter would've wanted to have her bday here.

The staff was confrontational when asking questions regarding your reservation or questions in…read moregeneral. This isn't a typical business or activity so having questions about the process from the customer shouldn't be uncommon, but it's clear employees here get frustrated. Very impolite staff overall who mainly stayed on the phone and talked versus helping the clients. Also, I wasn't allowed to see what the kids were doing or sit with them without also buying a ticket, which is a little concerning having them alone given how confrontational the staff is. The parent and kids who came in after me was allowed to sit with the children. I do not recommend bringing children here, not a friendly environment unfortunately.

The staff here was just so nice and pleasant. We walked in on a Saturday and while there were…read moreobviously a couple small groups already scheduled and the space is not very large. It was not a problem getting us in to paint some items. We had an impromptu date here, and I would also say that this was one of the nicer ways to spend a Saturday afternoon that we had found. The process is pretty simple. Check in with the front desk they have you pick out a piece too please assign a table and then explain the process of how to wait on Keys to get the best result. They take care of everything after you are done applying the number of coats that you want on your item and you return after a few days to pick up. It's very simple and you can take your time. There were a mix of adults and groups that involve children, but this is not a place that I would bring very young children unsupervised or without high-level supervision. Price pay on most of the pieces to paint is around $30 and up. You can do a smaller item like an ornament for much less but people play a coffee mug about $20-$30 for what took us several hours to complete and it was very enjoyable time. Parking is available if you go around the block there is parking behind the "house". There's also street parking available on the side streets if that is filled. .

I took boys ages 10,9, and 7 here on a Friday night. We had the loveliest time. The woman who…read morechecked us in was so sweet and helped us pick our pieces even though we changed our minds about ten times. They have so many options for kids including coin banks, mine craft, Legos, animals, and more. To my surprise my hyperactive boys were obsessed and worked for almost two hours straight and are already asking to go back. A perfect Friday night!

Went there the day after Thanksgiving and it was one of the best children's museums we've ever been…read moreto and that says a lot considering all of the free museums in DC where we are from. Also their miniature train exhibit is massive and very extensive. We could've spent all day there but we had to get back on the road to go home.

I took my niece to the Children's Museum today! It was so much fun! First of all it is an…read moreaffordable outing . Prices are excellent to get in. Parking is ample . Staff were super welcoming. The whole museum is interactive. There is a grocery store with fake food and checkouts. A train area with a tunnel and toys . There were science exhibits. There is a really cool race track in the circus area. My niece loved the dry erase marker art area and the blocks . We spent a good 2.5 hours! So much to see and do. We ended the day at the play area that had a cute bubble area next to it. Place was clean. I appreciated the hand sanitizer stations. Overall we had a wonderful experience at the Children's Museum in Portsmouth!

The Virginia Zoo is a great way to spend a few hours with the family. If you are local to Hampton…read moreRoads I highly suggest purchasing one of their memberships. The zoo offers discounted tickets to special events for members and even has an event where you can bring your dog! I really enjoy that this zoo offers plenty of different species of animals and wide open areas for kids to explore. A train is normally running and the exhibits have wide trails with plenty of viewing platforms and windows. The staff is always friendly and they have a robust gift shop. I haven't personally ever tried their food but they offer a few cafes and dipping dots throughout the park.

I was extremely eager to finally come to the zoo. It's been years since I've visited one. I came…read morehere on a Friday with my son, who was also excited to see animals for the first time. There were many children, which looked like they were on a school trip. Before coming, I searched the zoo's website and found out they had admission discounts for whomever had Medicaid. It stated that admission price was $7. Of course, they had to ID you to see if your name matched the card. To my surprise, admission was just $4.95, which was a steal. I brought in food and water for my son and I, as most people did. First stop was the Fountain Plaza, where I had to figure out which way I wanted to maneuver. I went left to Asia and Africa trails, as my son wanted to view tigers, lions, giraffes, and monkeys. Each exhibit had 1 or 2 animals. Very bare. The monkeys had 3 the most. Not too many animals were active, which is understandable because this is their normal wild habitat. I was expecting to see my favorite animal, the elephant. Apparently, they are no longer there, as well as gorillas. I enjoyed the giraffes, rhinos, and zebras in Africa. They had the most energy. The cheetah and lion were off the exhibit that day. Following those trails, my son wanted to ride on the train. It is $3/rider. They have a strict policy of having all hands and feet at all times during the ride. This all took 2hrs. I didn't bother checking the other side of the park because it was starting to drizzle. This zoo was just ok to do something with your kids so that they can get acquainted with various animals from other parts of the world or just a date. I've been to better zoos, it was just so bare. Be prepared for lots of walking, so bring water.

The Norfolk Southern Express was an addition to the zoo in 2015. Although something cool for the…read morezoo it has not been a favorite of mine. However small children will love! Tokens are purchased for the ride at the souvenir shop. The cost is reasonable for the family. There are at least three stops on the route. The conductor and staff have been great! The disappointing aspect of the train is twofold. The most obvious is that the Virginia Zoo is not that large. So there's really little territory that the train covers. The second is that the train is a miniature not full-size. It's an appropriate size however considering. The train was made possible by a large Norfolk Southern donation. I would recommend jumping on especially if it's your first time. Younger children will enjoy the most. 3.5 rounding down.

Wow, what an incredible playland for my toddler! There's so much to keep the kids entertained…read moremultiple bouncy houses with slides, a wide variety of arcade games, and a massive main play area filled with obstacle courses, slides, and not one but two ball pits. It's perfect for kids of all ages, and I really appreciate that adults can join their little ones in the jungle style play structure. My only issue is the snack bar pricing. A regular bag of chips and a soda cost around $3, and a single pizza runs $25. Honestly, they'd be better off grabbing a few Costco pizzas and selling them at a more reasonable price it would make a lot more sense for families on a budget.

This is an amazing place for toddlers as well as older children…read more I am so pleased with the cleanliness,as well as the friendliness of the employees. This is a well run,and fun place for children to have a grand time, running,jumping,bouncing,and honing their skills in agility.

I apologize in advance for not taking more pictures.Mu son and I love this park. He goes more than…read moreI do to shoot hoops or simply ride his bike. I personally feel that it is safe for him to go alone. This park has plenty of parking, the grounds have always been kept super clean and o absolutely love that Northside Pool is located right in the middle of the park. We love to swim and lovely to have a indoor pool close to home

Really huge recreational area with monstrous shade trees throughout. it has swings for various…read morechildren's age, groups, and many jungle gym areas. There are lot of strategically placed benches. There is a large skate park. I'm not positive, but it may contain a swimming pool (locked today). It has a tennis court. The bathrooms were also locked. At 1PM today, April 18, 2025, it was a breezy 74°. It was a perfect day to watch grandchildren play.

This park has no paved walkways, no picnic shelters or grills. It has a couple of benches, one…read moretable and the playground. The rest of the area is open space and wooded areas.

I recently stumbled upon this quaint little neighborhood park in the Larchmount neighborhood of…read moreNorfolk. I have now enjoyed lunch with the kids a few times now and have really fallen in love with it's beauty. The description has this as a Dog Park, but it is not. However, it is a dog friendly park if the pooch is on a leash. The park is located directly behind ODU's Foreman Field and among small 1950-1960's residential homes. The current space has been utilized for a recreation area for a number of years, but the park as it exist today with it's playground equipment is around 10 years old. The entire area is shady which is a parents dream. Parking is off street only. I consider the area to be completely safe. The grounds are enclosed with an attractive black aluminum fence. A short run to the back is a tall wooden privacy fence. There are two gates with both having child safety locks. Bottom line is this is a secure play are for small children with great visual lines of sight to watch the kids enjoying themselves. I found the park spotless and grassy portion well manicured on my times visiting. There is a single trash can which is maintained by the city of Norfolk. Let's talk equipment, because it's cool. The central playground is a pirate ship. The second one has a slide and curly pole. There are also two sets of swings and one is for a toddler. I would consider the top age range for the playground to be 10-12. The ground cover around the equipment is mulch. A huge shaded grassy area for recreation is to the back. I consider this one of the best things about the park. There are some limitations to the park that anyone visiting should be aware of. However, keep in perspective this is a small neighborhood park. Only a few benches and a few tables are available to families. There is enough room for a small shelter and grills, but they do not have them. Also absent is a restroom facility and water fountain. So don't forget to bring something for the little ones to keep hydrated. I usually would not give a park a four without upgraded items like shelter and restrooms. This property is in another class with it being a neighborhood park in my opinion. I am sure this property is such a treasure for the neighborhood. I just could not help but fall in love with Bluestone Park when I first laid eyes on it and I think you will agree.

Love this recreation center. One of the reasons to feel good about being a VA Beach resident is…read morethat you get an annual membership for $120 and you get access to all the amenities (pool, gym, track, locker room, etc) and classes (tai chi, Zumba, yoga, etc ). Not only at this location but also other recreation centers as well! Parking is ample. You get full view of the pool to the left of the entrance and then the welcome/reception desk and even a peek at the indoor court. The membership signup was a breeze, the staff was helpful. Flyers of class schedule, pool and gym schedule and other locations are all available by the bulletin stand where you take schedule printouts. I cannot wait to start my early morning classes!

Love love love this place. There's so much to offer here. I come at 5am because that's when they…read moreopen. They have the gym downstairs with some fitness rooms, basketball courts, a pool, waterpark, and an aqua track, and then upstairs they have a walking track with an area for personal training. They also offer a few early morning classes, which I take advantage of as well. The employees are always so friendly here and sometimes they're outside in the mornings, waiting to greet you as you come in.