An open play gym is a place where your child can go and play in a safe place with slides, ball pits, foam pits, trampolines, or other “gym” style pieces of equipment. Our open play area has a gigantic play structure with four slides, imagination stations, a costume corner, and trains and Legos. These parent-supervised indoor play areas are bright, colorful, and clean. Most importantly, they allow your child to explore and learn with other children.
Our open play is available to children from 12 months and up. Unlike other gyms, our position as a fitness center with many classes has led us to create an open gym that offers more than just the traditional play mats and ball pits. Children can also explore imagination stations, play in the costume corner, and build with trains and Legos.
What Does a Child Get from Open Play Time?
When a child is taken to an open gym, they can learn and play in a safe area that other children will be playing in. This results in increased socialization, growth of physical and cognitive skills, and positive interactions.
As your child gets older, they can learn more complex ideas. Older children at our open gym will learn perseverance, problem-solving, and positivity through building with Legos and tackling the big play structure.
How is Open Play Different Than a Playground?
In an open play gym, you are in a clean environment that has specifically designed toys, all of which are working. On the other hand, a playground is a place where you can let your child run free on play sets outside and in the sun. Looking at both of those statements, you can see that they each have their benefits. However, when looking at differences that would make open play important, there are a few things that stand out.
- Cleanliness: Though children don’t need to be protected from germs at all times, the cleanliness of open gyms is great for allowing play without having to deal with dirty clothes or sickness.
- All Weather: In an open gym, you will be able to play rain or shine. Though playgrounds are a great place for activity, they are limited by the weather in the area.
- More Activities: While a playground can’t have removable parts, an open gym can. Having Legos, train tracks, a costume corner and imagination stations allows for new types of play not available on a playground.
- Safety: Depending on what you have access to, you might find an open play facility to be much safer than the playground that your children could use. Also, open play areas will often have workers that are trained as well as first aid kits should something happen.
That’s not to say that open play areas are better overall. We believe that children should get out whenever they can. Open play is just one addition to your arsenal!
What Tips the Scale?
When you go to a playground, you are going to sit a watch a child play for however long you are there. On the other hand, our open play sessions allow your child to play while you work out at one of our fitness classes. This allows for both you and your children to get exercise, socialization, and a new challenge. And if you would rather relax, there is free wifi, fresh coffee and cozy seating for parents.
Overall, children require activity and socialization. Open play areas are vital additions to a child’s life as they allow for additional outlets of creativity and energy. They will be able to learn about leadership, problem-solving, determination, and positivity through interacting with their surroundings and the people in them.
Come Play
Ready to try it? Visit our open play page for hours and prices, or contact us with questions.