Are you looking for new kid-approved indoor activities in Springfield MO? Rainy and cold days can be hard with kids because they have so much energy and are ready to play! (Or maybe that is just my wild ones!). We are always on the lookout for new indoor activities that are fun for my 3 kids, and BONUS being able to make it into a learning opportunity! We have found so much fun indoor fun for the whole family that will help your kids enjoy their free time while still learning and having fun (BONUS: Most of these are SUPER fun for you, too!)!
One of most popular indoor activities in Springfield MO is Wonders of Wildlife. Looking at all the different kinds of fish, petting the stingrays, and swimming with the sharks, can not get more fun for the whole family. This isn’t only fun to look out for. There is so much to learn about each of the animals as well. Wonder’s of Wildlife makes not only a fun family outing, but it also doubles as a learning field trip too!
2. Discovery Center of Springfield
Discovery Center is secretly one of my favorite things! Science centers are entertaining for not only the kids but parents too! Between walking on a human-sized hamster wheel, laying on a bed of nails, digging for dinosaurs, finding their shadow, and learning new things, we all had a blast. I started taking my kids at about 1 year old in their small kids’ area, and they loved it; and it has been fun for each of them up to me as their mom! Discovery Center is fun for a day out, but we also as a homeschool field trip.
Jump Mania is perfect for kids with lots of energy. It is full of bounce houses for your kids to run and play. They have a designated section for the smaller kids, so they don’t get intimidated by the older kids, but parents are encouraged to play with their kids in any of the bounce houses. They also have a concession stand you can eat snacks and lunch, a spot you can reserve for birthday parties, and a sign-up so you can come and go throughout the day.
Although I thought the Springfield Art Museum would be difficult with small kids this is fun for all ages. I have taken kids as young as 2, and they all enjoyed it. There was so much to look at, as well as a small play area at the end for them to play at. There is so much art and culture to learn about, and makes the perfect learning and family outing.
Our family LOVES getting the Chesterfield Family Center membership. We have gone throughout my kid’s life with their yearly membership as well as their day pass. There is so much to do! They have exercise classes, a gym, indoor and outdoor walking trails, a basketball court, a pool with slides, a lap pool, a hot tub, a workout gym for adults, ping pong tables, and a fun daycare for the kids. Typically my kids are not fans of public daycares and don’t last more than a few minutes, but at Chestfield, they are begging never to leave! We used to get the yearly membership and go daily, but now we take advantage of their day passes when we are ready to get out of the house and enjoy some family fun.
Our family also loves YMCA. It is very similar to Chesterfield in what it offers but depending on the location you go to, it has some additional amenities They have a pool, hot tub, daycare, HUGE selection of guided workout classes, workout gym, walking trail, sauna, steam room, basketball court and more! They offer flexible yearly passes as well as day passes for your family to enjoy.
7. Recreational Center Gym
Several recreational centers around Springfield have free access to their gyms. My kids love to check out a ball and throw it around, try to make baskets, and get so much energy out!
Maybe our family is weird, but we love going to Bass Pro Shops just to look at the fish. They have a variety of large fish tanks, turtles, and alligators to look at. They also have a variety of family events throughout the year, including kid’s fishing contests, Santa’s workshop, and more! It is also connected to Wonders of Wildlife and Hemingway’s for more family fun and great food.
We visited the jungle gym for a birthday party recently, and my kids had a blast! They never wanted to leave! The jungle gym is geared towards toddlers and young kids. It has a sand pit, indoor slide, and swings, and tons of toys for the kids to play in.
Itty Bitty City is also geared towards toddlers and young kids. With indoor play sets and activities throughout.
11. Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park
Urban Air is geared towards older kids. It is filled with trampolines, obstacle courses, and more. It is so much fun! They also have concessions for everyone to snack on while having fun.
12. Battlefield Mall Playground
Desperate times call for desperate measures. When becoming a mom, I never thought I would want to take young kids to the mall, but with the Battlefield Mall Playground, it is fun! It is geared towards toddlers and young kids, but it has small climbing equipment for them to play and they can make a few friends too!
Chuck E. Cheese has been around for what seems like forever. They have so many games and fun for young kids, a few games for older kids, as well as an indoor playset and slide for them to climb in. BONUS they have great pizza and prizes for playing too! I love how they guard stamp invisible ink on each child and parent’s hand and guard the entrance to give parents a little more peace of mind about letting the kids play without worrying as much that they will wander off.
Incredible pizza is fun for all ages. They have so much to do for toddlers, young kids, older kids, teenagers, and even adults. There are so many games, bumper cars, go-carts, movies to watch in their seating area, and unlimited food, soda, and dessert!
1984 brings you back to the “retro” arcades with 70-80 arcade video games and 15+ pinball machines that were popular in the 1970-1990s. It is enjoyable for the whole family while your kids try something new!
Zenith Climbing Center is equipped with Walltopia rock climbing walls and a yoga studio. There are walls for a variety of difficulties so the whole family can get a workout in and practice their climbing skills. They also have equipment rentals, so you do not have to worry about providing all the necessary equipment to enjoy the sport.
Andy B has a variety of fun activities for the whole family, including endless bowling, arcade, virtual reality games, laser tag, and more. They also offer a variety of food and drinks to enjoy while playing.
Fantastic Caverns is a ride-thru cave where families can ride Jeep-drawn trams while experiencing the magnitude, the stillness, and the beauty of all of the natural features in the Caverns.
Jordan Valley Ice Park offers public skating, figure skating, and hockey to the public. They also have recreational and competitive ice teams for entertainment as well as lessons and leagues for all ages.
Springfield Skateland offers roller skating for kids and families. They have skate rentals for all ages.
Sunshine Lanes offers bowling to the whole family. They have shoe rentals and equipment for kids that make bowling available for all ages.
GloGolf is an indoor glow-in-the-dark mini-golf. My husband and I went with our 3 kids (under 5), and we all had a blast. All the kids, including my 2-year-old, had fun trying to put the ball.
Doling Family Center is a fitness center with fitness classes, daycare, a zero-entry pool, a gym, a basketball court, and walking trails. They offer daily passes as well as yearly family memberships.
The Library Station can be a fun and relaxing indoor activity in Springfield, MO. Snuggle up with a good book, browse the books shelves, and kids can play on their train, and computer games as well as events for kids throughout the month.
There are so many fun indoor activities in Springfield MO that can be fun for the whole family.
Have toddlers? Here are the top things to do with toddlers in Springfield MO, and the top indoor playgrounds that are also fun for indoor play!
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