It’s getting cold in Melbourne recently. It feels like it’s going to freeze in Melbourne’s spring and it’s raining every day. Walking the kids on weekends can be a big problem, so we are going to share some of our top hand picked indoor playground to everyone!
Most popular indoor play centres in Melbourne
Flipout
Flipout is a chain indoor playground with multiple locations across many areas. The activities include trampolines, foam pits, parkour arenas, wall running, and more. It’s suitable for both adults and children.
The trampoline park requires customers to wear their own non-slip socks. The socks cost 3.5 per pair and come with two cups that can be used to get free iced drinks with orange and raspberry flavours that can be mixed.
Overall, the experience at this park was pretty good. However, the trampolines are generally small and have many obstacles (there are no trampolines that can make you jump very high). The climbing walls are good and some are quite challenging. There is also a children’s castle to play in, with many transparent ocean balls!
When we went, there weren’t many people, but there were quite a few kids. Tickets can be purchased on-site, but it’s better to book in advance on the official website.
- T2/249 Middleborough Rd
- 2/21 Elgar Rd
Funtopia
Funtopia is one of the largest indoor play centres in Melbourne suitable for all ages. It has interactive climbing walls, themed adventure playgrounds, and an on-site restaurant “Mr Spriggins” that offers food and coffee, so you can play all day.
The space is very large with many activities suitable for children of all ages. They even have race cars! Although it costs an additional $2, my child was very happy to try it out.
In terms of food, the cafe at Funtopia in Carrum Downs is the best play centre brunch we have ever had. The prices are also very reasonable, with all kids’ meals priced at $12. The taste and presentation of the food are much better than other play centres in the area.
The entry fee is $16 for children aged 3 and above, $10 for those under 3, and adults can climb for free if they are over 5 years old. It is recommended to book tickets online, especially on weekends, as it is a popular local play centre. Currently, the time limit is 3 hours, and there will be reminders to check the colour of your wristband each hour to remind families to leave when their time is up. Although there are many people, the number is still controlled within a reasonable range.
- 3/98 -108 Hampstead Rd
- 586 Frankston – Dandenong Rd
Metartworld
During the holidays, it’s a must to take the kids out, and I’ve found a great indoor spot – Metarworld.
On the first floor is the Robot World, with all kinds of movie characters, dinosaurs, cartoon characters, car models, and more. All are made from recycled metal structures, and even tires. It’s a different way of showcasing art that can be touched, sat on or ridden. It’s also a great way to inspire kids to see how waste can be reused and transformed into something beautiful. Kids who love robots will definitely enjoy it.
On the second floor is the Dreamy Starry Sky World, with a maze entrance made of kaleidoscopic mirrors. It’s really fun to go through! Then you’ll find room after room of dreamy light shows. Our favourite is the one with the colourful jellyfish!
- 155 Boundary St, Port Melbourne VIC 3207
LEGOLAND
The Legoland at Chadstone Shopping Centre in the heart of Melbourne turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise. It’s located near Hoyts and Target, and you can easily spot it when you enter from Parking Area B.
Tickets cost $36 per person, and it applies to both adults and children. Children under two years old can enter for free. Once you’re inside, you can play for about two and a half hours before you have to leave.
It’s larger than I imagined. In addition to Lego City, there’s a small track where you can ride in and shoot laser guns. There’s also a spinning Magic Ride that goes up in the air. They have a 3D movie too. Only the one that goes up in the air has a height requirement; the others are suitable for younger children. There are also two playgrounds inside and many workshops where kids can build with Lego. There’s plenty to do, and you can easily spend a couple of hours there.
Address: LEGOLAND® Discovery Centre, Chadstone
Billy Lids Playland
Some found it on the smaller side, but it was absolutely okay for my child. Two hours were more than enough. The best part was that it wasn’t crowded at all! I went a little after 10 in the morning, and including my friend’s three kids, there were only five kids in total! It was so much fun!
Inside, they have an area with ocean balls, a dolphin carousel similar to a merry-go-round, interactive floor projection games, inflatable castles, a mischievous fort, and electronic screen games. Overall, it felt very safe and relatively clean.
You can invite a few friends, enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat while watching the kids play independently for a while – it’s really delightful! They serve coffee and light meals. When you step outside, you’re right on Glenferrie Road, so you don’t need to worry about dining options – plenty to choose from.
Besides everyday play, they also host parties and offer private bookings! It’s a great new choice for gatherings.
Address: 86 Lynch St. Hawthorn VIC 3122
Chaos Lab
Chaos Lab is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays until March 31st, with a ticket price of $29/$34 for children and $10 for adults. It is recommended for children aged 4-8 to play. In the beginning, a “scientist” will conduct experiments and adventurous kids can apply to be volunteers for interactive activities, which is quite interesting.
The entire venue is not huge, but the hands-on activities are quite interesting and suitable for parents to accompany their children to play. For example, making slime, and then taking it to the other side to make bubbles! We tried for a long time but couldn’t make one! We never thought I could have so much fun here.
There is a sandbox projection, where children can change the terrain by moving the sand. Even as an adult, I found it very interesting! When the sand is piled high, it becomes a volcano, and when it is low, it becomes a lake. Through hands-on practice, you can learn about nature, which is very meaningful.
There is also a magnetic blackboard where you can build your own track and shoot balls. There is a spinning wheel, where you have to do corresponding actions depending on which colour and body part it lands on. There are also instruments that make sounds at different frequencies, a giant kaleidoscope, a bubble ball pool, and more. Overall, you can easily have fun for an hour here.
- 18 Wharf St, Docklands VIC, Australia. 3008
Chipmunks
This is a chain store with many branches in Australia. You can check the addresses of other stores on their official website. I went to the Macgregor branch (next to the Transport department). During school holidays, the price is the same for all ages, which is $12.9 per person and there are package deals available: 10 visits for $109 or 5 visits for $59.5. Remember to wear your own socks as they don’t sell socks there.
The play area is quite large and divided into two sections. The second picture is suitable for children over 5 years old and the third picture is suitable for babies under 5 years old. Adults are not allowed to play on the slides due to safety concerns. If your baby is too young or timid, we suggest that parents accompany them, especially during school holidays when there are many children, collisions may occur. Kids really like the ball pit here, which has a projector that can play different games with projected balls. There is also a facility similar to a carousel and an electronic slide that feels very novel. They have a policy against bringing your own food, but we prepared some snacks and fruits for my child and also bought some food there.
- 19-21 Star Crescent, Level 1, Docklands VIC
- Home Consortium Northland, 85 Chifley Dr, Preston VIC 3072
- 3/1099 Western Hwy, Ravenhall VIC 3023
- Shop 8/825 Plenty Rd, South Morang VIC 3752
Rabbit Hole
Last week, we went to Rabbit Hole Play Center and checked it out. The highlight of this place is the ocean ball pit in the centre of the play area. Compared to Funtopia, which we went to last time, the equipment here feels a bit more plentiful and the environment is better. Also, they limit the number of people allowed in, so we didn’t feel like there were as many people as last time.
They currently have two sessions, one at 9 am and the other at 1 pm, and each session allows for 3 hours of play. Now, even if adults are not playing, they still need to buy a ticket for $5 each. The staff will give you a receipt for the adult ticket at the entrance, which you can exchange for a free coffee inside (one per person). Remember to bring your own socks, as everyone has to take off their shoes at the entrance, and there are free shoe lockers available.
- 13/227 Ballarat Road, Braybrook VIC 3019
Rainbow town
We haven’t been to Rainbow Town for over half a year, and we just found out that they have opened new attractions such as bumper cars, a baby playroom, a nursing room, new resting spaces, and many claw machines! In addition to these new additions, the trampolines, rock climbing, ball pits, and more are all still there!
Buying a full ticket allows you to play bumper cars once, which is a lot of fun! The claw machines are set up very friendly, and we were able to catch 5 dolls with just $20!
- 49/55 Myrtle St, Glen Waverley VIC 3150
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