When the weather won't allow playtime outside, my kids turn everything in sight into their play zone. The couch and beds become trampolines. The kitchen floor turns into an ice-skating rink and our open floor layout downstairs becomes a race track for the ultimate game of tag. Sound familiar? If you find yourself in this situation - just pull up this go-to guide to indoor playspaces and plan your escape. You can also check our Guide to Local Libraries and Park & Rec Departments to find storytimes and open play listings! When you visit, we'd appreciate it if you mention that you heard about these businesses in Macaroni Kid as its businesses like these that support us throughout the year, enabling us to keep on publishing for you!
Ben's Bells
32 Stony Hill Road, Bethel; (203) 501-9999; Open Tues, Wed, Thurs 12-6pm and Sat. 10-2pm; Donation suggested.
Ben’s Bells are colorful ceramic ornaments hung in communities throughout the world as symbols of kindness for people to find and take home. Volunteers visit the studio and help make Bells. By the time each Bell is hung, many hands have had a part in its journey, and it represents the efforts of an entire community coming together to make one person’s day a little kinder. Volunteers are welcome to join during community studio hours to work on a variety of ceramic projects and kindness-themed activities.
Create Escape: Pottery, Arts & Craft Studio
143 West St, Door U, New Milford; (203) 456-6196; Hours (as of September 1, 2023) Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 am - 4 pm Weekdays and evenings by appointment.
PYO pottery, fused glass, mosaics, and clay are all available during open studio. The friendly and talented staff will guide you through the artistic journey, empowering you to explore new techniques and discover your unique artistic voice.
Danbury Ice Arena
1 Independence Way, Danbury (203) 794-1704
Public Skating Sessions all 7 days. Plus DJ Disco Skate on Friday nights. Also, the Danbury Hat Tricks Hockey Team play here on most weekends! Click link above to get to their site for times and pricing for skating and games. Whether you have a future figure skating champion or hockey star on your hands or a brand new beginner who's never ever been on skates, Danbury Arena is a great place to skate! And they have plastic walkers that the kids can use to help them stay on their feet. USE THESE. They will SAVE YOUR BACK! Concession stand is available with tables and vending machines. Bring coins for the lockers.
Danbury Fair Mall
7 Backus Ave. Danbury (203) 743-3247
When my oldest was a toddler I think I went to the mall easily 3-4 times a week! You just can't go wrong when our local mall offers a kids playground area, historic carousel and coin-operated rides nestled in an atmosphere that if your little one can nap, could allow you some much-needed mom time for shopping, good coffee and some exercise.
Danbury Railway Museum
120 White Street, Danbury (203) 778-8337; Open Saturday & Sunday from 10-4
If your kids love trains, then you'll absolutely love this museum. Located at the historic Danbury train station and rain yard on White St., you'll feel as though you've stepped back in time as soon as you step foot in the door. Inside there is a kids play area and several operating layouts where kids can press a button and watch the miniature train sets circle around intricately decorated scenes. Of course the rail yard is filled with history and fun - worth bundling the kids up and venturing out. You can climb the old trains, ring a bell and see what it was like to travel via train in the old days. Well worth the $7 admission fee (under 3 is free) and it'll feel great to help support and preserve this piece of history in downtown Danbury.
Train Rides - Trains operate on Saturdays and Sundays from April through September and in November ONLY. In October, the Pumpkin Patch Trains (special event) are operating instead. There is an extra fee for train rides.
Danbury Sports Dome
25 Shelter Rock Lane, Danbury (203) 778-3663; Open 7 days. Hours vary depending on field rental schedule. Call ahead.
Known mainly for its day clinics and sports camp programs, the Dome is truly a state-of-the-art facility. It's huge. Most of their programs are registration only, but keep an eye out for their Open Play Days when they bring in inflatables and the kids can run around the field. Also, unless there's a track meet going on (call ahead) you can pop in and use the track for just $5/hour. Child not napping? Pop him/her in the stroller and go for a jog together at the Dome. It's climate-controlled and they even have a concession stand for you to grab something to eat. Bring your phone/laptop and get some work done; they have wifi.
EverWonder Children's Museum
11 Mile Hill Road, Newtown (203) 364-4009; Open Tuesday/Thursday/Friday: 9 am - 3 pm, Wednesday: 9 am - 6 pm, Saturday/Sunday: 10 am - 3 pm
It's so nice to have a children's museum in our area. Great for younger and older children, there are exhibits for all ages! My kids easily spend an hour or so in the Imagination Playground, building all sorts of forts and creations with the big blue foam blocks. This is a super-fun place to set up a playdate with friends. Plan to spend a few hours there to really be able to experience everything. TIP: They don't sell food, but have a nut-free snack room. So you can bring your lunch if you want.
Jumpz Danbury
21 Prindle Lane, Danbury (203) 942-2449; located right next to Thrillz Adventure Park
If your kids are bouncing off the walls at home then this is the place for them! Open jump courts, slackline, plank plunge, basketball court, dodgeball court and even a toddler-only play area makes this a great destination when you have kids spanning multiple ages. In addition to cubbies they have lockers to store your valuables plus a snack bar for re-energizing the kids. They also have lazer tag and an arcade.
Kid’s Klub
Danbury Fair Mall, 7 Backus Ave. Danbury, (203) 382-4496, Mon - Sat: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM Sun: 11:00am-6:00pm
Kids bored from walking around while you shopped? Tired of all the electronics? No problem. Kidz Klub is the ultimate indoor play park for the 10 and under crowd with multiple slides, soft obstacles, small trampolines and a ball pit. The space is divided - one for the itty-bittys, and one for the more mobile.
Playplace Wilton
644 Danbury Road, Wilton, (203) 210 - 7512, Open 7 days from 9am - 6pm. Walk-ins welcome Monday through Friday. You must reserve a time on Saturdays and Sundays,
Very close to the Ridgefield and Redding readers. Only 25 minutes from Danbury!
600 sq ft of climbing, crawling, balancing and fun for 10 and under. The playplace also has an indoor turf field, for soccer, football, volleyball, tag and running off all that kid energy. An OBIE interactive video game wall and floor, mini basketball hoops and a dedicated 2 and under area.
The Cave
13 Stony Hill Rd., Bethel (203) 744-4653; Monday - Thursday 3pm - 8pm, Friday 3pm - 10pm, Saturday 12 - 10pm, Sunday 12 - 8pm
How does 18 holes of glow-in-the-dark mini golf fun sound? My kids loved this place. At ages 6 and 3, they cared little about how well they were playing mini golf but very much enjoyed puttering through the course while marveling at the glowing monster-themed decorations at each hole. After we would play in the arcade! Now, The Cave has a lot more attractions including laser tag, a high ropes course and a laser maze.
The Pottery Factory
265 Federal Rd. Brookfield (203) 885-0100; Monday through Thursday 10am - 6pm, Friday and Saturday 10am - 9:30pm, Sunday 11am - 6pm
Walk in during open hours to create paint-your-own pottery, candles, glass fusing and soaps. This is a great place to take tweens and teens because candle making and glass fusing is a litte more advanced.
Thrillz Danbury
5 Prindle Lane, Danbury (203) 942-2585; Kids need to be 48 inches or taller to participate. Open Wednesday/Thursday 3pm-8pm, Friday 3pm-10pm, Saturday 10am-10pm, Sunday 10am-8pm.
Thrillz High Flying Adventure Park is an indoor wipeout-style action adventure park featuring harness-free obstacles including 70ft zip lines, ninja courses, trampoline launch pads, rock climbing walls, and fan favorites giant spinning sweeper and epic rolling log obstacles where half the fun is watching your friends fall safely onto giant airbags. Other attractions include next generation laser tag, rotating virtual reality roller coaster ride, redemption arcade, and axe throwing.
Winter Garden Ice Arena
111 Prospect Ridge, Ridgefield (203) 438-4423; Public Skate: Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday from 12:00-1:15pm, Friday is Disco Skate from 9-10pm, Sunday from 3:00pm-4:20pm
Nestled in the hills behind beautiful Main St. Ridgefield, Winter Garden Arena is the perfect local spot to take the kids ice-skating. In addition to public skating sessions, they offer dedicated ice time called "sticks & pucks" for hockey players. Plus, keep an eye out for free ice mice classes (beginners) as well.
38 Mill Plain Road, Danbury (203) 456-6242; Friday 4:00 - 9:30pm, Saturday 12:00 - 10pm, Sunday 12:00 - 7:00pm
Xtreme Play is fun for all ages! Ballocity is an indoor play area with climbing tubes, slides and foam ball launchers. This area is good for the 5 and under crowd. Then there is mini bowling which is great for all ages including kids as young as toddlers. For older kids, tweens and teens you have laser tag, high ropes course, rock climbing, VR, a warrior course and more!
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Macaroni KID Greater Danbury is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in the Greater Danbury area specifically: Danbury, Bethel, Ridgefield, Brookfield, Newtown, Sandy Hook, Redding, New Fairfield, New Milford, Sherman and Bridgewater, CT. We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, event and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more.
