This past Friday, my kids' nanny needed to leave work early. I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to take a few hours of my afternoon for a rare weekday mommy/daughter date with my 3 year old Vivian. Between working a full time job outside of the home and having other children, there are surprisingly few opportunities to really enjoy one on one time with Viv. Capturing more of that intentional quality time with each member of my family, individually, is one of my goals this year, in fact. So, needless to say, I jumped at this opportunity.
Rather than play with her at home where I know I am likely to get distracted by work or household chores, I decided to take Vivian out to check out Kids Play Gallery on Muddy Branch Road in Gaithersburg. Kids Play Gallery has been open for a year now, and now I wish I had visited with Vivian even sooner! Geared towards children ages 1.5 through 5.5, Kids Play Gallery offers families a clean, bright and safe environment where kids can explore and imagine and experience good ol' fashioned PLAY!
After checking in, paying for entry and leaving your shoes/coats in the cubbies, guests enter what feels like a whole town that is just their size. The play area is carpeted - a two lane road winds around the center, and lining the walls are various playhouse structures - a diner, an animal hospital, a salon, a fire station, a house a grocery store, and a mechanic shop. The play area also has a dock over a blue carpeted area upon which a play boat sits - the perfect place to go fishing with the magnetic fishing poles and fish available in that center. There is also an ice cream truck, a fire truck, a train table and building area, and more!
Children are free to explore and pretend - bringing accessories from one atmosphere to the next - maybe go fishing and then cook the fish in the restaurant, for instance. Vivian liked going grocery shopping, then picking up her puppies at the animal hospital and driving home to the house. Kids Play Gallery has a staff member who periodically collects and returns play items to their original homes throughout the day, so items never seemed missing or out of place. I loved how kids were encouraged to use their imagination and play along side each other. This set up also gives plenty of opportunity to practice sharing! Vivian and the other kids I saw were all busy using their imaginations and engaging in pretend play, which was just so fun to watch! Kids Play Gallery provides a high quality, low tech indoor play space in a clean and welcoming environment - Vivian played for hours and didn't want to leave! Honestly, for the first few hours, I didn't want to leave either! I loved pretending and playing with her and watching the stories she would create for us I also loved watching her interact with her peers - she even made a new friend - we're planning on setting up future playdates together!
The whole play area is one big open room, with the single room structures around the edges. Parents are free to play along, or sit in the middle, where cute park benches are arranged in two long rows, allowing for the adults to sit back and enjoy a chat with a friend or just a few minutes of peace while keeping a watchful eye over the little ones.
Everyone is required to wears socks, no shoes, while in the play area and no food or drink is allowed on the carpet. The facility was fresh and clean, which is so important to me in choosing a space for my little ones to play. There is a non carpeted area towards the back where little ones can enjoy a snack if hunger strikes, and when the party room is not in use for a birthday, that room with tables is open for families to use as well. While they don't prepare and serve food, they do sell coffee by the cup and offer a few snacks, like crackers, which is great for a hangry kid emergency!
Kids Play Gallery has one party room available for birthday parties. Parties can be held during open play time when the general public is in the play area. They also offer a private party option, where they will close the entire play space to the public. It is a good idea to call before you go to Kids Play Gallery - just to be sure the space isn't closed for a private event! The party room is bright and inviting, and Kids Play Gallery allows party hosts to bring their own food in from outside. Parties include one hour of open play and 45 minutes in the party room. They also provide a water bottle or juice box for each child at the party and a party attendant to help make sure your party runs smoothly!
General admission is $15 per child, which includes up to 2 adults and unlimited playtime - you can even leave and come back during the same day. Five and ten visit passes are available at discounted rates, too! Visit their website for more details on general admission rates and party pricing.
Print and bring the coupon below for a weekday special! Don't forget to tell them you learned about Kids Play Gallery from Macaroni Kid Rockville-Gaithersburg!
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Disclaimer: My 3 year old daughter and I were invited to enjoy an entrance to Kids Play Gallery in Gaithersburg in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own and no other compensation was received for this review.
