Greater Arlington Area FREE Indoor Playgrounds

When the weather is hot and you want to get the kids out of the house, check out these fun & free indoor playgrounds in the greater Arlington area. 

The Tubes at Irving Bible Church: Open daily 9 am- 7 pm. Rent out the adjacent room for birthday parties on the weekend! Great play area for the 12 and younger set about 30 minutes from Arlington. Grab coffee at the adjacent coffee bar, Cuppa Espresso Bar. 

The Tubes at Irving Bible Church

The Playscape at The Hills Church in North Richland Hills: Designed for kids in 5th grade and younger, The Hills Playscape is open Saturday & Sunday from 3-5 pm for playtime as well as Monday- Thursday from 5-6:30 pm. 

Wesley's Indoor Playground at White's Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake: Perfect for kids ages 11 and younger, Wesley's Playground is open Sunday- Friday starting at 8 am (closing times vary, check website for details). There is even a great spot for tots! While you're there grab a beverage at Wesley's Cafe. 

Wesley's Playground at White's Chapel Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas.

The REC of Grapevine Indoor Playarea: You do not need to be a member of the rec center to enjoy this awesome indoor playground! Perfect for elementary-aged kids, this playscape is open when the REC is open. See the website for hours. 

Free play area at the REC in Grapevine

Living Spaces Play Area: Fort Worth & Grand Prairie: Both Arlington-area locations of this awesome furniture store have free indoor playareas where you can drop off the kids! I repeat: You can drop off the kids! Don't forget socks. Kids can play for two hours while caregivers shop. The play area is open during store hours, see website for further details. Bonus: The Fort Worth location has inexpensive glasses of wine to sip while you hang kid-free! 

Bubbleland at Gateway Church Grand Prairie: Bubbleland is open for play on Wednesdays from 10 am - 1 pm and then on Saturday from 3:30- 5:30 pm and on Sunday from 8:30 am- 2:30 pm. Younger kids will enjoy this play area and caregivers can stay cool in the air-conditioning!

Open Play at Rush Creek Church, Green Oaks & Mira Lagos Campuses: Ideal for kids ages 3-10, Rush Creek Church Green Oaks will open its doors for indoor play on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9- 12 pm & 1- 3 pm through August 8. Mira Lagos will be open during the day Monday through Friday. 

IKEA Smaland Grand Prairie: Kids must be potty-trained and no taller than 4'4" to play for free for an hour at the IKEA playground while parents and caregivers shop or eat at the cafe. This is a fun, safe spot for littles- just don't forget socks! Keep them in your purse for summer IKEA visits for sure. See the website for open times. 

Walnut Ridge Baptist Church in Mansfield: This fun spot for little kids allows them to climb and move. The play area is open during the summer for playtime, although the website currently says it's closed for maintenance. Keep checking back though- this is another fun spot for your list!  

Of course there are loads of awesome Chick Fil As, McDonald's, Burger Kings and more with fun and free play areas. Feel free to drop your favorites in the comments!

New for 2023: Awesome New Play Areas in the Greater Arlington Area

Looking for a fun (indoor) spot to take your kiddo to play? Look no further than these awesome new play areas that have opened in recent months. 

Y'all. 

When my kids were little, I would have killed for a great play area for them to roam around in. One that wasn't attached to a fast food restaurant where they could beg for an endless supply of chicken nuggets and French fries. 

Ideally, it would be a spot where I could grab a seat. Maybe a coffee. And, on days when I had more on my to-do list than just "be mom," a table where I could prop open my laptop and type away while they ran in circles and enjoyed their lives.

When my girls were little, I had to drive all over the metroplex to find these places. And boy, did I! I drove to Frisco and Plano and Richardson and north Fort Worth that was so far north I figured surely we had to be in Oklahoma already. There was a great little play area in Grand Prairie when my kids were super little that my friends would talk about- I *think* it was called Abby's Play Land or something similar- that I never made it to before they closed. 

And that was pretty much it. 

Even during my three years at Pearachute (thanks, Covid, for killing off that awesome company!), I would enroll dozens of awesome play areas to the platform all over the metroplex. But none anywhere near my south-ish Arlington home.

But, parents with littles in the Arlington area, you are lucky ducks! There are a number of play areas that have cropped up in the past year that cater to your wee ones. Play areas that have ball pits and slides and imaginative play spaces. Many have seats for you, and, yes!, coffee. They have low entrance fees and offer your kiddo a place to play and make a mess that you don't have to clean up! You can enjoy some time out of the house and they can enjoy the thrill of new toys and playmates. Everyone wins! So the next time the temperature dips too low (or hits too high) to be outdoors or the rain starts falling, or you just need to get out of the house but aren't ready for the playground, check out one of these awesome new play areas in the greater Arlington area.

These girls have always loved to play- anywhere and everywhere their crazy mom will let them!

Five must-experience play areas for kids ages 0-8 in the Arlington, TX, area

Project Play Discovery Museum (Hurst)- This awesome new spot officially opened on December 31 and is so great for littles. They can explore different rooms that have engaging opportunities that let them learn while they play. We couldn't get enough of the slide into the ball pit. This spot also offers preschool classes as well as has an outdoor play space for warmer days. Kids are $14 and adults are free. Reservations recommended.

My youngest enjoying the ball pit at Project Play Discovery Museum in Hurst in December. 

Play Park MTX (Mansfield)- Kids can climb, jump, run, explore and simply have a grand old time at this Mansfield spot. Parents can grab a seat- or book a birthday party here! Your kids will go gaga for 1900 square feet of indoor playground. Socks are required (there are some available for purchase). Kids ages 1-4 are $11 and kids ages 5-12 are $15. Kids 13 and over are $3. 

Play Street Museum (Mansfield)- I featured this spot on my social channels last spring after I took my niece and she loved it! There are actually multiple locations of this sweet spot all over DFW, and each "museum" has a different theme. Mansfield's theme is the great outdoors, and the museum is set up like your favorite camping spot. Kids can climb in the treehouse, make crafts, explore the different play areas and more. Kids ages 1-8 are $13 and that includes a snack when you leave. Bring socks! Reservations required. 

A Play Cafe (Duncanville)- Okay, Duncanville may sound far, but this spot is actually closer to my Arlington home than Project Play in Hurst! So, it's all about location, am I right? Perfect for little kids, this spot has climbing toys, rolling toys, imaginative toys, the list goes on! Even better? They have a full café menu with all kinds of coffee drinks and smoothies for you! And the food menu? Well, let's just say the prices are fantastic and right up my alley. Everybody wins here! Kids are $11 to play. Reservations recommended. 

Pepper's Playhouse (Arlington)- This spot was featured on my social channels, too, months ago when it first launched. This spot, located in southeast Arlington, is perfect for little kids. Let them play and explore while you sit back and relax. This spot regularly hosts fun events and you can host your fun event here, too! There are often specials on admission (no rate is listed on the website) but follow them on social because open play was just $6 during November if you followed on IG! Check online for open play times. 

My niece enjoying Pepper's Playhouse in Arlington last spring. 

Play Wid Uz (Arlington)- Located on Pioneer Parkway just east of Collins, this play area is a great spot for littles to roam free. They can jump, climb, run and play. You can also rent this space for private birthday parties and bring in your own food. No price is listed for open play. Follow them on social for more info on open play times and rates.

All of these spots I highly recommend for kids 7/8 and younger. My youngest just turned nine and, sadly, has outgrown these places unless she is with her younger cousins in a more supervisory role. Most of these spots have ample bathroom space for diaper changes and a few require socks, so make sure you stick some in the diaper bag. Now go and have fun!

What is your kiddo's favorite indoor play spot in the greater Arlington area?