When rainy days ruin your outdoor plans, let the kids bounce off the walls…just not yours. Let them paint and make crafts…just not at your house. Here are some of our favorite indoor activities to do with kids in Metro Detroit!
Dinoland (Ann Arbor + Madison Heights)
Dinoland location features a 5000 sq ft playscape with multiple levels to climb through, a ninja course, zip-lines, wave slides, and a dedicated toddler play area. The dinosaur themed play cafe has pre-historic figures featured in multiple ways, including features to ride on and animatronic ones to watch!
Ann Arbor Hands on Museum (Ann Arbor)
The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum has over 250+ interactive activities for kids. Kids can experiment with simple machines, water, lights and optics. You learn by playing, kids can use their imagination exploring miniaturized worlds of medicine, commerce and community – your littles will love the child-sized fire engine.
242 Community Church (Ann Arbor)
242 Church in Ann Arbor has an amazing open to the public playscape, cafe, and open turf area! The climbing area has three slides for different levels of climbers. Test their strength and see if they can make it to the top! There is also a toddler area with two slides, a tunnel, and a hill. All covered in soft turf perfect for crawlers. In the center, is a sunk in area perfect for babies. Bring a few toys from home and watch them explore the new space.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center (Auburn Hills)
LEGOLAND Discovery Center is packed with hands-on attractions, rides, and creative building spaces designed especially for kids ages 3 to 10. With millions of LEGO bricks and more than ten interactive play areas, it’s a place where imagination and active play come together. Attractions include Kingdom Quest and Merlin’s Apprentice rides, 4D Cinema, Build & Test and LEGO Play Zones, creative workshops and more!
Peppa Pig World of Play (Auburn Hills)
Peppa, George and all her friends have a home in Michigan and the indoor attraction is the perfect place to spend a day. Get ready to have some fun, Peppa Pig World of Play features 14 playscapes that allow kids to step into the show and play like their favorite characters.
Cranbrook Institute of Science (Bloomfield Hills)
Discover the wonder of the natural world and develop a better understanding of the ways in which science impacts our lives each day at Cranbrook Institute of Science. The museum features 16 permanent exhibits and it’s the perfect place to take your dinosaur lovers. Outside of the building you can find multiple life-size dinosaur statues – most notably Steggy the Stegosaurus – and inside you can find a full-sized Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton cast!
T&B Play (Clawson & Canton)
T & B Play is the most creative space that features ball and bead pits, giant slides, tube slide, trampolines, glow in the dark tunnels and more! The structure is spacious enough for adults to fit through with relative comfort – always a bonus! The children’s tiny town area has a play store AND a dress-up shop with clothes to wear. If you want to play games they have basketball and an interactive screen game in the ballpit that kids and parents will enjoy.
Yoyo’s Fun Center (Clinton Township + Westland)
Yoyo’s Fun Center has it ALL! Massive ball pits, multiple slides of all kinds (including drop slides!), a ninja course, trampolines, LED hallways, cool tube features and many unique play features for kids of all ages. Big kids can run around freely in the main play area, while young kids can play in the dedicated section that has nearly identical play features.
The Henry Ford (Dearborn)
Travel through time and see American innovation from the revolution to the industrial era and beyond. Perfect for history buffs, car lovers and kids of all ages The Henry Ford also features a Giant Screen Experience and special traveling exhibits.
Kidcadia Play Café (Dearborn)
Kidcadia is the perfect indoor oasis for kids and parents. The beautifully design 10,000 sq ft venue is welcoming to all. With a dedicated toddler space, the littlest ones can join in the fun while older kids can climb up the treehouse and in to the massive playset. Kids and adults can get creative in the coloring quarters. Slide down one of the many slides or jump on their trampoline!
Bloom (Dearborn Heights)
Bloom is divided into two areas: the main area, which has a variety of toys that include small parts, and another area intended for smaller children – which does not have any toys with small parts. You’ll also find a soft play area for non-walkers (although, the space is intriguing for the older kids too).
Detroit Institute of Arts (Detroit)
Rich in history and culture and FREE to tri-county residents – the Detroit Institute of Arts is the perfect place to spend time with kids. Explore the galleries, find inspiration AND create your own art. Drawing in the Galleries and Drop-In Workshops are regularly offered at the museum.
DNR Outdoor Adventure Center (Detroit)
Experience exciting outdoor adventures with hands-on activities, exhibits and simulators – walk behind and touch a waterfall, step into a fishing boat and reel in a big fish, hit the trail on a mountain bike or snowmobile, and much more at the DNR Outdoor Adventure Center. At the OAC, you’ll learn about how the DNR manages state parks, forests, wildlife and fish as you climb the roots and explore the canopy of a massive the oak tree, hop aboard a real airplane, and see what’s swimming in the aquarium and identify the fish.
Michigan Science Center (Detroit)
The Michigan Science Center in Midtown Detroit features over 220+ interactive exhibits, live demonstrations and special themed activities. For the littles in your life be sure to check out the recently re-invisioned Kids Town. It features multiple themed learning rooms and a very popular water table.
Just Play (Dexter)
Just Play Family Fun Center has it all and it all starts with the 9,000-square-foot main playground featuring a massive three-level climbing structure with 11 slides, tunnels, bridges, and soft play zones. The play area has separate play areas for big kids and toddlers, allowing for safe, active play for all ages.
Sloan Museum of Discovery (Flint)
The Sloan Museum of Discovery has something for everyone – a car museum, historical museum, makerspace, a children’s town for younger kids that includes a massive tree house, plus hands-on S.T.E.A.M exhibit area with slides, a massive water table and more.
Stemville (Howell & Northville)
Stemville is a colorful, engaging play place for kids and serene, relaxing space for parents. Getting out of the house with kids is stressful; therefore the calming instrumental version of popular hits and a coffee bar is a reward onto itself. Lego blocks, robots, magnet tiles and more, there are plenty of activities to keep toddlers and bigger kids busy – including a monthly STEM Patch activity.
Jummps Adventure Park (Lincoln Park)
Jummps Adventure Park has a 10,00 sq ft inflatable bounce house where kids can run, climb, slide and more! Lighting rotates every hour for ‘lit ‘daytime’ and glow-in-the-dark experiences. Little kids can also enjoy their own dedicated bounce house space with tunnels, slides and climbers. Weekday bounce rates are only $15 per jumper.
Bounce it Up (Livonia)
Bounce It Up Livonia has it all – a massive indoor play structure and a half dozen inflatables that will keep your kids entertained for hours! The fun center features a Ginormous Tri-Level Playground with slides, trampolines and obstacle courses AND multiple inflatable play structures to jump on and race through.
Kids Empire (multiple locations)
Kid’s Empire is like stepping into a kid’s wonderland. The HUGE play structure is vibrant, safe, and begging to be explored. From multi-person bumpy slides, a rolling slide you can ride a sled on, to the steepest slide we’ve ever seen for your speed chasers! Other amenities including a soccer field, a bumper bike racecourse, a disco dance party room, and GIANT Legos to build forts with!
Libraries (multiple locations)
You can’t beat a good library – FREE fun for families that’s educational and inspires the imagination. Metro Detroit has lots of wonderful libraries to visit but here are a few top picks to put on your list.
Urban Air (Multiple locations)
If your kids are always testing the limits and looking for adventure, head to the new Urban Air. The indoor amusement center offers action packed activities including ropes course, trampolines, warrior courses, drop zones and more!
Nature Centers (Multiple locations)
Escape technology and explore the great outdoors – indoors – at a nature center! Learn about local wildlife, sit in on story time or attend a special event. Check out this list of FREE nature centers in metro Detroit.
Slick City Action Park (Troy)
At Slick City Troy is the most popular place in town! The action lineup is packed with thrilling attractions you won’t find anywhere else. Feel the rush of wind as you zoom down, enjoying a safe and thrilling descent that’s fun for all ages – thing the adrenaline rush of a roller coast but on massive slides. In addition to giant slides, there are also traditional multi-level climbing structures for school age kids and toddlers.
Activate (Utica)
Activate is a high-tech active gaming experience where teams move through interactive rooms completing physical and mental challenges. Think laser mazes, climbing puzzles, and timed challenges that combine video games with real-world movement. Work out your body and your brain at the same time!
Ninja Kidz (Westland)
Kids will love living out the life of YouTube sensations Ninja Kidz with giant slides, sport fields, trampoline park, climbing structures and the coolest ninja courses. Ninja Kidz is large and fun for school age kids who have lots of energy.
