Area: Bowmanville South

Address: 330 Lake Road, Bowmanville, Ontario
Website: https://joeysplayground.com/

Cost: ​varies by activity please check the website for details 
*NOTE: currently private bookings of the facility are available at a reasonable rate for social bubble circles

Public Hours: 
Mondays 10am-4pm
Tuesdays through Sundays 10am-8pm

Features: 

• Indoor Playground structure; with a multiple story play structure and various play elements at different locations throughout, including a separate toddler area with smaller slide, this is the place to let the kids run free, including a mini skyscraper climbing tower with a real belay safety harness! https://joeysplayground.com/play/
• Sky Trekking; a suspended obstacle course to challenge your skills, children must be able to reach with their fingertips 65″ height,  maximum participant height is 80″ (6’8”), and maximum weight limit is 275 pounds.  https://joeysplayground.com/skytrekking/
• Stoick Axe Throwing is open daily from 4pm-9pm; this one is for the big kids, each lane fits 2-4 participants but you can always book more than one lane with friends! This is also a WATL certified League facility that is in the same building as Joey's World Playground! https://stoickaxethrowing.com/
• Pinnacle Indoor Rock Climbing sessions are available to book daily from 10am-6pm; with 40ft walls and over 4,000 sq ft of climbing space, this is a great indoor rock climbing facility in Durham and is in the same building as Joey's World Playground! https://pinnacleindoorclimbing.com/

Cleanliness:
Top notch! With the current 2020 pandemic, restrictions on cleaning have certainly changed and Joey's World management has gone above and beyond ensuring that the Indoor Playground is kept clean between each private social circle booking. Staff were very attentive to cleanliness and climbed through the entire playground structure after our social circle private booking ended. 

Safety: Waiver to sign before your first visit if anyone is participating in the skyscraper climbing tower that is part of the Indoor Play area, or if you are booking axe throwing or rock climbing. Play safety rules are posted at the bottom of the structure and socks are required for play.
NOTE: current safety precautions require all guests to wear masks upon entering the facility but can be removed when using the play areas. All staff will wear masks at all times.

Capacity:

Food: Joey's World is a nut aware facility. No outside food is permitted. No food, drinks or gum allowed in the play areas. There is a small concession counter that serves drinks, snacks, and a small selection of hot foods. (NOTE: food selection is limited during private social circle bookings). 

Additional Services:

• two party rooms are available for birthdays and special events
• free wi-fi in the lounge area for parents and caregivers

Bonus Play:
Adults are encouraged to play with the kids! 
Gift cards are available online here.

Best for Ages: toddler to Adult. The main play structure is recommended for ages 5 and up but our 3 year old didn't have too many issues reaching platforms with the help of her big sister. She wanted to be where the big kid action was but did spend quite a bit of time in the toddler area as well by herself. 

Overall Review: We love Joey's World! I just wish we didn't live so far away or we would definitely be visiting them more often. Our kids, ages 6 and 3, love the indoor playground structure. There are many different levels and elements for them to play hide and seek around, two different slides with one in the top to middle of the structure and one twirly slide from the top to the bottom. The highlight for our 6 year old was the skyscraper climbing wall. She loved climbing up and learning how to belay herself down. While we didn't try out the sky trekking, axe throwing, or pinnacle rock climbing facility, they definitely deserve a separate trip out with a new review when I do get a chance to go again (maybe without the kids?). 

Area:  Central Pickering
​
Address: 1355 Kingston Rd, Pickering, ON (lower level of Pickering Town Centre mall - entrance #6 is closest)
Website: http://pickeringtowncentre.com/events/ptc-toddler-play-park

Cost: FREE!!

Public Hours*: regular mall hours
BUT it is accessible as soon as mall doors open (sometimes as early as 7am for the mall walkers and Womens Fitness Club members - mall stores open 10am weekdays, 9:30am Saturdays and 11am Sundays) until regular mall closing hours (9pm weekdays & 6pm weekends).
*Note: the PlayPark is closed daily for cleaning from approximately 3:30pm-4pm 

Features:

• soft padded floor
• two padded climbers (fish and butterfly)
• padded toddler slide
• padded tunnel (with bear)
• 4 activity stations around the wall
• 4 benches (2 open to the outside aisle)

Cleanliness: This is a socks only area and was very clean when we visited  both times so far (11am one day and 4:15pm right after cleaning the other time). Staff wipe down (and climb through) each surface with their shoes off as well and vacuum the entire area daily. 

Safety: No gate, but only one entrance in and a half wall surrounding the entire area (great for crawlers!). Not monitored by mall staff, caregivers MUST stay on site.

Capacity: sign says maximum of 20 children at any given time (the most we saw were 12 - which felt chaotic and makes it easy to self-regulate)

Food: NO outside food or drinks are permitted in the padded PlayPark. There are two tables with 8 chairs set up beside the area for snack breaks, and a general mall seating area just behind the stroller parking on the other side.

Best For Ages: 6 months -4 years (older kids are not prohibited, but may get bored quickly and since it does say 'Toddler' PlayPark it is considerate to think of those bringing younger kids by setting expectations of no running or jumping off of structures for older kids

​Overall Review: 
A great area to take a break in the mall for smaller kids to play! We love that our 4 year old could crawl around with our 8 month old and both enjoy it equally! It's awesome to have a free play area close by that isn't inside a fast food joint and where you can stay as long as you want. Bonus if you can bring a helper to watch the kids so you can shop while the kids play!

Area: South Pickering
​
Address: 1755 Plummer St Unit #16, Pickering, ON
Website: http://enchantedcastle.info/

Cost*: for unlimited play during public hours (*as of Aug 2017) 

• $10 per child (or $15 for 2, or $20 for 3, $25 for 4....and so on)
• Adults Free (max. 2 per family group, grandparents are always Free)

Public Hours: 
Monday 10:00am - 12:00noon
Tuesday - private events only
Wednesday - private events
Thursday - private events
Friday 10:00am - 12:00noon
Saturday - private events
Sunday - private events

Features:

• three story climber structure with twirly tube slide, two racing slides, two ball cannons, one ball fountain, suspension bridge, and zipline!
• toddler area with ball pit, soft chair and rocker toy
• FREE water, coffee, juice and popcorn served during public play hours
• ADULTS are encouraged to go play too! (they even accept corporate private events!)

Cleanliness: Very clean when we visited in the main picnic table seating area, inside the structure (yep I climbed inside with my baby strapped to me) and clean washroom (which has a change table in it). 

Safety: No safety gate between the play area room and the front desk reception/front door, however the seating area is right beside the entrance to the play area so it's easy to watch. There are closed circuit cameras in the facility for safety that parents can use to watch their children at all times while enjoying a complimentary cup of coffee, or wi-fi.

Capacity: one main party area in this location (Pickering), with parties starting at 16 but a maximum capacity of 65 people in this location.

Food: Outside food and drink is permitted, but it should be nut free as they are a nut aware facility. No food, drinks or gum are permitted in the play areas. All food must be consumed in the designated eating area. There is no concession, but they do serve complimentary water, juice, coffee and popcorn!

Additional Services:

• one birthday party room (the main seating area) *note; when booking birthdays, there is NO limit to the number of people included in the price! just stay below the facility capacity and you are good to play!
• treat wall in the reception area 

Bonus Play: They encourage Adults to go into the play structures and play with their kids! 

Best For Ages: 18 months -12years (you can bring infants, but the toddler area in this location isn't as large as their other locations and our 18 month old wanted to follow the big kids up the main structure, which she could!)

​Overall Review: 
The ball fountain and ball cannons were the big hit at this indoor play place! I think the kids got more exercise running up and down carrying balls to shoot out of the cannons than they did actually exploring the rest of the structure! Because we were the only ones here first thing in the morning (they are still new in Pickering so not many people know about the drop-in hours here yet) I felt comfortable climbing through the ENTIRE structure with my little two month old strapped to my chest in her carrier. My 3.5 year old thought it was funny that mommy was climbing and crawling around taking pictures haha. We even went down the three story twirly slide! Of course now that I'm posting this we probably won't get any more quiet days like the one when we visited since some of you reading this will now visit here too. There were tears when we were leaving because my toddler wanted to stay longer than the drop-in hours allow and because she didn't get to pick a treat from the 'treat wall' (I told her they were there for birthdays and that we needed to eat lunch first....life as a toddler is rough).

Area: South Pickering
​
Address: 1420 Bayly St #15, Pickering, ON L1W 3R4
Website: http://funfactoryplay.ca/

Cost*: for unlimited play during public hours (*as of May 2022

• Under 1 $4.99 (with paid sibling)
• 3 and under $8.99
• 4-13yrs $13.00
• 14-17 $8.99 (with paid sibling under 13yrs)
• Adults $4.99

Public Hours: we suggest checking their event hours before you go, as it can close for private events
Monday 9:30 - 6:00
Tuesday 9:30 - 7:00
Wednesday 9:30 - 6:00
Thursday 9:30 - 6:00
Friday 9:30 - 8:00
Saturday 9:30 - 8:00
Sunday 9:30 - 8:00

Features:

• three story climber structure with twirly tube slide, two racing slides, ball pit, rock climbing wall
• fenced toddler area (up to age 3) with smaller ball pit, playhouse, rotating ball swing, padded floor
• ball bouncing cage with small to large yoga balls and a basketball net

Cleanliness: Overall it was very clean when we visited in July in the play area, general seating area, as well as the washrooms. Socks are required by all including adults and are worn as soon as entering the building (including into the self enclosed washrooms).

Safety: There is no gate or fence between the front reception and play area so toddlers could take off out of the main play/eating area to the front of the building. Security cameras are installed around the facility.

Capacity: 50 children plus 50 adults (maximum private birthday booking size)

Food: Outside food and drink is permitted, however they ask that it be nut-free. No food, drinks or gum are permitted in the play areas. All food must be consumed in the designated eating area.

Additional Services:

• two birthday party rooms
• concession with light snacks such as chips and crackers, water and some additional beverages

Bonus Play: Play stamp card available at the front desk (play 9 times, get the 10th visit free!). They also have monthly and yearly memberships available.

​Best For Ages: 1-13years

​Overall Review:
Our three and a half year old had a blast at this indoor playground! She met up with some friends her age and they had no problem navigating the entire play structure on their own without any help. The bonus with their age is that they can still enter the Toddler area for ages 3 and under for some low key downtime if needed in the toddler ball pit (which is generally empty compared to the larger ball pit at the back of the main structure). We do recommend you monitor the double big slide as with a lot of kids it gets busy and they don't always wait their turn, which has caused pile-ups and injuries. We brought our own lunch in since the concession only sells snacks, which allowed us to stay and play for three hours! During public hours playtime is unlimited once you pay the entrance fee. The seating area (sorry it was really busy and we couldn't get a good photo) has enough chairs and tables for up to 25 people, including a couple of high chairs, to stay and eat to play as long as you like. We will DEFINITELY go back to this location to play again in the future!