By Courtney Threewitt
The newly opened Raindrops Playhouse in Happy Valley features three indoor play areas that cater to a variety of ages.
My family visited Raindrops Playhouse on a cloudy Saturday in January. My little girls (16-months and 4-years-old) love to get out of the house and explore. So, when I heard about a new play spot in Happy Valley, I knew we had to check it out! The building is in a strip mall off 82nd Avenue with adequate parking.
We arrived about 10 minutes after opening and quite a few kids were already enjoying the playhouse. Pro tip: Sign the waiver online before your trip. I had forgotten to do this ahead of time, but we were able to complete it quickly on the website. Then we paid, my kids put on their required grip socks (available to purchase if you forget them) and we were in!
The space is divided into three main sections: a soft play area (3 years old and younger); the indoor play structure; and the net playground.
The soft play area has several padded ramps for toddlers to climb and slide on, foam blocks for building and a small ball pit. My littlest loved to climb up and down ramps/stairs. Parents seemed to adhere to the 3 and under rule, which made me feel comfortable as I watched my 16-month-old toddle around.
The indoor play structure has slides, plastic crawl-through tunnels, a bridge and lots of obstacles to crawl around and under. This was my 4-year-old’s favorite area. I appreciated the jungle animal theme, it’s cute and matches the soft play section. Right next to the structure is a bigger ball pit.
The final feature of Raindrops Playhouse is the net playground (pictured above). There are two big, brightly colored, netted areas kids can crawl into and climb around in. My kids were a little small for this section, but it looked cool.
Additionally, the space has two family-style bathrooms equipped with changing stations and snacks available to purchase. The menu includes staples like Gogurt, snack-size cheese packs, chips and sandwiches.
But parents, take note: No outside food or drinks are allowed. And while there are no time limits to play, there’s no re-entry. We bought a couple tubes of yogurt to refuel and kept playing.
Overall, my girls had a delightful morning at Raindrops Playhouse. It’s a fun adventure for kiddos, especially on a rainy day. As we left, my oldest told me, “This place is amazing for kids.”
If you buy a “fun pass” at the door it costs $14 (2 years old and younger) or $16 (ages 3 years old and up). However, online purchases get a one dollar discount ($13 and $15 respectively).
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