Best ages for Badlands? Other places similar?

[Anonymous]

We have a 3 and 7 year old, and they love to move. I'm going to be working weekends a lot more this winter and wanted to get my husband and kids a membership to a place they could go when it's cold but the kids want to run around.

What do you recommend? Is Badlands good for this? We live in Silver Spring so looking in this general area. We've been to Badlands and liked it, but I'm wondering if my 7 year old (almost 8) would be bored -- is it too young for him? He loves places like Zava Zone, but the 3 year old can't go there because it starts at 5. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Three and seven are good ages for Badlands.

I prefer the National Building Museum, the Zoo or College Park Aviation Museum memberships to a Badlands membership.

All three are great for getting energy out in the winter.

In the winter we often go to the zoo's Amazonia building for some warmth and running around.

[Anonymous]

My daughter had her 6th birthday party there, but by 7.5 or so it was starting to get a bit young. However, it’s another one off for a couple of visits at least, and they sometimes have workshops and other activities in their maker space.

[Anonymous]

^^^ Meant to say it’s probably good for at least two visits

[Anonymous]

Indoor pool

Aviation museum in college park

Indoor gyms/parkour

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the input. We already have a membership to the aviation museum and like it a lot, but I haven't found it useful for the sort of physical activity I'm thinking of, and my older kid is mostly interested in playing on the simulator. Maybe we'll have to keep looking for other options. I'd like something like Badlands but with some more options for older kids.

[Anonymous]

Badlands is not great, IMO. Much better options out there!
Hyper Kidz
Trampoline place
Discovery Zone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Badlands is not great, IMO. Much better options out there!
Hyper Kidz
Trampoline place
Discovery Zone

Forgot to mention:
Baltimore science museum
Davis library science room

[Anonymous]

I just asked my 7 year old. She said she likes Badlands but loves Hyperkidz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Badlands is not great, IMO. Much better options out there!
Hyper Kidz
Trampoline place
Discovery Zone

Forgot to mention:
Baltimore science museum
Davis library science room

I don't know what Discovery Zone is, where is it? And by Trampoline place, do you mean those places like sky zone?

[Anonymous]

I have the same age split that you do Op, and found that badlands was on of the few places that kept both kids happy.

Badlands is quiet enough that it’s good for the 3 yo (unless there’s a camp there-then all bets are off) and has some good solid climbing challenges for your older one.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 5yrs apart and I used to sign them up for classes at the Soccerplex in Rockville on weekends in the winter - it was a good way to get up and moving and out of the house. They're fairly cheap and it's a very low key type of kid activity (code for totally not fancy.) I'll confess that I often brought them to the McDonald's with a playspace after that for lunch, which makes me very very low rent I guess but it worked!

[Anonymous]

We went over Thanksgiving with kids that ranged from 3-7. All seemed to have a good time, even the one who broker her hand there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Badlands is not great, IMO. Much better options out there!
Hyper Kidz
Trampoline place
Discovery Zone

Forgot to mention:
Baltimore science museum
Davis library science room

I don't know what Discovery Zone is, where is it? And by Trampoline place, do you mean those places like sky zone?

Sorry, I meant port discovery in Baltimore. Yes to sky zone (trampoline) and here now, but in CT