Spotlight: Play: CLE With Kids

Thank you to Play:  CLE for providing complimentary tickets for my family.  As always, all opinions are my own. 

Play:  CLE, the largest indoor adventure park in the U.S., was the perfect location for a few hours of fun and fitness.  I visited with Play: CLE, which is located in Avon on Cleveland’s West side, with my three kids, ages four, eight and ten, the week before the new school year began. We had never been to an indoor adventure park and were not exactly sure what to expect but found plenty of opportunities for running, jumping and  climbing.  Even I stretched my comfort zone by trying the ropes course and zip line.   Play: CLE was kid-friendly and truly enjoyable for the whole family.

Visiting Play: CLE With Kids

After reading that Play: CLE was not geared for children under age seven, I was not sure if there would be enough attractions suitable for my four year old to keep her occupied for three hours and considered leaving her with my parents.  But, my daughter is pretty easy-going and does not like to be left out of any adventure.  So, I packed a backpack with some books and games in case she got bored (spoiler:  she didn’t) and was thrilled that my father-in-law and sister-in-law decided to join us.  They enjoy watching the kids have any kind of adventure and were helpful extra hands at Play: CLE as they were able to watch the kids while I attempted the ropes course and zip line.   Because they wanted to spectate rather than participate, they did not need to pay  admission.

We arrived as soon as Play: CLE opened and were among the first guests.  I completed the waiver forms (which I would have done online in advance of our arrival if I was more organized), and each of the kids were measured and weighed and given color coded wristbands to indicate which activities they could do.  Guests need to be able to reach to 5 feet, 6 inches to use the ropes course, weigh 60-275 pounds to use the zip line and weigh 50-275 pounds to use the climbing walls.  My ten year old and his friend were able to use all of the equipment, my eight year old was limited to the attractions at ground level (e.g. everything but the ropes course and zip line), and my daughter could do anything on the ground level that did not require a harness.

I stored my handbag and my daughter’s backpack in the see through lockers that operated like a hotel safe. Our things were safely stored but also easy to access at any time.  Next time, I’ll bring water bottles for everyone.

Prior to our visit, we read that the ropes course tends to have the longest line, so, the ten year olds headed there first.  The ropes courses were their favorite attraction, and they did both courses before zip lining down to the lower level.  The zip line travels up to 35 miles per hour from one end of the park to the other.

Activities at Play: CLE With Kids

I decided to get my bearings before attempting the ropes course myself and regretted it when I had to wait about 20 minutes after I finally mustered the courage to attempt the ropes course.  While I don’t have a fear of heights, this kind of challenge is definitely outside of my usual comfort zone.  After I was fitted with a harness, I received a short lesson on how to use the claws to safely maneuver around the course.  It was not always easy to connect the claws to the cables, but I liked that it was impossible to disconnect both claws from the cable.  I felt more comfortable with the harness and the claws after a few obstacles and did find my rhythm.  In the end, I was glad to be on solid ground and proud of myself for trying something new.  I also took a ride the zip line to the opposite end of the park and then headed down to the ground level.

My daughter loved the little kid parkour area and was so pleased to figure out a few tricks to help her get from one obstacle to the next without touching the floor.  She also had a blast going through the ninja warrior course even although she was too small to reach many of the challenge elements and thought the goal was to climb over low obstacles.  The boys also found that they were not big enough to complete all of the challenges in their intended manner, and they focused on other activities at Play: CLE.

Play:  CLE had several climbing activities.  The boys preferred the massive bouldering wall, which had a large air bag at the bottom for safety.  They tried several different paths rated easy to hard.

There are also eight different climbing walls that guests climb with the aid of harnesses.  My eight year old’s favorite involved climbing a series of pillars and then repelling back down to the ground.

After a few hours, the kids needed a break for lunch, and we ordered lunch from Play: CLE’s onsite restaurant, the Biner (shorthand for caribiner).  Our party thoroughly enjoyed delicious burgers, hot dogs, quesadillas and chicken.  There is also a full bar, including craft beers, wines and specialty drinks.

Why We Loved Play: CLE With Kids

When it was time to leave, my daughter took off running toward the equipment as I pulled her untouched backpack out of the locker.   Extra toys and books were definitely superfluous.  I should have guessed that they wouldn’t be necessary – she handled lengthy tours of the Vatican and Louvre a few weeks earlier without toys, books or snacks.  Play: CLE in Avon is great for kids who love to climb in CLE.  My kids would love to return to Play: CLE, and it will be an especially fun excursion at some point during Cleveland’s long winter….

• Play: CLE hours:  Play: CLE’s hours vary by season.  Check the website before planning a visit.
• Play: CLE tickets:  Passes for two, three and four hours are available and range from $20 to $45.  Children under six are free with a paying adult.
• Play: CLE parking:  Free parking is available in an adjacent lot.
• Play: CLE waiver:  All visitors need to complete a waiver before entering.

Every so often, we encounter a place that is so fabulous for those traveling with kids that it is worthy of being featured on its own. For more fabulous locations, please check out our other Spotlight features!  Also, be sure to check out all our category of posts on Cleveland with kids.