A new indoor playground is set to open next month, giving families a much-needed space for kids to play.
Ames Play Yard, opening Feb. 13 at 2175 232nd Lane, is owned by Jenna Miller, a nurse and mother of five who saw a gap in local indoor activities for children.
“There’s not really anything to do indoors at all,” Miller said. “I mean, there’s like a bowling alley in the library, but beyond that, there isn’t a whole lot.”
The indoor playground is located just outside of Ames, right where Lincoln Way meets Highway 30.
It’s a challenge many parents face, especially during the winter months when children are often stuck inside. There are a few indoor parks outside of Ames, and that’s the problem — Miller said it’s important to have activities within the community as well as outside.
She decided to take matters into her own hands and create Ames Play Yard — a fun, indoor space for children to enjoy in Ames.
“We put a lot into it,” Miller said. “We essentially put our lives into this, our kind of common goal, really as a family, is to help promote health across the lifespan, between our clinic and here, it’s really kind of ties in together with kids here and promoting health and wellness and movement and exercise.”
Why an indoor playground?
Miller’s inspiration came four years ago, when she and her family visited Edinborough Park indoor playground in Minnesota. The four-story, treehouse-themed park is decked with several tube slides, a wave slide and a super slide and one of the biggest attractions — literally — is the 30-foot-tall oak tree that kids can climb on.
“The kids played for hours,” Miller said. “We had to literally pull them away and escort them out when we had to leave, because they would not stop playing. They loved it. And that’s where our idea came from.”
Designing the space
Miller planned almost every detail so the space could be fun for the children and welcoming for their parents. She wanted to make sure the playground was both safe and fun, so she made sure to ask her own children about the proposed designs.
“We actually did talk to the kids and asked them, ‘Do you remember Edinborough Park, and what was your favorite part?’” Miller said. Her children loved the dual lane slides, which gave them an opportunity to race each other. “They loved racing each other down the slides up there … things that we wanted to avoid were anything that could get lost, like balls.”
Her kids made sure Ames Play Yard will have slides — lots of them.
For the parents, the colors are more earth-toned so it’s not overwhelming.
Ames Play Yard has two play zones: one for toddlers and one for older children. There’s also basketball courts, party rooms and plenty of seating. Parents will have a lounge with Wi-Fi and comfy seating — all while being able to keep an eye on their kids.
The space is designed for children to move around and exercise, Miller said. Mackenzie Plagman, the general manager for Ames Play Yard and longtime nanny for Miller’s children, emphasized the importance for children to exercise throughout the day.
“Movement is so important in the child development process, it sets a child up for the rest of their life,” said Plagman, who’s also a senior at Iowa State University. “Essentially, it’s how they build relationships with their people … It’s how they start the foundation of their life.”
The indoor need is especially true when it’s rainy or snowy or on days of extreme cold or heat. Kids are often stuck at home with too much energy.
“Having somewhere to take kids during the day — that’s so important for your families that have nannies,” Plagman said
Challenges along the way
Originally, Miller said she and her husband planned on building near the south location of Ames Fitness Center. They purchased the land but quickly learned how expensive the project would be.
“Earlier this last year, we almost just called it quits and counted our losses because we were stuck with that [land] cost and the costs to build the building but no place to put it,” she said.
Then, Miller found the owner of the building they’re currently using — an alternative to building from scratch.
In the beginning, feedback from the community was rare, but as it gained traction, word spread about the indoor park and more responses came in.
“When we bought it, we were kind of questionable still,” Miller said. “But feedback from families who are excited to help support this business and bring their kids out has really made it worth it, despite all the challenges and hurdles we had to go through to get here.”
When does Ames Play Yard open?
The projected opening is Feb. 13.
- Children between ages of 1 and 3: $10 per day
- Children between ages of 4 and 12: $18 per day
- Toddler 10 Admission Pass: $90
- Big kid 10-day admission pass: $140
- Monthly memberships for three or more children: $190
