Inside, It's Child's Play -- Indoor Centers Offer Hours Of Fun For Youngsters

In the wintertime, when the kids are tired of videos, and you're climbing the walls, what to do? Consider an indoor play place.

A number of community centers, fun centers and eateries offer places to play indoors, some just for small kids, others for all ages. Some are free, some low-cost, some cost more. All can provide hours of fun.

Community centers offer kids of all ages a chance to toss balls, take classes, learn crafts and socialize, usually for a modest fee.

Parents of preschool kids may not know that some centers in Seattle, Kent, Kirkland and other cities also have indoor playrooms with tot climbers, balls, tumble mats, toys, books and (important!) chairs for parents. Drop-in play, $1-$2.

Older and younger kids enjoy centers such as Funtasia in Edmonds, Seattle Funplex, Games in Mukilteo, Zones in Bellevue and the indoor pavilion of Seattle Center's Fun Forest. Laser tag, mini-golf and skills games are popular, as are areas for younger kids, with climbing structures and simple games. Admission is free; tickets or passes are sold for activities. A child can easily spend $10 to $20 or more in a visit. Parents of small children need to stay, middle-school-age kids and older are welcome on their own.

If you'd like to drop off smaller kids, Playspace, in Bellevue's Crossroads Shopping Center, is about the only commercial drop-in center. It features tunnels, ball bins, trampolines, climbing towers and nets. Drop-off rate is $7.95 the first hour, then $1.49 per 15 minutes, a maximum of four hours. Parents must stay at the mall. Unlimited play, parents stay, costs $5.95 per child.

Crossroads also has a mini-carousel (25 cents) and live music, Wednesday through Saturday evenings.

Bellevue Square has two free places for preschoolers to play. Big soft-sculpture ferry and tugboats are always filled with kids, and there are padded benches to rest on.

Other malls that keep kids entertained include Auburn's SuperMall of the Great Northwest, where there is a merry-go-round ($1) and a caboose to climb on. University Village in Seattle has a kiddy playground and climbing sculptures in a sheltered courtyard.

For an hour or so of free supervised play for small tykes, some Fred Meyer stores and Seattle's University Village QFC supermarket provide crafts, books and small toys. The IKEA furniture store in Renton has a ball bin, playroom, videos, books and crafts.

For the price of a snack or a meal, small kids can play on and in tube climbers, ball bins and other toys at some McDonald's and other eateries. Parents need to stay nearby.

At Chuck E. Cheese outlets, kids (to about age 12) enjoy a vast expanse of ball pits, tube climbers, games and animated entertainment. Parents buy pizza or a handful of tokens. These are big places, so parents need to keep a closer eye on their kids. Bellevue's outlet helps out with a kid-check stamp system. Children must enter and leave with the same adult.

----------------- COMMUNITY CENTERS -----------------

Many centers have programs for all ages; these are indoor playground hours for kids 5 and under.

Bitter Lake Community Center, 13040 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, 206-684-7524. Noon-2 p.m., Mondays, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Wednesdays, $1.

Delridge Community Center, 4501 Delridge Way S.W., Seattle, 206-684-7423. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesdays (free), Wednesdays and Fridays, $1.

Gracie Hansen Community Center, 27132 S.E. Ravensdale Way, Ravensdale, 206-296-4294. 10-11:30 a.m., Mondays and Thursdays. Family Open Gym, 10 a.m.-noon, Wednesdays, $2.

Green Lake Community Center, 7201 E. Green Lake Drive N., Seattle, 206-684-0780. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., weekdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, $1, $35 annual.

Kent Commons, 525 Fourth Ave. N., Kent. 253-859-3350. 9:30-11 a.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, $2.

Mountlake Terrace Pavilion, 5303 228th St. S.W., Mountlake Terrace, 425-776-9173, 10 a.m.-7:15 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays; 10 a.m.-noon, Saturdays, $1.50.

North Kirkland Community Center, 12421 103rd Ave. N.E., Kirkland, 425-828-1105. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays, $2.

Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center, 6535 Ravenna Ave. N.E., Seattle, 206-684-7534. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Mondays, 4-8 p.m., Wednesdays, 3:30-6:30 p.m., Thursdays, 1-6 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays, $1.

Shoreline Center Gym, 18501 First Ave. N.E., Shoreline. 206-546-5041. 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays, $2.

Si View Community Center, 400 S.E. Orchard Drive, North Bend, 206-296-2964. 9 a.m.-noon, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, $1.

------------ OTHER PLACES ------------

Bellevue Square, Bellevue Way Northeast off Northeast Fourth Street, Bellevue, 425-454-2431. Two soft climbing boats for preschoolers, mall hours. Feb. 21-March 22, the mall hosts "Baby Dinosaurs: A Prehistoric Playground," a collection of large animated dinosaurs. It includes craft stations, a fossil-digging area, crawl tubes and more, free.

Playspace, Crossroads Shopping Center, 15600 N.E. Eighth St., Bellevue, 425-644-4500. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sundays. $5.95 per child with adult. Drop-off care, $7.95 first hour, then $1.49 each 15 minutes, maximum four hours. Age 3/up, parent must remain at mall.

----------- FUN CENTERS -----------

Funtasia Family Fun Park, 7212 220th S.W., Edmonds, 425-774-4263. 10 a.m.-11 p.m., Sundays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Fridays-Saturdays. Pay per activity.

Games Family Fun Center, 3616 South Road, Mukilteo, 425-745-5033. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sundays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-midnight Fridays-Saturdays. Pay per activity.

Laser Quest, 2210 S. 320th St., Federal Way, 253-946-4500. Noon-midnight, Saturdays, noon-10 p.m., Sundays, 4-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 4 p.m.-midnight Fridays. Age 7/up, $6.50 for 20-25 minutes. Seattle Funplex, Seattle, 1541 15th Ave. W., Seattle. 206-285-7842. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sundays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-midnight, Saturday. Pay per activity, $2 cover Fridays, Saturdays after 9 p.m.

Seattle Center Fun Forest Entertainment Pavilion, Seattle Center. 206-728-158511 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sundays-Thursdays. Outdoor midway rides (weather and crowds permitting); pay per activity.

Zones, 2207 N.E. Bel-Red Road, Redmond, 425-746-9411. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sundays-Thursdays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays. Pay per activity.

------------ EAT AND PLAY ------------

Chuck E. Cheese, pizza and play centers, 3717 196th St. S.W., Lynnwood, 425-771-1195, 2239 148th Ave. N.E., Bellevue, 425-746-5000, and 4911 Tacoma Mall Blvd., Tacoma, 253-473-3078.

McDonald's and some other fast-food chains have playlands. Two McDonald's MegaPlay places: 20227 Ballinger Way N.E., Seattle, and 1305 N.W. Gilman Blvd., Issaquah.