I'm visiting my daughter and 18-mo old grandson for Thanksgiving. We were looking for something to do that would occupy him without requiring our constant supervision, and Discovery Village was the perfect place. It's very clean (the staff is constantly walking around, picking up abandoned toys, sweeping and wiping the tables) and has various walled-in play areas suited for kids of different ages ages. For occasional visitors, it's $8.50 per child and zero for adult companions - which is a great price if you plan on spending more than an hour or two. Memberships are available. One section is carpeted with thick padding and vinyl covered foam "pillows" in various shapes for infants and young toddlers. The large central play area has low fiberglass climbing structures and slides for older toddlers and young children who need to run. Another area is divided into four sections. One has costumes, another has a Brio layout, there's a "grocery" store and a tactile play area with astroturf nailed to the walls and a variety of latches and closures. In the center of this is a toddler-height table with Lincoln Logs. They also have a small cafe serving sandwiches, snacks, wraps and salads. We spent about two hours there and Isaac, once he got the idea, didn't run out of things to do. The reason I'm giving it only four stars is because I have nothing to compare it to. Is there something else, somewhere else that's better? I dunno. Maybe. read more

Why do i keep reading reviews about people going there with their kids on an afternoon to have open play?. Misleading yelp reviews.. they do NOT offer Open play for children. They are also rude and only answered me because it was the second time i emailed them and probably annoyed them. read more

Discovery Village - Preschools Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

Discovery Village is a fantastic Preschool. It is in a great location, and has quite a bit to offer families for their young children. The school provides a safe, nurturing environment for children where they can learn and play. Children can be dropped off as early as 8 am and until 4:30. The before care and after care, will help families who work. The children will get to engage in sensory play, cooking, music, and movement. The facility also offers to host Birthday parties! The facility is engaging, clean, and friendly. Go check it out! read more

This place is great! I've been here a couple of times and have had no complaints. The play area is clean, bright, and keeps my 14-month old entertained for hours. The staff are friendly and attentive, and there's a small cafe inside that sells snacks, drinks, and treats for kids and grown-ups alike. I brought my out-of-town nieces and nephews (ages 2 and 4) over the holiday break and they loved all the exhibits. When I asked how they liked it, my niece said: "It was perfect!" I can't say enough good things about this place. I recommend it to anyone with small children who need to get the wiggles out. Current exhibits include: moon sand area, train table, grocery store, pizzeria, art table, and vet clinic. The main play area is Pacific Northwest themed and has plenty of objects to slide down and climb through. Sometimes they have special art lessons, dance classes, or yoga sessions free with admission; these are usually mentioned on their Facebook page. read more

Discovery Village - Preschools Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

I used to take my 3 children here to play all the time, they've recently outgrown it. :( It is always clean, the staff is friendly, and the imaginary play stations are great. It kept my children busy for hours. Beware that on rainy/cold days that it gets busy, but don't let that deter you. Also, know that there are parents there who don't watch their kids (which is their job) so watch yours if you have younger ones. Discovery Village has staff on the floor but sometimes they are busy in the cafe or checking in customers. In a place like this, they are not daycare workers! You are responsible for your own children!! This is a fantastic place to take your child to play, arrange play dates and even better to play along with them! I love this place! read more

Discovery Village - Preschools Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

Beware, the open play is no longer available and hasn't been since Covid, though reading all about it on their website including, hours and admission info, would lead one to believe otherwise. Took my grandson there recently only to find this out from one of the employees who said she'd let the owners know again that the website hadn't been changed. Wasted gas and had to pay a toll on the way home for no reason. read more

Great place for kids to use their imaginations and interact. Tables for lunch and even a small cafe'. they are always changing stuff in and out and around in order to keep things fresh and interesting or the kid's. friendly staff. bathrooms are always very clean. highly recommend for ages 2-5. read more

Still love going to this place! I know that my time is limited here because my kiddos are growing up way too fast! read more

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Discovery Village is located in a town flush with cash and they have the play area to show it. The free range kid area is covered with a squishy, bouncy, custom designed rug and is equipped with all sorts of cartoonish, squishy, bouncy climb upons such as toddler sized flowers and lady bugs, or tents with tunnels through them. There is also the amazing, piece de resistance: the cherry tree. It is, essentially, a slide. Climb up the leetle steps and slide down the other side. But conceptually, it's breathtaking. Standing well over seven feet high and with a diameter matching a real cherry tree, it's like something out of Roger Rabbit's cartoonland. Love it. There are three other play areas as well as a classroom. There's a water play station, equipped with polished rocks, bowls for scooping and a fountain that looks like an old water pump. There's a pretend play room stocked with your basic kid stuff like plastic groceries and carts, pizza making station, and vet pretend station. There's a "moon" sand station. We didn't check that one out because my kid is still fully in the put it in your mouth face. (Any one else always get that dirty, nasty song chorus in their head when they say/think "put it in your mouth?"...INAPPROPE.) The three and four olds seemed thoroughly engaged though. There is also a fully equipped cafe with lattes and overpriced snacks. Great place for birthday parties and rainy days. read more

Absolutely love this place, we take our 18mo old son here almost weekly. He loves to jump on the rubber exhibits and play with all the toys. We love that there is a cafe where we can get coffee and food for the both of us. Little pricey for $9 but if you buy the membership it pays for itself in just two visits. read more

We visited today for the first time after purchasing a Groupon. My little guys are 2.5 yrs and almost 9 months. Upon entering I was pretty disappointed: looked like a daycare facility, with a shopping center climbing/play structure. Of course, my toddler didn't care! He ran and climbed and played. There was someone cleaning, which was awesome, happy to see cleanliness as a top priority. Here are the play options: medium size padded running/climbing area, tiny area with books and blocks, medium sized area with a pretend vet clinic, grocer, and train set area, and a very small moon sand station. Every area was crowded by 11am on a Thursday. My toddler didn't seem put off, but I was annoyed by kids running around with snacks (my son is highly allergic to various foods), snotty noses, and pushing/shoving of smaller kids. They have a cafe that has pretty yummy food with a decent variety. The staff is pleasant and friendly. I would come back, but not often. They need more activities, a better use of space, employees patrolling play zones for snotty noses, rude behavior and food. Again, kids never care, just us snobby parents ;) read more

Discovery Village - Preschools Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

Very clean fun place for creative play. There is a little shopping area for gently used clothes and toys. The cafe had the tastiest chicken pesto panini. Would come back just for that. Large play area where my toddler ran around and climbed on the soft toys. The best part not sure if my son cared for it or if I liked it was the little town with a grocery store, post office, and restaurant. There is also preschool available. read more

Discovery Village - Large tree with a slide - Preschools Near Me - Gig Harbor, Washington

This is my first Yelp review; I installed the Yelp app just for this review, because I think it's important to share my experience at Discocery Village in Gig Harbor, WA. I was born and raised in Gig Harbor, WA, and throughout the years I knew of many people who had taken their children to Discovery Village. It seemed like a place worth visiting. Yesterday, a friend of mine and her three children visited Discovery Village, for what was my first time. I was immediately uncomfortable by the way I was spoken to by the younger lady working the front desk. She was cold and short with me. I brushed it off, until I went to order food... Both ladies working there (maybe a mom and daughter) were standing behind the counter in the cafe area when I approached. I stood there for about 30 seconds, and neither one of them acknowledged me. I'd like to mention that neither one of them was preparing food as I stood, waiting. Finally, I spoke up and let them know that I wanted to order food. They both rolled their eyes, and the older lady reluctantly took my order without saying a word to me. I tried to brush this off, however, I couldn't help but to feel uncomfortable each time one of the ladies walked passed me. They had negative energy about them. The younger gal was even abrasive towards the children who were playing. I felt uncomfortable for the 2.5 hours that my friend and I were visiting. As we were getting ready to leave, we stood around our table to put our coats on and to gather our things. The younger lady came up behind me, threw her hands up, walked around the other side of the table, and harshly said to the older lady working "I can't even walk! We are going to have to move these tables!" I thought, how rude of them to complain in front of customers. Many times I caught them whispering, huddled in a corner. I did not see them smile or be kind to one customer during my visit. I can't help but to feel that this is not a positive environment for children, or adults! I felt so uncomfortable, and I will not be visiting ever again. read more

As soon as we walked in, I was slightly disappointed because the interior was much smaller than I expected. We were greeted by a very friendly employee who offered to show us around but you could see everything from the front door -- unnecessary but still, a nice offer. I was underwhelmed by how little they had and when admission is $8.50 -- you kind of expect a lot more. My son (almost 4) had fun but I felt like he wasn't challenge or exposed to anything new. There was a pizzeria, market, vet clinic, and train table clustered together -- making it difficult for kids and adults to pass. The concepts were good but too much in a small area. The bathrooms are clean and the women's had a changing table (2 stalls) -- I appreciate that it had multiple stools to accommodate the children. There is an open play area with nicer looking stationary climbing toys. My son had fun but there were some older kids running around. Their oblivious Moms were talking with their friends instead of telling them to slow down. The staff also didn't correct this behavior. There was a moonsand (I think that's right) area that was enclosed and my son had fun there -- he seemed to enjoy it but he has a lot more fun at the Tacoma or Olympia location. There is just more there and challenges his imagination. I was pleasantly surprised by the cafe. Ok, they are overpriced but their presentation is cute and they serve quite a variety. We brought snacks because I never know what to expect and it was our first visit. My son had the hot dog meal and it came with carrots (and ranch dipping sauce). We were going to buy bottled water and the employee pointed out that they offer complimentary water -- I appreciated that a lot. I had the chicken pesto panini and it was yummy. The drive to Gig Harbor (from Puyallup), $8.50 admission, lack of areas for them to explore = 2 stars. Nice but pricey cafe. Friendly staff but I'll stick closer to home. read more

Fabulous preschool program, talented teachers friendly women at the register and cafe. We have come here to play for years and now attend the preschool and summer camps. We've done dated nights and to birthday parties here, all of which were enjoyable for everyone. read more

Clean and secure facility for my kids to play. Free wifi and great food from the cafe! My child attends preschool as well the last 3 years and it is like her second home. She loves it! The staff are friendly and very helpful. read more

This is the letter my wife wrote today after her experience today. Will post again depending on the response from Discovery Village. I wanted to share with you my disappointment and frustration regarding our attempted visit to Discovery Village today. We have been coming to Discovery Village for several years and have enjoyed it until today. Prior to driving from Tacoma to Gig Harbor, I checked your website which stated the hours of operation for Sunday were 11am until 3pm. We arrived at Discovery Village at 2:05pm and were told that we couldn't enter because the last admission time was at 2pm. I was extremely frustrated as we still had 55 minutes of play time before Discovery Village would close. Your website does NOT explain to families that Discovery Village actually closes at 2pm to new admissions which I feel would be very helpful and avoid this situation in the future. Additionally, I feel that 5 minutes "late" was a bit extreme for not letting us enter. Even as a busy pediatrician, I give families up to 15 minutes to be late for their appointment time. I understand a closing time of 3pm and we would have respected that and left after playing for 45 minutes or so, however, I don't understand not allowing us to enter when we arrived 55 minutes prior to closing and their were other families inside Discovery Village playing. Overall, I was disappointed by our experience today and sad that we are now much less likely to return. ****** read more

Though small (compared to the children's museum in Olympia), this place is otherwise outstanding! Possibly the best aspect is the place is small enough that parents can park in the center at the tables near the café and keep an eye on their child as they play anywhere in the facility. This is a nice plus compared to the children's museum in Oly where you practically have to hover over your child to avoid losing sight of them. The staff is great here too and the facility is first class. Our daughter had a blast! read more

I love this place. At 9 mo's pregnant I can't chase my toddler all over, so it's nice to br able to bring her here and sit and nibble on something while she plays. I love that the moms/dads/nannies that also come here pitch in with cleaning up the various stations so the kids can find everything. There's only about 2 staff members on the floor during open play hours so that help goes a long way. read more

This is a great place for my toddler to run around and have fun. This facility is large, clean and they host many activities (fee required). The admission fee is on the higher side ($8+tax/day - my reason for four stars instead of five), but you can leave and then come back on the same day if you show them the receipt. Socks are required in the play area and I recommend checking their website or Facebook page before heading out there for business hours as it varies throughout the week. read more

Discovery Village is an awesome place for my kids to use their imaginations and be active on rainy days! The staff is kind, kid-friendly and professional. The facility is clean and promotes imaginary fun! Great experience! read more

Favorite place to take my little. Fun, relaxing for mom, coffee and food bar for snacks.

I visited here 4 months ago and my little guy enjoyed the train and the sand area. The place was clean. I thought the staff at the front desk was not friendly and I just did not feel welcomed. We went here on a Saturday for the first time and they had one of the classrooms opened so we when in and the staff told us we could not be in the classroom and my toddler wasn't too happy. I feel that they should have had the door closed if they did not want kids playing in the room. The staff did not look happy. Overall, its a nice place and I would give this place another chance. read more

This is a great place for kids birthday parties in Gig Harbor! We attended my niece's birthday here. My kids had a blast.The staff was so helpful, especially while we were setting up and breaking down. My favorite part was being able to have a glass of champagne and socialize while the kids just played and played. We also love the indoor playground. My 3 year old son LOVES the dinosaur area and my 5 year old daughter could play for hours on the soft indoor play equipment and in the play store. It is so nice on a rainy day to go there and let them play while I can order a latte and use the wi-fi to get some work done. The new owners took over in April, and I hear they have been making some very positive changes. read more

I have a 4 year old and a walking 1 year old. As soon as my younger child turned 1 we stopped coming as often since it cost 14.50 for both ( before 1 the children are free) my son (4) loves to play with the train table. Veterinarian area. Pizza place. Climbing toys. Moon sand. If you are local with kids under 6 this is good place. However it can get spendy for more than one kid. read more

We took our girls here while in town for an appointment. They loved it and we will definitely be back when in the area. My girls are almost 3 and 7 they gave it two thumbs up :) They keep it very clean just wish we had one in Sequim! read more

Super boring & not worth the trip! I suppose if you live in the area/Gig Harbor it maybe worth the visit, but coming from Puyallup/Federal Way and having so many great activities for small children this place lacks any appeal! First off its super small and the activities are limited. The main area looks exactly like the play area at the mall. On the plus side adults are free. This place is good for kids 18 months to 3.5 years old. read more

DO NOT be pressured into prepaying "to hold" your child's spot! This preschool is very skilled at high pressure sales tactics and is not afraid to use them on parents and children. Our Daughter went there last year and right around January the rhetoric started- "save your spot," signs on the doors, "don't wait and not get the teacher your child wants," lectures by staff, teachers, emails, and posters. We were constantly bombarded with reminders that the registration fee (which every child pays no matter how many years you have gone there) will only be waived for returning parents, IF you prepay by February. This created a buying frenzy environment, but once they have your money there is no getting it back. This "shortage of class'" is just an illusion, There will always be a spot, Amber,(the owner) not wanting to pass up the opportunity to make a buck, will just add another class. Once a deposit of $375 is secured, do not expect it back in any form; not by a deadline (which there is none), not for half the amount, it does not matter. Once Amber has her hands on your money, will NEVER let it go. Be very, VERY, careful before you do business with them! read more

I have brought my two sons (6 and 8) here for play time and birthdays since DV opened. Everything has always been clean and safe and staff have been more than accommodating. There is more than enough to do for all ages. The coffee/beverage area is great as well. The only complaining from my boys is when it is time to leave. read more

Love the discovery village for the crawling through preschool age. It has a variety of exhibits to keep kids busy and entertained. I love that parking lot is easy- much more convenient than the Tacoma children's museum. The only drawback is that it's a little pricy, especially with multiple children. read more

Perfect place to take your kiddos for some indoor play! Very clean, open space with different stations for kids to keep them going for hours! read more

My daughter is in her second year of preschool with Miss Peggy at DV and we couldn't be happier! In fact, all the staff there is incredible. I love the organization of the classroom activities and communication between the teacher and parents. My daughter is learning so much, educationally as well behaviorally. Between the four schools that my children have already experienced, Discovery Village is the one that never caused me any doubt or concern. read more

This place is quite literally a parents worst nightmare. Parking lot was full, Front desk ladies were abrasive and cold. The layout is terrible, toys are "meh". Other parents were not parenting. If I could give this zero stars I would. Don't waste your time/energy on getting your kids set to go then winding up at this little slice of hell. read more

We put both our children through preschool at Discovery Village and I can not say enough wonderful things about the teachers, staff and facility! The play area is fantastic- my kids never wanted to leave. I've spent a lot of time at DV and really feel they have built a community of loving, supportive educators and families. I love having the option to purchase hot lunch for my daughter when life gets hectic. I love that I can stay and visit with other parents, have coffee or lunch for myself too. I love that the new owners are preschool parents too and have been part of the DV family for years. It's a wonderful GH gem! read more

This place was amazing! My two year old loved having so many new things to climb on and play with. Even though it got busy closer to noon, there seemed to be an adequate number of things for the kids to enjoy w/out feeling crowded. Looking forward to returning! read more

As a new resident of Gig Harbor I enrolled my son in the Transition 2's class without knowing exactly what it would entail. I was pleasantly surprised. Teacher Erin and fellow parents were all very nice and welcoming. Teacher Erin has such a gift for teaching and the patience of a saint. Both my son and I absolutely love her. I was also impressed with the staff at this institution as well as the owners. They were all very professional and helpful. As part of our enrollment into the preschool, a membership to there attached gym has been uber nice on cold, rainy days. At times it can get busy, but my son enjoys the company. read more

Overall, it's a decent place to go to play. It is small, and when a lot of people are there, space and availability of toys at the stations become limited and seem to cause tug of war battles, but during non busy times, it keeps my kids entertained and enjoying themselves. It is clean, and staff seem to keep up on that as much as possible. However, the staff need to be a bit more diligent at enforcing the rules to keep other children safe. The height and age limit in the playground needs to be enforced in order for it to be safe for the younger children, and parents who sit by and lazily allow their older, or even you get children, scream, hit, push and jerk things out of others' hands, or plow and run over other children, should be asked to leave of their children cannot abide by the rules and the parents choose not to handle it. It's a safety issue and we go there less now that we have wasted admission more than once having to leave early to keep my children safe from other children to old and big to be in there to begin with, who think it's ok to shove my toddler off a slide or other climbing structure or rip things out of their hands while their parents and the staff do nothing about it. When it is brought up to staff, they act like having to deal with it is too much work. If they aren't willing to deal with those issues, they cannot ensure a safe play environment. Other issue is membership price. It is absolutely ridiculous! Looked into it when we first started going as we are membership people. It saves money. Theoretically. It is much less to travel to Seattle and Olympia for a membership half the price of DV, with three times the amount of things to do and space to play. We have memberships at Seattle and Olympia children's museums and the Tacoma zoo and the three of them combined is what tiny little DV wants for theirs. Would be worth more stars if there was a maximum capacity to prevent overcrowding, rules actually enforced to make it a safer and fun experience, and membership that isn't such an over reach, I can get three others for as much or less. read more

As an elementary school principal, I'm so impressed with the dedication and level of experience that the teachers bring to the preschool program at Discovery Village. What an asset Discovery Village is to the Gig Harbor community!! It is wonderful that this educational establishment prepares children to be so kindergarten ready. Thank you Discovery Village for your commitment and high standards. read more

I took my sons here today and they had a wonderful time! This place has a cafe, a preschool and a really nice indoor play area. I originally came in because the weather was bad in the morning. I had breakfast and a coffee while they played, I ended up talking to a bunch of other moms and we stayed through lunch. It was clean, the staff was really helpful and I just wish that I knew this was here a couple years ago. read more

It was my first time going to this place and I am so curious to check out this place because it sounds like a fun place that my 17 months old son would enjoy. I've seen a lot of good reviews from people about this place and thought it would be worth a drive to experience how really nice the place is since I live in Lakewood, WA. I like how they have some parking spaces, the staffs are nice and friendly. But I think the admission fee is overpriced ($8.50), for a small indoor playground with not so much to do or to entertain your kids, one reason why my son after an half hour playing got bored and wanting to go out and leave the place. The place alao get messy, toys are everywhere scattered in the floor and everywhere when the place are filling up with kids. I like that they have a cafeteria and a lot of sittings were you can see your kids while they play and while you are having a drink or eating some snacks. It's a nice place for kids to spend some time to play specially when it's raining and your kid can't play outside, but i think it's not worth the money you paid, just for my opinion. I don't intend to come back here anymore, I would rather find a better place my money worth, like to a zoo, museum or better indoor playground nearby with cheaper admission fee. I am a little disappointed, I think it's overpriced but this place isn't that bad at all, small but descent, nice staffs and creative/colorful playground. read more