Came here for the first time for a birthday party so I wasn't sure what to expect. The place was recently renovated so things did not seem that dated. There was a variety of different areas to play in, different pretend areas- veterinary, building and grocery. There was a big climbing structure to get into with a variety of different obstacles inside. And there was a water play area. Overall a lot of variety for the space. The things were well maintained. The room was also kept pretty warm. read more

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They raised the prices as of October 2025 and parents still have to pay just to get in. Would love if the could partner with a local disability services vendor to run a small cafe. It would be more on par with the other indoor spaces. read more

We came here our first night passing through. This was nearby so took the kids to explore. It is in the lower level of the community center. Admission was $8 non-resident each and baby was free. It had a large water table which was a plus for our kids. Also there was an indoor play gym with slide for my son. A smaller play gym nearby for toddlers which didn't get my daughter's interest. The play construction, pet vet, and shopping kept my kids interested. Overall, this is small compared to others but was a good quick visit before heading to hotel. read more

We brought our 2-year old and 10-month old baby with us to try "Exploritorium" out. There was a Groupon that was on sale. We weren't Skokie residents, so we bought the Exploritorium pass that was worth of 10 visits for a pretty good deal. Otherwise, one admission for a non-Skokie resident would be $7 at the door, according to their website. In addition, our infant son was free, for he was under 1. Check-in was effortless. The reception lady was beyond nice and helped us trade the Groupon with a membership card that electronically recorded the number of visits we used and the remainder balance. The good thing was that she took 3 visit credits off and gave us a receipt. I was wondering if the Exploritorium pass only allowed a single individual to use it, yet that answered my question and I was glad that we didn't need to pay any extra admission fees to cover us adults. The place was smaller than I imagined, but it was enough for these young kids to conduct their businesses. There was a water station with the water fall and a pond. Kids could wear raincoats and experienced the sensation having the water drenching on them (yeah, the raincoat didn't really protect). I believe the highlight of the venue was the climb zone. Kids could get up quite high and release their energy through some muscle stretches and exercises. For the crawlers and sitters, there was space that dedicated to them. As we all knew, that space often time got invaded with older children because they weren't aware of the purpose of this zone. There were certain areas that required shoes off. Nevertheless, that didn't seem to be too strictly reinforced since people were going back and forth one area to another. There was a cafe with a few tables and chairs. I saw one vending machine that sold generic snacks. I would say there was a plenty of restrooms (4 of them in this basement plus more on different floors), just in case we all needed to go! Overall, this was a very cute playground that local residents could come and utilize for a small fee. I would not recommend people from far away to make a point coming here. We don't live awfully far and we still got credits from the Groupon we have purchased. With that being said, we are definitely coming back for more play time. Moreover, free parking is certainly a perk for us city dwellers. One thing I wish they could change was their hours of operation. If they could have more extended hours on the weekends (closed at 1pm on Saturdays and no hours on Sundays currently), they would possobly have us as regulars. read more

This place is great! It has everything you need and would find at a children's museum but on a slightly smaller scale but much easier to watch and see kids, especially with multiples! My kids 3 & 4 played for over 3 hours! Perfect for a rainy day. $6 per person for Non-residents read more

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Great service at the front counter. We got tickets off of the group on special for our family which really made it worth it. My twins are 15 months old and don't walk yet. I felt like they were just a little too young to truly explore all the areas that the exploratorium offers. They were also a little too short to play in the water play area. I wish that they had a lower section for smaller kids to also be able to touch and play with the water. It was SUPER busy on a Saturday before close. We got their around 11:30 am. I do wish they stayed open later on the weekends for those working parents that can make it out during the week. We still enjoyed our short stay and our kids loved their time here. read more

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It was a small but very cute place for kids and families! My 8 and 2 yo enjoyed it!! There's a toddler area where you have to take off your shoes- so I highly recommend wearing socks! There's also a water area and there's some aprons for the kids to wear. My kids still managed to get wet - so maybe also a change of clothes will be a good idea! read more

Fun place for a child to spend an hour or two. Even after more than two hours, my granddaughter didn't want to leave. Between the climbing area and the water play area, there's plenty to keep a child busy. read more

The actual facility is great. I think it's a reasonable price for the space ($7 nonresident). Parents have to pay, however.

What a variety of things to do. Each station is very clean and maintained. Very creative exhibits. Reasonably priced for a day of fun. My 2 and a half year old grandson loved it and so did I. Can't wait to go back! read more

Great place to have a birthday party for a toddler! I've never been to the Exploritorium prior to the party but trusted that this was a good place and sure enough, everything went so well! The website information states to contact at least 12 weeks before the planned date due to high demand. I happened to plan a last minute party so I sought out about 3 weeks before the needed date. Mike got back to me the next business day and I was able to book a party! From then, it's been a smooth ride. It was easy to sign the contract & make a payment all via electronically without having to walk in. The party package actually comes with a "party planner" who helps you set up and clean up! I was assigned to Allison and she was great! I was stressing out about the 30 minute time limit before & after party but to my surprise, we were able to set up the room in 30 minutes and we finished cleanup in 10 minutes. The kids had a good time. The day was super fast paced for me as a planner, but I don't think guests felt that way. We were able to bring in our own decoration, food, and drinks. They had a 2-tier cart for easy transfer of food from car to 2nd floor. Overall, I'd definitely recommend having a kids party at the Exploritorium and would even consider doing it again! read more

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This place is maintained by the Park district so it's reasonably affordable to go in compared other places. Be prepared to bring a change of clothes for your kid if they plan to play in the water section which is actually a very cool area. There's a Play land area that's three stories tall it's huge. And there's a little space for Littles. read more

Exploritorium - Super big tunnel indoor playground, it's like 2 stories tall! - Performing Arts Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Recently took my family here for a birthday party and h d a lot of fun. A very nice, small children's play museum with many rooms and different types of play. Very clean and ADA accessible. read more

Perfect place for a toddler to explore. Place is clean, staff is nice, and ample seating for parents. Masks are required for all. read more

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So many fun activities for little kids. Bring a change of clothes in case of excessive splashes in the water area

Love the concept - they've quite a wide variety of stations and sections. They try to keep things somewhat separated, to allow for more space for each section. They've got a smaller section geared towards younger than 24mo kids with slides, climbing walls, netting. They've got another section focused on water play with a miniature river flowing through it. Other activities include a light up mini wall, life size building blocks, obstacle course, push/ride toys, magnetic building tables. Parking is easy. It's right next to the Skokie Pool, where you can pay to get into a small water park. Behind the Exploritorium is a more hands-on, unique park that you could also explore while there. The pricing is a bit steep considering the size of the space and how very crowded it gets. So something to keep in mind on those rainy or wintry days where you're wondering where everyone is with kids - they're probably here! read more

We love the Exploritorium and are fortunate that the City of Skokie has provided it to us. The facility is a great place for young children, especially on days where weather is less friendly to outdoor activities. And the people who work here are always pleasant and helpful. read more

Is it bad that I'm in my 30s and thought this place was so fun and also that it totally wore me out? We went on a family excursion - my brother & sis in law, their twin 2 year olds, my parents and grandma - and there were minimal tears from any of us. My brother and I climbed on this huge structure with the kids...who may have fallen off of one ledge once, but they've learned to get back up. There were punching bags, blocks, a huge light bright, water toys (and smocks), a huge book, costumes and more. Enough to keep everyone engaged and entertained for hours. I'm pretty sure the kids had a nice nap after a morning of exploring. I think non-resident (skokie) adults pay $5 admission. Worth it. read more

Super convenient for kids birthday parties and you get a discount if you live in Skokie! My nieces (age 8 and 6) loved the variety of things they could do. There's even a smaller playground for the super little ones. Plus an elevator to get to the classrooms/party rooms if your child doesn't feel like walking. read more

What I love about this place is that I can take a group of 4 or 5 kids, they can all run off and do their own thing, but when standing in the middle of the room, I can still see each of them to make sure they aren't getting kidnapped, beating up other children, running amuck, etc. There's a water area. A dress up area with stage. An arts and crafts spot. A quiet book corner. Computer stations. An under 2 years old soft area. A spot to scoot around on trikes and such. However, the piece de resistance is the multi-leveled climbing structure. Man... the kids go up in there and they don't come down for an hour. Yes, I have shimmied my way up that platform ladder and played in there myself. It's quite entertaining. The slides are awesome... but a little scary for the younger ones. It's a great way to kill a couple hours on a rainy day but it's not like, say, the Kohl's Museum where you could spend an entire day there. Also, they do not have a great selection of things in the vending machines so you have to bring your lunch and hope to claim one of the three stools in the eating area. It does have funky hours because they close for birthday parties so call ahead if there is any confusion. read more

Cheap kid fun alert! They charge $3/person (including adults) for skokie residents and $5/person (including adults) for non-skokie residents. In my opinion this is well worth the opinion for the hours of fun your kids will have here...and the looong nap that will follow it cause they're guaranteed to pass out from exhaustion after a day here. We visited here on a rainy Saturday. We weren't the only person with the grand idea of spending a rainy day here because it was pretty packed, although not nearly as busy as the play spaces can be in the city on rainy days. And you definitely won't have a parking issue here. My 2 yr old had a blast. She was a little too scared and young for the large tunnel area, but was fascinated by the big lite bright board and asks to go back to play with it all the time. They also have an impressive water area that rivals the one at the Kohls Children's Museum. There's also a cute toddler area that I know my baby will enjoy months from now. It looked like most the kids here were in the 1-5 yrs old range and they all looked like they were having a blast. Definitely check the website before heading over because they have weird hours (open late on some days and closed on others). I've also heard it's a popular spot for bday parties so we're awaiting an invitation to one. And if we don't get invited to a bday party soon we'll most definitely be back to check out their water playground this summer. read more

We reached out to them in August to reserve a date in January. They told us that they weren't taking reservations for January yet. They took our information and said they would call us as soon as the dates opened up. October came and we didn't hear from them, so we called. They had fully booked the month of January without ever reaching out to us. Complete garbage! read more

Great place for your little youngsters and especially for you if you dont feel like running around all day. Everything is within your sight, so less worry which is a BIG PLUS for any parent. Came here with the sis and niece for a playdate with the little ones. It wasn't crowded at all and the best part was the kids had room to run around from activity to activity without a worry. read more

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This is a fun place for toddlers and young kids. There is a lot to do here. The crown jewel, in my opinion, is the 5-foot LiteBrite wall. It's a little pricey for non-Skokie residents ($5 per adult or kid), but for residents (must show ID proving residence) it's not too bad ($3 for adults/kids). read more

Took my kid for the first time. Drove 45 min to this dump of a place. Pics are deceiving. It smells like dog water and it's filthy. No hand sanitizing stations either. I understand kids are gross but this place makes it seem like it's acceptable. This place is for parents who don't care about there kids well being. Please be cautious coming here, bring a hazmat suit. read more

My kids love the exploratorium! Lots of fun interactive things to do. Giant lite Brite, magnet table, train table, water play, coloring, dress-up, ride on toys, blocks, a toddler area with a slide and of course the giant play area with tunnels and slides. read more

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I love this place, but the only time your kid won't be crowded out of activities is when the weather outside is gorgeous and everyone is at the park instead of inside. Our favorites are the water play area and the massive light brite. The dress up area is cute, and I'm glad they got rid of the music station -- it was way too loud for the small space. One comment on Itty Bitty New Year, which we attended for the first time this year. It was understaffed (and staff seemed stressed and surly) and overpopulated. It would have been much more successful if the number of attendees were limited. The lines were too long for a toddler's patience. We didn't get to do any crafts, no face painting, no games, no photo booth. We played for an hour downstairs and then left before the magic show and balloon drop. I was tempted to ask for a refund but mostly just wanted to get the heck out of overcrowded dodge. read more

I actually really like the exploratorium. It's a hop, skip and a jump away from our house, so it earns kudos for convenience. My son (18 months) has a blast in nearly every area of the play area. He loves the infant area and enjoys their little play set in that area. I agree with a previous reviewer that there should be a little bit better regulation of older kids playing in the infant area. But seeing that it's only $3 to gain admission, I can see why it can be hard to regulate every area. The space is clean and well maintained. The staff is constantly walking around straightening things out. read more

In the area and need to take the little antsy one(s) to a place to get out energy? Then this is the place to be! The facility feels new. It doesn't have that worn dingy feel that so many kids have torn up the play areas. Pros - great place for kids of most ages (from the crawlers to pre-teen)! - nice selection of enrichment toys - very clean (I have seen parents/staff clean up/pick up toys) and staff is visible/friendly - little sitting area for snack - water play area - climbing wall! - admission pricing is good, better if you're a resident Cons - due to it's size, can potentially get crowded quickly read more

Want to discover a rainy cold day secret where you can take your kiddos on a "no good, very bad day?" Like when it's so darn freezing and they are going bonkers from being indoors, and you want to pull your hair out because they are loud when you have to work, obnoxious because they are stir crazy, but you just love them so much you know you need to be a good parent and get them...quickly...to a place where they can just burn off some steam? All at a place where you can sit comfortably on a padded seat in a gated play space with climbing structures, water splash area, giant storybook movable walls, a stage, and a giant lite brite, and other activities sure to put a guaranteed smile on your little one's face. If you don't already know about this creative stop, it will soon become a favorite visit for your toddler up until age 6. My kids got bored at 7, but I have a feeling they would still like the climbing structure if I twisted their arms. Like Andrea R points out, it's a cheap kid fun alert! $3 each for Skokie residents and $5 for non-residents. Need a lunch break? Outside of the play area there are tables where you can have a snack. Stay as long as you want. There is no time limit and the staff that works here is beyond lovely. Also a great place for a birthday party! And they have family events throughout the year too! It's okay...go tell everyone you know. It's a secret worth telling ;-) read more

The Exploritorium is an awesome place for those rainy or cold days. My daughter is now 6 and we have been coming here since she was 2. We actually reserved the entire place for her 4th birthday party. It's a small place, but it has a lot of different areas that will keep the kids entertained. The dress up costumes are a bit dated, but kids still love to put them on and "perform" on the stage. The book nook has a few books and soft cushions to sit on. Kids seem to like to rearrange the cushions rather than read or listen to someone read, but it's a nice area when the kids need a short break. The giant light bright is always a hit. The kids smile each time to make one of the sticks glow. The toddler area with activities on the walls and riding toys is nice for the little ones to crawl around. Just need to stay clear of the older kids that overtake the riding toys. The water area with rubber toys and nets is great for kids of all ages. They even have a couple of seats for the babies to enjoy the water play too. It doesn't keep them dry though. The two story jungle gym is the best with it's tall slides and tunnels. Kids (and adults that go in) can get lost in the fun for hours. They offer a 2 for 1 deal on Fridays after 3 PM, which helps if you only need an hour or two of play time. read more

We hosted our son's 4th birthday party here and it was such a fun experience. For the price, we had two hours for the party with a variety of times and dates. We had a back room up on the second floor for the party where we left our coats and mittens and boots while we headed downstairs and played for an hour. Our party had kids ranging in age from 6 months old to 5 years old and there was something for everyone. The kids were sad to leave but were promised cake pops upstairs. The best way that I could describe the Exploritorium is that it's like the Kohl's Children Museum but contained in a smaller space and when you rent it out, it's all for you and you're not competing with the public. Overall, staff was very helpful and friendly and we had such a great experience here. Thank you again!! read more

For me, this place is as good as it gets. Prices have changed since earlier reviews. Under 12 months is free, ages 1 & up, and adult non-residents is 5 dollars each. So, for 15 dollars, me and my 3 little people had a great time. I'd have to say this is the best place I've seen for crawelrs/pre-walkers. The toddler area has so many things hanging on the wall, that it puts most indoor play places/museums to shame. I found myself wishing my 6 month old was a bit older. The 20 month old and 3 year old had a great time doing things geared to their age, but I could see bringing them for several more years and still getting my money's worth. A lot of the indoor play places in the city have cafes attached, and thus you can't bring food from outside. This place had about 5 or 6 tables, vending area, and encouraged us to enjoy our snacks there. My only wish is that there were some highchairs. The place was super clean, but the kids only had to take shoes off if they did the big tunnel/slide structure. I kinda liked that I could leave their shoes on. I saw a poster for tuesday story time in the theater area- staff was friendly. Hesistant to post this review because I liked that it wasn't over-populated even on a rainy day. read more

Exploritorium is kid heaven and a parent's haven - especially when the weather isn't so wonderful. The fam and I recently explored Exploritorium during a birthday party for two very adorable kiddos. We first enjoyed the actual play space, complete with: -Large water play area, filled with rubber fish, waterfall, fish nets, water smocks and more (my daughter's favorite) -Giant light brite area with colored pegs -Large netted jungle gym for the bigger kids -Toddler area And lots, lots more. My almost two year old had a ball, concentrating most of her time in the aforementioned water area. The facilities were extremely well run, clean and tidy! Including the very large party room upstairs. Not a small feat when you consider how many birthday parties cycle through here in one day. If you or your little one are getting cabin fever, Exploritorium is a great place to check out! read more

We will go back without a doubt! Good price, great atmosphere. Lots to do for All ages! It's vary open so your kids can run around and you don't have to hover. It's vary clean as well. read more

Exploritorium - The water tables were great! They have a place the kiddos can 'paint' with water and ketch fish! - Performing Arts Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

What a great place for kids! Seriously, this is definitely one of the best indoor play places I've been to and I've been to a lot with my 3 year old. So much to do for all different ages at a reasonable price! We came on a Friday morning and stayed until the lunch hour. It did get crowded but nothing crazy. We brought snacks and ate by the tables they provide. They do not have food for purchase except vending machines, so bring your own or make sure you have a few bucks. Bathrooms are a plenty and they have a coat room with tons of hooks to store your winter gear. Definitely come here if you live near! We will be back, that's for sure :) read more

We held our son and daughter's birthday party here yesterday and everything went wonderfully. This is a great place for toddlers and infants and they are very experienced in helping you host a birthday party. Communication was swift throughout the process. They run like a birthday party machine on the weekends so you have to make sure you book your date and time well in advance and you're ok with a two hour party start to finish. Two hours seemed too short to me at first as we have generally had parties at our house up until now, but it didn't feel as rushed as I thought it might. An extra half hour would really make for perfection though. Michael was great in providing information regarding the party structure and photos of the party room for planning purposes. On the day of the party, I was able to enter 30 min before to set up the party room. I was greeted by two people (Jasmine and Allison) who helped me carry all the materials up and immediately started setting up decor, the dessert table, and table covers. They were attentive all party long, getting the food set up in the room while we were in the play room and helping clean up as well. The play room is fantastic and has something for everyone - a rock climbing wall, a huge slide and climbing contraption, infant play area, dress up area, and water play area. They offer two options for parties - semi private (30ish people) and private (60ish people). For semi private parties, which we chose, you share the play room with another semi private group but no one else. The room is closed to the general public. We lucked out in that there were no other parties booked at our same time slot and the kids had the entire play room to themselves. My only complaint is that the play room is nowhere near the party room. So you can't really go back and forth during the party or hang out and grab food while your little one plays. The play room is on the lower level while the party rooms are on the second floor. The other complaint is that they only allow kids to have one hour in the play room before moving everyone to the party room for the second hour so they can clean up the play room and set it up for the next party. I was upset about this at first (as it was not clearly explained when i booked the party), but now having seen the set up and how far away the party room is from the play area, it makes sense. I just wish the party blocks could be extended a bit more so the kids can have 90 minutes of play time and then lunch and cake. I believe if you book the last party time of the day (4pm) you have an option to extend, but that time is during nap time for most of the young kids. Other than those two small complaints, it was a perfect party for a 2 and 4 year old and everyone had a blast! read more

Nice place. It is clean and the equipment is relatively well maintained. My 1 and change boy had a good time for a couple of hours. The place in my mind is an indoor playground. There is a place for that in the winter or bad weather, but I am not sure I would take my boy here when he could be playing on a perfectly fine playground right outside the Exploritorium for free. (The entrance fee is relatively pricey for what you get.) If you are looking for a children's museum type experience, there are better options in the area. read more

Love it! I nanny and took the 3 year old and 8 month old here... Age appropriate activities for both ... And older! There is so much to do here. Price is decent. It is clean and there is a area to eat lunch. Plus a vending machine with snacks. The kids loved it. read more

Perfect place for kids probably up to age 6 or 7. There's a water area with rain coats for the kids, a dress up area/stage, tubes with a slide, a toddler area, and other creative play areas. Only $3/person for residents and $5/person for non-residents. Big enough area for younger kids to be entertained but small enough to keep an eye on multiple kids no matter what they're playing with. They also have a vending machine and seating area for snack time and bathrooms in the play area if your child is able to go on their own. Also the area is gated so kids can't get out on their own which is very nice! read more