A 45-minute drive from D.C. on a good day, Ellicott Mills Children's Museum is the area's newest…read morechildren's museum. Open from 1-5p p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, here's what you should know: 1) Admission: It's free. However, considering giving a donation to keep the history alive. 2) Space: Located inside a historic Quaker one-room schoolhouse, the museum is literally three rooms- a classroom, a general store and a "great room." Through exhibits and an alphabet scavenger hunt in the general store, visitors learn about 19th century life in a mill town. 3) Staff: Most are volunteers and friendly. 4) Parking: They have parking at the court parking lot or on the street. There is a restroom on site.

Such a cute little museum! I would 100% go back here. My kids loved it and the people who work here…read moreare so incredibly nice! They are very knowledgeable about the history of the building and give you tours. There are aspects that are interactive and my kids learned so much.

a very beautiful interactive area to explore with my children- a lot of variety, we were able to…read morehave multiple pretend play experiences between traveling to space, dungeons, time with giants, salon time with unicorns, and brewing with witches- both my 3yr old & younger 9month old found their own level of entertainment with art coming to life some of the space required more parental monitoring- some exhibits were more art than play space, such as the instruments & fragile larger exhibits of tea parties & macabre art- but they do offer a lot of touch-me manipulative welcome spaces such as dress up stations, instruments, games, and puzzles-it was also a great experience because staff was often around to show us how to play or things to explore only 10$ a ticket for 2hrs, ample parking, clean bathrooms, lots of space- it was a pleasant place to spend our morning to note: if going with a larger group of ticketed adults/kids- check out groupon for deals they offer the kids a free book on the way out- to keep this going consider bringing a book to donate! they also have an expansive needed donations list posted- this place would be a great home for unneeded things highly recommend

Summary: while Doodlehatch is definitely not short of character, there are some key points that…read moremake it hard to love. A question I had prior to visiting Doodlehatch was "what is it?" The best answer I can think of is that it's an interactive art museum. There are tons of random sections throughout: a space area, a unicorn area, a tea party area, a giant bed, etc. Most are designed to be "interactive," but I don't know how much care + maintenance is going on. Parts of the exhibit don't feel sturdy and a lot of it doesn't feel clean. There are a lot of areas that have fabric that retain moisture/dirt like the giant bed (plush), bean bag chairs, and hammocks. Coming off a fresh pandemic, it didn't give the best feeling to "interact" with something like that. Conclusion: I think the concept is cute and the art is unique. The exhibit itself makes for a cute little outing. I'm just a bit more wishful as far as care/maintenance goes. I wouldn't describe myself as a germaphobe, but even so I didn't feel great about it.

Fun way to spend a rainy morning with an energetic four year old. Clean and safe. Trampolines,…read moreclimbing, ping pong. Lots to do

I have been to the play n learn for many birthday parties. It is the perfect place to host a kids…read morebirthday, maybe 3-7 years old. It is a backyard play set showroom that they made over for parties and free play. They have the play sets, trampolines, basketball, and ping pong. It's clean, well organized, and all the kids have fun. Their prices and play hours are transparent and easy to figure out. I highly recommend the play n learn for young kids.

We recently visited Playseum for a playdate, and overall, it was a really fun experience! Located…read moreinside the Columbia Mall, it's filled with imaginative play stations that kept the kids entertained for hours. There are themed areas like a café, Italian restaurant, veterinary office, beauty salon, barbershop, grandma's house, and even a stage where kids can dress up and put on a play. If your child enjoys pretend play, this is definitely a great spot. I also appreciated that it encourages creativity instead of screen time. It's refreshing to see a place where kids can use their imaginations and just be kids. The only thing I didn't love was the pricing. Admission is $15 per person, including adults. I understand their explanation that they want parents to participate with their children, but in reality, many parents are simply supervising. Other similar indoor play spaces only charge for the children, or at least offer a reduced admission for adults. That pricing model would have made more sense to me. They also offer several add-on activities like decorating cupcakes, making slime, decorating cookies, baking, and even an animal encounter at the top of each hour. They're all cute options, but they do cost extra, so be prepared for the visit to add up if your child wants to do multiple activities. The animal encounter was fairly small, with just a few animals, but younger kids will probably still enjoy it. There is seating available for parents, although it can be limited since so much of the space is dedicated to the different play stations. Overall, the kids had a blast, the facility was clean, and there was plenty to keep them engaged. While I wish the adult admission and extra activity pricing were a little more family-friendly, I'd still recommend Playseum for a fun afternoon of imaginative play. We'll definitely consider coming back.

Would I recommend this establishment...absolutely! Can't wait to go back!…read more I found this place by searching for play activities near Columbia mall. I had never been here and wasnt sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. Location: Inside the mall, on the first floor, right outside the Nordstroms. Easy to find. Cost: Worth the entrance fee, both child and adults have to pay. Fair price. There are also take home activities and play that cost extra, such as slime, treat making, soap making, and more. These extra activities are also fairly priced and and so much fun. The entrance fee to the Kids Playseum allowed you access to the establishment nextdoor, Playseum upstairs. They also have playseum bucks as well. Staff: Super nice, helpful, experienced and attentive staff. Everyone one we interacted with for our time there was fabulous. We were able to go to both the Be with me playseum and the playseum upstairs. Cleanliness: The kept a tight shop. The toys and amenities were well kept, organized, clean and in good condition. Options: There were so many rooms to play in, so many cute toys, books, dress up and imagination play. My favorite was the ice bucket where the fish were kept in the Safeway. Super cute! The girls loved playing here and definitely want to come back. Overall wonderful experience!

We come to the Long Gate Playground often. It's almost always busy, and no wonder. There's tennis…read morecourts on the west and outdoor basketball courts to the east. Climbers and those swinging rings. Even a small climbing wall. But the star is the really huge set of climbers and hanging-pathways in the middle of the complex. Kids play hours at a time. It's great! There's also a large soccer field further east. The entrance to the whole complex is not well-signed. It's south of Meadowbrook Lane, just west of the south base of Long Gate Parkway, Columbia MD. We parked right along the fence. There is a park-and-ride parking lot, which provides a lot of extra spaces. I havent seen it full. It might depend on time and day.

Read the reviews before coming here and it's still a very nice playground. There are a couple…read moredifferent areas that need repair but at least they are blocked off so that parents are aware and keep their kids away from those areas. One review mentioned a grilling area but I didn't see any grill at the pavillion.

My grandson and I went to Monster Mini Golf today and had a wonderful time. The facility was…read moreclean, the staff was friendly and personable and the manager (I think) made sure that my grandson and I felt seen and appreciated ("trivia" questions for prizes, understanding of a 5-year old's vocabulary, wants and needs!). The course was well-maintained, the music selections were excellent, and the staff was A-plus. Strongly recommend. He can't wait to return!

We live right around the corner from Monster Mini Golf and had never been until we were invited to…read morea birthday party there. We had a great time! Monster Mini Golf is compact, but packs the punch in fun! The event room was well decorated. I had read that it's a women owned business, and it definitely shows! Each detail is thought out, and I can definitely see the care and love put into this place. We'd love to come again soon! This is perfect for bad weather! Come here on rainy, hot, or cold days!

Amazing place for kids! My 3 years old love love this playground . she always had great time over…read morethere . This one of the cleanest kids indoor playground I know . Definitely recommend my friends and family to go here.

Recently hosted my sons 6th birthday party here. It was beyond perfect! I feel like this is how to…read morelife of the glamorous live when throwing a party. I only brought cupcakes and party favors and everything else was taken care of. They provided pizza, decorations, juice/water, and all the plates and eating-ware. I also didn't have to lift a finger when serving kids. The party host just took care of everything! No clean up, no fussing over pizza delivery, no nothing. Just sat back and enjoyed my kids birthday party. Not to mention this place is perfect for the 5-8 year old birthday party age range. All the kids had a complete blast, there's no escape for the kids and the whole place is padded, so when you lose track of your kid, it's a no sweat situation. All the parents just got to keep a distant eye and relax. Even if you're not going for a birthday, this indoor playground is an absolute blast for the kids. It can get crowded when the weather isn't nice as it is cheaper indoor fun for hours. Always worth the trip and always a good time.

What a fun state park! I was here last weekend on the warm sunny day as were quite a few others. We…read moredrove up fun Annapolis and brought our dog with us. The park is fairly well already out with a playground and plenty of picnic and shelter areas. On a busy summer day you'd normally have to reserve them but in the fall it's pretty open. There are a couple hiking paths and we went on the one by the river. It was pretty rocky and with the leaves hiding a lot of the floor, I wouldn't recommend this hike for anyone wearing ankle brace. About 3/4 of those hiking were wearing a face masks and there were many good resting points. I'll definitely be back.

What a fun area at Patapsco!! My daughter is 2 and could play on most of the structures. A nice…read morechange from the typical playgrounds we visit, though they have a traditional playground as well which is nice. They have an entire wooden "playground" and tons of tire play structures.

My son was turning 10, and I knew I had to do something special. Since he's a video game fanatic, I…read morewanted to do something fun that involved video games, and also kept his friends out of my house (Sorry, not sorry!) After reading a few mom blogs, I learned about GameTruck. The owner (I think he's the owner) Erik and his assistants are great. From start to finish, the entire process was seamless. The kids really enjoyed themselves, and Erik and his two assistants that he was training did an excellent job of managing all 20 (yes, 20!) kids. If I had to do it all again, I would book GameTruck in a heartbeat.

What a great and family thing to take your entire family to have some great fun. Excellent fun for…read morethe whole family. Your family's going to love this place...

My son has been attending this place since for 5 months now. I like the daily student report that…read moreincludes the activities for the day, photos and sometimes videos. The teachers are professionals and caring, which becomes evident just from talking to them for a few minutes. You can read their bios on the daycare's website. I had a special request that my son not sleep at the day care center and the teachers made special effort to keep my son awake. I am grateful for this help. Also, the variety of activities the children did was varied like the colors of rainbow- yoga, Spanish, outdoor activities, etc.

We've had a wonderful experience with Cradlerock Children's Center (CCC)! Both of my children have…read moreattended CCC, and our youngest is currently enrolled. From the start, it has been clear that this is a special place where children are nurtured, supported, and encouraged to thrive. This center is non-profit (the only non-profit early childcare center in the county), so you know that they are not just after your money, they really care about your children and their education. Tuition increases, when they happen have been extremely low. I was on the waitlist for almost 2 years (due to extremely low family turnover) for one of my children which speaks to the fact that they are offering a unique, well sought after program. One of my favorite things about CCC is the delicious and nutritious meals that are served every day and included in the price of tuition. And the best part is that its FARM to Table. No other preschool is offering that in the area. My kids are extremely picky eaters, but they eat all of the food served and this has helped me expand their palette and incorporate more nutritious meals at home. As a busy mom, having these meals takes one more thing off my plate for the week. The staff at Cradlerock is great and the center has really low turnover. There are teachers that have been there over 10+ years. My children have loved their teachers, and the staff consistency has made a huge difference in their comfort and development. The teachers are warm, welcoming, and really care about each child's growth academically, socially and emotionally. Ms. Amanda, the center's director does a fantastic job of balancing cost and budget but making sure there is delivery on effective high value programming and events. The admin and staff do a great job with communicating with brightwheel messages and newsletters to keep parents informed. She has also been leading the expansion efforts of Cradlerock Children's center's move to a new building which will happen in Summer of 2026 and CCC will be able to spread their goodness to even more families as they will be able to accommodate more families in a larger facility! The emphasis on social-emotional learning is one of the things I appreciate most. My kids learned how to manage emotions, interact kindly with peers, and problem-solve in real situations. Because of this thoughtful approach, both of my boys have made great friends and looked forward to school every single day. Another huge advantage for working parents is that Cradlerock is open on most calendar days, unlike many other schools that follow school system calendars, or have an insane amount of days off, the calendar at CCC is really great for working parents that need to go into the office everyday. Most importantly, the tuition cost is lower than many comparable programs, yet the quality of care, education, and overall experience is outstanding. We've always felt like we're getting great value for a top-tier early childhood program. I can't recommend Cradlerock Children's Center enough. If you are thinking of coming here, do it! It will be the best decision you've ever made!