As a family new to the area, we were on a mission to find kid-friendly spots that could help my little ones burn off their endless energy (because let's be honest, parents understand the struggle! ). This place is like a magical wonderland for kids! They have the largest art room I've ever seen--seriously, it's big enough to host a small art heist! And guess what? Everything in there is free to use with the cost of admission! I felt like I hit the jackpot! Plus, there's a rock climbing wall, which is a nice touch. Nothing says "family fun" like watching your kids scale a wall while you sip your coffee and contemplate your life choices! The place is decked out with fun artwork and quirky characters that make it feel like a playground straight out of a storybook. And they even have a treehouse! I half-expected to find a squirrel in a top hat serving snacks up there! Located in a shopping plaza, this spot is perfect for hitting up before or after errands. Who knew you could combine grocery shopping with a mini adventure? I highly recommend taking your kiddos here for a day filled with fun and laughter. It's a win-win for parents and kids alike--because a tired child is a happy child! read more

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Always a fun interactive experience when you visit Kidzu. They have lots of places to explore and a great craft room. Today we are a 3D dinosaur and cute puppets. They are expanding and will have a new location in a few years. This is always a fun afternoon. read more

Kidzu Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Definitely geared toward young kids and amazing for the space! Having been to other bigger museums, I loved the more limited activities. I felt like my kids weren't overstimulated by options and rooms but instead actively played with each toy/in each zone for longer periods. I'm so glad we found this place and would definitely come back. read more

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Kidzu is a great indoor play and creative space that offers a variety of activities for little ones. I took my 3 year old and my 7 month old here on a rainy day with my husband, and we were able to divide and conquer the kids. There is a little soft play area for the infants, and plenty of stuff for bigger kids such as a climbing rock wall, creative space to paint, and robots that can be played with on tablets available for play. There are plenty of spaces for parents to sit while their children play, and stroller parking available as well! I would definitely come here again to bring my kids to play for a rainy or super hot day. read more

Kidzu Children's Museum - Summer services - Children's Museums Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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Came here with my husband and stepson. The only issue was our kid was just a little beyond the age range of this establishment and lost focus easily. He is 8. If you have younger ones though this is a really great place to spend a few hours with a lot of little things to keep them occupied along with a big space for arts and crafts!!! Highly recommend for 5 and under read more

Kidzu Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

This weekend we went to Kidzu's special Questioneers exhibit which was really fun and well done. My 4-year-old had an awesome time exploring and our other experiences with kids who have been really positive as well. The staff are friendly and welcoming and everything is clean and designed in a way that allows for kids to lead in learning. I hope to try one of their parents' nights out soon! read more

Kidzu Children's Museum - Children's Museums Near Me - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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This facility is great for kids 1.5-5 years old. My only suggestion is related to service. Me and my daughter were there at a time where there were few kids there. There were several staff there , I counted atleast 4 in the Makery. All of them were absorbed in being on their phones or working on their own art projects. Not one of them ever asked us if we needed anything. Honestly, I don't see why they need to staff that many people if they don't even help the paying customers. It would have been a better experience for us if the staff were more friendly and helpful, welcoming and helped us navigate the art space. read more

We brought our 12 month old to Kidzu so she could burn off energy on a rainy day. Prices are reasonable, and the space is nice though will be better when she is older. The makers space is especially nice if your kids like crafts. On our way out we noticed there was a dedicated space for infants (called Nest) which we were bummed that we weren't told about by the staff, that may have been a better fit for us. Nevertheless, our toddler had a good time waking around and watching the bigger kids on the rock wall read more

Great place to take the grandchildren. Not too big so I can keep track of them but plenty to go! They loved the kitchen play area!

Brought my son here on my visit to N.C. Location - Inside the mall. Venue - Decent size kids play area with many things to do. The room in the back allows for kids to build stuff and experiment around. They also get to put the stuff up on the wall that makes the kids happy and proud of what they achieved on building. Staff - People here are very friendly and kind with kids. Price - Avg admission price for a kids play area. I was here for over 2 hrs, and could of gone longer easy. Would recommend others to come out and check it out. read more

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We are members here. It's a fun, albeit smaller, indoor place for young kids to explore. Staff are so friendly and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, we are probably starting to age out a little now... When my kids were toddlers, the wiffle ball launch/run was probably THE most interesting thing in the world! There is plenty to do for toddlers, including the swing pods in the book nook, puppets, rolling car ramp, and exploratory area. Preschool kids will have fun with the garden/market, costumes, light-up magnatile table, building sets, and play projector. Young grade school kids will still have fun with the little 'tree house', and climbing wall. I'd say kids start aging out by around age 8 or 9, as there is less for them to do unless they take their own initiative in the Makery (STEAM center). They also have parents' night out where you can drop your kids off and they provide a dinner/babysitting service, for a pretty reasonable price ($25 for 3 - 3.5 hours). They usually have group games and art projects. My kids LOVE this! We'll keep coming here until they are too old to enjoy everything. read more

Brought our 1.5 year old here based on descriptions. We were extremely disappointed and overcharged. This is a place more for ages 3+!

Great play place for kids and atmosphere for kids- love the friendly staff and great story time- kids enjoy it and every family there is so polite read more

Kid's museum? I don't think so. Kids zoo? Yes! Depending on what time you come, of course, Kidzu Children's Museum can definitely feel like a zoo of children, doing TONS of activities. We visited for the first time on a Saturday from about 11am-2:30pm (two kids, ages 3 and 5) and had an absolute blast. Price per person (free for under 12 months) is $5.50. [SUPER DEAL: They do have buy one get one coupons in the Go, Save, Play books]. Memberships are now $90/year. Most activities take place in one LARGE room inside Chapel Hill's University Mall [enter through the mall]. All the staff I interacted with were genuine and kind. They got down to the kids level and explained the rules, but most importantly they told them to HAVE FUN! There is stroller parking and designated snack/eating area (you're welcome to bring food). Now to the "fun stuff": activities. You could easily spend 3-4 hours here, in addition to "The Makery", a sectioned off area that has specific activity times (only open during designated teacher led activities times--check the website for details!) they have an assortment of well spaced out areas. The huge tree house [Flexible Forest] is probably the first thing you'll see, lots of tactile as well as multi-sensory activities focused around fun, including a huge crows nest, Discovery Den and climbing wall. They've got a Farm-to-Fork (kitchen) area with a spice wall where kids can smell and identify, a composter that leads to a garden area where kids can match shapes on the bottoms of plants, use gardening tools, etc. as well as a fruit stand complete with scale. Tons of hands-on activities and dress-ups. The Build Guild for those big dreamer builders and the 'Spin Zone', a huge hit, is an area where kids can launch balls using gears, levers and air into a make-it-yourself tunnel system. There are two additional small rooms off the main one, the Forest Theater for the drama-prone young ones and the Book Nook, a quieter space with books, puzzles and a puppet theater. Although some might say this museum is small, I loved the fact that every area is incorporated with the overarching theme yet separated enough that you can easily keep track of where your youngsters are. There's always one entrance and one exit, so you know where to expect them and can see them entering/leaving an area. This is VERY helpful with the busier times of day! It was very crowded when we arrived on a Saturday, late morning, but cleared out pretty dramatically after 12:30p (lunch and prime nap time!) Also, I'd definitely say this is best for 3-7 year old age, I'm sure younger kids would have fun, but could also be trampled by the "big kids", whereas I think older kids would get bored here easily. We'll definitely be heading back in the future because "I like museum" and "fun, fun, funnuhun!" (straight from the lips of a three and five year old). read more

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What a great time ! We took our granddaughters here. Both of them had a great time. They were wore out by the time we left. The Tree house, Climbing Wall . Leggo Station, The Dress Up Movie Room, The Garden, The Market, and all the other craft and kid areas they have. The play areas were clean and attended too. I would recommend this for any Grandparents or parents that want to spend a rainy afternoon of fun. We will go back in the near future, when we catch our breath. read more

I took my son here today for the the weekly story time from 11:00-11:30. The session was nice, it was very interactive. It was a lot of music and dancing going on. Although my son can be shy at times, he really enjoyed himself. It was a great turn out. I can say they need to expand the rooms a little because it is a tad bit small. Other than that it's a really nice establishment. It's plenty for the kids to do inside. read more

great place to bring your kids and have your kids run around, exploring and pretending as well as doing a lot of creativity projects. there's an awesome area of different arts and crafts and often have small classes to teach the kids of different projects like snow made out of baking soda and shaving cream. pretty neat! my kids rose especially love the climbing wall and try to ring the bell on the top. definitely a lot to do and you could stay there for a good 3 hours. end the time with rest time in the library. have the kids read quietly in the swing seat. come to kidzu! read more

I have to say, "children's museum" is a wee bit misleading. Kidzu is more like a giant playhouse. I took my 9-month old here today, and was surprised at how many things she could do. We spent most of our time at the "Tot Spot" in the back of the building - this section is for 0-24-month olds only. There's a little play area with a low wall, filled with blocks, toys, and fun surfaces to crawl on. The whole thing is made out of fabric/leather/gym-mat type material. Being able to send her into the play space and not worry about her pulling up on furniture, bumping into sharp edges, or grabbing something she shouldn't have was worth the cost of admission. Elsewhere in Kizdu, you'll find: a play kitchen, garden exhibit, play fruit and vegetable market, arts and crafts table, puzzle area, building area (the big foam blocks are great for younger kids), dress-up clothes, the Gravitron (which transports wiffle balls up to the ceiling and shoots them out through a series of tubes) and space to curl up with your kid and read a book by a NC author. A one-year family membership (2 adults and 4 children) is $75. I probably won't invest in this until my daughter is a little bit older, but if your kids were in the 2-5 age range, I think it would be totally worth it. You could bring them by just to play or to attend some of their weekly events: storytimes, arts and crafts days, etc. read more

This place is wonderful. Staff is always incredibly friendly and the programs are top-notch. I specifically love the To Market, To Market program on Tuesday afternoons when they go out to the farmers market and come back and cook with the local ingredients. Membership is a must have for families in the Chapel Hill area. read more

This is a nice little indoor play area on Franklin street perfect when you need to escape the heat or at this time of year, the rain and changing temps. I wasn't sure what to expect since it called a museum though I figured they would have lots of hands on activities and in reality that is what it is all about. There are three sections to kind of group the kids by age so that they are safe and in areas that are geared toward their development: preschool, toddler and infant. It is not a large area but it didn't feel crowded or overrun and the parents do a good job at supervising their kids and encouraging them to take turns. There are arts and crafts activities throughout the museum and one employee supervised project in the back, like making turkey hats, working with clay. etc. that your child can take home. They have a quiet reading corner, a pretend garden you can grow food to serve in your restaurant (complete with menus) and a lesson in recycling and composting. They had the previously mentioned gravitron which was the biggest hit because you can position the tubes to create different paths for the balls to go as a little hands on experiment. Sundays are free as mentioned. Otherwise it is $5 a person, Adult or child. My daughter who is almost 8 probably was on the older age of the kids there but my 6 year old niece was at a great age to enjoy it all. It is very clean and you don't feel like you are in some raunchy germ infested play place. Lots of local sponsors and if you are into advertising/PR you can even sponsor one of the activity centers and get recognition for it. read more

It's a fun little kid's activity place that keeps things fresh. It's kinda small, but they really use the space well so it doesn't feel small. They've got lots of activities and change them up a lot. It pays to look at their calendar to see what activities are going on that month because there's usually something good to take the kids to. I'd say kids over 12 would get bored pretty quickly there. But kids 2 to 8 would have a blast. My 2 year old does. Also, Sundays are free right now! You have to pay to enter for other days, though young children get in free. read more

We visited this children's museum on our visit to Durham when we needed to keep the kids occupied for a few hours. When looking it up online, I didn't realize it was inside of a mall. For those out of town, this mall isn't a "normal" one - it's only one level and has lots of boutique stores (vs chain stores). Which wouldn't be a big deal (perhaps even welcomed if I were venturing to the mall myself) - but since we had the kids in tow, I had expected to spend an hour or two at the museum and then stroll the mall for a bit as well. Not a big deal - just a change of plans. The museum in itself is clean and quite adorable honestly. The day we visited, a Wednesday after school had started, wasn't too crowded. The price is a bit high for a small venue, but it did keep the kids occupied for quite a while so I would still recommend. One suggestion would be that they actually have a gate inside the venue (in addition to the door) as extra protection for children that may try to escape (or adults up to no good trying to come in). We had kids in age from 2 to 11, and while the 11 year old was too old for most of it, she spent a good amount of time in the art and craft area. read more

This is a cool little spot in chapel hill to enjoy a rainy day with your kids. If you don't have a membership I don't really know if I would consider it worth the cost but membership is only $75 a year and covers two adults and up to four kids. With a membership they have a number of special events each month that you can take advantage of. Well worth the cost of the year membership even if its just for use on rainy days. read more

The facility itself is ok, but way overpriced for what is available - admission is higher than Marbles in Raleigh, which is at least 5 times the size with way more to do. And of course they still charge admission for the adults supervising the kids. That policy alone is a total ripoff and actively discourages family participation. Tried to stop by on a Sunday afternoon at 3:30 for the reduced fee, was told that it only applies on the 1st Sunday of every month, so we wish have to pay full amount. BUT, the reduced fee would apply from 4-5 every Sunday, so the lady at front desk told me I would have to take my 2 kids and leave, come back in 30 minutes... No hint of compassion for the situation, no attempt to be understanding and inform me of the policy for the future. Needless to say, kids disappointed, and future customers lost (I have been a member in past, would have considered it in future, but will not return anymore). Museum of life and science in Durham, Marbles in Raleigh far better experience and deal. read more

This place is awesome. My three kids had a blast here and I would recommend it to a local or vacationer for a great time and break from the day. The facilities are well designed with high quality equipment and atmosphere. Pretty hipster, but in all good ways. read more

Over priced for the " interactive space" provided. Plus, I found it ridiculous they charge adults admission to watch their children. After one hour my kids were bored. Not impressed. read more

I bought a membership here because it's on of the only indoor kids play areas around. The membership is so expensive for what you get. Basically all you get is enterance in. They charge for EVERYTHING else! I went one day and they were having music time. It was $5 more per kid. It's music time... You play a guitar and maybe have a few sharkers. Total rip off. There is also a creepy guy that goes there that always corrects my children when I am standing right next to them. I find it so offensive as I am their parent and I can discipline them if I feel it necessary. Basically this place is overpriced but I'll keep going because I bought a membership. I will not be renewing it next year. read more

Great place inside University Mall. They have lots of sections for the kids to play in. I like the Makery, where the kids can make different art projects and take them home. They also have a rock climbing wall, and a construction section that my 4 yo loved. read more

We took our son there while we were visiting family. He liked the kitchen area and climbing up on the treehouse. It was a fun day there.

Fun place! Staff members are amazingly fun and friendly. There's a craft area with a choice of either free crafting or working on a project. There's a huge treehouse, a kitchen, a book nook, a costume room, construction, and a baby area. Great for my two very young kids. read more

An amazing assortment of tactile, artistic, and imagination activities packed into a well-lit, inviting space, tucked away along Franklin Street. Would have given five stars if the space was bigger. Great news - just learned Kidzu is moving to University Mall (still in Chapel Hill but closer to Durham) into a space 3x larger with more programming. I anticipate their move will make the annual membership more worth the price. read more

I've been taking my son to Kidzu for the past few years now and have gone to each of the locations it's been at (Franklin St., University Square, and now University Mall). It's a nice play area for kids, and while the first 2 locations were small, there's always been enough toys and activities to keep my son occupied for a few hours. With the recent move and opening of the new location at University Mall, it's gotten a lot bigger. For now, the new space is basically the stuff from the old location spread out across a larger area, plus the temporary Clifford exhibit and a new Makery area. The Makery is the replacement of the crafts area, but it's got a lot more tables to work at, and there's a couple of neat things like actual tools to work with. We almost always go on Sundays when it's free (technically, it's "Pay What You Can Day"). We had a membership for one year, back when it was $75 at the old location, but never really got our money's worth out of it. Even with the new larger location, we most likely won't get a membership, as we already have a membership at the Museum of Life and Science. read more

I took my son here for his birthday and he had the time of his life. His favorite bits were the art section and the treehouse. This is a great place to take your kids to have some fun in a safe environment. The staff is wonderful and there's lots for kids to do. I definitely recommend you check it out at least once. It's worth every penny. read more

I was disappointed to find out that they close half of the museum every day from 12:30-2. The rest of the museum is small and geered more towards toddlers. Found it to be quite expensive for what's offered. I would recommend driving to marbles in Raleigh or the science museum in Durham. read more

Wow so small. Not much to it. Geared for toddlers. It looks like a kitchen with food and some building sets. Wish there was more to it.

They have a cool physics/ball-in-motion experimental place, a safe climbing wall, and well-built treehouse. Lots of fun for all ages, but the staff is not very welcoming or helpful. I'd suggest that it is better to make the drive to Graham and explore a larger children's museum facility with interesting programs. The past few times we've been to Kidzu the "Makers" section has been closed, and that's a large section of this facility. I'm not going to buy a membership here; twice a year visits is sufficient. Maybe if they had more programs and/or used the space wisely. Staff training on child development is needed - even for the older staff! read more