I had WAY more fun than I thought I would! An organization reserved space for us to come and check it out. We did the Stranger Things experience. When you walk in, you register with your name and they call you into the room. You put sensors on your wrist and ankles. The orientation is pretty thorough. Then you are outfitted with goggles and a headset. The experience is so interactive! I was scared and I didn't realize I was screaming. I felt so bad for my friends when I saw the video afterwards. I really got into the game and ended up having the most kills lol. I also really like the video they give you afterwards of the experience. I highly recommend it for a teambuilding or party. read more

Sandbox VR - Exterior - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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5 stars for sure. The place is and the tram is amazing. Walked in and was immediately greeted and helped to check in. They have a tablet that you check into and then once that's done you wait to get your gear. Everything was so seamlessly easy and the staff explained everything very thoroughly. Played Deadwood phobia and man it lived up to the hype. Graphics were dope and the storyline was good. This place is great for date night, groups, birthday parties as well. I'll definitely come back to try other games they have available. read more

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I am not a gamer, however I have got to tell you, this was so much FUN,!!! Besides slaying dragons I had my workout for the day as well! Hidden in an arm of the Hillsdale Mall, this is a cool and terrific place for you to go with friends or family and experience virtual reality at its best! We fought dragons, skeletons and spiders! I was a warrior woman and I loved it! The Sandbox VR team welcomed us with great instructions and care. Do you want a fun night out? You've got to go to Sandbox VR located in the Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo. Epic!! read more

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A nice group activity or date idea! There are many game options to pick from and the VR headsets made the game super immersive. The check in process was super simple and instructions while putting on the gear was seamlessly easy too! I will definitely come back with a bigger group to play other games! read more

Customer service was great. Played deadwood mansion and we won the limited Gold figure and two free games. We definitely coming back read more

Sandbox VR - Free figure from sandbox for high score - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

I played squid game with my friends. The games themselves are really fun and there is rarely any down time other than when you're eliminated and have to wait to respawn. We also had a few calibration issues but the staff were able to fix it. My only complaint is the sanitary level of the equipment. The vests get pasted from one group to the next without being cleaned or swapped out. This means you might get unlucky and get someone's sweaty vest. read more

Had seen an Ad online and we wanted to play. Drove up from the central coast to celebrate a friend's bachelors party. There was three of us, we had a great time! Playing, so realistic. At the end we were drenched in sweat, totally worth the money and the drive to play. read more

Sandbox VR - Final score - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

5/14/25 My review needs an update! I've since come back a few more times since last year, with guests that wore glasses. Both were able to fit glasses under the headsets, but they did note that with movement sometimes their glasses shifted out of focus. With occasional minor adjustments they were able to continue through the games. Per Sandbox VR's FAQ page, glasses under 160 mm width should fit. They also have corrective lenses ranging from 200 to 700 degrees that can be placed in the headset. During my most recent visit, I played Squid Game, which has new mini games since last year. You don't play all of the mini games in one session, so Squid Game has replay value. The games were pretty fun, and pretty fair for the most part. Make sure your wrist sensors are on snug, because my party member's movements weren't properly registered for one of the mini games, which counted against his score. What's nice is you don't have to worry about striking out early in the game and sitting on the sidelines the rest of the 35-40-ish minute session. You will be penalized with a respawn/time out, but you still get to play. I think Squid Game is appropriate for all ages. I've only played with an all adult-group so I'm not sure how it would be for mixed adults and children. There are some mini games where player height could be an advantage or disadvantage. Seekers of the Shard: Dragonfire is a fun game for people that love fantasy/D&D gameplay. There are different classes you can play that have melee combat and magic moves. The "hunter" class uses a crossbow and is the only class that doesn't have a magic move. A nice element for this game is that you get to make choices that impact the story and scenery. This one was fun, and my D&D DM brother loved it. Deadwood Phobia was frightening! This was my favorite game of all the ones I've played so far. It does have zombies and lots of shooting. My group enjoyed the interactive environment that complicated the game. Pacing was excellent. A note for people with mobility issues: there is a section of the game where you will have to crouch and move around. Curse of Davy Jones is super fun and relies on teamwork, also good for people without video game experience. Amber Sky is just plain beautiful. Gameplay is more like traditional 1st person shooter with a team/squad, but the environment is gorgeous and engaging. With all of the games, if you ever run into issues with equipment, you can raise your arms and shout "PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE" and the game master will assist you. One of my friends had an issue with the headset, which was quickly fixed. In another game, I had a battery pop out of my gun so it wasn't firing, also an easy fix. Overall Sandbox VR is a great small group activity. Because the play rooms can only accommodate groups up to 6, bigger groups will have to split up into separate games. As of 5/14/25, fees are $52 per person. You can book a public or private session. With public sessions, other players can join your session. read more

Came here for a Yelp event. Never been there before and it turned out to be so much fun. It's the next day and I'm still sore from all the physical movements. Need to save up to come back. read more

Very fun experience playing the zombie shooting game! It was my first time and I would come back to play the other games with my friends. The staff were very nice and the process to gear up was also super easy. I also like how they consistently launch new games so there are reasons to come back compared to maybe an escape room which are kind of one and done. read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

been wanting to go to a sandbox game for a while. i was able to go with friends today. Experience was a 10/10. felt like i was fully involved in the game (squid game). my left wrist sensor came off in the middle of the game. brandon was able to fix it fast. s/o to the friendly staffs: nick and brandon for a smooth check-in and the help for this entertaining game. will be back with more friends for sure. HIGHLY recommend this place read more

Sandbox VR - squid game - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

3* I came here with a group of friends for a birthday activity. For reference, we are all in our late 20's and have done one other sandbox vr game in SF in the past. I think if you come here with the right (read: low) expectations, it is a decently fun time, but overall I would not recommend this unless you are a teenager or you've never used VR before. Check in and set up was smooth. We had booked the Squid Game option ahead of time for 6. After signing the waivers on the tablets, we went through the safety instructions and put on the arm and leg trackers. Branden was nice and helpful. We were led into our game room and put all our stuff in a chest within the room (no lockers). Multiple workers helped us put on our vests and headsets and then the game started. The actual in-game experience was just okay. The sound was a bit too loud for me and there wasn't a way to turn it down, and every time someone spoke there was a ton of echoing. We could hear each other through each other's headsets or something. Additionally, there was a lot of lag when speaking. My headset was too tight and started giving me a headache and pain pretty quickly. The headsets and vests all have an odor and i wonder how often they are actually cleaned and sanitized.... The Squid Game option was fun and pretty immersive. After about 35 minutes it was over and we were helped to remove all the items. We got to watch a replay of some moments in the main room. Because it was a birthday, there was also a cute little end scene where we got to sing happy birthday in the VR room to the birthday boy. Afterwards you also get a copy of the clips in your email as a memory. My biggest gripe is that this is an extremely overpriced experience. At $60 per person for about 45 minutes end to end, it's really expensive and I would rather do an escape room. If you have the right expectations going in, maybe you will be less disappointed. Alternatively, book an experience that uses more props like the guns! read more

Wow wow wow!!!! This is 2025 and this is the future! This was so much fun. My friends and I came and tried Deadwood Phobia. We spent 30 minutes, which doesn't seem like a lot but it was the perfect amount of time. I have been dying to go back. Everything seemed pretty clean. 10/10 read more

So super fun! Did the Zombie one called Deadwood Phobia. I love zombie genre. It is one thing to watch it on TV and movies. It's quite another to have a zombie coming right at you on top of you. Kind of scary actually. But in a good way once you get used to it. It takes about 15 minutes to get you suited up and then they go through instructions and play you an instructional video on how to reload your weapon, what to do if you are running low on your life and how to get it back. It comes back automatically in 20 seconds anyway even if somebody doesn't touch you to re-energize you. Your weapon ammo is unlimited. Did I mention how crazy fun this thing is? I really must do this again. The staff are wonderful and are there to help you if there is a glitch in the system. They will pause the game so you don't lose any time if they need to fix your sensors. This is a must do. read more

First time experiencing VR! We were a party of 5 and made a reservation prior. When we arrived, we waited over 15 mins before an employee came out to help us. We were the only ones sitting outside in the waiting room. It took about 15 mins to set up/get into gear, choose your team name, and take individual photos. We chose to play Deadwood Zombie and as expected, there were definitely lots of screaming but it was super fun! A couple of us had headsets that smelled like sweat from a prior user so maybe there needs to be a better sanitation system. You do work up a big sweat by the end of it. The headset tends to move during the game due to the sweat so make sure the staff tightens it for you prior to starting. It may get blurry if it's not on properly. At the end of the game, you get a special video showing everyone's stats and dance moves. Pretty cool experience and highly recommend trying it at least once! read more

We had a great time at Sandbox. I've been before in the SF location but this one was very similar, attesting to how each sandbox has a consistent experience. I played the Squid Games session and it was so much fun! Also, the staff were happy to take pictures of us and went out of their way to take cute angles! read more

I had a lot of fun here a few weeks ago. We did the zombie room and it was a very cool experience. It felt very immersive and was a little scary at first because I've never used a VR device. However, I quickly adjusted and enjoyed all the zombie shooting. The staff members were so nice and friendly. I definitely want to come back in the future. I think this would be a great place for a birthday celebration or weekend hangout with friends. read more

I reserved 4 tickets at this location nd arrived at 3:25 which was my time slot. Sandbox suggests you arrive 10 min early for set up. Right when i got there I was trying to sign in and the manager came out and the first thing he said to me after taking my name was not welcome in, it was "you were supposed to be here 15 min ago, I'm sorry but I'm going to have to reschedule you" my 7yr old nephew was in the bathroom next door to sandbox and this person was adamant that we would have to wait 2hrs until the next slot. When I began to ask questions he said "I'm not going to argue with you you can leave or reschedule. I insisted we go in because I didn't want to disappoint my nephew, it was his birthday. First of all, I'm an adult, I'm reasonable person and a paying customer and was treated like a kid as the store manager tried his very best not to help us. I understand there are rules and could've totally taken this lightly. It's not what you say it's how you say it, I don't give sht if it's your "peak hours" be professional and watch how to talk to your customers. On top of that he would not give me a refund and so now I I am stuck and very unsatisfied. I want to speak to a manger this was a horrible experience and definitely ruined my nephews bday experience! Do not go to this location! They're rude af and probably will not take accountability by hiding behind their rules! If it was an option to give 0 stars that would be sandbox, take your money somewhere else!!! read more

Sandbox VR has become our family's, holiday tradition! They have upgraded the headsets and other equipment so it's less bulky than our previous times here. The visual experience, Sound experience is much better with the upgraded equipment! This year we played the Squid Games! There's an extra fee per-person that goes to Netflix for usage rights. The Squid Games option is a very different experience than the other "shoot 'em up" games here. Be ready to have a team name, pick your unique character look, and there is a dance off at the end of the game that gets recorded in your video. Your session will be recorded and the editors there are super quick with creating a memory video, a link will be emailed to you shortly after finishing the game. Every game is special, I recommend them all! Go with a fun group of friends or family for some special bonding time! read more

Sandbox VR - A holiday tradition for our family! - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Bonded with my coworkers last night with a little Teambuilding exercise! it was our first time doing a zombie survival VR Experience and it WAS SO FUN! I waited my whole life to do something like this, and it lived up to all of the hype. We kept yelling "CONTACT! ON YOUR SIX! THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THE WALLS!" Definitely would recommend this to friends. I will surely bringing them here. The full experience from putting the VR head gear on and seeing your avatar definitely gave us Ready Player one vibes. I love zombie pop culture so it was only right to try this. read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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My friends and I celebrated a Birthday here and it was an amazing time! We did the Squid Game room and it was super fun. There are some cool references to the TV show but they also add other unique spins to the games. I like how not all of the games are super physical, so it makes it very balanced for everyone. They did a great job in setting up the room for us and patiently giving us instructions on how to use the gear. Even if you don't use VR a lot, you'll be able to get used to it quickly. The best part was that they added a virtual Birthday experience at the end! At first, we thought it was part of the game, but they really went out of their way to personalize it and make the memory special. They even added a virtual cake with balloons and it was an awesome experience!! read more

We came to sandbox for our christmas party, and it was really fun. The process was easy, I had to reserve a couple days ahead, I think they book fast. This was on a Thursday afternoon. The max people for a game was 6 people. We opted for the Deadwood Valley. It takes about 15 mins to check in. You start out with checking in out front, and then they let you sit down and instruct you regarding the wrist and ankle sensors you have to put on. We had options with our weapons. I think we only encountered, one pause because one of our friends had a sensor off on her weapon. The vest wasn't too heavy but it definitely gets hot after you run around and shoot zombies. The graphics felt like it could be better but it felt very real once everything got dark. One issue I encountered btw, was one of my headphone pieces coming off. They had to replace it but luckily the game hasn't started. Other than that, everything was great. It's really cool and amazing to have these kind of experiences. I highly recommend it. It's located in between Swarovski and Pandora. Parking at hillsdale is plentiful but make sure to come early because they only have a 5-minute grace period. Prices ranged from $50-60. For 6 people we paid $330, and the game lasted for about 45 mins. What we missed out on is that we didn't know we could record ourselves in the room. They give you a video after your game but it's just highlights. 10/10 Sandbox! read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Not having done this type of thing before, I came in not knowing what to expect. But this for sure exceeded my expectations! Take me back! There was a little mishap on our part--turns out our reservation was for the day after--but luckily they were able to move our reservation up a day, same time and all. We did the Deadwood Valley VR experience, because heck yeah we wanted to shoot some zombies! Before going in the room, an employee walked us through equipping our gear and choosing our prop weapons. Once we were ready, the experience began. Deadwood Valley was super fun; I had a blast shooting zombies left and right with my prop dual pistols. The only thing was that it was laggy in the middle of the VR experience (which the employees warned us about beforehand), and I got sent to what they call "the desert." Basically it was some sort of malfunction and they had to pause the experience to sort it out. It was solved quickly and we were back in action. The whole thing took about 35 minutes, give or take, and those were 35 minutes well spent for sure. read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

Second coming to play Squid game, first time with colleagues and this time with kids and friends celebrating bday. Overall enjoy the efficiency and fun game experience. read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Sandbox VR is the new virtual reality experience in the bay. They have lots of modes and gameplays and is great for working as a team with coworkers and/or friends. Checkout their online trailers for what you wanna play and also make a reservation online. Definitely a must try if you're willing to drop $50-60 per person. Workers there are very nice and friendly Located on the second level near the food court read more

Sandbox VR - Entrance - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Hosted my daughter's birthday activity at SandboxVR this weekend. We messed up our reservation but they did their best to accommodate our group. Everything worked out. My son is on the spectrum and has sensory challenges. But, he wants to be in the mix having fun with the group. I cannot express how awesome the staff treated the situation. They made all the adjustments to make him comfortable and enjoy the game. Not once did I need to explain anything. They caught on, talked to me very professionally and didn't make a big deal out of it. Much respect to the staff on September 21 2024 at noon. Thank you!!!! read more

We came here as a group of 6 for a birthday celebration and played Amber Sky. This was so much fun! When we arrived and checked in for our reserved time slot, they assigned each of us to wear trackers on our wrists and ankles to help with the VR simulations. Then, after the previous group finished their session, we would be escorted into the greenscreen room and pick up our weapons. It was very immersive, and everything felt so real. It was super cool to feel as if we were actually in the world of the game itself, even if there were some really scary parts, like being attacked by enemies in the game. One of my friends says she gets motion sickness from VR games, and was worried that would happen to her and she would need to step out of the game. Fortunately, she did not get motion sickness and was able to play with us the whole time. Since we were there for a birthday celebration, after the game, we also were immersed in a "birthday party room" as our avatars. We also got emailed a video highlight of our experience. Would definitely recommend! read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

What an awesome place! The four of us played Deadwood Phobia and had a blast (no pun intended!): simply indescribable visual effects! A special thank you to our host Nick, who was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and overall down-to-earth. We'll be back soon! Thank you again for all your insights, Nick! read more

I'm not a gamer, but it was a gamer friend's birthday and I couldn't resist taking him to the Sandbox. It was SO fun!! I'm almost embarrassed to say that I beat his score. If they offered a lifetime membership for unlimited play, I'd join in a heartbeat! Making a reservation was easy. Just go online and pick a time. If you find yourself wandering through the mall, you might get lucky with walk-in availability. We walked in and didn't have to wait long at all. The next step is to choose your game. We fought dragons and it was cool!!! You put sensors on your feet and wrists, they fit a VR helmet to your head and also put you into a vest. They give you a weapon. Mine broke just a few minutes into the game, but they fixed it fairly quickly and we were back in action in no time. NOTE: Speaking of broke, do not wear flip-flops to play. Mine broke halfway through the fighting and I had to kick them off and then leave the mall in bare feet. To continue the review - I have cheesy VR goggles at home, but playing the game was a whole different experience. It was the most fun I've had in a long time. You really get absorbed into the action, feeling the hits you take with the vibrating vest, seeing your foes come up close and personal, and being involved in a creative story that guides you from beginning to end. I loved it! They have several different game scenarios - something to please everyone. At the end of our play, they ran a birthday simulation with balloons and song and cake since it was my friends birthday. They make videos of the experience for you as a keepsake. Honestly, for $50, it's better than a pedicure. read more

Omg!!!!! This was SUCH an incredible experience! I've been holding off on doing this for the longest time because it's pricey but honestly SO WORTH IT! It is a fully immersive VR adventure and my partner and I choose the Seeker's of The Shard Dragon Fire. Omg soooo fun! You will SWEAT BULLETS so come prepared for a workout in comfy airy clothes! Our guide was so helpful in advising me on everything to have the most comfortable experience like removing my hair clip because the vr helmet would reat over it. It's not a hard process to equip all the sensors but make sure you come within your grace period, especially if you have a large party, so everyone has ample time to put everything on. We came like at the butt end and rushed but we made it just in time to quickly gear up and experience the whole thing! You're gonna want to experience all of it! And I spoiled it a little but they make a neat video of your experience at the end. It's so professional you'd think we're part of the advertisements hahaha. Anyways totally worth it and we'll be back for the other games!!! read more

It's my second time here and honestly it's such a great experience. As soon as my party enters the employees greets us warmly and hypes us up to prepare us for our experience. They give such great instructions and are attentive throughout the whole time if we needed help. We did the deadwood valley zombie VR and the graphics are AMAZING. We felt immersed in the game and even our vests would vibrate if we got "attacked". Just a comment, sometimes our equipment would glitch here and there or lag so not all the time accurately reflecting our actions. But nonetheless still an amazing experience! read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

We booked a reservation for 6:30pm and after checking in the main lobby area were given the various sensors to put onto our ankles and wrists. We were also given vests to wear. Our "guide" led us to the room and fitted us with a backpack and headphones as well as our weapon of choice. We were then instructed to take part in the tutorial. I thought it was word based only so didn't realize I was supposed to be hearing anything through my headset until the game/story had already started. My headset didn't have anything coming thru it. It appears that normally the two players should be able to both hear the game and also each other speaking through the headset. This was not the case for me which made following the game and communication difficult. Because of that, I can only give 2 stars even though the game itself was pretty incredible. I wish our guide has checked our sound before launching us into the game. The game itself was cool. I can't speak much to the storyline but it was definitely exhilarating to play and the effects felt real. You definitely move around a bit and I was sweating by the end of it! Another plus was that we could access video of a portion of the VR experience as well as the stats! That was fun to look back on and have for the memories afterwards. read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

This is my 2nd experience with VR game. 1st one was at Area 15 in Vegas. If you wanted to try this, you will be better booked in advanced. Parking is easy, recommended to park by the 2nd floor by Macy's open parking structure will be the closest. We decided to try the deadwood mansion game, my friend originally booked on Sat for 10 but have to change due to one group cannot make it. For some reason, they mistaken change the date to Sunday. Luckily they are able to reschedule us on Sat at a later time. Highly recommend to get there 5-15 mins ahead to check in and sign wavier at the tablet according to your reserve time. They will instruct to put on the sensors by color code, you get to pick your group name, they will take your profile pic and pick your weapon. Once is your turn, they will bring you to the room to get ready withy our gear. The game roughly last 30 mins to finish but you will be pretty satisfied with the sweat. They will share your game score board when you finished the game. Sandbox VR will also create a video with highlight from the game with your friends and send your clips to your email for record. read more

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Extremely fun experience! I've always wanted to try VR but never had the opportunity to until now. The process is about 45-1hr from time arrival, to getting strapped, to playing your game, and then finally watching the recap. We opted for the hidden valley zombie game - loads of screaming from me. Each person on your team gets wrist and ankle bands I believe as sensors. You are also given a vest and finally your head set with VR goggles. Big issues for me were the goggles sliding. I think this just happened over time due to the perspiration of my face but it did take away from the realism. My vision was blurry a lot of the time and I had to adjust the head piece. I also had sensory issues so my weapon would get stuck in one position for 30 seconds and then I would get eaten by zombies. Otherwise, I had a really good time, a good scare, and good work out. YOU GET SUPER SWEATY. read more

Sandbox VR - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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First time trying Sandbox VR with my friends and we all enjoyed the interactive virtual gaming experience. It's a bit pricey at around $45 bucks per person but definitely worth the cost. We decided on Seeker of the Shard where we fought off a big dragon, ogres, skeletons, etc (I don't exactly remember the plot but it was fun killing those monsters with my friends). Make sure you come on time which is about 15 mins before your actual game time since it does take time to check in, and put on the vr equipment. The rest of the game time flew by quick! Wear cool light clothing as you get quite sweaty playing. I would def recommend this for a fun family or friends outing! read more

Very fun experience. There is a good amount of teamwork involved. I did the zombies version, and it was fun shooting them. You have to heal teammates/get healed by them, and call out zombies in their blind spots because they approach from all 4 sides. Highly recommend for groups of 4. read more

Came here for my son's bday party and the kids loved it. He just turned 10 but most is his friends are still 9. Some of the boys were apprehensive about VR and the "realness" of it but quickly adjusted and loved it. They all wanted to play a second time. I did have to assist the kids with their sensors bc they couldn't strap it on properly, upside down, etc. There is a place to store your stuff inside the room. No party room if you're going have a bday party there. I liked that there was a video after you played to see what you looked like playing. People here were nice and patient despite all the questions the boys were throwing at them. read more

Perfect fun for a group of teen boys. It was expensive though at $50 per 30-minute session. So for the birthday party we opted to pay for just one session. The crew set them up and it was easy to just watch them play. read more

Sandbox VR - VR players - Arcades Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Huge shoutout for Brandon who assist our group! Give brando a raise ‼ super kind and patient with us and overall will definitely come back! Another shout out to Nick for helping us at the end with all our behind the scenes videos read more

This place is an amazing little find! It's no so little, tons of rooms and VR game options. We booked online; in advance to ensure we got a slot that worked with our schedule! As we checked in, and signed the waiver- the staff greeted us, friendly and personable. The place is clean- and really easy process to get everyone set up and geared up. Once everyone had their gear, went through the rules of the game- it's was go time! As a parent, this is FREAKING COMICAL! All the yelling, screaming and watching them duck and cover for a game I can't see is really something. The kids absolutely loved this experience and we'll definitely book again. I recommend for any family who has some down time and looking for a fun activity out of the house. It will leave your kids talking about it for hours! read more

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