A Much-Needed Indoor Play Place Opens in Redmond

Parents of littles know all too well how essential indoor play spaces are to maintaining sanity in our neck of the woods. Indoor play places allow kids to get the wiggles out safely during those endless stretches of rain (or cold, or heat waves or wildfire smoke — you know the drill). Eastside families in particular have felt a loss of these local spots over the last few years, as several facilities shuttered their doors.

I still very clearly remember those long hours and days of toddler and preschooler parenting — so I was thrilled to hear about the brand-new play space popping up in Redmond Town Center, one of my favorite local shopping and dining haunts.

The newest play place in the neighborhood

Having just opened its doors on the first weekend of June, Kids Magic Lab is located on the second floor of the open-air complex in Redmond. It welcomes kiddos ages 9 months–8 years old (babes younger than 9 months are welcome for free with a sibling). A noticeable lack of indoor play options for her own kids (ages 4 and 8) convinced owner Yalin Zhu-Hu to open the space.

“There wasn’t much for this age group, and it inspired me to fill that gap, both for my own family and also for the community,” Zhu-Hu says, “to create a safe, engaging and educational indoor space.”

Slide, climb and tumble at Kids Magic Lab

My first impression of Kids Magic Lab when I walked in was how bright and soothing it was, with light streaming in from full-length windows and outfitted in neutral woods and soft colors. The floor space is organized into several zones to accommodate a range of play types and varied activity levels.

Front and center, a cool wooden play structure immediately invites kiddos to climb up funky rope ladders and barrel down a bright yellow tunnel slide. Behind it, more rough-and-tumble action beckons in the “balance and agility zone”: a jungle gym-like spot, complete with a climbing wall, monkey bars, gymnastics rings and crash mats.

Play pretend with imaginative options

Off to the side, littles can engage in some calmer activities with a sweet zone for pretend play. A row of several pastel-colored playhouses line the wall, each set up as a different venue including a supermarket, hospital, and my personal favorite, a farm complete with an adorable chicken coop and duckling family. Funky floor pillows, a dress-up area, train table and play fire truck round up the imaginative play options.

STEM activities for all ages

On the other side of the room, a colorful soft-play block area is set to delight the youngest visitors; while budding engineers can get creative concocting elaborate structures with a pile of oversized blue foam building pieces.

There is also a STEM wall featuring a pegboard with various buildable parts, and a Lego wall lining the corner. The emphasis, Zhu-Hu says, is on sensory play, which is recognized for its benefits for both neurotypical and neurodivergent kids.

Plan your next indoor birthday party or attend a class

In addition to drop-in open play sessions, Kids Magic Lab hosts birthday parties and a variety of classes for babies, tots and older kids, with a sensory classroom set up to offer hands-on art and STEM activities. An open play pass covers a visit for one child and one adult for up to two hours; and several membership packages are available for purchase. The space is open seven days a week — a lifesaver for rainy weekends. Check the website for a detailed schedule.

Make a day of it with more Redmond fun

Redmond Town Center is an Eastside mecca for kid fun. Visit the mall’s sensory playground, splash pad or Downtown Park a few steps away. If it’s raining outside, you may want to extend the indoor time by leafing through some new reads at Brick and Mortar, one of our favorite independent bookstores, or by catching a show at SecondStory Repertory theater (right next door!). There’s great food options for the whole fam, too. Grab a bite at one of the abundant family friendly dining options around, from a Brazilian pastry at Kitanda to a steaming bowl of ramen at Kizuki, with a warm cookie from Midnight Cookie Co. for dessert.