Looking for somewhere to take the kids on a rainy day? An indoor venue for a playdate or parent’s group catch up? Or if you’re just after somewhere special for a family day out where the kids can play safely and have fun.
There’s a great selection of local indoor play centres in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter to choose from and something suitable for all ages from babies to teens and adults. Most of them can host and cater for birthday parties too.
Chameleon Play Cafe
61 Vincent St, Cessnock NSW
Website: Chameleon Play Cafe
Enjoy a play at Chameleon Play Cafe. This local family-friendly play café offers two play spaces including slides, obstacles and a large ball pit. The age-appropriate play areas are divided into ages, one for under 2s and another area for kids aged 2+. There is a full kitchen offering all-day breakfast and lunch along with dinner on Friday nights. Entry is free (kids require socks in play area) and there is plenty of seating with highchairs and wheelchair accessibility.
Chipmunks Belmont
1 High Street, Belmont NSW
Website: Chipmunks Playland and Cafe
Chipmunks Playland and Cafe has just opened in Belmont. The old Belmont Bowlo site has been fully repurposed and refurbished as a children’s playland and cafe that stretches over 2 levels. Situated right on Lake Macquarie has an amazing view from upstairs. The playland has 3 separate areas catering for 0-11 year olds. Entry provides access to the playland all day long. Play as long as you like. 0-12 months are free all the time. No charge for parents/carers. There is a strict ‘no socks, no play’ policy as well as prohibition of outside food or drinks being brought in.
Climb Parc (Cooks Hill)
Cnr Darby Street & Tooke Street, Cooks Hill NSW
Website: Climb Parc
Featuring 19 climbing walls of varying difficulty, Climb Parc is a fantastic indoor centre to enjoy with your kids aged 6 and over (Kids aged under 8 must have a paying, supervising adult with them). Each climbing wall has a safety harness with auto self-belay, making the climbing of and transition between walls safe and simple. Located inside the Genesis Fitness building, opposite Ninja Parc, casual passes or group sessions are available and there are trained staff available to assist. Read more about Climb Parc here.
EMF jnr Westfield Kotara
Shop 1067/8 Westfield Kotara, Cnr Park Avenue & Northcott Drive, Kotara, NSW
Website: EMF jnr Westfield Kotara
EMF jnr is a two-level indoor play centre for kids up to the age of 12. Upstairs you’ll find reception, amenities, play areas suited to varying ages and a cafe. Downstairs houses more amenities, a play area, arcade-style games and party rooms. Choose from Casual Free Play sessions, Drop and Shop sessions, Creche or Supervised Play.
Gravity X Indoor Trampoline Park (Rutherford)
18 Bradmill Avenue, Rutherford NSW
Website: Gravity X Indoor Trampoline Park
Make the trip to Rutherford for gravity-defying fun for the whole family. From first-time jumpers to experienced professionals, Gravity X has something to suit all ages. For little ones up to 5 years of age (or under 110cm tall) there is a Junior Trampoline Space and the Little Astronauts Playground. For the older kids there’s a Free Jump Space, a Games Space (trampoline basketball or soft-ball dodgeball) and a Big Air Bag. Experienced and skilled jumpers can challenge themselves on the wall trampoline while parents can relax with a coffee at the Infinity X Cafe. They also have a dedicated parents room with change facilities and offer hosted or unhosted birthday party packages.
Inflatable World (Maitland & Warners Bay)
37 Hinkler Avenue, Rutherford NSW
314 Hillsborough Avenue, Warners Bay NSW
Website: Inflatable World
If you have children who love to jump and bounce, they’ll love Inflatable World. The best thing about Inflatable World is that older kids, as well as parents, are all encouraged to join the younger ones on the inflatables. Boasting home to the biggest indoor inflatable playgrounds in Australia, Inflatable World offers 2-hour play periods, a loyalty passport program and birthday party packages.
Kids World Adventure Playland & Cafe (Charlestown)
Shop G8042A Charlestown Square, 30 Pearson Street, Charlestown NSW
Website: Kids World Adventure Playland & Cafe
Kids can jump, climb, party and play at Kids World Adventure Playland & Cafe (formerly Megamania). Play areas include a designated under 5’s area (0-4 years) and an over 5’s zone (5-11 years), this means kids can play and interact on activities with kids of the same age. Open Monday to Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm, choose from unlimited play sessions or drop and shop 1, 2 or 3 hour sessions. They also have a school day special. Adults and under-1’s are admitted free and there is a gourmet cafe on site with trained baristas serving coffee.
Kids World Adventure Playland & Cafe (East Maitland)
Stockland Green Hills, 1 Molly Morgan Drive, East Maitland NSW
Website: Kids World Adventure Playland & Cafe
With a designated under 5’s area (0-4 years) and an over-5’s zone (5-11 years) and free entry for adults, Kids World Playland is the perfect place to take your little one to burn off some extra energy, for a playdate or to meet up with your parent’s group. Fully air-conditioned with ample seating, wheelchair access, baby-change facilities and a gourmet cafe menu, Kids World Playland has all bases covered.
Ninja Parc (Cooks Hill)
Cnr Darby Street & Tooke Street, Cooks Hill NSW
Website: Ninja Parc
Kids can swing, jump and climb like a ninja at the Ninja Warrior-inspired Ninja Parc. People of all ages and abilities are welcome to walk, run, jump, hang, swing and fall over the soft-fall padded obstacle course featuring over 20 obstacles. Kids under the age of 8 require a supervising adult unless they are attending one of the Mini-Ninja or Little-Ninja classes. If your kids are over the age of 8 you can choose to join them or observe from the seated cafe area. Ninja Parc also offers bookings for schools, school holidays, corporate events and kids birthday parties. Read more about Ninja Parc here.
Pulse Climbing (Adamstown & Warners Bay)
10/122 Garden Grove Parade, Adamstown NSW
305 Hillsborough Road, Warners Bay NSW
Website: Pulse Climbing
For kids who love to climb, you’ll find Pulse climbing at two great locations locally and they cater to beginner level climbers to the more advanced in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Minimum climbing age is strictly 5 years old and kids must be aged 12 and over to belay (hold the ropes). With climbing walls from super easy to outrageously hard, Pulse Climbing has the perfect challenge for everyone and experienced staff are always on hand to assist.
Revolution Sports Park (Maryville)
55 The Avenue, Maryville NSW
Website: Revolution Sports Park
Revolution is a 3-in-1 Sports Park, comprising a trampoline park, a bubble soccer field and an inflatables field. The main area of the trampoline park features a main arena with 50 interconnected trampolines, a foam cushion box and more, a performance arena, a basketball arena, a dodgeball arena and a kiddies arena (for kids under 120cm). The inflatables field features over 15 inflatables from slides to mazes and is open Saturdays, Sundays and school holidays. The bubble soccer field is a dedicated 400sqm space for the exhausting (but fun) sport of bubble soccer. They have a great cafe and a large, seated cafe area. Revolution Sports Park offer Playgroup, Kindy Gym, Junior Jumpers, Trampolining, Parkour and take birthday party bookings so, no matter what your child’s age, you’re sure to find an activity suitable.
Spirited Play Cafe (Taylors Beach)
2/12 Innovation Close, Taylors Beach NSW
Website: Spirited Play Cafe
It’s worth the extra drive to this great indoor play centre located in Port Stephens. Parents and carers can relax and enjoy a coffee, cold drink or something from the extensive cafe menu while they watch their toddlers play in the dedicated toddler area or while older kids play in the large play area featuring padded climbing equipment, obstacles and slides.
Springloaded (Gateshead)
26a Oakdale Road, Gateshead
Website: Springloaded
A trampoline, gymnastics and parkour park in one, Springloaded offers casual bounce sessions in addition to their regular classes. A casual session allows one hour of all access play for all ages across the trampolines, foam pits, ninja-style obstacle course, parkour zones, gymnastics equipment and more. Kids under 6 years of age must have a supervising parent or guardian and all sessions are supervised by accredited Springloaded coaches. Bookings are essential.
Shopping centres with indoor play areas
If you need to do some shopping, let the kids play in the playgrounds inside shopping centres. Charlestown Square has an indoor playground, The Secret Garden on Level 2 conveniently located near children’s shops and a cafe, perfect if you feel like a coffee break mid-shop. This playground, for kids aged 1 to 6 is a unique play area featuring caterpillars and snails in a garden of giant toadstools and plants.
Westfield Kotara has Playworld, located outside Target on Level 2 in the Kids precinct as well as The Little Spot for babies and Toddlers (also located on Level 2, near Target). All children are welcome and entry is free, however, children must be supervised at all times.
Bunnings have indoor play areas as well as a café so you can get all your home and garden needs, entertain your kids and grab a coffee.
You can also visit your local Maccas or Hungry Jacks with an indoor playground and let the kids play while you enjoy a coffee and/or a snack.
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Meg is a born and raised Novocastrian whose interests include gardening, reading and writing poetry. In between writing for Newy With Kids and working as a School Learning Support Officer, Meg enjoys camping and travelling with her family and exploring Newcastle and all it has to offer. Meg has two energetic kids and is passionate about kids having the opportunity to be outdoors as often as possible.