SAN RAMON, CALIFORNIA – As I write this, the San Francisco Bay Area is in the midst of a massive rainstorm. Water is pouring down outside, and much of the East Bay is under a flood watch.
That’s the perfect weather to visit one of San Ramon‘s newest attractions for parents with little kids.
San Ramon is a family-friendly place, and it has had several good indoor play spaces over the years.
Spirited Play Labs is an underappreciated gem, and PlayStar Kids was great until it closed last year.
Now, a new place has opened in the same location as PlayStar Kids at City Center Bishop Ranch.
KidPlex is a large indoor play space on the second floor of City Center. My three- and four-year-old visited to test it out and called it “the best day ever.”
PlayStar Kids was always on the more minimal side in terms of its interior. We loved visiting, but it was mostly two open storefronts combined, with portable items like a climbing structure and tables for make-believe play.
Here’s my video review:
In contrast, KidPlex has done a lot more to customize the space. They’re clearly gearing up to be here for a while.
The main feature of KidPlex is a giant, multi-story ball pit and climbing structure that fills most of the left half of the space.
The ball pit is interactive, with features that allow your kids to shoot or drop the monochromatic balls.
My four-year-old absolutely loved this and couldn’t stop talking about the fact that he was able to make balls fall from the ceiling.
In addition to the ball pit area, there are a variety of pretend play stations—different wooden kitchens, little push carts, and other more low-key play items round out the space.
There’s even a big interactive video wall. Your kid can draw a dinosaur on a video table, and then see it walk around on the wall with other kids’ creations.
Very cool!
KidPlex also has some tables for adults who want to set up, have a coffee, and maybe try to get a bit of work done.
Like PlayStar Kids, KidPlex seems geared toward the six-and-under set. We observed several older kids there, all the way up to tweens, but they seemed to be visiting with little siblings.
Given the size of the space and its configuration, your preschool and younger elementary schoolers will have a great time here.
Everything at Kid Plex is brand new and very clean, which adds to the appeal. It fits well with the overall vibe of City Center.
One thing to keep in mind is that Kid Plex is on the expensive side. For two kids to play there on a rainy weekend day, it cost about $35.
Of course, that’s in line with the City Center vibe as well! Sitting down to lunch at a place like Dumpling Time or Delarosa as a family will set you back $100 easily.
That said, there aren’t many places to take your little kids to get some energy out on a rainy day. You could head to a museum like Lindsay Wildlife, which is less expensive if you have a membership, but that won’t provide the same opportunity to run around.
Trampoline parks like Rockin’ Jump in Dublin or Concord are great for older kids, but outside of designated toddler hours, they’re a little too raucous for preschoolers.
That’s where KidPlex is perfect. If you need a place to quickly drop in on a rainy day, let your little ones burn off some energy, grab lunch, and then head back home, it’s ideal.
You don’t need to join a structured class, and while you need to supervise your kids while they’re there, there’s enough to keep many of them playing fairly independently.
KidPlex is also a great bet if you want to bring the kids with a grandparent. The self-contained space makes it easier to watch kids than an open park, and there’s plenty of comfortable seating for adults.
We’re glad to see that Kid Plex is open and ready to serve the community.
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Photos credit Amy Fischer Smith
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