Last updated: January 6, 2024
This post has been highly requested.
Because, let’s face it, as “gorges” as Ithaca is, our winters last, like, half a year. Plus, in the summer it can get pretty hot and humid at times, and it’s always good to have a plan for a rainy day.
So, whether you’re dodging raindrops or snowflakes, I’ve got you covered with the best indoor play areas in and around Ithaca.
Whether you want to check out a library, explore a museum, or let your little ones run wild in a kids’ indoor playground, there are plenty of options.
Read on for a list of kid-friendly indoor activities.
Let me know in the comments what I may have missed!
Indoor play places
Airport playground
The Ithaca airport was renovated in 2019 and now boasts a lovely little playground that makes waiting for a flight a lot more fun for kids (and parents…). For a couple of dollars an hour in parking (first 30 minutes free), it’s also a fun place to head on a cold or rainy day and dream of faraway (read, warm!) places. The play structure with a slide is shaped like an airport tower and sits on a padded floor. There are also several touch screens with activities and comfortable seating. You can even get some snacks at the airport cafe.
Eastlake Recreation Center
eastlakerecreation.com/playground
A winter birthday party staple, the three-level climbing structure with a huge red slide and giant ball pit (over 20,000 balls!) in the Eastlake Recreation Center are also available for open play during the week. Check for hours on the website.
Finger Lakes Toy Library
The toy library sits in the Shops at Ithaca Mall. Not only does it have a small space for younger kids to hang out in, but with a membership (available to all on a sliding scale starting at $0), you can even borrow some of the over 1,300 high-quality toys. The toy library is open M-Sa. Check for hours here.
Read my blog post for a more detailed review of the toy library.
Jillian’s Drawers Community Room
jilliansdrawers.com/pages/community-room
Jillian’s Drawers is a natural parenting store sharing a space with Mama Goose, which sells gently-used children’s clothes and other items. Their community room is baby-safe and hosts a variety of classes for kids and parents. When no class is in session, the room is open during store hours to families for playing and hanging out.
Lansing Drop-in Center
lansingrec.com/community/page/drop-center
Housed on the second floor of the Lansing Commity Center, the program is open from 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the Lansing School year (incl. snow days and holidays). You can drop off your child(ren) between the ages of 2 and 5 with the three staff members. Parents need to stay if their child isn’t yet potty-trained or younger than 2. The requested donation is $3 per child or no more than $6 per family (as of 2023).
The Nook at Family Reading Partnership
The awesome organization that offers families free books through a variety of programs such as the Bright Red Bookshelf now also has a cozy space at the Shops at Ithaca Mall. Kids under 5 and their caretakers are invited to read, hang out, and participate in occasional programs. Open M-F 10 AM to 4 PM and on Saturdays from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Tot Spot
Organized through the Ithaca Youth Bureau, Tot Spot is open for children between the ages of 1 and 5, accompanied by their grown-ups, during the winter months (November through April). Find the exact days and times on the website. There are lots of fun toys and play structures to explore, and occasionally there will be special activities. Cost is between $3 and $5 per child, depending on age. Scholarships and multi-visit passes available at a discount. Spots are limited, so consider reserving in advance through the site.
YMCA
The YMCA offers a great variety of facilities and activities. You’ll find childcare rooms, two pools (family swim times and a small pool available), small playgrounds, a gym, exercise classes, foosball and billiard tables, and more. You can access it with a membership or non-member day passes ($5-$12, $25/family).
Community centers and organizations
The area’s community centers offer different combinations of childcare and afterschool programs, playgrounds, programs, birthday party rentals, and space available for community groups for free or to rent. (Details for each on the individual websites.) So consider one of these if you’re planning to put together a regular playgroup or one-off event.
- Bethel Grove Community Center
- Brooktondale Community Center
- Coddington Road Community Center
- Ellis Hollow Community Center
- Enfield Community Center
- GIAC
- Southside Community Center
- Varna Community Center
For a regular Mommy & Me hangouts during the winter, check this Facebook page. Chat with other moms while the kids run around and play with each other. The meetings are privately organized and take place at Hillside Alliance Church, 1422 Slaterville Rd.
Museums
Cayuga Nature Center
The Cayuga Nature Center has lots of attractions indoors and outdoors (a six-story tree house!). The Lodge is open from Labor Day through Memorial Day, with pay-what-you-wish, donation-based admission. Indoors you’ll see the Cayuga Lake aquaria of the past and present, climate exhibits, a live animal room, and the hands-on Nature Nook.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
You can spend a surprising amount of time at this lovely building with beautiful views of birds, the pond, and Sapsucker Woods. Loads to do with kids! Ask at the front desk about activity booklets and borrowing binoculars. There’s also a sound studio with hours of animal sounds to listen to, giant murals, a library with a kids’ corner, a shop, art and nature specimens on display, and more. But not food, so bring snacks. See my blog post for a full report on the Lab of O.
The History Center
This state-of-the-art education and research center for Tompkins County, right off the Commons, is free for all (donations welcome). The main exhibit hall boasts a painstakingly restored Tommy Plane (a Thomas Morse Scout S4-B built in Ithaca in 1918). There’s a Children’s Education Center, and you can request puzzles, coloring sheets, and activity guides.
Johnson Museum of Art
Cornell’s art museum is housed in a building by famous architect I.M. Pei and has a gorgeous view of Cayuga Lake and surroundings from the fifth floor. It’s fun to explore the changing exhibitions in the various galleries. Admission is free. Keep an eye out for regular family programs for a small fee.
While you’re on the Cornell campus, you may also want to stop into Willard Straight Hall Student Union, a fun building to run around in, or Uris Hall, where you can view a collection of preserved human brains on the second floor. Sage Chapel is very pretty and near the Cornell Store at Ho Plaza.
Museum of the Earth
Explore 4.5 billion years of history and the geology of the region and the Earth in interactive displays. Highlights include a dinosaur room, loads of fossils, find-your-own fossil activities, a 44-foot North Atlantic Right whale skeleton, a 544-tile mural, and a gift shop. Explore more details in my post about the Museum of the Earth.
Sciencenter
So much fun to be had at this children’s science museum! Some exhibits change a few times a year, but you’ll always find the Tidepool Touch Tank, the animal room, Curiosity Corner toddler play center, and other favorites. Read on for my full report on the Sciencenter.
Libraries
Libraries are rainy day staples! And we’re lucky to have not only numerous but also really nice facilities around Ithaca. Check their websites to learn more about play areas, story hours, and other programming.
- Tompkins County Public Library (Ithaca) (supported by the Friends of the Library Book Sale)
- Southworth Library (Dryden) (learn some amazing fun facts about it)
- Groton Public Library
- Lansing Community Library
- Newfield Public Library
- Trumansburg-Ulysses Philomathic Library
- Adelson Library in Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology (NY State residents can even borrow books)
Activities and Sports
These more organized indoor kids activities are another great way to get out some pent-up energy. (I focused on drop-in options, not classes.)
If you’re in more of a spectator mood, maybe you’d like to see a movie or watch others exert themselves at Cornell or IC athletic events. (Polo is a winter favorite!)
Or maybe cheering on roller derby teams is more your speed?
Climbing
Cayuga Climbs
This family-friendly climbing gym has special family times on the weekends (10 AM to 2 PM) and twice-monthly Toddler Times ($10-$15), generally on a Sunday.
Bowling
Atlas Bowl
Bowling on 7 lanes with 1960s nostalgic flair opens at 4 PM Tuesday through Friday and at 2 PM on Saturdays. Bumpers and ramps available for kids, plus great food from the kitchen.
Helen Newman Hall (Cornell)
recreation.athletics.cornell.edu/bowling
Bowling on 16 lanes only takes place in the evenings after 5.30 PM during the week (closed Mondays), but after 3 PM on Saturdays. Bumper bowling available for kids upon request.
Gymnastics
Finger Lakes Gymnastics Center
fingerlakesgymnasticscenter.com
Next to classes and camps, FLGC offers unstructured play-time on the large mats and gym equipment for kids 6 months through age 5, accompanied by an adult. Tuesdays and Fridays 10-11.30 AM (academic year 2022/23), $5-$10, or buy a 5-visit pass.
Karaoke
K-House
Let out your inner rock star with karaoke. Choose from among 150k songs in 17 languages. Open after 4 PM Wednesday through Saturday.
Miniature Golf
Shipwreck Amusements
Shipwreck’s main claim to fame is a Guinness World Record for longest miniature golf hole. (Read more fun facts about Cortland County.) But the Cortland center also has the largest 18-hole, blacklight indoor mini golf course in the country, plus an arcade.
Skating
Cass Park Skating Rink
The rink is open for public ice skating during the winter and roller skating nights during pool season.
Swimming
YMCA
ithacaymca.com/programs/aquatics-swimming
The Y offers swim lessons, family swims, lap swimming, and rentals for parties. (See above for more info.)
TC3
tompkinscortland.edu/campus-life/swimming-pool
The pool at Dryden’s community college has swim lessons, family swims, lap swimming, and rentals for parties.
Stores
As a desperate measure, you can always resort to visiting stores. Just arm yourself with a good arsenal of “no”s, because if your kids are anything like mine, there will be many (many!) requests for stuff.
Toy stores are the most obvious destinations. Options include Alphabet Soup and the Brain Shoppe on the Commons, and Cat’s Pajamas in DeWitt Mall. Mama Goose sells gently-used items.
Some book stores like Odyssey or Barnes and Noble have play areas. Also check out Buffalo Street Books, Autumn Leaves, and Comics for Collectors.
Home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot can be fun with lawn and seasonal decorations to check out and outdoor furniture and lawn mowers to sit on, plus occasional free popcorn at HD.
At pet stores like Petsmart kids often like visiting fish and other small animals.
And then there’s the mall (officially, The Shops at Ithaca Mall), of course. The kids might enjoy Target, the Nook and the toy library (see above), what’s left of the food court, a small arcade, and the seasonal Halloween store. Check the calendar for special events like visits from Santa.
Finally, if you’re trying to get something done, consider supermarkets with car-shaped shopping carts, such as P&C, BJ’s, and Wegmans.
Indoor play spaces – farther afield
Ithaca has lots to offer, but for some amusements, we still have to travel a bit. Here are a few favorites I’ve seen suggested frequently:
Greek Peak Mountain Resort, Cortland
Waterpark. (Plus, seasonally, skiing, zip lines, mountain rollercoaster and more.)
Defy, Vestal
Trampoline park.
Destiny USA, Syracuse
Giant mall with many entertainment options, including glow golf, Billy Beez indoor play park, WonderWorks science amusement park, the Amazing Mirror Maze, and a LEGO store.
Rosamond Gifford Zoo, Syracuse
Open year-round (closed certain holidays), including a number of indoor exhibits.
Nonnie Hood Parent Resource Center, Corning
Indoor play space is free to visit during set drop-in hours. Check site for times.
PlaySpace by ABC Cayuga, Auburn
Nonprofit-run play space with fun exhibits like a mini supermarket and cafe.
PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:
7 Reasons to Visit the Greater Ithaca Art Trail (with Kids)
There is also the Nonnie Hood PRC in Corning, it is an excellent indoor playspace though further afield but closer than Syracuse.
https://www.nonniehoodprc.org/
Thanks for the tip! I added it.