Dan first found Monkey Joe’s during one of my business trips. He usually finds interesting places and then if they are fun, we go back to them. When I looked it up online I wasn’t sure, but Dan encouraged me to give it a try because Aiden had a lot of fun. I am glad I did. Monkey Joe’s was perfect during the winter months to burn toddler energy and with the rainy spring we’ve had, it has been nice to get Aiden out from the puddles and jumping around on the inflatables at Monkey Joe’s! Here is my Monkey Joe’s review.
Monkey Joe’s Review
Monkey Joe’s is full of wall-to-wall inflatables. There are several slides, obstacle courses, and inflatable jumps. They have a toddler area for babies and toddlers aged 0-3 and the other inflatables are for kids 2-12.
Our Monkey Joe’s is located in Sterling, VA. However, they have many locations mostly in the south and mid-west.
Aiden usually prefers the “big kid” area just because there is more to do and bigger slides. Dan or I have to follow him in because the inflatables can be challenging to get through when you are so small. Also, if it’s busy I could see our little guy getting run over by excited older kids. Adults are not allowed to play on the inflatables but they are permitted to accompany smaller children on them. It’s not the kind of place you can let your toddler run around without careful supervision.
The great thing about Aiden playing with the inflatables is how much his balance and coordination has improved. Every time we visit he seems to be a little more comfortable getting around.
Here is a quick video of our Aiden having fun at Monkey Joe’s!
My main concern with any indoor play space is cleanliness. Our Monkey Joe’s is always very clean. I learned that they use an EPA registered hospital disinfectant electrostatic treatment called Enviro-Master on all inflatables. Enviro-Master kills 99.9% of fungi, bacteria, and viruses and is non-toxic.
Unlike some play spaces, there is no limit to how long you can stay. Once you pay your admission you can stay for as long as you want. You cannot bring your own food but they do have a good size concession stand with lots of snack options. It is very reasonably priced especially since there is no time limit and they have a frequent jump card that reduces the cost of regular admission by 40%. I have also seen admission to Monkey Joe’s pop up on Groupon from time to time. They also offer group pricing so this could be a fun mom group adventure.
Monkey Joe’s Review, Tips for visiting with toddlers:
- Outside food is not allowed. We usually give a snack in the car and have one ready for the ride home.
- Bring water! It’s important to stay hydrated when jumping and running around.
- Weekday mornings are usually the best time to visit especially between 11am-1pm.
- Bring socks with grips on the bottom. Socks are required but they sell them there if you forget. We’ve found that the ones with grips on the bottom help with climbing.
- Every 45-minutes (at least) sit down and decompress for a few minutes. We usually do a “water break.”
Every time we go it is a struggle to take Aiden home. He always wants to stay and we almost always get a sleeping toddler on the way home! I definitely recommend Monkey Joe’s as a fun way to expend some toddler energy on a cold or rainy day.
Have you ever taken your little one to Monkey Joe’s? Let me know if you would add anything to this Monkey Joe’s review in the comments.
If you liked this post check out Chibis: The Perfect Indoor Playground for Toddlers and Things To Do With Baby: Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Center.
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