Beat the Heat and Make Your Kids Tired at Play Modesto
By Brandilyn Mitchell
How has this gem escaped our radar since it opened in 2018? We were looking for a place to host our kiddo’s birthday and stumbled across this magical portal to a kid’s paradise and we keep coming back. It is the best place to hide away this summer while letting your kids exercise and socialize.
Miguel and Natalie Topete moved here from the Bay Area and noticed immediately there was something missing. “There were many small indoor play places for toddlers and small kids where we lived. When we moved to the valley, there weren’t many indoor play places for toddlers. An opportunity came up, the stars aligned, and there was a space that opened right next to the late ‘Babies R Us.’ Here we are.”
They have a giant bounce house, a castle, a pirate boat, swings, slides, a trampoline and more in the main room, with a portion set aside for crawlers. The crawler area allows younger kids to play with toys geared towards their age-group, in the safety of padded mats and climbing furniture. There are also “pretend” areas: a grocery store, bakery and ice cream shop, and a Lego room. Perfect for engaging in imaginative play! Feel free to jump in and create memories with your kiddos! You can play cashier or barista, then take turns and watch their imagination fly.
The staff is attentive and friendly, and truly care about your children. They interact respectfully and playfully, making sure your kids feel at home. Anytime I need anything they are right there to help with a smile. They keep the facility very clean, disinfecting the toys several times a day and have bins for parents to place toys that have been mouthed or sneezed on for special cleaning. “Having a clean facility is my number one priority. You will see one or two of my staff on sanitation and set up duties at any time, “ says Miguel. “We clean and sanitize toys, play structures, door knobs, baby gates, counters, bathrooms, and changing tables often.” They are a shoeless facility-meaning socks only-so that all kids, especially crawlers, are safe from germs. They have a sink at the entrance for you to wash your hands before and after your playtime. There are multiple sanitizers throughout the facility, too. 
What’s happening now? “Currently, there are mascot characters visiting at least twice a day. We call it ‘daily character visits’. The best way to keep up with our daily characters is through our social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook under ‘PLAY Modesto.’” You can meet characters such as Bluey and Bingo, Cocomelon and Baby Shark, Spidey and Ghost Spider and more! We’ve attended several character visits, and can’t rave enough about how much fun we have. The characters dance, hug, and high five. They stop for photos and make your kid feel special. They also host crafts on Fridays, where your kid can make cool things like wands, crowns, their very own Forky, or holiday decorations. Crafts are included in the attendance fee, which is only $16 for all day play (yes, all day!) and the cherry on top of that sundae? Guardians attending with their little ones are free. You just can’t beat that price!
What’s coming up soon? “Events that we have guaranteed are October 19th and 20th for Halloween and December 14th and 15th for Christmas. We also have a Noon Year’s Eve balloon drop on December 31st. It’s an event at noon with a balloon drop for us parents with kids that cannot hang until midnight. The special events require advance purchase. We do have a limited amount of tickets for these events.” Having limited tickets helps Play Modesto control entry, order enough pizza and follow safety protocol. You gotta be fast when tickets are released, they sell out quickly and Miguel knows just how disappointing that can be. Follow them on social media to ensure you can snag tickets! 
While bringing outside snacks is fine, the snack bar has tons of kid-approved snacks for good prices. Applesauce, Gogurt, Goldfish Crackers, oh my! Kid worked up an appetite? Pick up a larger snack like a Lunchable. Swing by to check them out! Your kids will thank you and in turn you’ll sleep very well!
Summer Hours:
Mon-Fri 9-5
Sat-Sun 9-12
https://playmodesto.com/
3500 Sisk Road Suite F-2, Modesto
209-543-9184
playlaughalwaysyoung@gmail.com
