With all of the rain in the last few days I haven’t been able to take the boys outside to play and work off some of their energy. So, earlier this week we headed to the mall for some retail therapy for me, and play time for them. In Chesterfield Towne Center there are two play areas for kids. I chose the larger area this time, called the River Romp. It was quite busy that afternoon with kids ranging in age from baby to maybe 5 or 6. There is a rule that children must be less than a certain height to play, not that I know who would enforce it, but I didn’t see any kids that looked too tall or old to be there.
I immediately noticed how clean the play area was. It helps that the kids must remove their shoes and no food or drinks are allowed. The mall staff comes several times throughout the day to clean and disinfect, and during these cleanings everyone must leave the area. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that everything inside is padded, including the floor. This was very reassuring since my guys are frequently tripping over their own feet and often fall down face first. In here they seem to bounce right back up!
There were plenty of bugs to climb up and over, tree stumps to crawl through and slides coming out of a tree. At times the boys were happy to walk around and watch the other kids. I was very happy to be able to sit and watch them. Don’t let yourself get too comfortable though. I must warn you that the doorway is completely open. At one point one of my boys wandered out while I was on the other side of the play area and he was out of my sight. Luckily another parent grabbed him before he got very far. Lesson learned! The next time we visit I will be sure to position myself right by the entrance to prevent any attempts to escape.
Please visit their website for additional mall information. www.chesterfieldcenter.com
