From kids’ museums with dedicated toddler areas to play spaces with pretend play areas and sensory bins, these Bay Area spots know what little ones enjoy.
East Bay
Bumblebee Playspace – This spacious indoor play space is designed especially for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. It will delight the littles with its musical instruments, water and dramatic play areas.
35500 Dumbarton Court, Newark
bumblebeeplayspace.com
Marin
Bay Area Discovery Museum – Located at the foot of Golden Gate Bridge, this Sausalito museum caters to kids ages 8 and under. The “Tot Spot” offers a safe place for little ones to climb and explore or check out the model train setup in “Bay Hall.”
557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito
bayareadiscoverymuseum.org
Peninsula
CuriOdyssey – Part science center, part wildlife center and totally fun, CuriOdyssey is a great spot for both indoor and outdoor time. Little ones love watching the animal keepers do enrichment activities with the animals every day at 12pm, 1pm, and 2pm.
1651 Coyote Point Drive, San Mateo
curiodyssey.org
La Petite Playhouse – With an under-the-sea theme, this indoor space offers a large climbing structure for older kids, while little ones can stay in a separate under-3 area where parents can keep a close watch.
1264 Oddstad Drive, Redwood City
lapetiteplay.com
San Francisco
Randall Museum – A blend of natural history museum, science museum and arts center, the Randall Museum offers hands-on learning for all ages. Meet the resident animals during animal talks and then head to the model train exhibit with a caboose that’s perfect for climbing.
199 Museum Way, San Francisco
Peek-a-Boo Factory – Tots can enjoy a large play structure, a ninja fitness course and a toddler area. The three-level play structure features a variety of slides, obstacle courses, tunnels, a zip line, a seesaw, sit-and-spins, a trampoline and more.
5411 Geary St., San Francisco (other locations in Daly City, Livermore and Rancho Cordova)
peekaboofactory.com
Little Oceanauts – A separate infant/toddler play area lets kids enjoy their own ball pit and soft foam area, while a snack bar means kids can stay and play with their new friends even longer.
1917 Ocean Ave., San Francisco
littleoceanauts.com
South Bay
Children’s Discovery Museum San Jose – Geared toward kids ages 10 and under, CDM offers hands-on discovery, from everyone’s favorite bubble room to an interactive air maze. The museum also has a variety of cultural celebrations throughout the year.
180 Woz Way, San Jose
cdm.org
Whirlygig – It has a beach room where children can dig in the sand and a farm room with a pint-sized tractor for climbing. It’s the perfect spot for a toddler birthday party, or you can visit during open play.
1095 The Alameda, San Jose
whirlygigparties.com
Kate Loweth is a South Bay-based freelance writer.