At the new Good Times Park indoor play center, things – rather make that kids – were hopping, bouncing, swinging, climbing and spinning – as soon as the doors opened at Woodbury’s first private playground.
Squeals of delight filled the sprawling 20,000 square-foot facility in the Hudson Road Technology Center building with its high ceilings and padded landing areas. There’s plenty of room for kids to run here, but also places to find quiet, to sit and read or have a snack.
Owners Patrick and Jackie Griffin of Lake Elmo have included a variety of play opportunities in their design, aiming for children from toddler and preschool ages to early teens. “Our biggest thing is bringing outside play inside so kids can just run around and be kids,” Jackie said.
How It Works
There is no staff on site except for a manager who is stocking materials and managing the technology. Parents are responsible for supervising their own children and refereeing as necessary.
At Good Times Parks, “kids pay to play and adults play free,” Jackie said with a grin. Admission is $12 per child for a daily pass that gets you a code to unlock the door that allows families to come and go. A monthly pass is available for $24 per child as is a yearly pass for $180 per child, also with codes that open the door for the whole period. There are also group options for field trips and day cares.
Security cameras help monitor for safety throughout the facility and keep track of how many people enter and leave so that the facility doesn’t go over its capacity of 300.
A Quick Tour
As you come in the door, you’re greeted by a traditional play structure for older kids up to about age 12. Next to that is a smaller play structure for the younger kids, with a tire swing nearby. To your right is a large, bright orange inflated bouncing mat – just right for all ages – even grandparents.
Move past the bounce pad and you come to the giant foam building blocks area that’s netted off on both sides so any flying blocks (not encouraged) can’t escape to bonk a bouncer or a nearby toddler. Next to that is an open floor area with small structures and toys for infants and toddlers. Around the corner, there is a quiet room with books and chairs to bring the sensory level down a notch or two. There is a diaper changing room with multiple stations and an adjacent nursing/infant feeding room.
In the next corner stands the ninja obstacle course, popular with the older kids up through about early teens. Across from that, a large, padded turf area with goals invites soccer, football, and other types of free ball play. Along the far wall, two birthday party rooms with capacity for 24 and 30 can be reserved and staffed for an additional fee. A sunlit open picnic area with vending machines allows for snack time.
Woodbury Is Second Location
The Griffins started on their Good Times Park venture with the purchase of an indoor play park in Eagan two and a half years ago. Patrick was an engineer and operations manager for several companies and Jackie was a teacher, when they decided they wanted to own their own business. The play park seemed like the perfect melding of their skill sets.
After some success in Eagan, they decided to open the Woodbury facility because there were few such offerings in the east metro and it’s a little closer to home. They’ve hired two managers, so there are now four people staffing the two sites. The Griffins’ kids ages 16, 14, 11 and 3, have been helping get the new place ready to open.
On opening day, Becca O’Keefe of Cottage Grove was at the park with her son Jack, who is five years old. She’s visited the Eagan location several times. “We’ve been waiting for this for a while. It’s much closer to home,” she said. “It’s just nice to have a place to go and meet up with friends for play dates, especially on colder, icky days.”
