CT Mommy Blog

2018 Update: KidsPlay has gone through an amazing expansion. Read my newest post about recent additions.

61 Main Street, Torrington, CT 860-618-7700

Disclaimer: KidsPlay provided me and my family with complementary admission. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

We recently spent the day exploring KidsPlay Children’s Museum in Torrington, CT. I had heard great things about the museum so I knew it would be somewhere fun to try with the kids. The museum is great for kids ages 1-10. All 3 of my kids (ages 4 & 1) loved it.

Hours & Days

Wednesday – Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm

Monday & Tuesday: closed

Admission

The price of admission is $8 per person. Children under one are free. KidsPlay is part of the ACM Reciprocal Network that also includes museums like Imagine Nation, KidCity and Stepping Stones. If you have a membership to one of the museums in the ACM network your admission to KidsPlay is half price.

TIP: Always check Groupon for discounted tickets.

Parking

The museum is located in downtown Torrington. The museum was fairly easy to find after getting off of the highway. They have a private parking lot at the back entrance of the museum. There are 22 free parking spaces that are first come, first serve. I had no trouble finding a spot on a Friday morning but I imagine that on the weekends and school holidays the parking lot fills up quickly. Thankfully, there is plenty of metered street parking available too, so make sure to bring some change along with you.

TIP: KidsPlay parking lot is on Water Street

When entering form the back entrance you have to be buzzed in and then walk down stairs. If you have a stroller or several small children who aren’t great at navigating stairs I’d walk around to the front entrance on Main Street.

TIP: Unless you’re walking far, I’d leave the stroller behind and wear baby instead. The museum is small and it might be difficult to navigate with a stroller.

Exhibits

The museum is smaller than other children’s museums I’ve been to recently. Everything is located on one main floor, but it actually made the whole experience better. The museum is completely open so I was able to stand in the middle of the museum and see all 3 of my kids playing in different areas. I think it was the perfect setup for a smaller museum.

Ball & Scarf Shoot

In the entrance to the museum you will find a ball shoot and a scarf shoot. Once they got the hang of it, my kids enjoyed putting in the balls and scarves into the shoot and watching them travel through the clear tubes.

Dress Up

The dress up station was set on a large stage complete with audience chairs scattered below. There were lots of different costumes and props for little ones to unleash their dramatic sides.

Lego Water Table

My son’s favorite station was the water table. It had running water above glowing sheets of Legos. My little ones loved stacking the Legos under the water. I couldn’t pry Andrew from the water table. By the end of our time he was soaking wet and I had to remove his shirt (we later found the smocks).

TIP: If you have a water lover bring along an extra pair of clothes or make sure to wear the smocks provided.

Market

One of the larger exhibits at the museum was the Kidsplay Grocery. It was a little supermarket filled with shelves of name brand (empty) boxes of food. The kids wheeled around shopping carts and collected boxes, cans, and plastic produce. There was a cash register where they were able to scan everything. They had a blast. I’d love to reproduce a little grocery store at home.

Firetruck

My twins loved dressing up as firemen (firewomen?) aboard Torrington Engine 5. They played inside the truck with helmets and vests. They were able to steer the truck and ring the bell. There was even a fire hose at the back of the truck for them to pull and pretend to spray water.

Diner

Another popular spot was the KidsPlay Diner. Little ones can play in the kitchen and serve up tasty treats at the counter.

Toddler Area

There is a separate area made especially for the youngest guests ages 2 and under. It’s a no shoes area with a soft floor, mats, and bead mazes. My youngest was more excited with the water table so we didn’t spend too much time there but it’s a great spot for very little ones to have a safe place to play away from the big kids.

Birthday Party Room

KidsPlay specializes in kid’s birthday parties in Connecticut. They offer birthday parties throughout the week between $150 – $200. Most party packages have 15 children and additional guests can be added for a fee.

When there isn’t a birthday party going on, the party room is available for lunch and snacks. There are child size tables and chairs (no refrigerator). Since we planned to spend the whole day at the museum we brought along our lunch and enjoyed it in the party room.

TIP: Midday is the perfect time to visit the museum. Many families leave for lunch and nap around this time. We were one of only three groups at the museum during the middle of the day.

We had a wonderful time at the museum. If you’re looking for a new children’s museum to visit in Connecticut I’d highly recommend KidsPlay. My kids had a blast. I love that it’s a smaller museum with high quality hands-on exhibits. It’s certainly a place I’d love to bring my little ones back to enjoy.