If you are looking to try a new place with your kids, Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center is a fun and unique place to take children 9 and under! It’s a children’s museum, playground, splash pad, and indoor play area all rolled into one. It’s about a 45 minute drive from most southwest suburbs of Chicago, give or take 15 minutes.
The adventure out to Lake Station, Indiana can be a whole day trip, or squeezed into a half day, but I don’t recommend shortening the day any further. There’s tons to do and you won’t want to miss out on any of the imaginative play at Bellaboo’s Indiana. Keep scrolling for Bellaboo’s pictures and more info!
Bellaboo’s: What to Do, Where to Eat, and More
Imagination Garden at Bellaboo’s
This is the newest feature at Bellaboo’s and we were so excited to check it out! The main feature of this area is the 60 ft. pirate ship. There’s a captain’s wheel and plenty of climbing and rope features. The whole area is surrounded by soft rubber, and there are plenty of covered sitting benches and tables for the adults. But . . . this is truly an area to explore with your kids!
The slides are so tall and fast; they were quickly my son’s favorite. The play structure also features water and sprayers, so come with swimsuits or a change of clothes. All of the water features are working when the temperature is 70 degrees and above. We could have easily spent hours in this beautiful new area!
Indoor Features of Bellaboo’s
Jill K. and her family also visited Bellaboo’s in the last year and the following is her review of the inside play area and eating option.
Before this visit, I brought my 2 and 4 year old daughters on a winter break morning and stayed for about 4 hours. Bellaboo’s is a huge facility and though more crowded than usual (according to staff), it never felt cramped or too busy. My kids were able to move about freely without having to wait for activities or toys. Bellaboo’s has a bunch of rooms that branch off from the main lobby, making it very easy to keep track of your kids as they move about from room to room.
Each room has a different theme or activity. My kids were most interested in the child-sized supermarket, pizza parlor, veterinarian office, and tubes with ball pit. Other rooms include: a construction zone, an art studio, dress up, water tables, and more.
There is also a large indoor play structure for kids to slide and climb.
Children DIY Cooking Kitchen
If you are able to, I highly recommend checking out the children’s do-it-yourself cooking kitchen. Each day has specific times when the kitchen is seated. Each session sits approximately 28 children. If it is a crowded day, you will need to line up about 10-15 minutes in advance. The particular day we visited Bellaboo’s, the facility was extremely busy and the staff ran extra times to accommodate all the kids who wanted to participate. The kitchen offers alternative recipes for children with allergies, too.
Where to Eat When You Visit
Bellaboo’s Indiana offers a small cafe with a nice lunch menu for families. The food was reasonably priced and looked well-made. There is plenty of seating in the main lobby for families to eat and take a break from all the activities. We did not stay and eat on this visit, but plan to in the future.
Going to Bellaboo’s is really fun for our family, and we were glad to be back. The facility is extremely well maintained and very reasonably priced for the amount of activity packed into the building. Families with young kids will appreciate this place and all it has to offer!
Directions to Bellaboo’s Indiana
From the southwest suburbs of Chicago, take 294 South to 80 East. Get off at Exit 13: Central Avenue. Bellaboo’s is right off 80 East. Take a left on Central Avenue, left on Colorado Street, right on 28th Avenue and you will see Bellaboo’s straight ahead.
Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center
2800 Colorado Street
Lake Station, IN 46405
(219) 963-2070
For more fun, check out all the Children’s Museums in the Chicago Area, or see our indoor fun round-up.
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