Lava Island, Rock Hill

Location: 9610 Manchester Rd., Rock Hill, MO 63119

Website: https://lavaisland.com/rock-hill/

Lava Island is a chain of tropical-themed indoor adventure parks, and this is their first location in St. Louis. It opened at the end of 2025. It features trampolines, a volcano slide, large jungle gyms, foam pits, party rooms, a cafe, a trike track, and slides. They have a toddler area and family-friendly eats at the cafe. 

The Alley, Washington

Location: 7 W. Main St., Washington, MO 63090

Website: https://www.washmoalley.com/

The Alley is an entertainment center in Washington, MO. It offers VR, Laser Tag, an arcade, a restaurant, and a bar.  The gaming arena offers 8 different escape rooms, laser tag, and zombie battles. They have a stage and different bands playing on the weekends, and they offer event rentals and birthday parties, too. Check their calendar for details. 

Promotional photos from their website

Småland at IKEA, St. Louis City

Location: 1 Ikea Way, St. Louis, MO 63110

Website: https://www.ikea.com/kr/en/customer-service/shopping-at-ikea/smaland/

Småland is a free forest-themed play area at IKEA. While your kids are playing, you can enjoy your shopping experience knowing your children will be safe and cared for. When you arrive, you fill out a form and check your kids in. They have to be between 37 and 54 inches tall and potty-trained. They will give you a beeper and write down the time you need to pick up the kids (you have 60 minutes). 

There are many toys to play with, including blocks, magnatiles, dominoes, musical toys, trains, and cars and trucks. There is also a ball pit, a kitchen, and a slide. There is an upper area where they show movies. They always have crayons and a craft going on as well.  It's an excellent service that IKEA provides! They do limit the room to a certain number of kids, so if it's a weekend or holiday, you may have to wait. The food at IKEA is wonderful and inexpensive, so you could easily spend a few hours here playing, shopping, and eating.