Address: 9033 Red Branch Road Columbia, MD 21045 Website: https://www.playnlearn.com/columbia-md-open-play/ Type: Activity Setting: Indoor Price: $
Overview
Play N' Learn is a backyard-playground superstore that opens its showroom floor for indoor open play on weekday afternoons. The "play" is the actual sales inventory — swingsets, slides, trampolines, and basketball goals you could buy and put in your yard — set on safe rubber flooring, plus air hockey, ping pong, and foosball tables. It's the sweet spot for ages 2–8, with baby swings for the under-2 crowd.
Because tickets are capped per session, it never feels like a bounce-house zoo, which makes it a calm rainy-day or too-hot-to-be-outside option. The catch: it's only open for play Monday through Friday — weekends are reserved entirely for private parties — and you must buy a ticket in advance. Skip it if you have a free-range weekend schedule, if your kids are 9+ (they'll age out fast), or if you want a walk-up-anytime indoor playground.
What to know before you go
- Open play days/hours: Monday–Friday only, in three two-hour sessions: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM, 12:30–2:30 PM, and 3:00–5:00 PM. Closed for open play on weekends (parties only).
- Cost: $10 per child ages 12 months–15 years. Adults are free. Infants under 12 months are free.
- Tickets: Required in advance — buy online; slots open about a week ahead. A sold-out session means no drop-ins.
- Session limit: Up to two hours per visit, one session per child per day.
- Waiver: A signed waiver is required before play. Fill it out online when you book so you're not doing paperwork at the door.
- Socks: Socks or shoes on — no bare feet. They don't sell socks, so bring a pair.
- Food: No food or drink on the showroom floor. There's a party room you can eat in when it isn't booked, and you can bring your own snacks.
- Supervision: Parents stay and supervise their own kids the whole time. No drop-offs.
- Parking: Free lot out front.
Tips for families
- Book the day before, not the morning of. Sessions are capped and popular weekday slots fill, especially in summer and on school-holiday weekdays. Tickets open about a week out.
- Fill out the waiver at home. It's the same online flow as booking — doing it on your phone in the parking lot with a toddler melting down is avoidable.
- Pack socks for everyone. Bare feet aren't allowed and they don't have any to lend or sell. Grippy socks are ideal on the slides and trampolines.
- Bring snacks but plan to eat in the party room. Nothing on the play floor, so budget a few minutes in the party room (when free) or eat in the car before you leave.
- Aim for the 10 AM session with little ones. It's the freshest, least-worn-out slot and lines up with toddler nap schedules so you can leave by noon.
- This is a two-hour cap, not all day. Plan the visit as one focused block, not a drop-in-anytime hangout — you can't buy back-to-back sessions in one day.
- Great hot-day or rainy-day backup. It's fully indoor, so it works when the splash pads and playgrounds are a no-go.
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings (the 10 AM session) are the calmest and best for toddlers and preschoolers. Because every session is capped, even the busy afternoon slots don't get chaotic, but the early slot has the freshest energy and lines up with nap timing. There are no weekend open-play hours at all — weekends are party rentals only — so this is strictly a Monday-through-Friday plan.
Season barely matters since it's all indoor and climate-controlled, which is exactly why it earns its keep on a 95-degree July afternoon or a steady-rain spring day. Summer and school-break weekdays see more demand for the limited tickets, so book earlier then.
FAQs
Is Play N' Learn open on weekends? No. Open play runs Monday through Friday only. Weekends are reserved entirely for private parties, so there's no weekend walk-in or ticketed play.
Do I need to buy tickets in advance? Yes. Tickets are sold online and slots open about a week ahead. If a session sells out they can't take drop-ins, so book once you're sure of your day.
How much does it cost and who pays? It's $10 per child ages 12 months to 15 years. Adults get in free, and infants under 12 months are free.
How long can we stay? Each session is up to two hours, and you can do one session per child per day. The three daily slots are 10–12, 12:30–2:30, and 3–5.
What ages is it best for? It's geared to ages 2–8, with the most fun for that range. There are baby swings for under-2s, but kids 9 and up tend to age out quickly.
Can we bring our own food? Not onto the showroom floor — no food or drink out where the play equipment is. You can eat in the party room when it isn't booked.
Are socks required? Yes. Socks or shoes must stay on; no bare feet. They don't sell socks, so bring your own pair.
Do parents have to stay? Yes. Adult supervision is required the entire time and drop-offs aren't allowed. You'll also sign a waiver before play, which you can complete online ahead of time.
Helpful links
- Play N' Learn Columbia open play page — official hours, session times, pricing, and the ticket/waiver booking flow.
- Play N' Learn main site — the playground superstore behind the open-play floor, useful if you want to know what equipment you're climbing on.
- Play N' Learn, Inc. on Facebook — where last-minute closures, holiday hours, and schedule changes get posted first.
