Kid Friendly Albany: Joyful Jumpers


Joyful Jumpers Colonie Alliance Church 32 Lapham Drive Albany, NY 12205

Joyful Jumpers, a not-for-profit organization, is an indoor play area for children 5 and under. They offer an Open Play time daily from 10-1 (check their monthly calendar for updates/changes) where you and your child can drop in and play with/use the toys and equipment available. It costs $5 to play, but covers the hours it is open. They also offer a variety of classes and host birthday parties.

Description

When I heard that the play area was located in the church basement I was a bit skeptical. All I could picture was a dimly lit room with concrete floors and cobwebs…sorry, that was the first thing that popped into my head. Fortunately, that wasn't the case at all. The rectangular shaped room was brightly lit, carpeted, and had air-conditioning. After removing your shoes and paying the $5 fee, the place is yours for exploring and playing. To the left is a small seating/eating area with a couple of old comfy couches (the kind that your grandma has) and a low table for children to have their snack at. Eating is not allowed in the play area.

To the right is a large play area. Along one wall your child will find a line-up of push and ride-on toys such as a vacuum cleaner, lawn mower, cars, shopping carts, etc. There is also a small work bench with tools. Along the opposite wall you will see a Step 2 Roller Coaster (a favorite), a Little Tikes Endless Adventures Mountain Climber with slide, a Little Tikes playground with an opening door, tunnel and slide, and a Little Tikes Pirate Ship playhouse. In the far end of the play area there is a Little Tikes cottage with a small play kitchen and pretend food inside, a ball crawl on wheels, a basketball hoop, and a train table with trains. In the very center of the room, on top of a soft colorful mat, is my favorite thing- a soft foam train (that can be taken apart and rearranged thanks to velcro), 2 large tunnels that can be climbed on or under, and a soft barrel that your child can climb in or roll around.

General Thoughts

I have mixed reviews.
Here are the positives... My son has fun playing there. The women/moms that oversee the play area are very friendly. During the summer months I have taken my son to Open Play before the lunch hour and it has never been crowded (maybe 3-4 other children). However, during the winter it can get super busy, which makes total sense. By January most of us are going stir crazy from being stuck indoors and need a place to escape.

Here are the drawbacks... Some, if not most, of the equipment and toys could use a good scrub down with clorox as they felt and looked grimy (Please keep in mind that I'm a bit of a clean freak, so my standards of cleanliness may be different from your own). There is a small counter where you can place toys that have been in your child's mouth to be disinfected, however, there weren't any signs about this. I actually had to ask about it after my son put a toy in his mouth. On a couple of occasions my son has gotten sick after playing there, which I blame on the lack of cleanliness. I thought I was being a bit too critical, but after talking to other moms that take their children there I heard the same thing- their kids have fun, but always end up getting sick a few days later. Some moms even refuse to take their kids there because of this.

Overall, everything is age-appropriate and at the perfect height for children 5 and under. If you're looking for a cheap place where your child can climb, slide, roll, laugh, pretend, and meet other kids, then give Joyful Jumpers a try.