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| Mimi's Kids Club |
Mimi's Kids Club, located in the Price Chopper Plaza in Rensselaer, is an indoor play area for children 12 and under. Upon entering, there is a counter to the right where you pay the fee to play ($6 per child for 2 hours) and get your hand stamped. On the right there are a number of small cubbies with buckets and hooks for storing coats, bags, and anything else you brought with you.
The large, open play area is divided into sections. In the very front is a wooden climbing gym with 2 small plastic slides, a tunnel, and a look-out tower. On one side of the room there are multiple themed play areas, which include:
- Sports- Electronic basketball (2 for older children and 1 for toddlers), foosball tables, and air hockey (1 large table, 1 small table).
- Trains- a small train table with Thomas the Train trains and a large Geo Trax track. Each track has a variety of trains and accessories.
- Building- a large workbench with tools, a variety of building blocks, items for making forts, and construction trucks.
- Kitchen & Home- 2 play kitchens with pretend food, dishware, utensils, aprons, a store front with cash registers, shopping carts, strollers, and baby dolls.
On the other side of the room is a little bowling alley with weighted pins and balls, a small sand box, a Barbie & My Little Pony play area, larger cardboard blocks for building, and more. In the very center of the room are small toddler sized tables for doing puzzles, playing, or having a snack. At the back of the room is a table with fresh coffee (regular and decaf) for those of you who need a little pick me up during your stay.
Overall
I was looking for a fun, clean, and affordable place to take my son for indoor play. I had grown tired of the other indoor play areas that we've been to and needed a change. After our first visit, I can say that Mimi's is my new favorite place in the area and here's why...
Upon entering, we were greeted by Mimi herself at the counter where she kindly welcomed us and gave me a brief rundown of the rules, toys and equipment. She was very friendly and made us feel right at home- a great first impression! At first glance, I noticed how bright, cheery, and open the space was. There was a lot of stuff, but it was spread out so it didn't feel cramped or cluttered. After exploring the different play areas with my son, I could definitely see that the toys and equipment were kept clean and organized (sorry, that's my OCD kicking in again:). Mimi mentioned that she and her staff make it a priority to keep the club clean. You can't prevent germs from going around, especially in a place filled with little kids, but it's nice to know that they wash the toys and equipment regularly.
I also liked that there were a variety of themed play areas. They all encouraged exploration, creativity, and pretend play- something you can't get with electronic toys or t.v. My son especially liked the trains, kitchen area, climbing gym, and sand box. During our stay, other parents and their children trickled in. Everyone I chatted with was very friendly and all of the kids seemed to be having lots of fun!
If you're looking for a fun, affordable place to take your kids and a friendly environment to meet other moms then take a short trip to Mimi's. I also want to add that Mimi's is located in the Price Chopper plaza and only a minute away from Zachary's Pastry Shop on Columbia Turnpike, so... you can get some shopping done and your kid can get some playtime all in one location!
For more information visit the website at http://www.mimiskidsclub.com/.
