Leaves are falling. Shadows are growing longer. You find yourself drawing the drapes earlier and earlier. And while it won't be more than a matter of weeks before you're waking up to darker dawns, some folks will still get those bright and chipper wake-up calls that ask: "What are we going to do today, mom and dad?"
Fortunately, a number of forward-thinking moms in the Capital region struck out to provide creative, energy-burning spaces for get-out-of-the-house play on long, dreary or cold days. Within the last decade, the women-owned Jumpin' Jax Bounce Arena, Play and Art Unlimited have offered places for kids to be kids and for parents to be adults—at least until it's time to go home.
Jumpin' Jax
As a mother of two young children, Jennifer Pizzo is always on-the-lookout for herself and for the members of
Lansing Moms and Expectant Moms—a playgroup for stay-at-home, work-at-home or work-out-of-the-home moms.
"I like that my kids can go and play in a safe, clean place and I don't have to worry about them getting into things," says Joan Blackmer of
Jumpin' Jax Bounce Arena. "They tire themselves out when they're there, and as we know, a tired kid means a happy [parent]."
Pizzo and about a third of her 150-member group gather up the kids once a month for a play date at
Jumpin' Jax Bounce Arena—home of the latest and greatest inflatables on Lansing's northern edge. Opening just five years ago in 2008, Jumpin' Jax bounded through a topsy-turvy economy to rise as an iconic kid-focused local business.
"We opened our doors during a long rainy season," says co-owner Kelly Welch. "People were looking for things to do indoors. We had a tremendous response."
Welch says she and Blackmer recognized the need for kid- and parent-friendly play spaces based on their own experiences with their children. She and Blackmer met at a local community center where they both took their kids for recreation. In time, the two came up with a plan for starting their own business that combined their passion for work and kids.
"Joan and I did a lot of the work ourselves," says Welch of the 10,000- square foot facility filled with about a dozen giant inflatables including slides, obstacle courses and basketball bouncers. "We look back now and say, 'Wow, that was a lot of work, but we made it happen.'"
Today, Jumpin' Jax offers drop-in bounce times, scheduled times for playgroups or organizations, as well as organized birthday parties—complete with a party room.
Welch says that whether you're part of a group or coming solo, Jumpin' Jax offers a friendly, safe environment for parents to catch some downtime while the kids jump for joy.
"We offer Wi-Fi for the parents who want to get a little work done, vending for snacks and beverages, and a comfy lounge area with magazines and arcade games," says Welch. "And if you want to interact with your kids, you can navigate your way through the facility. We just ask that you don't bounce if you're over 12."
Play
Holt native Kasey Shoemaker moved back to Lansing from Chicago with 18-month-old twins, facing the prospect of a long, cold winter. And just like her kids, her imagination constantly whirled as she watched the snow pile up outside.
"I knew other moms must be thinking along the same lines," Shoemaker says. "That you want to spend quality time with your kids, that you want to help them learn and grow, but that you also want to spend time with other like-minded adults."
Within a year of moving back, Shoemaker was tossing around ideas and exploring options for indoor play centers—all with the help of her dynamic duo research assistants, Kennedy and Chase.
Shoemaker took her twins to children's museums and indoor playgrounds, making notes of what kept their attention longest and what seemed to facilitate creative play. After three months of intensive investigation, she landed upon a formula and opened
play.: a place for young children to interact while their parents enjoy conversation, coffee or uninterrupted browsing on their cell phone or laptop.
Located in Meridian Township, play. features a clean, bright environment filled with eco-friendly toys for kids 6 years or age and under. Spaces are set up for imaginative play and for the development of gross and fine motor skills. Parents can hang out with their children or in comfy lounge areas with adults while still in view of their kids. Age-appropriate activities and equipment include open play tables, playhouses, workbenches, light and LEGO tables, a climbing dome and bridges, a play stage and mini trampoline.
"I just love seeing them set up a play garden and farmer's market," says Alexia Mansour, a member of the
Lansing Babywearer group that meets monthly at play.. "I like how they start to understand how vegetables grow in gardens and how they become like little mommies filling carts with food."
Mansour, like many of the 300 or more customers who come to play., says that Shoemaker's business fills a niche for parents seeking low-key learning-based activities for kids.
"I really like the sense of community," Mansour says of her playgroup and people she meets through play.. "It's a very active group of people with similar parenting styles."
Art Unlimited
Ten years ago, Anne O'Connor found herself wondering where to take her two artistically inclined kids when inspiration ran short at home.
Creative-minded herself, O'Connor envisioned a place where kids could explore their abilities while giving mom and dad a chance to take a "time out" or to tap their inner artist, too.
Opening in the early 2000s,
Art Unlimited offers clean, well-lit spaces where parents and kids can relax, do something artistic, and have something to take home. As a pottery, mosaic and glass-fusing studio, Art Unlimited allows customers to build their own creations from an on-site inventory of pottery, glaze, colorful gems and mosaic tiles, and other supplies. Staff is on hand to advise on technique and to provide inspiration for getting started.
"You can have studio time to practice on your own while your kids are here, or we have kids classes and camps where you can drop your kids off, too," says O'Connor. "We're very kid-friendly and accommodating."
O'Connor says she has a lot of regulars who consider themselves part of the "Art Unlimited family." Playgroups, parent groups, and groups of friends also pull up chairs at the long beech wood tables or reserve rooms for parties.
Once a month, O'Connor offers a kid's night out where parents can arrange to drop off their kids 7 and up for a two-hour evening of pottery painting, pizza and pop.
"It's as a chance for parents to have that date night," O'Connor says. As an artist herself, O'Connor understands the creative process. With the exception of parties, camps or scheduled events, her studio is drop-in with no time limit.
"We all live in a very stressed world," she smiles. "The point is for you and your child to have an enjoyable experience—not to simply finish on time."
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Ann Kammerer is a freelance writer for Capital Gains.
Photos ©
Dave Trumpie
Dave Trumpie is the managing photographer for Capital Gains. He is a freelance photographer and owner of
Trumpie Photography.