The Playground for Kids, Ankeny

Hoping to provide their energetic children with a healthy alternative to video games, a group of local Des Moines parents came together to create The Playground for Kids. Its 9,000-square-foot facility abounds with inflatable play structures, towering slides, and a colorful treehouse jungle gym complete with tunnels and secret coves. In between clambering up and down play structures, youngsters scamper to the onsite concession stand to refuel with hot dogs, popcorn, and fruit cups. Throughout the year, the indoor playground plays host to themed events, such as Easter egg hunts or wacky sock. The center also offers up its facilities for private birthday parties and rents out its bounce houses as attractions for special events or reenactments of the of the last scene from The Three Little Pigs.