If you are looking for some winter indoor fun, check these options out

Samantha Whidden, Ashland Times-Gazette
Updated ·4 min read

With this year's winter season predicted to be a snowy and cold one, many playgrounds and outdoor areas may not be available. Thankfully, Ashland and Wayne counties have all kinds of places for families to go and have some fun.

According to Farmer's Almanac, the Ohio Valley will experience colder than normal temperatures with above-normal precipitation and snowfall. The snowiest periods are predicted to be in late December through mid-January and late January through mid-February.

With that said, indoor activities are a necessity. Here is a list of businesses that provide perfect winter fun without big coats, hats and gloves.

Masterminds Escape Room & Game Library is located at 33 W. Main St., Ashland. In addition to the escape room, the facility offers puzzle walls, ghost hunt investigations and tabletop roleplaying games.
Masterminds Escape Room & Game Library is located at 33 W. Main St., Ashland. In addition to the escape room, the facility offers puzzle walls, ghost hunt investigations and tabletop roleplaying games.

Jump yards, indoor waterparks, escape rooms, and game library

Masterminds Escape Room & Game Library - 33 W. Main St., Ashland: More for those who want to take time away from their electronic devices, Masterminds Escape Room & Game Library dubs itself as the first escape room experience in Ashland County. It also is the first game library and escape room combination in the state. The owners say they strive to grow minds and social interactions between family, friends and first-time gamers of all ages. There are are puzzle walls, ghost hunt investigations, and tabletop roleplaying games.The game room has more than 500 games while the escape room offer a "chance to escape from reality and work together with friends, family, or sometimes complete strangers to complete a task." Although visitors are never locked in a room, they are guaranteed to not want to leave. The escape rooms start at $15 per person (age 7 and older) and depends on which room you're selecting. Children 6 and under are free.Along with the escape room and game library, Masterminds offers a food menu that includes more than 20 varieties of ice cream.

Lena Miller, age 1 and 1/2, practices her hula hoop skills at Kidz Towne in Wooster.
Lena Miller, age 1 and 1/2, practices her hula hoop skills at Kidz Towne in Wooster.

Kidz Towne - 2918 Cleveland Road, Wooster: Geared toward the younger kiddo crowd and a little bit of ways from Ashland, Kidz Towne describes itself as a gated miniature theme park. It operates by scheduled play-times with occasional walk-in days and regular hosted events. Each of the stalls are themed for imagination. Free play for an hour is $12 ($8 for additional child) up to two adults free per group and for a day pass (4 hours) it is $18.Kidz Towne also offers a café space that has some snacks.

The Ashland Kroc Center - 527 E. Liberty St., Ashland: For a closer to town experience, the Ashland Kroc Center offers various activities for children of all ages. The field house is available for batting cages, indoor soccer, flag football, laser tag, and zorb socer. The multi-purpose gym is designed basketball, indoor soccer, volleyball, and pickleball. There is also a Kids Watch area so that adults can workout while the center staff plays with little ones.There is is a fitness center and indoor waterpark. Membership for children (1 to 17) is $30 per month, adults (18+) is $40 per month, and senior (62+) is $35. Family (up to 6) membership is $75 per month.

A popular play place for kids to be at Jump and Shout in Smithville is one of the slides.
A popular play place for kids to be at Jump and Shout in Smithville is one of the slides.

Jump N Shout! - 887 W. Main St, Smithville: For kiddos of all ages, Jump N Shout! offers a safe, clean, and friendly environment with a range of inflatables and activities. For the younger kids, there is train table as well as puzzles, chalkboard wall, building blocks, bouncy houses, ride-on cars, and stackable balance toys. For the older kids, there is a huge double glide, teeter totter, foosball table, air hockey table, basketball arcade, Xbox Kinect for hands-free sports games, Connect4, and race car table.The rates are Monday through Thursday, $12 per child and Friday through Sunday, $15 per child for unlimited bounce and play. The fee for the Nerf Arena is $7 per one 15-minute game.

Kaden Dickerson tees off as Grady Cline watches while playing a round of golf on one of the simulators at Caddy Shack, 1640 Claremont Ave., Ashland.
Kaden Dickerson tees off as Grady Cline watches while playing a round of golf on one of the simulators at Caddy Shack, 1640 Claremont Ave., Ashland.

The Caddy Shack Indoor Golf and Fun - 1640 Claremont Ave., Ashland: The Caddy Shack Indoor Golf and Fun offers fun for anyone, young and old. The establishment offers a indoor golf area that features five PGA tour simulators, forty golf courses, and even golf lessons. Along with the golf area, It also has a gaming area that has complimentary pool tables, pinball, darts, and giant Jenga.

Roller skating is a popular indoor activity at Acres of Fun on the north end of Wooster.
Roller skating is a popular indoor activity at Acres of Fun on the north end of Wooster.

Acres of Fun - 3889 Friendsville Rd, Wooster: Acres of Fun has 10 acres of indoor and outdoor activities. Although the outdoor activities are closed for the season, there are some pretty exciting and fun indoor activities. They includes roller-skating, laser tag, play zone, arcade and indoor pickleball. The establishment has a restaurant that offers soft pretzels, pizzas, burgers, chicken fingers, and corn dogs.Activities each have individual admission prices. Arcade new card activation fee is $1.50 with a $1 game card. Laser Tag is $10 for one game. Playzone is $10 and is for 12 years and younger. Skateland is $10 with additional fees for regular skate ($2) and inline skate ($4). There is a "cheapskate" rate for skating for $5 on Wednesdays only (regular skate is $1 and inline skate is $2)

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Indoor fun for Ashland, Wayne children includes escape rooms