Playtime just got fancy at The Westchester mall

Hi everyone!

I’ve been busy getting settled in with our newborn. After a week inside we put a protective bubble around his travel system and headed to The Westchester to look for a push present (when you give birth without an epidural, you don’t go to the Galleria). Lucky for us, the new play space on the 4th floor next to the future food court had just opened and we decided to scope it out. Two words: how cute!

It’s got a children’s museum vibe with its digital displays and large scale interactive toys, but the best part (IMHO) is the ample comfy parent seating and charge stations everywhere. If you’re going to pay $3 for parking, you might as well take a shopping break and let your little one run around before getting strapped back in their stroller because they can’t be trusted off leash in Williams Sonoma.

The space is one large room divided into a few zones. It’s very open, but there is an area geared toward younger kids that is sectioned off with a row of benches. Place your crawler or early walker inside, pop down on the bench, and they are safe and contained until you’re ready to go. The only issue is that to get into the space, you have to climb over the large padded bench, so it might be a pain to go and get them. Inside are lots of gym mats and wedges and a wall full of sensory pieces like mazes, mirrors, and busy beads.

There’s also a giant Big-esque piano, an interactive 4-sided display about the seasons, and a tile table for block free play. Younger kids will like the open play area and large exhibits, while older kids (up to about 6) will like the block station and the four art “easels” that contain touch screens with a painting program.

Even if you don’t need to use the play space, you might want to swing by the play room for access to their kid-friendly restrooms and changing stations. There’s a large nursing room, a family restroom, and a few large changing stations.

Large, friendly, fun, and clean, the new play space is a nice pit stop in an otherwise adult mall. And in case you wondering, I didn’t find a push present. I bought matching holiday pajamas for my kids to wear on Christmas morning instead. That’s motherhood for you.

I hope everyone has a great holiday! We have a list of events here, and our weekly library programs list is here. Doublecheck that the programs are still scheduled for the next few weeks, as some libraries will have reduced hours and programs for the holidays.

Until next time,

Andrea