Kids Club FunLand

Thanks to James for this review of Kids Club Funland!

COUPON ALERT: Mention that you saw this article when you visit Kids Club FunLand and receive 8 free tokens when you visit. Thanks FunLand for the special deal for Crazy Kids members.

Fathers day…Only number two for me. My wife asked me if I’d like to have a little “me” time when I awoke that morning. I thought, “what a silly question… today is about fatherhood…” I was so looking forward to taking my little guy out to the park, or a lake, or a pool, or some sunny summer venue…. when “BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!”…. Thunder with a side of lightning. My brave cats nearly killed me when they scaled my back trying to reach higher ground.

Short of sporting rain gear and thick rubber soled shoes, my itinerary was not going to go as planned.

A quick Google search, 10 minutes in the car, and $10 later my wife, son, and I were at the Kids Club FunLand in Norwood, MA.

Here’s the down and dirty – If you’re looking for an amazing video arcade, there’s probably better to be found. If you’re looking for fun carnival type games, there are also probably better venues.

With the bad out of the way, here’s the good… The playground is ridiculous!!! And I mean that in the best way possible. The pics on their website don’t do it justice, I’ve attached my own that give a better feel.

Funny thing about getting pics at this place – it’s too big to get the whole playground… I would have to pull off the roof and get an aerial-cam shot.

I went into the maze with my little guy. He was besides himself. He had never been in a ball pit. He loved it. So many mazes to slip and slide through. I think there were three two story slides. I can’t be sure. I’d say kids 2-10 would have a blast. This big kid enjoyed it himself. It was just a little rough on his knees crawling around (couldn’t be because he’s skipped the gym for 5 months)

There’s a small gaming area outside of the playground with enough entertainment to keep a couple of teenagers occupied – allowing younger brothers and sisters to explore the playground.

There’s several packages for general admission. Some offer more tokens or food (basic Chuck e Cheese type snacks)… Though I was contemplating sneaking out next door to the Mexican restaurant for a quick Margaritta…. Maybe next time.

They offer birthday packages ranging from basic to all inclusive soup to nuts (translation: pizza to pinatas). Their themed parties include Barbie, Cinderella, My Little Pony, Dora the Explorer, Scooby Doo, SpongeBob, Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Nascar, Yu-Gi-Oh, Butterflies, Batman, Dinosaur, Thomas the Tank, Star Wars, Spiderman, Bratz, Army, Hello Kitty, Pirates, Disney Princess, Elmo and more.

This is a great cold, rainy, snowy day destination. Pricing is very fair and the playground area is a hoot! Nice contained area for those youngsters who always seem to get into trouble.

Even more – the folks at Kids Club added an incentive for Crazy Kids members – 8 additional tokens with admission.

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The Chocolate Bar at The Langham Hotel

If you’re looking for a break away from the norm, the Chocolate Bar is it. This is a great opportunity to get a little dressed up and have a fun afternoon with the kids while avoiding the screaming, pushing, and shoving that happens at most other venues. Then again, there still may be a little shoving and elbowing for that last chocolate-covered strawberry…

The Chocolate Bar is one of Boston’s tastiest activities, yet many still do not know of its existence. The elegant Café Fleuri in the Langham Hotel hosts this annual event, which is celebrating its 21st season. You can choose whether to get dressed up for the occasion or not; you will see a mix of dresses and jeans throughout the establishment. Either way, the wait staff will treat you like royalty. How often will your kids get to eat all the chocolate they want while drinking milk out of a stemmed glass and wiping their mouths with a linen napkin?

The season runs from September through June every year and the theme changes, making this an ideal event to do annually with the family. This year’s theme is “Boston’s Chocolate Trail” and celebrates some of Boston’s famous neighborhoods: Chinatown, the North End, Faneuil Hall, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the South End, and Fenway Park. The bar is split up by neighborhood and has gourmet desserts appropriate to each area. For instance, Fenway Park showcases homemade crackerjacks, chocolate covered peanuts, ice cream sandwiches, and cotton candy, just to name a few. Some of the desserts return every year, and some of them are new. The crepe bar has been around for a few years as well as the chocolate croissant bread pudding and the famous chocolate fountain. More desserts are listed online.

The Chocolate Bar is open from 11 am to 3 pm on Saturdays and reservations are recommended. Adults are $38, children 12 and under are $25, and children 4 and under are free. We’ve seen baby showers and birthday parties there, too, so call about your special event. The season ends on Saturday, June 26.

Some may say it is on the expensive side, but that depends on how much you like chocolate! One suggestion: wear loose fitting clothing.

The Chocolate Bar

Café Fleuri

250 Franklin St., Boston

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