Insider Info.
Go and stay. One reason I love Xtreme Bouce Zone is because they have long hours, and you can stay and play as long as you like. My kids can literally last for 5 hours. They are also almost always open during school breaks, days off and holidays. I love that. *Important note: they are not open on Saturdays*
Bring your own food. There is a toddler area inside the main room of Xtreme Bounce where you can bring your own food/lunch/drinks/snacks. I always bring a bag full of items so we don't have to leave because we are hungry. There are also snacks and drinks to buy and they are reasonable priced. People generally clean things up, but the employees of Xtreme Bounce Zone do a nice job with a little vacuum and are very attentive if there is a problem or a spill.
There are balls behind the desk. My kids all love playing basketball (two hoops) or ball tag. There are soft balls and basketballs behind the desk. You are also welcome to bring your own if you know your child MUST have a ball.
Let the big kids play. Xtreme Bounce Zone is one of the few places where on a day off of school the big kids rule, and it's kind of nice. There are lots of older kids there burning off energy and playing together. They are generally respectful and careful, but it's fun to have somewhere that they can be a little wild too. I appreciate the attitude of the staff. They once told me, "This is like a playground. We let them have a good time and let parents monitor things if they need to." That being said, they are more than willing to step in if there is a problem.
There is a place roped off for the the toddlers. Currently I don't love the inflatable in that area...it's a pirate ship that is hard to get into and you cannot see your toddler, plus adults are too heavy to be inside. I would much prefer something small with a little slide and a place for them to jump. If the older kids are there, I end up following my baby around on the bigger inflatables, which is fine too since I burn some extra calories and work up a sweat.
Toddler Time. EAch week there are specific hours set aside for only little kids. There are generally only 5-15 kids there with their parents, so the atmosphere is fun and relaxed and not too overwhelming. This is a great time to bring your little one and burn off energy. The hours are great too and the cost is only $5 per child and free for adults. Totally reasonable.
Air hockey is free. This is one of the reasons we can stay so long. After the kids play on the inflatables, they can try their hand at air hockey or watch one of the matches going on. I love that it is free! Once in awhile I have to interrupt kids (sometimes my own) who are hogging the table to remind them to play one game, then let someone else have a turn. It always seems to be fine and everyone ends up getting a turn.
Great Parties. We hosted a "back to school" party there for a bunch of our friends and it was awesome! There was plenty of time to bounce and they weren't too strict about the kids going from the party room back to the inflatable area. They will order in Little Caesar's for you and they don't mark up the price. We had all the pizzas double cut and it went much further than we expected. They allow you to bring in your own food, so we had fruit, veggies and snacks plus dessert. We did have to bring in our our paper goods and do a basic clean up, but it was pretty simple. They were very easy to work with. The only down side is that the party room is removed from the bouncing room and situated in the Martial Arts area.
If you go.
Admission. Admission is really reasonable at $7 per child over 6 and $5 for walkers though 5 years old. Adults are free and they welcome your play. They do have Wi-fi and room for parents to sit in the bouncing area or in the lobby.
Parking. There is always plentiful parking and it's free, but the building is a little hard to find as it is hidden in a warehouse behind a car dealership off Jackson Road and Aprill Drive. You might have to drive by a few times, but it's there!
Kidz Night Out. I have not attended this but on Friday nights from 7-10pm you can drop off your kids 8 and older and they eat pizza and bread sticks and get to bounce for 3 hours. Much cheaper than a babysitter!
Avoid Ann Arbor School Breaks. I know that might not be possible, but if it is, it's a good plan. If you are going because the kids are out of school, you might try giving them a call and asking when groups will be there. When a group leaves things really clear out. Try going right when things open, or if you are available to bounce later in the day, try going from 4pm-8pm and you will have all kinds of time to yourself. If you have only babies or toddlers, try going only during toddler time. I would avoid the school breaks if you only have little ones.
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