About Coronavirus 2020
Washingtonian is keeping you up to date on the coronavirus around DC.
For now, the kid gyms and indoor playgrounds that we called are still open, but taking extra measures to keep surfaces as clean as they can. As Badlands founder Mikel Blair told us, “People are truly inside the slide cleaning with [disinfectant].”
Here’s the current status:
Busy Bees
6110 D Arlington Blvd., Falls Church; 11 Wisconsin Circle, Bethesda; 4211 Fairfax CornerE.Av St 220, Fairfax
They’re open and all three locations receive thorough cleanings at night after close, as well as increasingly-frequent wipe-downs of all surfaces throughout the day. They have hand sanitizer by the door to use upon entry and exit. In addition to daily cleanings by staff, professional cleaners are doing deeper cleanings more frequently. Above all, they say, if your child seems at all unwell, please stay at home. Check here for updates.
The Lane
1408 Okie St. NE
The new Ivy City play area will be open until Monday, March 16, when they will close until further notice. They do wipe-downs of certain surfaces (including toys) hourly, nightly cleanings of the whole space (including the ball pit), and deeper cleans on a weekly basis. They’re also encouraging patrons to be vigilant and kind. Check here for updates.
Badlands
5200 Randolph Rd., Rockville
The nature-inspired indoor gym is opening a camp next week from March 17 to March 27 so working parents whose kids are now home from school have a place to go. They are also upping their daily sprays and wipe-downs to now include hourly cleanings. They also plan to limit numbers, so they won’t reach their capacity of 350. There’s a new “line-up A-B-C” hand washing station for kids, and staff members’ temperatures are now being monitored daily. “We’re trying to find ways to turn this into positive social responsibility,” founder Mikel Blair said. Think stickers for agreeing to get your temperature taken. Starting Monday, Badlands will post live demos on YouTube for kiddos stuck inside. Check here for updates.
Chibis Indoor Play Area
44675 Cape Ct., Ashburn
The owners of this Ashburn play area already had plans to retire on April 21 this year after eight years of business. For now, they’re open until then, with ramped up cleaning measures. They hope to provide a safe space for exercise and play for healthy kids who feel cooped up. They predict fewer lil’ ones will be able to leave the house to play, so they will make daily decisions about their opening hours. Those updates will be posted here.
MyGym Vienna
133 Park St., Vienna SE
The space is open, but there’s one significant change: The ball pit is closed entirely. MyGym is continuing to disinfect each toy that has been near a child’s mouth. Mats are cleaned multiple times daily using CDC-recommended peroxide-based product. The gym is also asking parents to continue teaching children proper hand washing methods.
SkillZone
709 8th St. SE
Open today and this weekend. In addition to near constant spot-cleaning, SkillZone said they had increased their full-footprint disinfection procedures to twice daily. The play area will be closed following DC Public School closures from March 16 through March 27. To help contain the virus, their website said they are encouraging families to remain home during that time. They also asked families to stay on top of their children’s vaccinations. More information about the space can be found here.
Kidville
4825 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda
This play area is open. Call 301-656-5030 for more info.
Emma Francois is an editorial fellow at Washingtonian covering everything from food to fashion. She graduated from Georgetown University and has previously worked for USA Today, the Georgetown Voice, and the Chautauquan Daily.
