My Kids Reviewed Ottawa’s Best Indoor Play Place

As a parent of three kids under the age of 10, I’ve taken my kids to a lot of indoor play places over the years—trampoline parks, indoor playgrounds at malls, climbing gyms for kids, and indoor amusement parks. But nothing has come close to Flying Squirrel—it’s hands-down their favourite (and mine too). What makes it so great? I decided to ask my kids what they thought about some of the attractions. Here’s how that went.

1. Adventure Soft Playground
   This was the six-year-old's kingdom. Tunnels, slides, and climbing obstacles that never seemed to end. She called it her "secret base" and disappeared in there for at least an hour. "I live here now," she declared. (A funny statement until it was time to go home and I had to actually physically remove her from the space.)
2. Airbag Trampoline Launch Lanes
   Bounce, run, and launch! The older two were all about showing off their best jumps, while the six-year-old invented a game called "launch potato." (We don’t fully understand it, but she loved it.) “I think I flew for a minute," said the 10-year-old with a permanent smile glued to his face.
3. Battlebeam
   Two kids enter. One kid falls into the foam pit. Usually my eight-year-old. Repeat endlessly. It’s basically gladiator-style duelling, but with pool noodles and giggles. Our 10-year-old mastered it. The others...not so much. "I almost had him, then I laughed too hard and fell!" said the eight-year-old.
4. Climbing Wall
   This one sparked a bit of sibling competition. It’s just the right mix of challenge and fun. The eight-year-old made it a quarter of the way up and declared victory. "That was scary but so fun," he explained.
5. Crochet Net Playground
   Imagine a huge, bouncy web made of colourful crochet rope. It’s one of the most unique attractions, and perfect for little climbers and loungers alike. "It looks like a rainbow cloud," said the six-year-old.
6. Drey Cafe
   Snack time, finally. The kids inhale their french fries while I sip a coffee in peace. No small talk, no distractions—just a silent, focused mission to refuel and get back to bouncing. No notes.
7. Dunk Hoops
   All three kids turned into mini LeBrons the second they saw the basketball trampolines. The 10-year-old got the first dunk and has not stopped talking about it since. "I JUMPED SO HIGH," he yelled. He really did.
8. Freestyle Courts
   This is the open trampoline area where pure chaos reigns. Flips, tricks, tag, or just falling dramatically for fun—they never got bored. "Watch this," I hear the kids say every five seconds. “This is the best day ever,” my eight-year-old says.
9. Rope Swing
   The classic test of grip strength and bravery. The 10-year-old made it all the way across like a pro. The six-year-old swung once and dropped into the pit like a giggling sack of potatoes. “I flew like a bird,” she announced proudly—leaving me deeply concerned about what she thinks birds actually look like in flight.
10. Slackline
    Tightrope walking for the adventurous. The eight-year-old made it halfway. The six-year-old tried to use the foam pit it as a nap spot. “But it’s so cozy,” she protested as I tried to extract her, one stubborn limb at a time.
11. Stunt Jump Airbag
    Sprint, leap, soar—and land in the squishiest airbag imaginable. Even the shyest kid couldn’t resist giving it a go. “I did a flip!” the 10-year-old shouted. And to my surprise… he actually did. Mission very much accomplished.
12. Trampoline Dodgeball
    What happens when you combine trampolines and dodgeball? Total mayhem and endless laughs. The 10-year-old was in his element. "I hit Dad in the leg and he FELL OVER," he bragged. (Yes, he did.)
13. Arcade
    Time to cool off? The arcade had all the lights, sounds, and button-smashing action they could want. The kids jumped from game to game like caffeinated pinballs. “I’m winning everything!” the six-year-old yelled, despite no one really knowing the rules. Perfect chaos before jumping back in.

Final Verdict?

Flying Squirrel Ottawa absolutely passed the kid test—with flying colours, flips, and foam. Every age had a blast, and two of them passed out in the car on the way home. Now that’s a successful outing.