There’s a new indoor place to play for preschoolers, toddlers, and babies in Mahomet
WooFun Indoor Playhouse offers a variety of playscapes to fuel little imaginations — and plenty of room to burn off some energy
Just a short drive from Champaign-Urbana is WooFun Indoor Playhouse, a new woman-owned small business in Mahomet, catering to babies, toddlers, and kids up to age 8. Located in the old Yellow & Co. spot on Main Street, WooFun is a great spot to play when the weather is just too chilly to be outside — and it’ll be great when it’s sweltering out, too!
Morgan Wooten, owner of WooFun, has converted the former boutique into an imaginative play wonderland. Complete with make-believe play stations like a vet’s office, fishing boat, shop, and playhouse, WooFun also invites littles to get their wiggles out with more physically active stations like a race track, slide, and Jungle Jumperoo (it looks like a huge inner tube surrounding poles).
Wooten, a former Chicago nanny, noticed the lack of indoor places to play after she and her husband moved to Mahomet in 2019. With her background in nannying and early childhood education, Wooten decided to open WooFun after leaving full-time work to be with her young children. Wooten notes that she modeled the playground after places she’d been in Chicago.
“I have always been passionate about dramatic play so I knew that I wanted that to be one of our main focuses,” Wooten said of the space. “I am also a mom with young children and I just kept thinking about our space keeping littles busy while moms or caregivers can feel super comfortable.”
There has been an intentional decision to welcome caregivers as well as children. Grown-ups can sit on couches and keep an eye on their kiddos. There are plugs for chargers, and a few parents were typing away on laptops during our recent visit. Chairs are situated throughout the playground for parents who wish to be a little closer to the action. There is also a family friendly bathroom with a changing table and kid’s toilet seat, plus a small kitchenette and snacks for purchase.
While WooFun invites all kids to play, the space is ideal for ages 8 and younger. Preschoolers will especially enjoy the pretend play areas. There was plenty to keep our chambanakid (age 4) busy for two hours — and he would’ve stayed longer!
We brought along the newest chambanakid — just 4 months old — and though he napped most of the time, he did enjoy the tummy time mat in the baby area (advertised for ages 2 and under). A crawler would love the fenced-off area full of fun, age-appropriate toys.
“We hope to see many kids come through our doors and we hope to see many birthdays celebrated in our party space. We hope we get to stick around for a while,” Wooten said. “If the sky is the limit, our goal in the future would be to grow and cater to the older age group of kids as well, so that we can be a family friendly space for all ages.”
Parking is easy at WooFun, with spots available steps from the door. For $15 per child over 6 months old ($10 for siblings), kids can come and go in the same day, perfect if you need to pop out to grab lunch. Memberships are also available. WooFun also offers a party area for birthdays, and can accommodate private playdates. Weekly storytimes and monthly special events are also in the works.
Learn more about WooFun at their website and Facebook page.
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