Barcroft Rec Center — Drop In Playgroup (22206)

Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center

The Review:

If the weather outside is frightful, and it’s a Tuesday or Thursday, head to Barcroft Rec Center for some indoor fun.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10am – 12pm (during the school year), Barcroft hosts a Drop-In Indoor Playgroup in their gym.   It is for children from birth to 5 years old and costs $3/adult.   From their informational flyer:

The program is designed for young children to enjoy exercise and play in a fun, safe, indoor environment with their parents supervised guidance. Parents are welcome to bring ride-on toys and other play equipment within reason. Soft balls, bikes and other toys are provided. Please note: that children over the age of 5 are not permitted.

Adam and I stopped by one fall morning and found it not very crowded.

I believe it gets much more crowded as winter goes on and I have been other times when it is super crowded.  We went once and brought his glider, which was a bad idea.   It was so packed with kids, I was sure he was going to take someone out.

Here’s a view from the balcony over looking the gym.

The staff provide a small amount of play toys (more than what you can see pictured, but not a ton), and people also bring their own stuff.  The space is mostly enclosed, with one point of entry and exit.  There are also bathrooms in the facility just outside the gym.

I like that the Barcroft option is there, although I don’t usually take advantage of it.  Even though the cost is low, I still find a deterrent when there are other free options out there and it doesn’t offer a whole lot more than indoor space to run around.  However, if you have young children who need that physical exercise and a place to “get their crazies out”, Barcroft is a great option.

Looking for more places to play? Check out my reviews of other Playgrounds, Parks, and Play Areas in Arlington and the greater Metro DC area.

Find more parks by visiting my main Arlington Parks & Playgrounds page.