Rainy Day Activities for Kids in London, Ontario

Grey sky. Restless littles. Everyone cooped up since breakfast. If you live in London, Ontario, you know the feeling — and you probably know the budget conversation that comes with it.

We are Off The Wall Kids, an indoor playground in East London (Argyle area, not far from Fanshawe College). Rainy days are basically our specialty. This is our straight-up guide for families trying to plan a wet weekend — including the stuff we get asked about constantly: hours, pricing, walk-ins, parties, socks, waivers, and where to park.

First things first: you do not need an online booking to visit us. Walk-ins are welcome. Always. Booking online usually saves you a little on admission and holds your spot on a busy Saturday — we recommend it when the forecast looks ugly — but it is not a requirement. If you have called us to ask that question before, you are in good company. We answer it all the time.

For hours and pricing, check the Today's Hours bar at the top of our website before you drive over. We are usually open 10:00am to 8:00pm, seven days a week, but holiday hours can change. Current admission rates by age are on our Admission & Pricing page: offthewallkids.ca/admission-pricing

Are we full because there are birthday parties? This is the other big rainy-day question.

Short answer: no. Our capacity is well over 300. Even at our busiest, parties take up roughly 75 spaces — not the whole building. We always have room for drop-in families. We have not been at capacity where we had to send people elsewhere in years — and honestly, we try not to send anyone anywhere else in the first place. If you want extra peace of mind, book online and your admission is reserved. If you prefer to walk in, come on in.

London families have voted us Best Indoor Playground two years in a row through community votes — and Best Children's Entertainer two years in a row as well. We are grateful for that. We are not the biggest indoor play space out there, and that is okay. What we are is a place built for real families on real rainy Saturdays.

So what actually happens when you walk through the door?

A lot of kids make a beeline for the volcano slide first — it is hard to miss and it looks as cool as it sounds. From there it is climbing, slides, the jumping pillow, and running off steam in a way your living room couch will never forgive.

Parents tell us the thing they notice right away is the sightlines. We designed the space so you can sit in the eating area and still see your kids almost everywhere they go — in the structure, on the jumping pillow, at concession, heading to the bathrooms. You are not playing zone defence across three separate rooms wondering which child you lost track of.

We also hear from families with mixed ages that they love not having to choose. Younger littles and older kids can play within the same visual space. We have a small toddler area for the smallest ones, but the main structure is built so parents can walk through the entire space with toddlers who are moving well. If your little one wants to explore with you right beside them, you are not stuck in one corner while big sister disappears into a maze somewhere else.

How long do people stay? Plan for at least two hours. Many families are here three hours or more — especially with Unlimited Play Until We Close on online bookings. Kids do not always tap out on a schedule, and rainy days have a way of stretching the afternoon.

The concession is part of why people linger. We try to keep food prices reasonable for parents — healthier options alongside the classics: chicken nuggets, chicken strips, fries, pizza, and more. One stop, full afternoon, nobody's melting down in a drive-thru line in the rain.

Before you come, two rules that catch people off guard — especially in summer:

Socks. Every single person who comes past our admission counter needs socks, regardless of age. Sandals and bare feet happen a lot when the weather is warm. Pack socks or plan to pick them up at admission.

Waivers. Everyone needs a signed waiver — any age, playing or not playing. Babies, parents, grandparents — if you are coming past the counter, we need a waiver on file. Sign ahead here if you can: offthewallkids.ca/waiver

Our First Visit Guide walks through the rest: offthewallkids.ca/first-visit-guide

When is it busy, and when is it quieter?

Rainy weekends — especially mid-day — are our peak times. If you want a calmer visit, come first thing in the morning (10:00am to noon) or later in the afternoon (5:00pm until we close).

Parking: we have a small lot at 539 First St. You can also use Diamond HVAC parking. On weekends only, Hickey Appliance's lot is available too. If those are full, follow the signs in the neighbourhood — there is additional parking behind our building with a walkway along the north side that brings you back to our front entrance. Full directions: offthewallkids.ca/parking

Rainy days are not the only reason families find us. Birthday parties and camps are big parts of what we do — and they do not shut out drop-in play. If you have a celebration on the horizon, our party packages are here: offthewallkids.ca/kids-birthday-parties-london-ontario

For PA Days, school breaks, and summer weeks when the rain will not quit: offthewallkids.ca/pa-day-activities-london-ontario and offthewallkids.ca/summer-camps-london-ontario

More year-round family ideas in London: offthewallkids.ca/things-to-do-with-kids-london-ontario

Quick answers we get on rainy days:

Do we need a reservation? Walk-ins welcome. Online booking saves money and reserves your spot — nice on busy weekends, not required.

What does admission cost? Rates by age (0–23 months, 2–17, additional adults). One adult per child is free. See current prices: offthewallkids.ca/admission-pricing

What are today's hours? Check the Today's Hours bar on our site — usually 10:00am–8:00pm, holidays may differ.

Are parties taking over the building? No — drop-in families are always part of the mix.

Socks and waivers for everyone? Yes. Both. Every time.

Ready to get out of the rain? Grab socks, sign waivers if you can, and come see us. Walk in anytime we are open — or book online to save a bit and hold your spot: bookeo.com/off_the_wall_bookings

We will see you on the volcano slide.