Interactive playground areas engage children of all ages. The indoor location makes them a popular year-round destination. There is also more flexibility in the interactive play features because the weather elements don't affect them. Engaging, age-appropriate play experiences that allow kids to explore and learn are the key to indoor playground areas.

Grocery Store

A grocery store area draws the attention of children of all ages. Simple shelves made from wood or metal offer a place for all the pretend food items. Boxes, cans and plastic fruits and vegetables work well for the grocery store setup. Child-sized shopping carts make the experience more real for the youngsters. Another option is small baskets with handles. A cash register area complete with cloth shopping bags rounds out the interactive grocery store play area. Other play-area ideas include a doctor's office, restaurant, kitchen or a veterinarian's office.

Puppet Stage

A puppet stage inspires creativity among young children. A puppet stage constructed with wood provides durability for an interactive play area. You can either build your own puppet stage or purchase a commercially produced stage. A container of various puppets gives the kids plenty of variety for their performances. A similar option is to build a small raised stage for the kids to perform on.

Climbing Structures

Climbing structures allow kids to burn off energy inside. They also help improve balance and motor skills. The age of the kids using the climbing structures influences the size and type you'll want. You'll also need to consider the flooring underneath the structures, ensuring that it is soft and shock-absorbent in case of falls. Balance beams, jungle gyms, ramps and indoor tree houses are examples of climbing structures ideal for kids.

Building Blocks

Simple building blocks entertain children for long periods of time. Blocks of various sizes and types offer more variety. Large bricks give kids the ability to create larger structures to spark the imagination. A designated building block area for the indoor playground helps keep the pieces contained and organized.

Safety Practice

An area of the indoor playground devoted to safety gives kids hands-on play practice. A pretend road with a walk and don't walk sign lets the kids practice crossing the street. The seat of a car with working seat belts makes them familiar with the process. Police uniforms and hand-held stop signs allow the kids to interact more with the safety area of the playground.