Monkey Joe’s 

Lake Zurich

748 S. Rand Rd.

Lake Zurich, IL 60047

847-719-5867

Wheaton

286 E. Geneva Rd.

Wheaton, IL 60187

630-653-5867

Coming Soon: 

Crystal Lake

6250 Northwest Highway Unit B

Crystal Lake, IL 60014

Aurora

4304-4306 E. New York St.

Aurora, IL 60504

Cost:	- $5 for children 2 and under if playing; $7.99 per child Mon.-Thurs. (3 years & up); $9.99 per child Friday-Sunday (3 years & up); free for adults
	- Frequent user cards and group rates available
	- See Coupon info. below under "Logistics"

Ages welcome:

Kids 12 and younger (There is a separate play area for kids 3 and under.)

Hours:	10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday – Saturday
	11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday

Parent Comments & Ratings

PROS

Nearly every day, my son asks me if we’re going to Monkey Joe’s. He’s only two years old, but he loves this place. We frequent the Lake Zurich location. There are six large inflatable areas in which kids can jump, climb, bounce and slide, as well as two smaller inflatable areas designated for children three and under. There is also a very small game area, where you can earn tickets and turn them in for some kind of prize.

My son loves it because it gives him a chance to jump and climb as much as he wants. The reason I love this place is it’s great exercise for him, especially during the colder months. Each inflatable area has its own obstacle course with ladders and slides, where he can burn extra energy and work on his core muscle groups. (He was in the Illinois Early Intervention program, and his OT loved this type of workout for him.) I also love the price. For $5, my two-year-old gets a day of fun and I get a better night’s sleep! In my opinion, the price for older tots and kids isn’t too bad either!

Two “jumpy areas” are designated for kids three and under. One has mini slides and tunnels. The other is for younger toddlers, with little inflatable animals to sit on and a place to jump. Next to this are some comfy, oversized black swivel chairs and a big screen TV for the parents, as well as a little play area with infant and toddler toys.

I have always found Monkey Joe’s to be very clean. The bathrooms are clean and the inflatable surfaces are sanitized by Swisher Hygiene. Another nice safety feature are the identity bracelets. Each child and parent/guardian get identity bracelets with matching numbers. When you leave, staff checks the bracelets to ensure every child leaves with the person who brought them.

CONS

There’s a reason it only costs $5 for one and two-year-olds. Not all kids are ready to enjoy the inflatable playgrounds at this age. Some of my son’s friends, who love climbing at the parks, aren’t too sure about the inflatable slides. But for $5, it’s worth a try. (We climb every ladder and go down every slide in the place, so we definitely get our money’s worth!)

There aren’t a lot of food options, and you aren’t allowed to bring in outside food or drink. For lunch, there are hot dogs and pizza. There are snacks, candy and various beverages. I didn’t see anything I would consider healthy. However, on Monday through Thursday, you are allowed to leave and come back without paying again. So you could go eat somewhere else. They even allow you to bring additional children when you come back, at a charge of $5 per child. (They do this so parents with both young kids and school-aged children can leave to pick up their older kids from school and come back with the whole crew.)

LOGISTICS

Check out www.familytimemagazine.com for coupons.

When you arrive at Monkey Joe’s, you will be asked to fill out a brief form with personal information: address, phone, child’s name and age, and emergency contact information. You’ll pay the entrance fee and receive an identity bracelet for your child/children and each adult in your party. The numbers on the bracelets match, so staff knows who came together. Upon leaving, each bracelet will be checked and removed. No child will be allowed to leave with someone whose bracelet does not match their own.

Surprisingly, I’ve never gone on a day when the place felt uncomfortably crowded. We usually go on the weekdays right when it opens and stay through early afternoon. However we’ve gone on a Saturday evening and found the crowd to be fairly small as well.

Adults are not allowed on the jumps unless they are assisting a child four years old or younger. No shoes are allowed on the jumps and socks must be worn at all times.

Frequent user cards are available for purchase. They allow you to buy 10 visits at a reduced price. The cost is $70, so if your child is three or older, the card saves you about $1 per visit. The facility is available for private events, fundraisers and even themed birthday parties. They also offer group rates for daycares, religious organizations, play dates and other large parties. You can find more information on their Website.

Website: http://www.monkeyjoes.com