Kids Top Picks for Indoor Fun in Penang

Penang has more than its fair share of beaches, jungle walks and parks. But sometimes, I just want to do something indoors with the kids. They need a place to burn off some youthful energy while I can rest my weary, middle-aged bones without worrying that they'll run off into the wilderness. The air-conditioning is a bonus, too. Here are a few of my kids' favorite spots.

Adventure Zone
When we visited our home in Texas, people would invariably ask the kids what is their favorite thing about Penang. The younger two always declared, "Adventure Zone!" It's part of the Golden Sands Resort in Batu Feringgi but open to the public and a very popular place.



Double Drop Slide with ball pit and Demon Drop Slide

The centerpiece of this play area is the drop slides. Seriously, I've never seen anything like this in the United States. There's a trio of wavy racing slides and one double-drop slide that ends in a ball pit. But the scariest one of them all is the Demon Drop Slide. It's 24-feet tall and extremely steep. In fact, I couldn't bear to push my child off at the top. It just went against my maternal instincts to shove my kid into an abyss. Luckily, there's always an attendant at the top who is more than happy to help out the youngsters. Adventure Zone also has a 2-story playscape plus a separate area for toddlers and a play kitchen.

Upstairs, kids can play the Nintendo Wii (RM15 for 30 minutes), foosball or the few arcade games. For an extra charge, try out the Segway Course just outside. As for me, I really like that they have a cafe with drinks (Coffee!!), snacks and ice cream.



Racing Slides

Admission is for 2 hours of play, and kids are required to wear socks and long-sleeve shirts. My son loves this place so much, he had his birthday party here.

Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
RM20 on weekdays
RM30 on weekends and public holidays
Reduced rates for resort guests
Adventure Zone sometimes runs a promotion letting the 4th child in free with 3 paid admissions.


Cartoon World on Level 5 of Gurney Paragon Mall and is ideal for young kids ages 3 to 6 years old. It's filled with mini-amusement park type rides (RM5 each) like a carousel and arcade games (RM2 per play) where children can earn tickets to go towards prizes. There is also a small playscape area that is RM5. My friend recently hosted her daughter's 6th Birthday party here, and a fabulous time was had by all.

Cartoon World at Gurney Paragon Mall.

When you arrive, you get a card and put money on it. The charge is dependent on how many kids you're bringing in. That money then goes towards the activities inside Cartoon World.

Mega Kiddie World - Queensbay Mall & Gurney Plaza

The top floor of Queensbay Mall and Gurney Plaza, Level 4 have quite a collection of amusements for the youth of Penang. My daughter always begs to go to Mega Kiddie World. I think there's another location at Sunway Carnival Mall in Butterworth, too. This multi-story playscape easily entertains kids from ages 3 to 7 years. My only gripes are that the waiting area for parents has a paltry 3 small benches, and they charge adults if they want to accompany their young child inside. Admission is for a full day of play with wristband. Bring socks.

RM12 on Monday-Thursday
RM15 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
RM18 on public holidays and school holidays
RM3 for adults accompanying children into playscape

Mega Kiddie World in Queensbay Mall (Gurney Plaza location is smaller.)

Urban Playground
Located on the 2nd floor of Penang Times Square, Urban Playground keeps the kids entertained and active with inflatable bounce houses, slides, and ball pits.

Inflatable slides
(Photo courtesy of Urban Playground)

A glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course  has 18 holes for the kids to try out their putting skills. They'll probably need a jillion strokes to get the ball in the hole, but who cares if they're having fun.

Glow-in-the-Dark Miniature Golf (Photo courtesy of Urban Playground)

KidLand Edutainment Center
One of the newest additions to Penang is Kidland in Prangin Mall. Activity centers such as Hospital, Police, Fire Department, Music Studio, Cooking, and Science Laboratory allow children to try their hand at a variety of careers. Staff members guide kids through each activity to ensure maximum fun and learning. My 8-year-old spent 7 hours here and still did not want to leave. There's a multi-story playscape and a cafe, too. Parents of older children are permitted to drop them off. Prices are RM30-45 depending on the day. See my full writeup at Learning by Playing in Penang at Kidland.

Jump Street Trampoline Park
Leap around on wall-to-wall trampolines, see how many rounds you can last in the dodgeball arena, jump into the foam pit, and whack your buddy on the Battle Beam. Jump Street Penang is the perfect place for both kids and adults to burn some energy. Special area for the little kids so they don't get trampled by the big ones, too. Cafe on site. Atrium level of D'Piazza Mall, Bayan Baru.

Video Game Arcades
I've seen these at quite a few malls around town. Not surprisingly, they are loud and filled with tweens and teens. I didn't see many games suitable for young children.

• Mega Leisure World in Queensbay Mall, just around the corner from Mega Kiddie World
• Gurney Plaza on the 7th floor past the movie cinema
• Tesco Shopping Center in Tanjung Bungah, 2nd floor

Movie Theatres
It's air-conditioned, and I don't have referee the kids for a blessed 1.5 hours. What's not to like? Who cares if the plot makes no sense and the jokes are only so-so? Kids' movies at Gurney Plaza sometimes sell out a couple hours before the start time on weekends, so I highly recommend purchasing your tickets online ahead of time or hit the box office early. Snacks and drinks are so cheap here compared to America — US$3.30 for 2 regular drinks plus a regular popcorn!

• Gurney Plaza - Golden Screen Cinemas
• 1st Avenue Mall in George Town - TGV Cinemas
• Prangin Mall in George Town - Lotus Five Star Cinemas
• Queensbay Mall - Golden Screen Cinemas
• Bukit Jambul in Bayan Lepas - Lotus Five Star Cinemas

Related Posts
Future Pewter Craftsmen at Royal Selangor
5 Places for Kids to Ride Bikes and Scooters in Penang
Butterflies and Burkas