The Ankeny Brief
Urban Air is the big indoor energy-burner: trampolines plus an elevated ropes course, a skyglider zipline, climbing walls and a tubes area for the tiny ones. B&B Ankeny 12 stacks movies, bowling, an arcade and a kids' play area in one building. And the library runs free story times and STEM programs all year, the quiet, no-cost rainy-day answer.
Urban Air Adventure Park (2829 S Ankeny Blvd, 515-639-3018) is Ankeny's indoor trampoline and adventure park. Its Ankeny page lists the Sky Rider indoor zipline, a ropes course, the Warrior obstacle course, climbing walls, dodgeball, performance trampolines and the Tubes indoor playground for younger kids. Urban Air socks are required for all guests, and birthday party packages are booked on its site. Listed hours are 4 to 8 pm Monday through Thursday, 4 to 9 pm Friday, 10 am to 9 pm Saturday and 11 am to 8 pm Sunday, with different holiday and school-break hours, so check urbanair.com/ankeny-ia before you drive over.
Ninja U Ankeny (1604 NW State St, 515-525-6188) is an obstacle training gym, the ninja-warrior kind. It runs drop-in open gym hours with no appointment needed, classes by age, and birthday parties, and everyone signs a waiver online before the first visit. Hours and admission are on ninjau.com/ankeny.
B&B Theatres Ankeny 12 with B-Roll Bowling (1580 SW Market St) has traditional bowling lanes with adult and kids' shoes, the Outtakes Arcade and the movie theater under one roof, and B&B says you can book a lane online or in person. See the full rundown on our movie theater and bowling guide. In our research we did not find another trampoline park, ropes course or indoor zipline in Ankeny beyond Urban Air.
When the sun's out, start with the four free splash pads or the Prairie Ridge Aquatic Center, then the parks and playgrounds (there's one near almost every neighborhood). Older kids like the paved trails for biking, and Ankeny Lake has an accessible pier that makes first-time fishing easy.
Add the Uptown Farmers Market on summer Saturdays, Beats & Eats on Thursday evenings, and in winter the community ice rink and sledding hills. Kids' calendars fill themselves here.
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Urban Air trampoline park or B&B Ankeny 12 (movies, bowling, arcade, play area) for big energy; the library's programs for a calmer, free option.
The splash pads, the 40+ parks and playgrounds, the library's programs, and shore fishing at Ankeny Lake, plus a free weekday morning window at the Prairie Ridge splash park.
Splash pads and playgrounds, library story times, Urban Air's toddler tubes, and the ground-level play area at B&B Ankeny 12.
Yes. Urban Air Adventure Park is at 2829 S Ankeny Blvd in Ankeny. Besides trampolines it lists an indoor zipline, a ropes course, climbing walls, a Warrior obstacle course and a Tubes playground for younger kids. Urban Air socks are required for all guests, so check its site for current hours.
Urban Air Adventure Park at 2829 S Ankeny Blvd lists both a ropes course and the Sky Rider indoor zipline. Some attractions have height or age rules, so check Urban Air's Ankeny page before you go.
Yes. Ninja U Ankeny at 1604 NW State St is an obstacle training gym with drop-in open gym hours, classes by age, and birthday parties. A waiver is signed online before the first visit.
B-Roll Bowling at B&B Theatres Ankeny 12, 1580 SW Market St, has traditional bowling lanes with adult and kids' shoes, an arcade and a movie theater in the same building. You can book a lane online or in person.
Parks & playgrounds · Pools & splash pads · Movies & bowling · The library · Things to do
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