Jurassic fun to be had! Expect toothy grins as your child stomps, plays and unearths fossils at this indoor sandbox experience.
Owner Justin Finn knows the bones of this business, having opened his first indoor sandbox location, Dozer (Leawood), last spring. He’s intent on making Dinozaur (South OP) just as unique. What better place to start than the main attraction? The sand.
My little guy hiked a leg up to the wall of the sandbox, which doubles as a bench, almost before I could slip off his shoes. He couldn’t wait to touch the dark sand. . . almost volcanic in color thanks to an organic dye. This left our hands with smudges of gray and a little black beneath our fingernails. But Finn assures clean-up is temporary as the dye settles and wash stations are currently in place for visitors.
The sand won’t stain, and you actually won’t stick. This sand was chosen with little people and hygiene in mind.
It’s sourced from the ocean. It contains no quartz, microplastics or silica, which could cause an eczema flare-up. Because the grains are so small, the sand doesn’t stick the same as beach sand. A quick brush is all that’s needed as you exit the sandbox. I had plenty of practice getting in and out, as my son found the large magnetic board with dinosaur magnets in the seating area just as fun.
Most of our playtime was spent using silicone ladles to fill funnels or the beds of Jurassic dump trucks. It was great that Dinozaur still offers favorite toys at Dozer, such as scoops, tubs and vehicles, while introducing new ones like dinosaurs, bones and excavation tools. Instead of foam building blocks, Dinozaur has stackable foam tree stumps and logs.
To keep open play age-appropriate, the two sandboxes are for kids 8 and under with parental supervision. Mine is 1 ½. Although we have enjoyed several mother-son dates at Dozer, the toys at Dinozaur were easier for him to operate than the ride-along construction vehicles.
If your children have a hard time leaving at the end of the hour, keep in mind you have the option to extend playtime at a discount–30 extra minutes for $5 per family.
For a play place set in prehistoric times, it’s a huge stomp forward!