FunKidsActivities

Smiley's Ocean Themed Adventure Park

5729 E 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46250, USA

Overview

Category:New Year's Eve Kids Activities
Location:Indianapolis, IN

Expert Summary

Detailed Insights

Smiley's Ocean Themed Adventure Park is a massive indoor playground primarily for children under 10, offering a wide variety of hands-on activities, sensory experiences, and dedicated play zones. It's praised for its ability to help kids release energy, its general cleanliness, and the unique sensory stations like the rice pit.

Key Highlights

  • Massive indoor playground with diverse activities for children under 10.
  • Variety of hands-on activities including ball pits, sponge pit, climbing, sliding, jumping, and building with Legos.
  • Features unique sensory stations like a rice pit, appealing to even very young toddlers.
  • Generally perceived as clean, with a reviewer calling it 'the best indoor playground we’ve experienced' in terms of cleanliness.
  • Dedicated play areas exist for both older children and smaller kids.
  • Friendly staff and ample seating for adults to observe.

Standout Features

  • Two large play areas: one for older kids and one specifically dedicated for smaller kids.
  • Unique digging pit and a rice pit.
  • A second large ball pit with interactive screens.
  • Sensory stations (including the rice pit) that are good for all ages, including young toddlers.
  • Decent size arcade and cafe.
  • Plenty of spaces for adults to sit and watch their children.
  • Sponge pit, climbing structures, slides, and areas for building with Legos.

Perfect For

Perfect for children 'under 10' with a wide range of activities.
Very suitable for 'really young toddlers' due to features like the rice pit.
Successfully entertained children aged 4, 5, 7, and 8, with dedicated areas for 'older kids' and 'smaller kids'.

Ideal For

Children needing to 'release energy' through active play.
Families with children of varying ages (under 10) due to dedicated play zones.
Parents looking for specific sensory play opportunities for toddlers (e.g., rice pit).
Weekday outings to avoid potential weekend crowds.
Playdates for younger children.

💡Pro Tips from Reviews

  • Visit on a Monday if you are a mom, as 'Moms are free on Mondays'.
  • Consider visiting on a weekday afternoon for a less crowded experience, as it 'wasn’t too busy' on a Wednesday afternoon in October.
  • Take advantage of 'sensory friendly time' offered 9-11am on the 1st and 3rd Saturday for children who benefit from a quieter environment.
  • An hour is sufficient for kids to try most things, but they 'easily could have stayed longer' due to the variety.

Things to Consider

  • Some maintenance issues reported: merry-go-rounds were not moving, tape present from rips, and dirt build-up noted at the end of ball pit slides.
  • Can get significantly busier on weekends or during colder months, potentially altering the experience.

Price & Value

An example cost was 'around $55' for three children (aged 4, 7, & 10) for one hour, not including food, drinks, or arcade games. 'Moms are free on Mondays' is a clear value proposition. The overall experience is largely seen as good value, especially given the range of activities.

Accessibility & Special Needs

  • Offers 'sensory friendly time 9-11am the 1st and 3rd Saturday' which is beneficial for children with specific sensory needs.

🍎Food & Drink Policy

  • Has a cafe and food available, described as 'pretty good'.
  • Arcade and food options 'looked fine for the space', though not utilized by all reviewers.
  • No explicit policy on outside food was mentioned.

🚗Parking Info

  • Not mentioned in reviews.

👥Crowd Levels

  • Described as 'not too busy' on a Wednesday afternoon in October.
  • Expected to be a 'totally different experience on the weekends or during colder months', implying significantly busier conditions.

🛡️Safety Features

  • No explicit safety features like staff monitoring all areas, wristbands, or first aid were detailed. However, one review mentioned 'staff was friendly' which implies some level of supervision.
  • Concerns about 'tape everywhere from rips' and 'dirt build up at the end of the ball pit slides' suggest potential maintenance-related safety oversight.

When to Avoid

  • Visiting during peak times like 'weekends or during colder months' if you prefer a less busy atmosphere, as the experience 'would be totally different'.
  • If you expect pristine, perfectly maintained equipment in all corners, as some minor issues like tape and dirt build-up were noted.

Pricing/Package/Events

Pricing & Packages

Private Room Party (Themed)

Not specified (available upon booking)

Duration: 2 hours

Excludes School Field Trips, Table & Full Facility Rental. Themes available: DinoLand, Outer Space, Ocean Quest, The Future (NEW). Special character theme decor available for purchase (e.g., Baby Shark, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, Super Mario, Minecraft, Minions, Minnie Mouse, Cocomelon, Moana, CARS, Toy Story, Pokemon, Unicorn, Huggy Wuggy, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Hello Kitty, Spidey Man and Friends, Ariel, Disney Princess, Sonic, Frozen 2, Avengers, Monster Truck). Adult admission and socks are purchased separately.

Includes:
  • Use of reserved private room for the entire 2 hour party time
  • Admission and socks for all CHILDREN included in your party package
  • Table settings (table covers, napkins, paper plates, cups, happy birthday backdrop)
  • Smiley Brand themed package (free)
  • Number of pizza and beverages based on the size of the party
  • The Birthday Star receives one free 2-hour playtime voucher for future visits
  • Birthday Star chooses one option: (One slushy, one handheld balloon) OR (One 6-8" plush - Pokemon, Paw Patrol, Spongebob, etc.) OR (One Smiley T-shirt) OR (One Iced Cream, one handheld balloon)
Ages: Children (general, implies 10 & under for main playground)

Table Party

Not specified

Duration: Not specified

Available with 8, 12, or 16 seats. Inclusions are different from themed private rooms.

Full Facility Rental

Not specified

Duration: Not specified

Inclusions are different from themed private rooms.

School Field Trip

Not specified

Duration: Not specified

Inclusions are different from themed private rooms.

🍎Food Policy

  • Pizza and beverages included in themed private room party packages (quantity based on party size)

🛡️Safety Policy

  • Waiver required for first visit
  • Indoor playground designed for children age 10 & under

📅Booking Policy

  • Private parties must be booked ONLINE or IN PERSON at Smiley
  • A 5% deposit is required upon booking for private parties
  • Full payment for parties must be made by: Check (at least 3 days prior to party day), Zelle payment (1 day prior to party day), Cash (on or before the party day)
  • Debit or credit card payments accepted for DEPOSITS ONLY
Information extracted from official website • Last updated: Oct 1, 2025

What People Say

What's Great

  • Clean and well-maintained facilities (mentioned in 2 reviews)
  • Spacious play areas (mentioned in 5 reviews)

Areas for Improvement

  • Can get crowded during peak times (mentioned in 2 reviews)

Recent Reviews

Candace

Candace

4 weeks ago

First time at Smiley! It was a cute spot for children to release energy. Had a variety of different hands-on activities for all ages, under 10 of course! The reasons for the four stars is the merry-go-rounds weren't moving, there was tape everywhere from rips, I'm assuming and dirt build up at the end of the ball pit slides. Besides this, my children enjoyed themselves, playing in the ball pit, sponge pit, climbing, sliding, jumping, building with legos, exploring and making friends. Moms are free on Mondays, so I lucked out today, but we will be returning!

Danielle E

Danielle E

6 months ago

I took three kids (4, 7 & 10) here on a Wednesday afternoon in October for an hour. It was around $55 before any food, drinks or arcade games. It wasn’t too busy and they had a chance to try pretty much everything, but we easily could have stayed longer. Everything seemed clean and I really enjoyed the sensory stations. Staff was friendly and there were plenty of spaces for adults to sit and watch, although I’m sure it’d be a totally different experience on the weekends or during colder months. Will likely go back with the younger one sometime down the road I’m sure.

Morgan Paz

Morgan Paz

2 months ago

This place is very cool. I love the rice pit. It is good for even really young toddlers. Mom's are free on Mondays. They also have sensory friendly time 9-11am the 1st and 3rd Saturday. The food is pretty good too.

Christina Danley

Christina Danley

8 months ago

Incredible and massive indoor playground. From two large play areas for both older kids and one dedicated for smaller kids, the digging pit, a second large ball pit with interactive screens, decent size arcade and cafe, we absolutely loved this place. Most importantly it was clean! We travel a lot and this is by far the best indoor playground we’ve experienced.

Ryan Levasseur

Ryan Levasseur

4 months ago

I went with my 2 kids aged 8 and 5. They had a great time running around. Between the giant ball pit/ slides and the playground area there is enough to do to keep the kids busy for an hour or two. We didn't utilize the small arcade or food, but they looked fine for the space.

Contact Information

5729 E 86th St, Indianapolis, IN 46250, USA

View on Google Maps

Opening Hours

Monday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Sunday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Quick Stats

Overall Rating
4.3
Total Reviews1114
Recent Reviews5