9 Play-Worthy Johor Bahru Indoor Playground Adventures

When we first moved to Singapore, the thought of crossing the border into Johor Bahru (JB) was intimidating. We’d heard horror stories of hour-long traffic jams and long queues that could test any parent’s patience — especially with young kids. 

But after some friendly advice from seasoned JB travelers, we decided to give it a try. Our first stop: LEGOLAND Malaysia. To our surprise, the drive was smooth, the border crossing easier than expected, and the kids loved the experience.

That first adventure gave us the confidence to explore more JB destinations — some day trips, some overnight stays — and we quickly discovered a thriving scene of indoor playgrounds. These play spaces are popping up all over JB, offering varied, pocket-friendly fun just a short drive from Singapore.

While I can’t count myself as a JB travel expert, our family has hopped around enough to get a good feel for what’s out there. Here’s a rundown of the indoor playgrounds we’ve explored — with insights on what we love and don’t, practical information, and helpful tips.

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9 JB Indoor Playgrounds To Consider – Organised according by Mall

AEON Tebrau City

Fanpekka (Level 2, Aeon Tebrau City)

Fanpekka is a unique indoor playground based on Finnish culture and education, offering children the chance to engage in imaginative role-play in a safe and colorful environment.

Play Highlights:

• Build and design children’s own miniature houses from scratch — with wooden panels, interior furnishing pieces like curtains, and child-sized furniture like chairs and even little TV consoles provided
• Role-play in a self-contained miniature town with a mail office, florist shop, burger shop, ice cream shop etc
  
• Interactive games like charades led by friendly staff for socialization
• Multiple zones to cater to different play needs — train tracks, a floor-standing dollhouse, magnetic tiles etc for open-ended play, a cosy reading nook with front-facing books for children to wind down, as well as interactive screens for kids and adults to enjoy games together

Downside: Can get crowded during weekends

Tip: Aeon supermarket downstairs has a great organic produce section — perfect for one caregiver to do a quick grocery run while kids play.
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm daily
Socks: Required

Read more about Fanpekka indoor playground at AEON Mall Tebrau City.

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Star Kids Gym (Ground floor, inside Tebrau City Food Hall)

Star Kids Gym is designed to develop children’s physical abilities through fun and challenging play equipment. 

 Play Highlights:

• Thrilling J-slide for free fall sensation 
• Supervised flying fox swing
• “Ninja wall” with moving elements for children to challenge their dexterity and agility. Falls are cushioned by foam cubes in the foam pit
• Mega screen soccer game for soccer enthusiasts

Tips:

• Helmets, gloves and bodysuit are provided and required to be donned for the J-slide. There’s a sanitizer bottle provided. I recommend parents to assist their children with sanitization, and bring along their own sanitizing essentials if children have sensitive skin. I would personally put my children in long-sleeved tops and long pants for minimal skin exposure.
• Sensory pit uses tiny, hard synthetic fillers. Supervise young children closely as these fillers could present choking risk or get accidentally lodged in the body.

Opening Hours: 10 am to 10 pm
Socks: Required

Read more about Star Kids Gym at AEON Mall Tebrau City.

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Bumper Car Zone (Beside Fanpekka, Level 2, Aeon Tebrau City)

Bumper Car Zone offers quick, fun rides suitable for a short break.

Play Highlight:

• Short, timed bumper car rides for the whole family

Socks: Not required
Tip: Perfect for a quick fun burst while parents shop, or for days when you forget to bring socks.

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Paradigm Mall

ESCAPE (Multiple levels, Paradigm Mall)

ESCAPE Johor Bahru brings adventurous, high-element indoor fun to Paradigm Mall. With activities built for all ages and abilities, it’s perfect for families seeking active challenges in climate-controlled comfort.

Play Highlight:

Different play areas tailored to various age groups

High-Element Course for Preschoolers & Up (Level 4)
What it is: A two-tiered rope-and-platform obstacle course.
Who’s it for: Preschoolers (aged ~4–6) plus up — parents can accompany younger kiddos.
What it does: Introduces kids to harnessed rope play—stepping stones, swaying bridges, and flying-fox lines. The lower tier is near ground level, making it less intimidating and ideal for building confidence.

Atan’s Leap – Free-Fall Fun
What it is: A controlled “leap of faith” descent from Level 4 down to Level 2.
Who’s it for: Kids who can manage heights with harnesses.
What it does: A thrilling vertical drop that lands on Level 2, giving adventurers a big adrenaline jolt — a crowd-pleaser for older children.

Intermediate to Advanced High-Elements (Level 2)
What it is: A maze of elevated rope courses and zip lines.
Who’s it for: Primary-aged children (7+) and teens; some sections are 13+ only.
What it does: Offers a variety of rope challenges—balance beams, wobbly logs, ziplines, and a more daring flying-fox setup across the mall void.

SlingShot (Level 2)
What it is: A harnessed “slingshot” launch into the air.
Who’s it for: From age 4–5 upward, with weight limits between 40–100 kg.
What it does: Elastic cords thrust riders skyward with flips and twists.

Aerobat – Flying Trapeze & Harnessed Trampoline (Level UG & 1)

What it is: A harnessed trapeze swing and trampoline bounce.
Who’s it for: Prescshoolers and up.

What it does: For the trapeze swing, children are harnessed, they scale a ladder, grab onto bars and are released for a wide arc but gentle swing. For the trampoline bounce, children are harnessed, and freely bounce on the trampoline pad to the height they wish to attain.

Attire: Closed-toe shoes and comfortable outfits are mandatory
Safety: All activities are supervised; harnesses and safety gear are used; standards meet EN & ACCT guidelines

Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm

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Jumptopia (Level 7, Paradigm Mall Convention Centre PMCC, Till 3 July 2025)

Jumptopia features inflatable slides and bounce houses that bring fun and excitement to the whole family. Jumptopia is an inaugural foray into the JB indoor playground scene by Singapore-based parent brand Kiztopia. 

 Play Highlights:

• Up to 6 m-high inflatable slides and bouncy castles
• Zorb ball outfit launcher. My children enjoyed putting on the Zorb ball outfits and launching themselves at each other.
• Themed “Space Warriors” obstacle runs (e.g., Drago’s Meteor Strike, Honey’s Cosmic Obstacle Run)
• Meet-and-greet appearances by Kiztopia characters

Downside: Temporary holiday pop-up (June 1–July 6, 2025), check dates before heading over.
Socks: Required

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Utopia Titan X (Level 7, Beside GSC Cinema, Paradigm Mall)

Utopia Titan X is a playground and pedal kart arena that encourages active play and fitness.

Play Highlights:

• Pedal go-kart track — family-friendly (my husband rode one with my preschooler before he was confident to give it a go on his own)
• Multiple trampolines to bounce on
• Compact jungle gym with challenging courses and fast slides

Downside: Lack of air conditioning, there are fans, but can get hot and stuffy.
Socks: Required

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Toppen Shopping Centre

Olymkids (Level 4, Toppen Shopping Centre)

Olymkids combines physical fitness with fun through sports-themed activities designed for children.

Play Highlights:

• Sports edutainment centre offering mini-football, basketball, boxing ring, curling, mini-golf, rock-climbing wall, trampoline, velcro wall, and flying fox
  
• Parents can play along children to help them learn movement, teamwork, and fitness through play

Downside: Equipment is a little worn, and air-conditioning can be stronger.
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Socks: Required

 

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Mid Valley Southkey

KF Kiddy Circuit (Level 4, Mid Valley Southkey)

KF Kiddy Circuit gives young children a fun and safe racing adventure.

Play Highlight:

200 m indoor go-kart circuit with dinosaurs, colorful tunnels to pass by and through and it comes with substantial turns. Children stimulate fast driving with the compact dashboard on every kart. 

The electric KidRacer karts and circuit are designed for a safe experience with features below:

• Safety belts with every kart
• Karts tuned to maximum 8km/h
• Safety track barriers are water filled to absorb and soften impact, even if riders unfortunately crash into them

Note: Young racers below 100cm must be accompanied with an adult. Those above 100cm are allowed to ride alone. 

Socks: Optional. Racers must don proper footwear.

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JBCC Komtar

Kids Republic (Level 3, JBCC Komtar)

Kids Republic is an expansive indoor playground offering fun physical activities and creative classes for children.

Play Highlights:

• Spacious playground with foam pits (my children particularly enjoyed the supervised swing-to-foam-pit) and various jungle gyms 
• Clay-art workshops (additional charge, check with reception for daily class timings) viewable through a glass classroom frontage. Perfect for my children when they have expended physical energy and would like to wind down and work with their hands on something creative.

 Downside: Foam dust can irritate sensitive noses; masks recommended.

Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Socks: Required

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Final Thoughts on Indoor Playgrounds in JB

Exploring JB’s indoor playgrounds has been an enjoyable journey for our family — blending discovery, fun, and exploration at pocket-friendly prices. While the border crossing can still require planning, the trips always seem well worth it.