Rendering of children playing in the Play Iron Range indoor playground, with toddler play pieces in the foreground and a multi-level play structure beyond
Coming soon · Location pending

An indoor playground built for Iron Range families.

All-season play, designed with our community. Add your name to the Founders Wall before our doors open.

5
Distinct play zones
5
Iron Range counties served
365
Days a year, regardless of weather
Get Involved

Get your name on the Founders Wall.

When the playground opens, every founder who helped shape it goes on the wall by the entrance. There are two ways to earn your spot - pick one or do both.

1
5 minute survey

Tell us what your family needs.

The survey shapes the layout, hours, and pricing of the playground. Your answers feed directly into grant applications and our final floor plan. Anyone who completes it gets named on the Founders Wall.

Take the Survey
~5 minutes · anonymous option · open to all Iron Range residents
2
Letter of support

Sign a letter we can attach to our grants.

A short letter of support from you, in your own words, is one of the most powerful things a grant reviewer reads. We've drafted one you can send as-is - or edit to add your own story before signing.

Sign a Letter of Support
~3 minutes · edit the wording if you want · used in 501(c)(3) grant packages
Why this matters

The Iron Range deserves a place to play.

Eight months of cold. Two-hour drives to Duluth for a rainy-day option. Families leaving for somewhere "easier." This is the response.

❄️

Built for our winters

Northern Minnesota winters don't quit until April. Kids still have energy. Now they'll have somewhere safe and warm to use it.

👪

Keeps families on the Range

One of the biggest reasons young families leave is "nothing for the kids." Play Iron Range is built to push back against that.

🧸

Built for every kid

Toddlers, big kids, kids on the spectrum, blind kids. A dedicated quiet zone and accessible play means every family on the Range can come, every visit.

🌟

Community owned, community built

We're a Minnesota 501(c)(3). Every dollar raised goes into the space, the staff, and keeping the price within reach for every family on the Range.

The Space

Five zones, one big idea.

Designed by playground architects who build the same kind of spaces you'd drive two hours to visit. Renderings below; final details are still being shaped by community feedback.

Rendering of the toddler area: a low colorful play structure ringed by a soft picket-style fence, with young children playing inside
Zone 1

Toddler & Crawler Cove

A protected, soft-floored cove just for kids under three. Older siblings stay separate, parents stay seated nearby.

  • Foam ramps and gentle climbers
  • Crawl-through tunnels at toddler scale
  • Soft play pieces sized for little hands
  • Stroller parking right at the door
Rendering of the multi-level play tower with a yellow slide and a climbing-wall panel
Zone 2

Big Kid Slides & Play Tower

The big kids' zone. A multi-level play structure built around slides, crawl tubes, and platforms - the kind of structure that lets a kid disappear for an hour.

  • Multi-level enclosed play tower
  • Multiple slides at different speeds
  • Crawl tubes and platforms to explore
  • Built for ages 5-12
Rendering of the open play floor with a spiral slide and tube climber, kids moving through the space
Zone 3

Wide-Open Run Space

An honest, wide-open floor where kids can simply run. No structure, no rules of engagement - just space, the thing kids never have enough of in winter.

  • Big open floor for chasing and running
  • Foam blocks and movable play pieces
  • Reconfigured weekly so it stays fresh
  • Where most of the energy gets burned
Rendering of the quiet and all-access zone
Zone 4

Quiet & All-Access Zone

A sensory-calm space designed with kids on the autism spectrum, and tactile play built for blind and low-vision kids. Welcoming for every kid who needs it, on any visit.

  • Low lighting, soft surfaces, no overstimulation
  • Tactile play built for blind / low-vision kids
  • Quiet retreat alcoves when a break is needed
  • Designed alongside Iron Range families who live this
Rendering of the birthday rooms
Zone 5

Birthday Rooms

A private room you can book by the hour. We give you the room, you bring the rest - keeps the cost down and lets you design the birthday you want, not the one a party package decides for you.

  • Private rooms bookable by the hour
  • You bring decor, cake, food, theme - whatever you want
  • No mandatory packages, no add-on fees
  • Private bathroom access
The Building

Location Pending.

We're finalizing the exact site. The plan: centrally located in the Iron Range, easy to reach from any of the towns we serve.

Rendering of the Play Iron Range building exterior
Address
Location pending - Founders List gets the address first.
Status
Buildout begins after the founding campaign closes
Service area
St. Louis, Itasca, Lake, Koochiching, and Aitkin counties - the full Iron Range and northeastern Minnesota.
Questions

What people ask us.

Don't see your question? Email play@playironrange.com and we'll add it.

When does Play Iron Range open?

Buildout begins after we close out the founding campaign and confirm our grant funding. Founders Wall members get the opening date weeks before we publish it anywhere else.

What does "Founders Wall" actually mean?

Anyone who takes our survey or signs a letter of support before we open earns a permanent spot on a Founders Wall by the front entry. It's our way of permanently acknowledging the community members who made this possible.

Are you a 501(c)(3)?

Yes. Play Iron Range is a registered Minnesota nonprofit. Letters of support and survey responses help us secure grant funding that keeps pricing affordable for every family on the Range.

Will it cost money to get in?

Yes - either drop-in pricing or a monthly membership, whichever fits your family. Subsidized passes are available for families that need them.

What ages is the playground designed for?

Built and zoned for kids ages 0 through 12, with a dedicated toddler cove for under-3s and a separate big-kid zone for 5–12.

How will you handle safety and cleanliness?

Single managed entry and exit, trained on-floor staff at all times, daily deep-cleaning, antimicrobial surfaces, and a dedicated quiet/all-access zone so kids who need a calmer environment have one any time they visit.

Can businesses or local organizations sponsor a zone?

Yes - corporate Founders sponsorship is open now. Email play@playironrange.com for the sponsor packet.

Your name belongs on this wall.

Five minutes of your time is one of the most powerful things you can give this project right now. Pick a path.