Review of Be with Me Children’s Playseum
January 27, 2010
by Kim Engstrom

7000 Wisconsin Avenue (lower level)
Bethesda, MD 20815
301.807.8028
Google Map

The new Be with Me Children’s Playseum opened its doors in Bethesda earlier this winter. What is a playseum you ask? A great place for kids and parents to play, hang out, learn and be together. This indoor playspace has a ton to offer kids ages 9 months – 14 years old and at only $5 per person is an affordable outing for families.

The Playseum is located in the basement level of a small shopping center along Wisconsin Avenue. The location is convenient, but parking can be a bit tricky. There are a few metered spots out front and two lots with meters located a block away on either side of Leland Street. The meters range from 1 to 3 hour limits so be sure to check the sign before you park.

Once inside the Playseum there are many adventure areas to explore including a firehouse, building and tool area, solar system, radio station, huge art studio, stage with drum set, guitar and microphones and an “outdoor” nature area complete with pretend fishing pond. The highlight for my 3 year old was the grocery store area. This is set up like an actual Safeway store with Safeway carts, meat cases, produce area, frozen food and refrigerator cases and many shelves of boxed food. There were Safeway aprons, bags and even current coupon ads (for the parents to peruse?).

Two other areas which set the Playseum apart from other indoor play spaces are the salon and the pet shop. The salon is stocked with the usual dress ups and jewelry but also includes a manicure station where you can polish your child’s nails (or they yours) and a hairstyling area for kids to brush and style several wigs. The pet store had 5 live bunnies, and several cages of birds, gerbils and a fish tank.

There are two small areas dedicated to babies and toddlers 2 and under where soft toys, balls, and age appropriate slides are located. There are also books of every kind located throughout the playseum coordinated by the theme of each room. It is impossible to really experience it all in one visit.

Aside from providing tons of fun for kids, the playseum also keeps the needs of parents in mind. Coffee and Tea are available for purchase and there are magazines scattered throughout the play areas for parents to read. That being said, they do ask that you keep your child close by and help by cleaning up any messes created by those who belong to you.

With so many fun areas to explore, the playseum can feel a little bit mazy. The layout of the space is set up with many rooms off of two main hallways. Accompanying kids of different age levels or with different interests could prove to be a little difficult as the areas are quite spread out and it is not possible to see from one room to the next in most cases.

The Be with Me Playseum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30am until 6pm. They are now also open on Sundays, check the website for hours. The cost is $5 per person regardless of age and they do allow you to get your hand stamped to leave and return. There is a small collection of snacks for sale and two designated areas to eat. There are also several family friendly restaurants located nearby including Moby Dick, Stromboli’s Pizza and Don Pollo.

Check the website for special events and admission prices on holidays. There is also a daily story time at 11am Monday through Friday. Birthday party packages are also available. Please note that the Playseum is currently NOT handicap accessible.

Our Kids Reader Comments

• "My daughter and I spent several hours Wednesday at the Playseum and had a great time. I even made a video of her there. Click here to view "Our Day at the Playseum". - Betsy R.

Have you been to Be with Me Children’s Playseum? What's your opinion? Just drop us a note and Our Kids will add your comments to this review.