Review of Romp n’ Roll
September 22, 2009
by Caroline Holt

12851 Wisteria Drive
Germantown, MD 20874
301.528.ROLL (7655)
Google Map

Looking for a great indoor activity as the cold weather approaches? Bring your 0-6 year olds to rock and roll at Romp n’ Roll in Germantown, Maryland! Whether you visit during a themed class, during open gym or for a birthday party, Romp n’ Roll has the music, creative movement and equipment to get your kids tuckered out.

Getting there:
Romp n’ Roll is about 30 minutes from DC. It is just off of Rt. 270, exit 15B for Rt. 118. Take 118 just over a mile and turn left onto Wisteria Lane.

Getting in:
There are two options for classes. A series of 45-minute classes runs you $240 ($80/month) and a 1-hour series is $58 ($86/month). Organized classes start for 3 month olds and go to age 6, Mondays-Saturdays. Class times occur between 9-6 on weekdays and 9-12 on Saturdays, and open gym times are sandwiched between (some nights it goes as late at 8pm!). Romp n’ Roll has open gym every weekday. Open Gym is free as part of the class enrollment fee, or the drop-in fee is $7.

The fun part:
Romp n’ Roll Germantown opened in February 2009. Based in Colorado, Romp n’ Roll’s Germantown store is one of twelve franchises (including one in Puerto Rico), and it’s no wonder they are booming. Having been to a lot of local kid gyms, Romp n’ Roll is our favorite. For starters, the set-up is accessible. There are at least 20 parking spaces right in front, and many more within a 1-minute walk (and the spaces are big enough for Mom-mobiles). Second, when you enter, it is relaxed, and exciting at once (both kids were anxiously awaiting my sign-in to bust through the door). There is 70s, 80s and 90s music piped in, and vibrant limes, turquoises, fuchsias and yellows peeping through.

The gym space is one of two class spaces. There’s a great art room to the right, with a long table and paintings on the wall. Then the space for the creative movement classes and open gym is directly in front. That room houses all of those cool colors and toe-tapping music, and it is huge. The 20-something aged staff could not tell me the square footage, but it’s expansive. The equipment is beautiful; new and vibrantly colored. There are monkey bars, a trapeze, several climbing pieces, mats, a mini-trampoline and some arcs with bars that turn into a hamster-wheel. For the younger set, there is a peninsula jutting off of the space, which houses a small slide, mini-pool (water-free), a Leap Frog learning table and various vehicles. In addition, there is a puppet show/stage area that my son loved performing at/in. There is no shortage of equipment and activity to occupy climbers to performers to gymnasts and everyone in between.

To keep germs to a minimum, all of the equipment is cleaned between each class and open gym session. In addition, there is a “yucky bucket” for previously-mouthed items, hand sanitizer everywhere you look and a bathroom right IN the gym space (it even has a changing table and seat to house your squirmy worm while you go to the bathroom or change your other child.) Presumably to avoid the spread of foot fungus, you must also wear socks (which you can purchase for $1 per pair if you have forgotten yours).

Both my one-year old and four-year old, loved it. Since going, my four year old has requested that we return no less than five times (in less than a week). “Mom, remember that place we went on that had that trapeze?” “Remember that place that had those bags with the dogs on them?” “Let’s go to that place where we played behind those puppet windows then we had icees.” It definitely left an impression!

Romp n’ Roll has thought of everything. (Including a wide variety of items to buy with their logo Rompy the dog on them). Romp n’ Roll is not on the beaten path for me, but if I want a great way to get my kids doggone tired, it is worth the trip!

Getting fed:
Romp n’ Roll is in a little strip mall-like shopping center. There is a little deli in the same parking lot, and across the way is Rita’s Italian Ice. Yumm. We stopped into their walk-up window for some kid-sized cake batter and root beer Italian ice. A happy ending for a happy playdate.

Have you been to Romp n' Roll? What's your opinion? Just drop us a note and Our Kids will add your comments to this review.