Summer is approaching. And they don’t call Columbia “Famously Hot” for nothing. When the temps start rising, many of us moms are on the quest to find indoor places to go to burn off my kids’ energy and stay cool. Well, two of our moms visited Flight Adventure Park at the two locations in the Midlands – Irmo and Sandhill – and are here to tell you why they’re adding Flight to the list of favorite spots, and you should too! 

Flight – Irmo

Visited by Kate Rhea

On a rainy day in March, I took my four kids to Flight Adventure Park in Irmo. You might know this place as “The Plex,” but it was bought out by Flight Fit N Fun recently when it bought several trampoline parks nationwide. Not much inside has changed (more on that in a bit). So if you’ve been to The Plex in the past, you can expect the same great fun. Flight also has plans to add more flight-themed attractions in the future.

When I visited Flight, I knew very little about what to expect. I brought my four kids, ages 2-18, and they were psyched about visiting a trampoline park for the first time in over a year. We spent just over an hour there, first we jumped and then we explored.

Here’s what we learned! 

Sign your waiver before you go.

When we arrived, there were two tablets available for me to fill out a form and electronically sign waivers for my children to jump. We had to wait five minutes or so behind others and my two-year-old was restless. Once I got home, I looked and realized we could have signed the waiver before we visited. That would have saved us some time and spared us the toddler frustration. Good news: you only need to sign it once every twelve months. They keep it on file for that period. 

You pay for your socks.

This is standard at any other trampoline place I’ve been to. But expect to pay an extra $3 per jumper for grippy socks. If you already have some, bring them along and save yourself the added expense. Once you put your socks on, there are cubbies to store your shoes and other items.

Be prepared to unleash your inner ninja or athlete.

The trampoline room contains all kinds of trampolines and foam pits. You can play dodgeball, basketball, jump into foam pits or tackle a ninja warrior course. 

There’s lots of seating for parents, caregivers, and guardians.

Around each trampoline area, there’s a variety of benches, couches, and massage chairs so that if you don’t want to jump, you can comfortably keep an eye on all the action. It’s a pretty open space so it’s not too difficult to maintain visibility on all of your kids at once.

There’s something for everyone.

After many minutes of jumping, we took a water break and then explored a separate area in the jump room called “Jumping Jacks.” It contains six inflatables for kids 10 and under. This part is new since The Plex became Flight. My three youngest children enjoyed taking a jump break to explore, bounce and slide in all of the inflatables.

There are Covid protocols in place.

Our temperatures were taken almost as soon as we stepped foot in the door. Employees all wore masks and anyone 11 or older had to wear a mask while jumping. There were arrows on the floor directing the flow of traffic and signs reminding people to social distance at the Adventure Park. There is hand sanitizer available all around the building.

When we arrived, we were given a colored wristband. Periodically, an announcement would be made over the intercom, saying time was up for a certain colored wristband. When our color was announced, everyone had rosy cheeks and were clearly worn out — and they jumped for just an hour!

Once we were finished, we took time to explore the rest of the building. The kids enthusiastically checked out the arcade and we walked through the viewing area of the ice rink. We learned Flight Adventure Park is home to the only ice skating rink open year-round in Columbia. We are eager to return and strap on some ice skates. (Especially this native New Yorker.)

All in all, we had fun and it was a very effective way for the kids to actively play and exert some energy. (Bonus: my kids slept so well that night.) My only regret for this day was that I didn’t jump, too. Next time!

Flight Adventure Park – Columbia/Sandhill

Visited by Marissa Evans

I recently visited Flight with my daughter and my four-year-old niece, and had a great experience! 

Here’s what we learned!

There are Covid protocols in place.  

When you first walk in you are greeted by an employee who will check your temperature. If you plan to jump on the trampolines, there is only one way to enter and one way to exit. Before entering the trampoline the attendant goes over the rules. Due to COVID there is only one person per trampoline and one person per pit. Masks are required for those 10 and over while in the facility. There are also several sanitizing stations around the complex. There was an attendant present making sure everyone was following the guidelines.

If you have been there before, you may still need to sign a waiver. 

If you haven’t visited since August, you will need to sign a new waiver. This can be completed at the park prior to purchasing your wristband or to speed up the process, you can complete it online before visiting. 

Jumping on trampolines and into the pit never gets boring.

The kids jumped on the trampoline and played in the pit for a little over an hour. They really enjoyed it — especially the pit! And because they had to wait their turn before jumping in, the excitement seemed to only build, making the experience even more fun!  

Bounce houses offer unlimited fun, especially for younger guests.

After jumping on the trampoline and in the pits we moved on to the Jumping Jacks, the inflatable bounce house area. My four-year-old niece was fascinated by all the choices she had. She especially loved the jumping castle that looked like a spaceship. My oldest daughter loved the Xtreme ninja combo.

The staff is friendly and helpful, especially when it comes to skating. 

Shanelle was working the skating rink and she was wonderful. She assisted my four-year-old niece who has never skated before. She had so much patience and praised her for doing well even when she fell. She was very encouraging. The shift manager Amber also came over and was very nice as well.

Flight offers more than just trampolines, bounce houses, and skating.

Flight also offers laser tag as well as arcade games. Both areas were very well kept. They also offer a full concession stand on the weekends which includes hot foods. During the week Flight serves drinks and chips. 

Flight does offer after-school and summer care. They are also offering a camp for Spring Break. They offer party packages as well. 

So if you’re looking for something fun to do, definitely take the kids to Flight. I promise it is worth the trip! 

Flight offers great fun for kids of all ages, with so much to do to get them moving while you play too, or take a chance to sit back and relax while you watch them have a blast! Our mom contributors loved Flight, and we know you will too!