Newberg Indoor Park Provides Affordable Place to Play

NEWBERG, Ore.—Tucked behind Iglesia Evangelica Los Amigos at 200 S. College St. in Newberg, a sandwich board directs parents and toddlers to a doorway filled with sounds of joy, laughter, and the occasional cry.

The Newberg Indoor Park, a cooperative dedicated to providing an indoor space for parents to bring young children for socialization and play, operates every Tuesday from September to June. The park welcomes parents and children for two hours of unstructured play from 9 to 11 a.m.

Since 1981, the Newberg Indoor Park has been managed by various community members over the years. The COVID-19 pandemic nearly shuttered the organization, but current board president Tai Donor said there has been renewed energy in the past few years. She started attending with her child a year and a half ago.

“It’s great for the kids to run around and burn off energy, especially during the cold and wet winter months,” Donor said. “But it was also a great way to meet new people when we first moved here. I met some of my best parent friends coming here. It’s an important resource to keep going.”

Newborns to 5-year-olds, or children under kindergarten age, are welcome with a parent or guardian. After completing a waiver and reviewing the rules, parents pay a $5 drop-in fee—the first visit is free—and let their children play on gym mats, climb on small structures, ride foot-powered cars, or scoot around on tricycles.

Some children play independently, while others make new friends, said organization treasurer Cara Mead.

“We rarely have incidents,” Mead said. “Children are actually more self-regulating than we give them credit for.”

The park hosts anywhere from 10 to 60 children and parents on a typical Tuesday. At their most recent Halloween costume party, 94 attendees were counted. During parties, which are generally held monthly, the drop-in fee is waived.

“That felt full, but not at capacity yet,” Mead said. “The odds of us hitting capacity are pretty low—it’s a pretty large space.”

Some parents sit in chairs along the gym walls, sipping coffee or chatting with neighbors. Others play with their children or even catch up on work with laptops.

“It’s been a nice routine,” said Newberg resident Max Boyle, who began attending in October with his child. “All the other parents here are very friendly, and it’s a low-pressure setting.”

Boyle said he appreciates the lack of a structured agenda at the park, allowing attendees to use the two-hour session however they like.

Sometimes that can mean finding friends and playing with them, but other times it could mean playing alone or with the adult. For Boyle’s child, it’s been a great learning socialization learning experience. 

“He’s a little clingy,” Boyle said as his child circled around his legs. “The first time he went more than two feet away from me in public was here. I think it’s helping him a lot.”

While located in the church gym, the Newberg Indoor Park is a cooperative funded primarily by memberships. A full-year membership costs $50, and a half-year membership is $30. Memberships cover the entire family, and an adult from each family is required to help open or close once a month.

“It’s a nice way for the parents to feel included as well,” Donor said. “Helping set up or tear down means we can keep this affordable for Newberg families. It’s a great way to build community.”

Parents also have donated snacks like Goldfish crackers and Cheerios for children who need a snack break, as well as coffee pods for parents who need a pick-me-up. Organizers recommend parents bring their own snacks for their children, especially if they have a special or restricted diet.

Those interested in supporting the organization can visit during operating hours and speak with a board member, identifiable by their lanyard, or send a message through the park’s Facebook page. They can also email newbergindoorpark@gmail.com.

The Newberg Indoor Park’s next open house event is a Christmas party on Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 9 to 11 a.m. For more details, visit the event page on Facebook.

Learn more about the Newberg Indoor Park by visiting its Facebook page.