Preschooler fun at Bornelund Kid-o-Kid in Cocoon 2, Omiya, Saitama City
Bornelund Kid-O-Kid
Concealed in the back corner of the third floor of Cocoon 2 is a veritable preschooler’s paradise. Bornelund’s Kid-o-kid recently celebrated its one year anniversary. It still looks like it just opened. The equipment is very well kept, pristine, bright and colourful. Furthermore, it is educational. Kidokid isn’t that large. However, it is very well laid out. There is a wonderful selection of fun and clever play areas to challenge a growing mind and body. Great entertainment for children younger than school going age guaranteed!
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Cocoon Kid-o-Kid
I was so excited when I heard Kid-O-Kid was opening. I am a huge fan of Bornelund toys and a regular customer of their Maruhiro branch. We weren’t disappointed and I love bringing my two year old there even though it is an hour from our house. The atmosphere is soothing with a very relaxed ambiance. And the equipment is diverse and ingenious (click on photo for description / details);
However, I haven’t brought my older children there, because there
really isn’t much to entertain a child older than six for more than half an hour. Children up to 12 years old can enter, but I don’t think children of school going age would find the center engaging enough.
I know that with my 7 year old and 6 year old girl they find the much larger Kidzooona‘s play equipment less riveting in the last two years, but at least it has a game corner that they will happily play in while their younger siblings use the more physically challenging equipment.
Active equipment
And seen as I am comparing; Kid-o-kid only has a small dress up area called “Play Stage” whereas Kidzooona has a great choice of make-believe play with costumes. What it does have that my 7 year old boy would enjoy is a mechanical building area and both he and his 6 year old sister would also enjoy the trampolines, zorbs and climbing wall.
Another thing it is missing is a rest or seating area. They have a couple of vending machines with just a couple of seats. You are not allowed eat in the center either. I like that in Niko Niko Garden and Kids Spocha in Ageo you can bring in your lunch and eat it in the rest area that also has free tea, coffee and water. Kidzoona also has a rest area with a Mini Stop convenience store selling a selection of bento and sandwiches as well as some hot food.
Baby Garden
However, Bornelund Kid-o-Kid in Saitama Shintoshin has a “parent room” and “milk bar” (facilities for parents with babies) in their “baby garden”; an area for children under 18 months old. You can change nappies in that area, but please note that Kid-o-kid does not have toilets so it is advisable to visit the rest rooms before you enter the center.
All that being said, it is very much high on my list of Saitama’s best. Not quite top ten but not far off it either! If we lived closer I would invest in the monthly pass (prices outlined below). However, it is a little too far and not ideally suited to my two older children so I can’t really justify more than an occasional visit. It is certainly very popular with locals and there is always a long line of folded up buggies in the stroller storage area on weekdays.
I have no hesitation in recommending Bornelund Kidokid as a place to visit with a child younger than six, especially if you are in the area. I would advise visiting on a weekday though. On a weekday it is also popular and busy. However, it never feels packed and there is less chance of the center being at full capacity.
Kid-o-kid Information / Details
Hours
Open 10 am to 7 pm with last entry at 6.30 pm, seven days a week.
Cost
It costs 600 yen for children and 500 yen for adults for a half hour of play. For every ten minutes you go over your time you are charged a 100 yen per child. They do not charge extra for an adult in this situation. If you have a Bornelund or Kid-o-kid point card you get a 100 yen off the child’s admission fee. Children from the age of 6 months are charged.
On weekdays they have two different packages you can avail of for a full day of play. The one day free pass costs 1,700 yen for an adult and one child. The weekday free pass is basically a month’s pass, that can be used on weekdays only. It costs 4,400 yen for one adult and one child, and 3,700 yen for every subsequent child. It is interchangeable among family members. You need to have a Bornelund or Kid-o-kid member card if you want to buy the weekday free pass. Please note, they have a limit on the number of passes they sell daily / monthly and you cannot purchase them on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
You can also buy a book of entry tickets for 5000 yen that allows a child (only) enter eleven times, saving you 500 yen, if you have either or the afore mentioned point / member’s cards.
Point Card
If you sign up for a Kid-O-Kid point card, which costs 100 yen a year, you can earn point each time you visit. You can then exchange points for play time. For 2000 points up to three children can get 30 minutes free play time; 3,200 points allows an hour free play time for up to three children; and 4500 points can be exchanged for a book of tickets. If you visit on your child’s birthday they gift you a half hour free play time, if you are entering on the half hour package.
Other Bornelund in Saitama
Kid-o-Kid in Saitama Shintoshin is the only Bornelund play center of this type in Saitama. There are however other Bornelund stores, some of which have free play areas. Maruhiro in Kawagoe has a decent sized Bornelund store and they have lots of sample toys out for the kids to play with. Tsutaya in Honjo has a small Bornelund corner. There are Bornelund shops in Isetan Urawa, Sougo Omiya and Lake Town Outlet. The latter has a play center called a Tot Garden, another signature play area of Bornelund. They are typically smaller than a Kid-O-Kid and they are limited to children under school going age (under seven years old).
Contact
Address: 〒330-0843 Saitama-ken, Saitama-shi, Ōmiya-ku, Kishikichō, 4 Chome−4−263-1 Cocoon 2
Phone: 048-782-6207
URL: Official website
Access
Approximately a seven minute walk from JR Keihin Tohoku, Takasaki and Utsunomiya Line’s Saitama Shintoshin Station.
Located very close to the Saitama Shintoshin exit of the Metropolitan Expressway Saitama Shintoshin Route. Cocoon 2 has parking on its roof as well as in an adjacent car park, Cocoon City parking number 3. Parking is charged at 200 yen per 30 minutes. However, if you spend between a 1000 and 2000 yen in Cocoon city on the same day you get one hour free parking, or two hours free for over 2000 yen. You get three hours free if you are using the cinema.
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