The Playground
Once upon a time there was a Hamleys toy shop in Prague which had an arcade section called “The Playground”. Fast-forward to 2024 and Hamleys has gone and the whole venue now comes under the collective name called The Playground. If you are travelling with kids under 14 you’ll definitely want to know about this place because it’s a lot of fun once you understand how it works.
How Does it Work?
There are three parts to The Playground. Firstly it’s a toy/games shop so you can buy stuff here. Secondly it operates a pay-per-play system for various parts of the store that it directly operates. Lastly it hosts independent businesses within the building that offer additional experiences where the cost is extra (but discounted if you buy The Playground Card).
Where to Go First
Things are changing so I’ll keep this page updated. At the time of writing after entering the shop you bypass the cashiers area (which is only for purchasing store content) and instead you head to the “Customer Service” or what may be called the “Infodesk” which at the time of writing was further in on your right behind the Carousel. Everybody speaks English. It’s here that you buy your card/credits. Once you have your card loaded with credits it’s just a case of tapping the card at the game/attraction/ride and away you go. There are different packages to choose from.
The Playground 3-Level Credit System
1) BASIC – This gives you 12 credits, costs CZK300 but you have to pay a CZK20 deposit for the card. This would be good for a trip through the mirror maze or a ride on the Carousel plus 3 games in the arcade.
2) PRO – This gives you 22 credits, costs CZK500 and includes the card. This is going to give you more time in the arcade including things like the Mirror Maze AND the Carousel etc.
3) EPIC – This gives you 50 credits, costs CZK1000 and includes the card. With this package you’ll have enough credit to try every game in the arcade and then some!
NOTE: at the time of writing it was possible to pay for some attractions like the Carousel by cash at the ride and the intention is to allow card payment as well.
Extras at The Playground
Although the Mirror Labyrinth is part of the offer (I like how you get white gloves before you go in), the Virtual Reality, Laser Game and Butterfly (Papilonia) areas are paid extra although you get a discount if you already have The Playground card. Check the “Buying Online” section below because at the time of writing I noticed that they combined The Playground card with a heavily discounted Laser Game experience.
The card is transferrable i.e. if you don’t use all your credits then you can give the card to somebody else. If they wish to add more credits they simply go to the customer service desk and choose the necessary package.
Some things are FREE for very young kids. There’s Hubelino and Plus-Plus (plastic bricks), Brio wooden trains/track, a water sensory game and what they call Kinetic Sand (i.e. sticky so you make figures).
There’s a small cafe adjacent to the arcade area but parents note that if you sit down here you cannot see into the majority of the arcade if that’s where your kids are. You can get regular free tap water here so long as you buy some other product.
The Playground has a toilet in the arcade area which can be paid for with cash or card and gives you a receipt that can be redeemed against shop purchases (but not at the cafe).
The Playground eTickets
You’ll find that as you spend your credits on attractions, rides and games then in the background you are acquiring “eTickets”. You would eventually exchange these eTickets for gifts in the arcade shop. Anyone can get enough eTickets for a lollipop but clearly the higher value items are going to require more eTickets so this seems to be aimed at more regular users of The Playground.
Buying Online
At the time of writing The Playground had just introduced an online payment system through the website and there are deals to be had here in what they call the “Special Packages” section. If you think you can be here Monday-Thursday 10am-1pm then online you can order the “Happy Hours” package where you collect an “unlimited card” on arrival. That is going to allow you access to all games and rides operated by The Playground in that date/time period. Currently the Happy Hours package costs CZK250 per person and that is a great deal considering the 50 credit EPIC card would normally cost CZK1000! Note that if using the “unlimited card” option then you will not earn any eTickets.
Another option I saw was for a “Party Pack” which is the “PRO” 22 Credits card which includes a heavily discounted entry to the Laser Game.
The Venetian Carousel
This dominates the interior of the ground and first floors. Visually very decorative but for younger kids or kids under one metre tall it means they cannot ride the horses and instead you’ll have to sit in a teacup. This is for safety reasons but I don’t want you to get your kid’s hopes up for riding a horse only to be told they can’t. At the time of writing the Venetian Carousel was CZK70 cash or 3 credits.
My Thoughts
Kids spring to mind immediately and I mean, who doesn’t like to spend time with the kids having fun! This is the ideal “carrot” where your kids have to suffer the historical and cultural part of the city with a promise of being able to let loose in an amusement arcade or Laser Game and who doesn’t like “whack’a’mole”. The staff were very helpful and clearly enjoy working in this fun environment.
Address: Na Prikope 14
https://www.theplayground.cz/en
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