These 5 American Airports Have The Best Playground Areas For Kids

It's no secret that traveling by airplane can be a stressful experience, even for the most experienced jetsetters. Arriving at the airport at the crack of dawn after fighting traffic, waiting in the long lines at security, and then rushing through crowded terminals as you attempt to find your gate would have anyone on the verge of tears. Now imagine doing all of that with kids in tow. Sadly, many travel enthusiasts may feel like they have to put their dreams of adventure on hold because they're raising little ones.

The truth is, traveling with kids is totally possible, and while airport meltdowns may happen, kids are resilient. Sometimes, they're more equipped to go with the flow than many adults. Plus, the stress of traveling with kids is totally worth it when you consider the lifelong memories you'll make together. If you're dreaming of taking a trip with your family, but you're afraid of heading to the airport with kids, consider booking a flight that passes through one of the five kid-friendly United States airports in Boston, Portland, Chicago, Washington, or Miami. With unique immersive play areas, you'll find plenty to keep kids busy when they get bored of watching planes land and running up and down the moving walkways. Your next flight might not be entirely stress-free, but the airport can be a fun experience for the whole family.

Boston Logan International Airport is located on the east coast of the United States, and a lot of flights have layovers there. It's a hub for some of the major international and domestic airlines like Delta and JetBlue. It also has a number of overseas departures, so if you're embarking on a flight to Europe, consider booking an itinerary that passes through Boston Logan.

Within the airport, there are super fun play areas designed by the Boston Children's Museum. The city location is one of the top rated children's museums in the country, and among the best museums to visit on a trip to Boston. Their interactive kid zones at Boston Airport, known as Kidports, are both fun and educational. There's a replica of the airport control tower, a foam play area, slides, and stuff to climb on. Visiting a Kidport is totally free, and it's the perfect spot for the little ones to play and run around. Hopefully they'll tire themselves out so that they're ready to crash for the entire red-eye flight to Europe, offering parents a little peace and quiet before landing. You can find a Kidport location in Terminal A, B, and C.

Portland is one of those cities that is living in the future, and the Portland International Airport is no exception. There are multiple activities for kids of all ages that help make the travel experience enjoyable for the whole family. Small kids will love the play area with an airplane theme located in Concourse C. Slides, leggos, and games offer plenty to do. There's also a new interactive play area in Concourse D at gate D7 that was sponsored by Oregon's Tillamook Creamery. 

It has plenty of things to climb on that are designed for kids aged 1-6. There's a seating area for parents to rest their legs while kids play. Older kids will love catching a movie at the mini airport version of Portland's popular Hollywood Theater which has 22 seats and is located in Concourse C. The various films shown are appropriate for all-ages. When kids have had their fun playing, take some time to walk around and admire the art displays. If you're lucky, you may even run into the adorable "therapy llamas" that visit the airport throughout the year to offer passengers emotional support.

Seeing as it's the fifth busiest airport in the United States, navigating Chicago O'Hare Airport can be tough. An average of around 890 flights depart from the airport each and every day. That means there are a lot of parents with children moving through the terminals, and Chicago O'Hare decided to make the experience easier for everyone by creating some super cool kid-friendly spaces. If you're a fan of history or aviation, take your kiddos to the fascinating fighter plane exhibit. The F4F Wildcat is on display, having been restored after being used in WWII. Kids and their parents can see the plane up close, and you can read the informational signage to teach them all about the history of fighter planes in WWII.

Inside Terminal 2 you can visit the interactive children's play area called Kids on the Fly, which is sponsored by the Chicago Children's Museum — another top-ranked spot in the USA. The Kids on the Fly play zone allows kids to drive a pretend airplane. Another awesome feature for the whole family is the Butch O'Hare Family Lounge, which is free for anyone traveling with kids. You'll find plenty of toys and activities to keep kids busy, stroller parking areas, and seats with device charging for adults.

If your kid is into space, they're going to love traveling through Washington Dulles International Airport. NASA sponsored a fascinating space themed play area called the FunWay that is just for kids. Located in Concourse B by gate B70, the play space includes interactive games and aviation themed play areas. The play area was manufactured by Soft Play, so surfaces are soft and safe enough for kids to run, jump, and climb — perfect for keeping kids busy during delayed flights. 

At the center of the FunWay play zone kids can climb inside Tommy the Tower, which is a miniature air traffic control tower that is modeled after Washington Dulles own air traffic control tower. Tommy the Tower also has a small slide. Other features of the play area include a NASA jet, Orville the squirrel (who is named after Orville Wright of the famous Wright Brothers), a stack of suitcases, and kid-friendly signage with fun aviation facts. Older kids and their parents will love the wall-mounted gaming console that has over 100 games in six different languages. There are even some two-player games if you want to have a friendly competition before your flight departs. Adults can monitor their kids comfortably from the seating located just outside the walled play area, which is equipped with device charging stations.

Flying through Miami International Airport can be stressful considering it is one of the world's busiest airports. There are more than 80 airlines departing to around 150 locations around the globe. If you're a frequent traveler, there's a good chance you'll find yourself passing through MIA at some point. The big crowds can be stressful, especially during spring break. Families with kids should head straight to Concourse E. Near gate E5, you'll find the epic Plane Fun kids zone.

Plane Fun offers plenty of entertainment for kids of all ages. Even older kids will find some fascinating activities to keep them busy. Kids and their caregivers will love the opportunity to listen to real conversations between pilots and the control tower. Toddlers can enjoy climbing around in the soft play area, and older kids can explore a model cockpit where they can practice their aviation skills with mock takeoffs and landings. There's also a control tower, and a pretend hot air balloon to climb inside. Before heading off to catch your flight, the whole family can commemorate their trip with a photo in the selfie-station that's located by the entrance to Plane Fun.

For our list of the top five American airports with play areas for kids, we examined the facilities at airports across the country, and researched factors like accessibility, cost, and age-appropriateness of the play areas. We also considered the size of the play spaces, and the amenities available for parents traveling with their kids.