When it rains in Shenzhen or the heat is too much, the safest family activity is an indoor playground. Shenzhen's indoor parks are big and the facilities are new, and the most famous of them all is MELAND CLUB — a hugely popular children's playground nationwide, with 4 branches in Shenzhen, each over 4,000 square feet with more than a hundred play features. Below are the branch locations, transport and how it actually works in practice.
MELAND CLUB: 4 Shenzhen branches (all inside shopping malls)
- MixC World branch (Nanshan): The largest, around 3,000 square metres over three floors, with over a hundred play features. Transport: Metro Line 1, "Hi-Tech Park Station" Exit A, about a 2-minute walk.
- UpperHills branch (Futian): Inside a European-style town-themed mall, and you can walk on to Lianhuashan Park afterwards. Transport: Metro Line 10, "Donggualing Station" Exit A, about a 3-minute walk.
- Uniway branch (Bao'an): Alice in Wonderland theme, next to Shenzhen's most beautiful "Mix Bookstore". Transport: Metro Line 1/5, "Bao'an Center Station" Exit F, about a 2-minute walk.
- Longhua Uniway World branch (Longhua): The same mall also has the big Japanese indoor playground "ROUND1". Transport: Metro Line 4, "Longhua Station" Exit A, about a 1-minute walk.
What's inside
- Mini City: A role-play zone where kids dress up as doctors, chefs and cashiers.
- Jungle Gym: Climbing, slides and rope nets — the top choice for burning off energy.
- Hi Ball: A big ball pit, usually the area younger kids love most.
- X-Sport: Suited to slightly older kids, with physical challenge equipment.
- Cartoon and parent-child play zone: Quiet activities, crafts and a picture-book area.
Other indoor options
- ROUND1 (Longhua Uniway World): A big Japanese indoor playground with forty-odd activities — trampolines, bowling, pool, darts and karaoke, good for older kids and for the whole family to play together.
- Star Legend: Branches in several Shenzhen malls, focused on rides and arcade machines — dance machines, racing, shooting games and so on. Usually charged by game tokens, handy for an hour or two while you're at the mall.
Prices and booking
- Big playgrounds (like MELAND CLUB) mostly sell tickets by time slot, and weekday and weekend prices differ a lot;
- Buying in advance through platforms like Klook and Trip.com is usually cheaper than on site, and you can pick your slot;
- Arcade-type venues mostly work on tokens or stored-value cards — you pay for what you use;
- ⚠️ Prices and opening hours change from time to time, so confirm on the platform or official channel before you set off.
Practical tips
- Always bring socks: Most indoor playgrounds require socks, and buying them on site costs noticeably more.
- Go on a weekday: Fewer people and lower prices; weekend queues can be much longer.
- Pick the branch nearest your checkpoint: For Luohu/Futian, choose UpperHills; for Shenzhen Bay, choose MixC World or Uniway.
- Adults can take turns resting: The malls have coffee shops and restaurants, so one adult can watch the kids while the other takes a break.
- Watch the age and height limits: Some facilities have height requirements — check clearly before entering.
From three checkpoints: which branch is easiest
- Luohu Checkpoint (Line 1, Luohu Station): No branch right there; the fastest route is Line 1 into Futian and then to a mall branch — with kids, it's easier to just call a car.
- Futian Checkpoint (Line 4/10, Futian Checkpoint Station): The UpperHills area branches are closest; take Line 10 into Futian, then change lines or call a car for 15–20 minutes.
- Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint (Line 13, Shenzhen Bay Checkpoint Station): The MixC World area branches in Nanshan are easiest — about 15–20 minutes by car after crossing, and you step straight into the mall.
Indoor playgrounds are the top choice on rainy and scorching days, but most use time-slot tickets (for example, one session of 2–3 hours). Before entering, check the session times and the zones for younger and older children so you don't buy the wrong one.
4 things to do before entering
- Buy tickets in advance: On-site tickets are usually pricier and popular slots sell out — pre-booking on the mini-program is safest.
- Wear socks: Most indoor playgrounds require both adults and children to wear non-slip socks, and buying them on site is usually expensive.
- Check the age zones: Venues split into toddler and older-child zones, and younger kids can't play in the older-child zone — ask clearly on arrival.
- Allow enough time: With a time-slot ticket you have to leave when time's up, so budget separately for shopping and eating.
FAQ
How long can we play?
Mostly by time slot (commonly 2–3 hours); some venues sell all-day tickets.
Do adults need tickets?
Most require one accompanying adult to enter; at some venues the adult ticket is cheaper or free — check the branch's rules.
Is it crowded when it rains?
Yes. Rainy days and long holidays are peak times, so buy a time-slot ticket in advance rather than queuing on the spot.
How the pricing works (ways to save on site)
- Time-slot tickets: Indoor playgrounds mostly charge by session (for example, one session of 2–3 hours); overtime costs extra, so ask clearly on arrival.
- Adults: Adults generally need an accompanying ticket or to buy non-slip socks — budget for both.
- Membership / multi-visit passes: If you plan to go more than twice, ask about a monthly card or multi-visit pass, usually cheaper than buying single visits.
- On site vs online: Pre-booking on the mini-program is usually cheaper than on site and saves queuing; popular holiday slots sell out, so buy a day ahead if you can.
How to plan a rainy day (indoor playground + mall combo)
- 11:00: Cross the border into Shenzhen and head straight to your target mall (have lunch there too)
- 13:00–15:00: One session at the indoor playground — rainy days are the busiest, so remember to buy tickets early
- 15:00–16:00: Afternoon tea and drinks in the mall while the kids recharge
- 16:00–18:00: Shop in the mall or look at free exhibition areas, then head back to the checkpoint at dusk
This plan happens entirely inside one mall — no getting rained on, no changing transport — and suits kids aged 2–8 especially well. If you want to play longer, buy two sessions and eat and rest in the mall in between.
How to choose by your child's age
- 1–3 years (toddlers): Choose one with a big ball pit and soft-play area — MELAND CLUB's Hi Ball and toddler zone are ideal; this age isn't suited to climbing equipment.
- 4–7 years (kindergarten to early primary): Role-play plus climbing combos like Mini City and Jungle Gym are the most fun, and all four MELAND CLUB branches have them.
- 8–12 years (upper primary): They'll think the ball pit is "for babies", so go for X-Sport, or ROUND1 for trampolines, bowling and racing.
- Teenagers / whole family: Arcade and sports venues like ROUND1 or Star Legend — adults can enjoy them too.
Also note the venues' height limits — most climbing equipment requires 90–100cm and above, so check the zone rules on the platform before you go.
Branch addresses, hours and price details
- MixC World branch (South China flagship): Shop SL382, 3/F, MixC World, 9668 Shennan Boulevard, Nanshan District; about a 260-metre walk from Metro Line 1 Hi-Tech Park Station Exit A; Monday 10:00–18:00, Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–21:00. Online price for a one-adult-one-child single-visit general ticket is about ¥191–205; phone 0755-26914479.
- Qianhai Uniway branch (Alice in Wonderland theme): L3, North Zone, Uniway Shopping Centre, 99 Xinhu Road, Bao'an District, about 1,000 square metres; about a 270-metre walk from Metro Line 1 Bao'an Center Station Exit F; also Monday 10:00–18:00, Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–21:00, one adult and one child online price about ¥191.
- UpperHills branch: UpperHills, Futian District, around Metro Line 10 Donggualing Station; the closest branch to Futian Checkpoint, good for families crossing there.
- Bantian Vanke branch: Longhua/Bantian area; every Wednesday there's a "two kids half price" offer, and it's relatively quiet with no queuing — the top pick for avoiding crowds.
Venues generally have a shoe-changing hall, shoe lockers and a parent rest area (sofas and massage chairs), and some branches have free 3D printing workshops. You must wear non-slip socks to enter (bring your own or buy on site, about ¥15/pair); each branch's tickets are "valid in-store only and cannot be used across branches", so check clearly before ordering.
A reminder: online prices (Klook, Meituan and so on) are usually cheaper than on site, but most require exchanging your booking for a wristband at the counter before entering; Monday evenings are deep-cleaning days at some branches, so check the official mini-program for that day's sessions and opening hours before you set off. All three checkpoints have direct metro access — Luohu (Line 1), Futian (Line 4/10) and Shenzhen Bay (Line 13, change to Line 1).
💬 Comments
Loading…