A new family-focused business has opened its doors in Los Banos, offering parents and young children a safe, clean and imaginative place to play without leaving town.
Wonderland Indoor Playground, co-owned by longtime daycare provider Yesenia Savage and her daughter Kimberly, held its grand opening on January 27 and has already begun drawing families looking for a local indoor play option.
Savage brings more than three decades of childcare experience to the new venture. “I am a daycare provider, and I’ve been a daycare provider for over 35 years.
“We’re all fingerprinted, CPR certified, background check, and that includes my daughter, both of my boys and my husband. We’ve been in the system for many, many years.”
The idea for Wonderland grew from Savage’s dream of expanding her daycare into something larger.
“I’ve been extremely blessed with the amount of children that I have now and the amount of children I’ve had in the past. My dream was to open a preschool, but it was very difficult to find a preschool with a setting that the licensing requires,” she said.
After researching options with her daughter, the family discovered that an indoor playground model would best fit their goals.
A building next door to her husband’s jiu-jitsu studio unexpectedly became available, and the family moved quickly. “That was a sign that was a building for us, and we’re extremely comfortable where we are right now.”
Savage describes Wonderland as a place built with intention and care. “It’s definitely a safe, clean environment. We put a lot of small little details into it. Coming from a background of being a provider, I know exactly what kids like and what parents really appreciate,” she said.
The playground offers diapers for parents who forget them and a variety of themed play areas, including a vet clinic, bakery, hospital, police and fire stations, an infant area and a custom-made playground with a slide.
“They’re watching their kids use their imagination and just … have that quality time with their children,” she said.
The business has already hosted special events, including a father-daughter dance that left Savage emotional. “It just brought tears to my eyes, seeing these little ones, dancing with their dad, and I think we were the first ones in town that were able to provide that for the community.”
Wonderland is designed primarily for children up to seven years of age, though older and younger kids have enjoyed the space as well.
“Every child is different, but we have written down from 0 to 7. … I also have had 9-year-olds, and they’ve had a good time. It really all depends on each child and their development,” Savage said.
She has also been contacted by an organization that provides for children with autism and hopes to offer dedicated sensory-friendly hours. “They’re looking for a place so their kids can come and play in a safe environment … that again, was pretty big for me to do because that’s what I wanted to do too.”
Savage said the business has tried to keep pricing straightforward for families. “Crawlers under one year old is $10 an hour. A year and older is $15. Siblings are $30. One adult is free, and the second adult is $5. Weekend play is $23 an hour, which is only Saturday.”
Wonderland also offers three birthday party packages, which Savage said individuals have already begun booking.
Package options include pizzas, grip socks, guest characters, face painting, balloon arches, painted backdrops and goodie bags. Prices range from $450 to $850, with add‑ons ranging from additional grippy socks to extra special characters.
Savage praised her daughter’s creativity in designing the parties. “My daughter’s extremely talented. She does everything you can think of, from face painting to ballet classes, too.”
The grand opening went smoothly despite a hiccup with the chamber of commerce. “It went really well, until the chamber of commerce had a misunderstanding … but someone was able to come down, and when they did come and show up, it went well.”
Community response has been positive, though Savage says awareness is still growing. “This is our third week, and it’s a little slow. So, we’re just trying everything in our power to advertise every day on social media.”
Running the business as a family has been a joy, Savage said. “It’s been amazing. It’s been a pleasure. It’s been a blessing … It is a blessing to do something with your children, with your adult children.”
Despite early challenges—including broken toys, upfront costs and working without pay—Savage remains optimistic. “It’s okay. It’s a lesson learned, and we’re still learning as we go every day.”
Above all, she hopes families feel welcome. “I just want the family to feel safe and to come and enjoy themselves … The quality of time that you can spend with your children, I think, for me, is big.”
Wonderland Indoor Playground is located at 265 Mercy Springs Road, Suite C in Los Banos. Hours and updates are available on Facebook and Instagram at @wonderlandkidsindoorplayground.
