Pumpkin Patch at Desert Ridge

I've heard of a number of pumpkin patches near the Phoenix area, and definitely look forward to going to them with my son...someday. Right now he's a little too small for that level of effort, but each October I want to ensure I at least get some cute photo ops for the occasion. 

Enter - the Pumpkin Patch at Desert Ridge. It's readily accessible, located outside of the AMC in the Desert Ridge plaza. Tons of parking, surrounded by shopping and restaurants - it's a great way to get some cute photos, and select a pumpkin or two for carving.

They have various areas setup and staged for that perfect photo op, and a huge variety of shapes and sizes of pumpkins, with both traditional orange and more contemporary white varieties available. On certain days they have other activities available, like face painting and balloon animals, making it an even more enjoyable experience for the little ones.

I went to the third annual Pumpkin Patch in 2021, when my son was just a few weeks old, and to the fourth annual Pumpkin Patch this year. It opens mid-October and runs until the end of the month, and is completely free to access. If you wish to purchase a pumpkin, pricing varies based on weight, but they accept cash and card. 

If you're looking for a perfect group activity, we've successfully done that too - inviting other parents with littles to come, get some pictures and hang out for a while, and then go to a nearby restaurant for beverages and appetizers - it has worked out really well, and we hope to continue that as a little tradition.

Highlights

• Centrally located
• Free to access
• Lots of available parking

Final Verdict

• If you're looking for a Pumpkin Patch close to town without a lot of walking - this is your spot
• Able to get adorable photo ops without much effort, and can get some shopping or dinner in right before/after

Cookie Cutters haircuts for kids

Ahead of my son's first birthday, we decided it was time for him to get his first haircut. He had a bit of a mullet, and not in an adorable way. I knew there were places that specialized in giving little kids haircuts, but didn't know much more than that. After some cursory googling, I found Cookie Cutters at Norterra, with packages for first haircuts, and decided to make an appointment.

The appointment process itself was very straightforward. You have to download the Cookie Cutters app, and input some basic information. I then was able to select an available date and time, and select the package I wanted.

When haircut day came, we arrived a few minutes ahead of time in case anything else was required for us to check in (there wasn't). While we waited, there were lots of things to look at, as well as a small play structure to keep the little ones busy. When it was time for our son to get his hair cut, they brought us back to one of the many themed chairs, and selected a cartoon for him to watch on the small tv located at that station. He didn't notice or care for the cartoon at all, but the chair had a steering wheel that he was immediately enamored with. 

Yvette is very obviously a seasoned professional when it comes to cutting hair on squirmy babies. If you look at the Google or Yelp ratings for the Norterra location, her name is mentioned over and over again. She took some "before" photos and asked if I had a preference between using scissors or a razor - she said using scissors is recommended for the first few cuts, so we went with that option.

Despite the fact that my son didn't sit still for more than 3 seconds, she managed to give him the most adorable haircut. He didn't cry or fuss a single time, and she even managed to get some cute "after" photos as well.

He was offered a balloon and a lollipop afterwards for being such a patient kiddo, and we were provided with a commemorative certificate and a baggy with a lock of his hair (all included with the first haircut package).

I'm not going to lie, pricing was a little more than I had anticipated at $37.95 but with their ability to give a stellar haircut to a kid who won't sit still, along with the certificate, lock of hair, before and after photos, and balloon/lollipop, I would say it is definitely worth it. I know if I tried to cut his hair it likely would've ended in tears, and not looked nearly as good, so I'm glad I left it in the hands of professionals.

Highlights

• Cute stations with different themes
• Well trained staff who are kind and patient with the kiddos
• Play area for kids to burn some energy while you wait

Final Verdict

• Pricey, but definitely worth it for baby's first haircut

Luv2Play at Norterra

(image sourced from Luv2Play website)

One of the first indoor playground type places I went with my son was highly rated on Yelp - Luv2Play at Norterra. We went early on a Saturday morning, because the reviews advised it can get really busy as birthday parties are happening throughout the day.

This facility is around 12,000 square feet in the Norterra plaza in North Phoenix. It has three different areas - baby, toddler, and big kids. The baby space is meant for kids under one year, the toddler for little ones from one to four years, and the big kid space from 5 and up.

As of September of 2022, the pricing is as follows:

• Adults - free (up to 2 per paid child)
• 0 - 5 months - free
• 6 months - 4 years - $13 (M-Th) / $15 (F-Sat)
• 5 - 12 years - $16 (M-Th) / $18 (F-Sat)

All adults and children are required to wear grippy socks, which they sell for $3.50/pair.

Upon entering the facility, you’re greeted by the staff at the front desk, who ask if you have been there before. If not, you’re asked to sign the waiver and walked through the pricing. After paying, you are given a wrist band - for adults, it’s placed on your wrist, for Littles it’s placed around their ankle. You’re directed to the cubby area to place your belongings, and once you have your socks on you’re ready to go!

Once behind the child proof gate, you see the three main sections - the party rooms are along one wall, the toddler section to your left, baby area in the middle, snack bar and rest area towards the back, and the large multi level big kid area to the right.

Having not gone to these types of venues before, I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but my first impression was that the facility was clean, and the equipment seemed to be in good condition. I will say that the baby area is VERY small compared to the rest of the sections. 

The baby area consisted of a ball pit, a soft play arch, some wooden puzzles affixed to the half walls, foam building blocks, and some little stacking stool type pieces. There were also two rocking type animals to sit on. 

The toddler area was much larger in size, with a large musical keyboard (similar to the one from the movie Big), spinning tea cup type chairs, and a two or three tier maze structure with a ball pit and various other climbing activities inside.

I didn’t explore the big kid area very much but it takes up the majority of the facility, and looked like LOTS of fun.

The snack bar area was very popular, and adults were able to sit at the tables and take a break while their kids ran around. Due to the half walls around the baby and toddler areas, you don’t have full line of sight if sitting in the snack area, so I chose to stay in the baby area with my son. 

Overall I would say it’s a great place if you have multiple kids, so that they can all play at the same time, but if you only have one kid under four, there are better places to go in the valley. 

My son was still under one when we went, and he enjoyed the ball pit immensely. My big concern was the bigger kids coming and going while he was in the ball pit. They nearly bowled him over several times, despite my attempts to get him out of their way as soon as possible. You definitely depend on other parents to keep their kids in the age appropriate space, and if they don’t…it can be tricky to navigate. 

Highlights

• Average price for an indoor playground
• Clean facility, obviously well maintained
• Small play areas for the babies and toddlers
• Snack bar, free WiFi

Final verdict

I would go again for a birthday party, or if we have other children to go with, but likely won’t be taking my son back until he’s a bit older. Between the small play areas for the little ones and the older kids dominating those areas, there are better places for the under 5 age range.