Exercise and fun at Sky Zone Macon

Isobel Deal preparing to jump into the block pit at Sky Zone. Photo courtesy Lauren Deal.
Isobel Deal preparing to jump into the block pit at Sky Zone. Photo by Lauren Deal.

The youngest members of the Macon Community News team (ahem, the Deal kids) have been begging for a trip to Sky Zone since it opened in Macon. With one day left until school started, Friday was go time.

Although their website is informative, I couldn’t access the price list menu from my cell phone and resorted to using a desktop computer instead.

In addition to their regular “open jump,” where participants can jump on any of the structures, Sky Zone Macon also offers a toddler jump, a fitness jumping class, and a GLOW jump (where jumpers ages 5 and up buy special glow in the dark shirts and jump in the dark). The times, dates, and cost for participating in different programs varies, so it’s a good idea to check the website; there are also age restrictions for the three specialized jumping programs.

Climbing on the blocks is great exercise for the little ones! Photo courtesy Lauren Deal.
Climbing on the blocks is great exercise for the little ones! Photo by Lauren Deal.

We chose the open jump. You pay for jumping time in increments of 3o minutes. The half hour jump is $10, and each additional half hour is $4 more. However, if you underestimate how long your family will want to jump, once you’ve purchased your tickets, an additional half hour will cost you $7. I strongly recommend that you purchase tickets for the hour-long jump on your first trip!

First-timers must purchase Sky Socks, which feature thick rubbery bottoms to provide good grip on the equipment. The socks are $2.50 each pair. You must also complete an online waiver prior to arrival at Sky Zone. Both the socks and the waiver can be used for future trips (so don’t let your kids toss the socks!). Waivers must be renewed after one year.

One final note about purchasing tickets: while it is strongly recommended that you purchase tickets for your jumping times online, be aware that there is a service charge added, and although I didn’t attempt an online purchase, the symbols indicate that only Visa or MasterCard are accepted for payment. I bought our tickets at Sky Zone, where they informed me that they also accept Discover and American Express.

Sam Deal relaxes in the block pit. Photo courtesy Lauren Deal.
Sam Deal relaxes in the block pit. Photo by Lauren Deal.

After a brief rules reminder, my children and I experimented with the foam pit. My son bounced on the trampoline a few times, then plunged vigorously into the blocks. He landed on top, then submerged his body in the pit. He rolled, waded, laid…reminding me of all the fun we had in ball pits in the 1980s.

Although initially hesitant, my daughter found that she was so light, she simply lay atop the foam blocks. She could crawl easily across them without sinking in.

I, on the other hand, dropped like a concrete block in quicksand. Remember, in the NeverEnding Story, when Atreyu’s horse sinks into the Swamps of Sadness? Yep, that was me, going down like a horse in an 80s movie…this was not as much fun as I remember it being…

Fortunately, Sky Zone has a ladder just for this purpose. So that middle aged moms can climb out of the foam pit with what’s left of their dignity mostly intact. Sweet!

Let me take a moment to comment on the staff: they were fantastic. They

Dodge ball gets a new twist when you get to bounce out of the way! Photo courtesy Lauren Deal.
Dodge ball gets a new twist when you get to bounce out of the way! Photo by Lauren Deal.

were friendly, observant, respectful, and playful. I did not see a single employee eyeballing (or even holding) their cell phone. I DID see employees showing kids how to cartwheel, complimenting kids for a good dodgeball throw, and making sure that bigger kids were taking turns with younger kids.

Sky Zone does a good job appealing to visitors big and small. On the three-lane basketball court, each goal is a different height. Similarly, there are two dodgeball courts, one for players 11 and up and one for players 10 and under. There are also large digital clocks mounted high on walls so that jumpers know when their time is ending…a great feature for parents who want to ease their children into “time to go!”

Even the walls are made of trampoline pads, so kids can bounce off of them, too! Photo courtesy Lauren Deal.
Even the walls are made of trampoline pads, so kids can bounce off of them, too! Photo by Lauren Deal.

The largest play area is a patchwork of trampolines: rectangular jumping pads, wall trampolines for tricks, and two long channels for handsprings and cartwheels. We jumped our hearts out — not quite literally — to upbeat music.

Our hour passed quickly, and all three of us had a blast.

Sky Zone is great fun, and frankly, I think it was worth the admission price. The facility is clean, and the trampolines are well-maintained. On a hot August day, the temperature inside was comfortable, even when we were jumping.

My kids wore gym clothes, but I was in pants and a top…next time, I will definitely dress in my workout ensemble. We will go ahead and buy the two hour tickets, but I will be sure to hydrate everyone before AND after we jump. If I lived closer to the north side of Macon, I would also check out their fitness class. It was (really!) that much fun.

Sky Zone is located at 245 Tom Hill Sr. Blvd, Suite 100B, Macon, 31210. Their website is at skyzone.com/macon.

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Published by Lauren Deal

Lauren Deal is an attorney-at-law with the Deal Law Firm, LLC. She is also a wife, mother of two, a former teacher and assignment editor for Macon Community News.