Summer Hit List: In the business of getting bored kids active

You’ve done the big family vacation, the fun little day trips, wandered the museums, made a splash at the lake – and there still are three weeks left before school starts.

Heck, even the pool has become dull play for your kids.

Maybe it’s time to throw some rainy-day money at a summer situation and take them to one of the many businesses in the region that offer great family diversions.

From a tech-driven makerspace in downtown Modesto to bumper cars, rock climbing, trampolining, good old-fashioned arcades and more, there are plenty of places where the kids can burn off some of that late-summer energy while Mom and Dad eagerly await the August school bells.

While by no means an exhaustive list, here are a few businesses that specialize in keeping your kids (and you, too) busy. Various locations and/or activities could have age or height restrictions, so check before you go. Many require waivers.

Downtown TinkerTank: A public makerspace, this downtown locale offers a variety of tools – tech and otherwise, including 3-D printers – private storage, classes and access to software. Open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 1003 12th St., Modesto. Memberships are $50-$60 a month with one-day passes available for $20. 209-661-9390 or downtowntinkertank.com.

ESCAPE Modesto: Get locked inside a room for an hour and see if you can get out by finding the clues inside at this escape room locale. Set up in teams of six to 10, players decode clues, solve puzzles and unlock mysteries to escape. It usually takes about 90 minutes to find the way out of rooms with the themes “King Tut’s Treasure,” “Prison Break” and “CSI: Modesto.” 912 11th St., Lower Level Suite 1, Modesto. $25. 209-324-5190, www.escapemodesto.com.

Extreme Paintball: Rent the paintball equipment or take your own to this outdoor park where the fun is found in capturing the enemy team’s flag, but the result is pretty messy. Don’t worry: The paint is washable. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 7336 Dusty Lane, Modesto. 209-571-0210, extremepaintball.net.

Laser Quest: This laser tag locale sends sensor-wearing, laser tag gun-toting participants through multilevel arenas on the hunt for, well, each other. Laser Quest also has its own escape room, “Key Quest.” Noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Tuesdays through Thursdays, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays. Standiford Square Shopping Center, 2100 Standiford Ave., Modesto. $9-$15. 209-526-0000, www.laserquest.com/public/locations/ca-modesto.cfm.

MB2 Raceway: An indoor go-kart racing center, this business opened earlier this year in east Modesto. An asphalt-mix track floor covers most of the 60,000-square-foot space that once housed Gottschalks department store in Century Center. Now, you can strap on a helmet, get a safety lesson and take to the track in an electric kart. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays. 2401 E. Orangeburg Ave., Modesto. $23 adults for 14 laps, $20 children for nine laps. 866-986-7223, www.mb2raceway.com.

Rockin’ Jump: Let the kids pounce their boredom away at this indoor trampoline park in McHenry Village. All ages can enjoy a variety of jump spaces, dodgeball and a climbing wall. There are dedicated times set aside for toddlers and smaller children who need their own space away from bigger jumpers. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays through Fridays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, with tot time from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturdays. 1700 McHenry Ave., Suite 50B, Modesto. $11-$19. 209-391-0270, modesto.rockinjump.com.

SpecOps: Located in Oakdale, tactical video game play becomes a live-play experience at this outdoor venue. The facility offers laser tag, archery tag, and airsoft sports. 9954 Cleveland Ave., Oakdale. $25-$50. 209-985-7417, www.specopsliveplay.com.

Stonehenge: If the kids have you climbing the walls, here’s a place where you literally can climb one together. With options from beginner to pro, this indoor rock wall is a place to expel some energy. The gym offers climbing and classes for kids age 11 and older and bouldering for all ages. 6 to 10 p.m. weekdays, 2 to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 to 6 p.m. Sundays. 500 Ninth St., Modesto. $8-$23. 209-521-3644, www.climbstonehenge.com.

Arcades: Modesto has a few centers that offer a variety of family activities. Depending on the location, you can enjoy options including go karts, miniature golf, bumper boats, bumper cars, climbing gyms, rock walls, batting cages, laser tag, arcades and full-on kid rides. Here are three:

▪ Boomers is an indoor/outdoor facility open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 4215 Bangs Ave. 209-545-5248, www.boomersparks.com/modesto.

▪ Funworks is an indoor/outdoor facility open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays. 4307 Coffee Road. 209-578-4386, funworksfuncompany.com/funworks-modesto.

▪ John’s Incredible Pizza’s hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Located in Central Valley Plaza, 2225 Plaza Pkwy. 209-523-0000, https://johnspizza.com/modesto.

Bowling: How about lacing up some special shoes and bowling a few frames as a family? In Modesto, McHenry Bowl and Yosemite Lanes offer fun and entertainment on the lanes.

▪ McHenry Bowl is open 9 a.m. daily and closes at various times depending on the day between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. 3700 McHenry Ave. 209-571-2695, www.mchenrybowl.com.

▪ Yosemite Lanes is open 6 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily. 2301 Yosemite Blvd. 209-524-9161, www.yosemitelanes.com.

This story was originally published July 14, 2016 at 4:34 PM with the headline "Summer Hit List: In the business of getting bored kids active."