Coming up with fun activities for smaller children and babies is no easy task. Activities need to strike the right balance of fun, stimulation, education, rest areas, and most importantly, safety to create an ideal experience. Now factor in parents’ own entertainment needs, and the challenge grows even more.
Thankfully, LEGO has created two LEGOLAND Discovery Centers nearby, in Westchester and at the American Dream Mall, offering children a fantastic opportunity to play and explore in a comfortable indoor setting. These centers also provide plenty of enjoyment for adults. I recently went to the one in Westchester with my wife, Ahuva, and our baby, Koby, along with our friends Jared and Gabby and their two kids, Riley and baby Calvin. We spent the day building with Legos, enjoying indoor attractions, and viewing incredible Lego models together.
Worldwide, there are a dozen LEGOLAND Discovery Centers, with the first opening in Berlin in 2007. The first center in the United States opened in 2012 in Kansas City, followed by the Westchester location in March 2013. Eight years later, the American Dream center opened in May 2021. Each discovery center features several attractions, a model city made entirely of Lego bricks showcasing local landmarks, and movie theaters with Lego 4D shorts. The goal of the discovery centers is to provide a smaller, more affordable version of the LEGOLAND theme parks (of which there are 11 worldwide, including one in nearby Goshen, New York—see the review in issue #550 at jewishlink.news/building-memories-a-day-at-legoland-new-york). Additionally, the indoor design ensures the experience is enjoyable regardless of weather conditions.
Driving from Teaneck to the Westchester discovery center was a quick and easy 30-minute drive. There is a parking lot just a block away, and parking is included with the ticket. After parking, guests can head inside, where a machine by the cashier will provide a two-hour parking pass.
The discovery center is located within the beautiful Ridge Hill mall, an open-air shopping center that features a variety of stores and attractions, including a large movie theater. I was impressed by how stunning the mall was, with its spacious walkways, modern architecture, plenty of outdoor seating, and a striking central water fountain. The multiple levels gave it a unique feel, and it reminded me of outdoor malls I’ve seen in California. I was surprised to find something so beautiful on the East Coast. The LEGOLAND Discovery Center stood out with a bright yellow sign featuring the logo and a rainbow arch of Lego bricks surrounding the entrance, warmly inviting guests to play.
Once inside, we scanned our passes, and Gabby and Jared purchased an activity book to collect stamps in each room. If completed, the book rewards guests with a prize at the end. To be honest, from the outside, I thought the discovery center seemed a bit, well, small. But boy, was I mistaken. Inside, the space was much larger than I expected, with multiple rooms, several large attractions, jungle gyms, dedicated Lego building areas, a full gift shop and a cafeteria.
The first room of our visit featured several photo opportunities, including an enlarged Lego person stuck in a green tube, which reminded me of a scene straight out of the Mario video game. I thought it was a clever choice for the first room, as it helped immerse guests in the world of Lego with its oversized props. The next room simulated the process of making Lego bricks.
First, guests could mix the balls, heat them, press them, paint them, and then watch as they turned into Lego bricks. There were plenty of interactive elements, like levers to pull and machines to spin. One activity allowed us to virtually paint Lego pictures, such as the Joker or a penguin, while another featured a Lego mosaic that visitors could keep.
Next, we tried a really fun ride called “Kingdom Quest.” It was a medieval-themed shooting game where we used blasters attached to the cart to hit targets such as spiders, ogres and skeletons to score points. We rode this attraction multiple times, and in theory, we could have kept going indefinitely. Since Koby and Calvin were too small to ride, the parents took turns watching each baby while riding. All of the adults and Riley had a blast competing for the highest score.
After conquering enough monsters and feeling satisfied with our scores, we headed to my favorite part: Miniland. Stepping into this area honestly took my breath away. It featured an incredible Lego replica of the New York skyline, including the Chrysler Building, the Empire State Building with a Lego King Kong clinging to it, and the Freedom Tower. There was also a Lego George Washington Bridge spanning the Hudson River. My favorite set was a ballpark that was half Yankee Stadium and half Citi Field that was fashioned into a pinball machine, with the scoreboard keeping track of the score.
Miniland also showcased a detailed replica of the Statue of Liberty, MetLife Stadium packed with fans for a football game, Times Square, and a concert setup where guests could press a button to play music. The attention to detail in this room was astounding, clearly reflecting the immense talent and effort that went into creating such a masterpiece.
Once we finished touring mini city, we headed to the play area, which was the highlight for the kids. This area featured jungle gyms, climbing walls, slides, and a spot where guests could build Lego Racers and test them down a ramp. Baby Koby and Calvin had a great time in the soft building bricks play area, which was like a Lego version of a ball pit. Nearby was the center’s second attraction: Merlin’s Apprentice. This ride was similar to Dumbo at Disney World, with Lego chairs featuring pedals and wizard hats on top that flew around the room. Riley, Jared and I rode it a few times before we got too dizzy. There was also a cinema showing various Lego 4D shorts every 15 minutes or so, but unfortunately, we didn’t get to catch one. Additionally, there was a virtual reality race simulator for an extra $7, which we didn’t try, but it looked like a lot of fun.
For Lego enthusiasts, there were also classrooms at the Lego Master Builder Academy, where instructors offered classes on Lego building. At lunchtime, we headed to the cafeteria, which had a variety of kosher treats like ice cream bars, ice pops and snacks such as Oreos and chips. I’m not sure what will be kosher over Pesach, so it might be a good idea to call in advance or plan to eat before or after your visit. To wrap things up, no Lego experience would be complete without a gift shop, offering a great selection of Lego sets from popular franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings.
There are also season pass options starting at $60 per person if your family would like to enjoy the experience year-round. Additionally, select adult nights feature building competitions and other fun challenges.
If you have young children, especially those 8 and under, and the weather looks uncertain, I highly recommend visiting LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester. It’s affordable, indoors, and offers plenty of activities. If the weather is nice, consider heading to LEGOLAND Resort, which has even more attractions and is an incredible theme park. However, for families with toddlers or younger children, LEGOLAND Resort might be challenging due to all the walking, so the discovery center could be a more comfortable alternative.
As we celebrate Pesach in remembrance of the Jews no longer having to make pyramids out of bricks, let this Chol Hamoed be a time to build joyfully with Lego bricks instead.
Admission: $30
Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; extended to 7 p.m. on weekends
Westchester Address: 39 Fitzgerald St., Yonkers, NY 10710
Phone: (914) 775-6015
www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/westchester
For reference: American Dream Mall location: Court A, first level
