Blast City Laser Tag: Winter Break Activity

Blast City game room, for while you’re waiting to play

For parents* who are fans of Kids World at Lindero Canyon and Kanan (and other indoor playgrounds) but whose kids are getting too big to spend hours in the arcade, climbing tunnels, or the battle ball pit, I’m excited to tell you that Blast City Laser Tag, which opened recently right next door, is there for the kids to enjoy once they graduate from “little kid” status.

Big kid in motion

Blast City is a two-story laser tag facility that is “fully immersive,” so it’s just like the kids get to play their favorite role-playing video games but in real life. Each game is $10 for “12 minutes of intense action, fog, light effects and great music.” Referees are stationed throughout to offer assistance, but parents can enter the game with the kids (you have to play too, though). Equipment includes vests and laster tag guns, and participants have to watch a video and go through equipment training before playing the game. Kids 5 and older can play, and it’s not just for kids – plenty of adults play the game, too.

Equipment staging area

My kids got to check it out as guests of Blast City, and I have to say I was a little bit nervous because the 9-year-old has had negative experiences with laser tag in the past, but he gave this place two thumbs up! The staff who run the facility are very knowledgeable and helpful and they’re super into laser tag, which really adds to the experience. The boys were both tired and sweaty after two games. It was such a successful visit that Blast City gift cards were purchased for their Christmas stockings and they were both really happy to find them!

Blast City Laser Tag Arena

Blast City is open for open play Wednesday through Friday starting at 3:00 PM, and all day on weekends. The facility can be booked for birthday parties and corporate events, or you can reserve private games for your group of 10 or more. This actually sounds like an awesome team-building activity for your department at work.

Blast City Party Rooms and Rates

Better yet, because Blast City is right next door to Kids World, you can split your family up and send the older kids to play laser tag while you chill with an adult beverage in the back at Kids World and the littles pummel each other with soft foam balls. Who said there’s nothing to do over winter break?

*This goes for grandparents too. My kids’ grandparents brought them to Blast City, so I have them to thank for the legwork for this post.

Blast City Laser Tag
618 Lindero Canyon Rd
Oak Park, CA 91377
BlastCityLA.com

All photos by Barbara Tracy

Make Music With Zya – a Free App

zya mixing studio

There’s a great new game you can play with your kids (or alone, nobody has to know) on your iPhone or iPad. Zya is a music mixing game (available in the App Store) that allows you to choose avatars for every member of your band, the guitar riffs, the drum beat and hook, and even record your own lyrics. Here’s a song that Kyle made after a few minutes of playing around:

(He preferred pop over rock. Give him time.)

zya drummer

You pay to add on the option of recording your own vocal duet with a popular song, like “Blurred Lines” (for the grownups) and “Bye Bye Bye.” But even in the free app, you can score points to earn cool new options like additional vocal filters (like auto-tune, which many people can use) and new artist avatars to choose.

It’s fun to play around with it and it’s creative, too!