This Borivali amusement centre is offering fun summer activities for children

With Mumbairsquos summer in full swing children and grownups are itching to step out and play But for many Mumbaikars ldquooutsiderdquo means the tiny fencedin spaces within their housing complexes which wersquove somehow come to call ldquoplay areasrdquo Seeking a change of scenery we decided to visit Box Zone in Borivali that has been building some new attractions and activities and promises to be a true open space experience for children and adults this holiday seasonThe writer tests the 10hole minigolf courseA twominute walk through a winding lane from the Eksar Metro Station leads us to the entrance of the four acrelarge open space A Rs 50 general entry pass grants us access into the general access area Wersquore welcomed by a host of archways lit up with fairy lights These are selfie points many more of which are located across the space in different zones As we walk through the attractions we are presented with the choice to explore one of the two demarcated zones in the parkA kid plays with balloons inside the balloon house installationZone A of the park is reminiscent of the popular TV game show Wipeout A group of children are jumping over sweeper bars rotating on an inflatable chuckling every time they skip over one when our attention is driven to a swarm of men in blue uniforms behind us These are game attendants who are ensuring that the kids who are splashing their way around a mini pool on their mini boats nearby are safe We learn that each game is overlooked by two such game attendants who are also trained in first aid practices With each of the activities requiring coupons ranging from R50 to R300 the same zone also hosts legacy games like the mechanical bull an arcade section and trampolinesKids play chess on a giant chessboard in Zone B PicsNimesh DaveJust as we are about to leave Zone A we notice two adults being helped into bulky sumo suits by attendants Things are about to get heated we step back When the first few jabs land after about a dozen that donrsquot itrsquos equal parts hilarious and relieving to watch the players hit the ground down together If you plan to settle some scores with a frenemy this summer we suggest you do it here For those not keen on taking hits the zone offers games like bungee trampoline a giant bubble walk and automated indoor cricket and footballA visitor in a sumo suitAs for us we now head to their newest addition mdash the mini golf zone which is a 10hole course with increasingly complex obstacles The attendant hands us a golf club after enquiring about our handedness The golf club is a metal standard size putter that feels sturdy and heavy in the hand We learn that for young golfers the park offers lighter wooden and retractable clubs to suit the playerrsquos height As we struggle to putt our first hole not far away a trio is on the penultimate hole of a heated competition putting under tunnels and over bridges and obstaclesKids enjoy pedal boatingZone B is perhaps our place to shine It houses giant recreations of board games ranging from chess to checkers and tic tac toe The highlight especially for butterfingers like this writer is a giant Jenga setup A gated space the zone allows participants of all ages access with passes starting at R200 for adults and Rs 500 for a parentchild duo Noticing a large group at the gate we leave the space after pottering around for a bit allowing the serious players to take the stageGiant Jenga right a girl climbs up the inflatable wallAs we reach the end of our day at the park we strike up a conversation with coowner Neelanshi Joshi while grabbing a snack from the food court Joshi informs us that plans to introduce a 9D theatre are underway as part of a monsoon revamp Speaking of revamps we notice an area that could perhaps use one The washrooms consisting of a total of 12 stalls are tucked away in a corner Joshi assures us that the setup has been adequate to accommodate the visitors on any given day but as the summers and the new attractions bring larger groups into the park we fear things might change soonAt Box Zone opposite Joggers Park near Eksar Metro Station Borivali West Time 4 pm to 10 pm dailyCall 9321479404Cost Rs 50 entry fee Rs 400 Rs 800 allaccess pass for adults or children