Take Your Kids to These Play Areas When They Need to Burn off Some Energy at Disney World

Themed after the steam train from Dumbo, this water play area is the perfect spot to cool off on a hot day. Located near the Dumbo and Barnstormer attractions in Fantasyland's Storybook Circus, this is a great place for kids to run while parents relax.

Located in Frontierland, Tom Sawyer Island is a young explorer's dream come true. You can only reach this island of winding trails, secret passageways, and hidden surprises on a log raft, which totally adds to the adventurous vibe.

Once you visit the (air-conditioned!) waiting area for the Dumbo ride, you'll wish every Disney attraction was outfitted with one just like it. When you enter the Dumbo queue, you'll receive a pager (similar to the ones given out at restaurants), and, until your pager goes off, your kids are free to run, climb, and bounce to their little hearts' content. This interactive queue only seems to be available when the line is long enough to warrant its being open, but it's a huge help on those busy days full of long wait times.

If your kids don't yet meet the 40-inch height requirement for Splash Mountain (or they're just terrified of that death-defying drop), there is a fun, shaded play area located near the ride's exit. You'll find adorable playhouses, a slide, and, if you time it right, Chip and Dale have been spotted saying hi to guests, too.

Despite what Instagram may have you believe, the Magic Kingdom hub grass (the grassy area located between Main Street U.S.A. and Cinderella Castle) ins't just for cute selfies. The hub grass is one of the few places in Magic Kingdom where you can sit down, spread out, have a snack, and let your kids run circles around you until they can't run anymore. It can get crowded before parades or fireworks, but you'll find it nearly empty most of the time.

Kids can definitely dig up some fun in this "bone-ified" play area themed to look like a dinosaur dig site. This one is located in the DinoLand U.S.A. area of Animal Kingdom, and it's also one of the larger play areas, so it makes a good prenap stop if you need to tire out your tiny paleontologist.

When it comes to kids, all the world's a playground. It's not a traditional play space, but Animal Kingdom's Discovery Island Trails give kids a close up look at wildlife, lush vegetation, and the intricate animal carvings on the Tree of Life. This self-guided trek gives kids a chance to get out and stretch their legs if they've been stuck in the strollers all day.

If you don't typically stop at Mission: Space, you may have never noticed there is an out-of-this-world play area inside that your little astronaut will love. Located near the ride's exit, the Advanced Training Lab has virtual flight simulator games for older kids and an interactive play area for the little ones.

After hopping off the kid-friendly The Seas with Nemo & Friends attraction, you'll exit into a giant aquarium where your kids can get a closer look at the various underwater creatures they just saw on the ride. There's also a Bruce's Shark World play area where kids can laugh and play with their favorite shark from Finding Nemo.

All but a few of Disney's resort hotels (here's a full list) have onsite playgrounds where kids can burn off some energy even outside of the parks. Most are located near the pool area and are usually themed to match the resort. These come in handy on days when you plan on taking a break from the parks and on arrival days when your kids have been cooped up in the car or on an airplane.

Quite a few of Disney's resort hotels have small beach areas where kids can dig in the sand and run around while parents relax in a beach chair or hammock (sorry, no swimming allowed). These include the Beach and Yacht Club, Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Caribbean Beach, and Polynesian Village resorts.