El Paso, Texas (KFOX14) —
The backpacks are about to come back out, the pencils are already waiting, and those early alarms are about to get rude again. El Paso families still have a little time to fit in one more day of play before the school routine takes over. That was our reason for stopping at Jumbo Park Texas Adventure on Rojas Drive.
Okay, there is a lot happening inside this building.
During our visit, we got a closer look at the Sky Trail, a ninja-style course, children’s play areas and the construction-themed Jumbo Diggers and Baby Diggers. The park’s current attraction list also includes a human claw machine, climbing wall, Spin Zone, zip line, an 11,000-square-foot Air Park and dedicated toddler areas. In other words, a family with a toddler and an older sibling does not have to spend the whole afternoon negotiating over one activity.
We spoke with co-owner Aline Tapia, who explained that the Rojas Drive location was designed to bring more of the family’s entertainment offerings together in a larger space. That becomes especially useful when the guest list involves more than a few children.
“We have any kind of group, so we can have school field trips, daycares coming,” Tapia said. “We have special pricing for them.”
Group organizers can call the park directly or submit a request online. Jumbo Park’s official website includes dedicated field trip information, along with private party and event options. Its party rooms can accommodate gatherings of up to 100 guests, according to the business.
Then there are the weekend visitors with considerably more fur.
Tapia told us that animals from the family’s farm come to Jumbo Park on Saturdays and Sundays. She named llamas, alpacas, mini donkeys, a kangaroo and emus among the animals they have, with the friendlier animals selected for visits to the park. Previous reporting about the business also described weekend visits from the family’s private petting zoo.
The animal experience gives children an opportunity to do more than look from a distance.
“A lot of kids, they don’t know about animals, and we love that,” Tapia said. “They can be able to touch them, to feed them, to know a little bit more about each different species.”
That hands-on part caught us. The park may be full of bright colors, inflatables and things to climb, but the animal encounters add a simple educational experience that many children do not regularly get at home.
Parents are not necessarily expected to remain on the sidelines, either. Tapia said they can watch their children while also participating and interacting with them. Her goal is straightforward: “Everyone has something to do.”
We also got a look at the construction-themed sand area, including diggers designed for both older and younger children. Tapia described it as one of the park’s latest additions and said more brand-new games were planned for the fall. A specific launch date was not announced during our visit, so families interested in those additions should confirm availability directly with the park.
School is coming. There is no getting around the schedules, supplies and morning alarms waiting for all of us. But there is still room for a family day that gets everyone moving, gives children a close-up lesson about animals and lets parents be part of the fun.
Honestly, an afternoon with inflatables, construction diggers and a possible alpaca encounter is a pretty solid way to close out summer.
Before visiting, families should review the official website for current ticket information, promotions, group options and the required participant waiver. Weekend animal availability and newly announced attractions should also be confirmed directly with Jumbo Park.
DTC_JumboV2