About Us
Like all parents, Gary and Sasha want the best for their young son, Kevin, and they're constantly searching for exciting, interesting and healthy experiences that will fully occupy his time (and help him tire a bit for naps and sleep). Also, it seems that every weekend they're attending birthday parties, and Sasha is active with Mommy and Me type classes, as well as attending meet-ups and numerous other kid and mom related activities. It's exhausting just finding things to do.
As a "Big Kid", Gary's a passionate believer that having fun and playing are essential in creating strong family bonds, contributing to the development of physical and emotional skills as well as a helping little-one gain confidence and social or relating skills. You'll also frequently see Gary playing with Kevin at Funderdome! And Sasha's keen to ensure parents can take advantage of classes kids love, share time with other adults and have new, fresh options for birthday parties and other gatherings.
Coming from Kiev, Ukraine, where there are few activity centers for families and kids, Sasha visited countless family-oriented businesses from Boca Raton to Miami, as well in Pembroke Pines and Coral Springs – but she wasn't really satisfied with the experiences. She believed that with Gary, they could develop a business that offered a more desirable mix of professionally offered classes and programmed activities, dynamic and extensive play experiences (for kids of all ages and even adults!) as well as a greater selection of interesting party packages. Also, they wanted to include an area for babies and toddlers that was safe for the little ones, and comfortable for parents. As for parents with older kids, they envisioned a place where parents could relax, log-on with free Wi-Fi, chill-out or socialize. And this was the inspiration for Funderdome!
By the way, both Gary and Sasha are "clean-freaks" and decided to make Funderdome a "shoe-free" facility to prevent all the little nasties that collect on the bottom of shoes from making their way into the play space. Don't worry, if you forget socks or want a more colorful sock – we have them for sale.
They also appreciate delicious snacks and meals, as well as great coffee, teas and desserts. And since they've spent a fair-amount of time abroad, especially in Eastern Europe and Central as well as South America, where "fresh" is the norm. So they developed a menu that kids will love, as well as adults and includes imaginative salads, amazing wraps, the must-have great tasting pizza, wonderful coffee and tea – plus much more.
In addition to Kevin, Gary has two additional children who are a bit older, Nicholas and Maddie. They visit often and expect a full schedule of activities when they're in town. And, living in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, family and friends are constantly visiting to enjoy the many activities of the area. But after several days on the beach – sometimes in the blazing sun, or when it's raining, or when families and friends want something nearby that's indoors, air-conditioned and has something to offer for the entire family – what's available?
Bottom-line, they were inspired to create an experience in Fort Lauderdale that would excite and delight kids as well as parents. They felt Fort Lauderdale was missing a modern, properly maintained, professionally managed and sufficiently diverse local family fun center that enabled safe, physical fun – not just video games. A facility that a family could visit very often, even several times a week and kids wouldn't get bored. And a location that offered not only unique play experiences for babies and kids of all ages, but one that facilitated truly memorable birthday parties.
And this was the inspiration for Funderdome!
They're committed to creating a facility that could be important and valuable to local families, while also providing another exciting experience for visitors or tourists.
From babies to adults, there's something for everyone at Funderdome. Parents love the protected baby and toddler area, the freedom to choose between classes or programmed activities and free-play, a super-clean place for parties with an amazing variety of theme options – while kids of all agents (including big kids) can't get enough of the laser maze, ropes course, climbing wall interactive floor – and much more.
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