Where We Played: Phoenix Airport Terminal 4

On our way to Austin, we visited the play area in Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport's Terminal 4 by Gate B15. It is a little difficult to see from the main walkway because of an information desk and a railing that block it from view. Head toward the seating for B15 and you will find it. If you reach the Starbucks, you have gone too far. The area is fairly centrally located within the terminal, which has A, B, C, and D wings. Gate B15 is adjacent to the long hallway that connects these wings, so you don't have to walk as far as you might expect. The nearby information desk ended up being an added bonus because the lady working there gave my daughter a little rubber airplane that she played with for the rest of the day.

Terminal 4 is the newest and biggest of the terminals at Phoenix Sky Harbor, so I was expecting the play area to be at least as nice as the one in Terminal 3. I was wrong. It is smaller, with only one station with wall games...

...and a few mats and structured cushions.

We spent about 15 minutes there. As you can see from the side of the picture above, it took less than that for my daughter to become bored and start running around in circles (another kid gave her the idea, but that kid was bored, too).

I always appreciate when an airport has a play space for kids, but this is a pretty small offering for such a large terminal. Sky Harbor would do well to expand it or add more small play areas to Terminal 4.

Parent seating: There is a row of airport seats near the area. Besides that, the nearest seats are the high-top tables and chairs at the Starbucks. Fortunately, the Starbucks didn't seem to mind me or other non-customers sitting there. The seats for B15 are a short distance away, but will be too far for people with small children who want to supervise from very close by.

Floor: carpet

Best for: crawlers to about age 5. The floor mats provide a good place for crawlers, but the small structured cushions probably won't interest school-aged kids much. The wall games will occupy preschoolers and kids in the early grades, but perhaps not for long.