The giant wooden fort with the tire swing is enough to make you wish you were a kid again.

And you can be at Lost in Fun.

Lincoln’s newest indoor play center is for kids and their parents, said Monica Lieske, who created the fun center along with husband Scott.

Plus, parents always get to play for free, she said.

Located at 8431 Cody Drive, just east of 14th Street and Yankee Hill Road, the play center features three treehouse-style wooden playsets like you find outdoors, three giant inflatable bounce houses and obstacle courses, a pint-sized basketball court and a 3D glow-in-the dark golf course.

Wooden picnic tables, park benches and porch swings along with sky blue walls and ceilings adorned with clouds and woodland creatures, including center mascot, Scotty the Squirrel, give the feeling of being in the great outdoors. But unlike the real outside world, where Mother Nature dishes up a fair share of heat, humidity, snow and ice — the weather is always perfect and sunny in Lost in Fun, Monica Lieske said with a smile.

The Lieskes opened for business Oct. 3.

They dreamed up the concept early in 2007 after visiting a play center in Des Moines, Iowa.

They knew from the start that they wanted something different from what kids find at places like Chuck E. Cheese and McDonald’s. They wanted a place that was as much fun for toddlers as it was for  12-year-olds. They wanted a place where kids could play until they dropped. And a place that encouraged parents to play right along- side them — or sit out on the sidelines for awhile relaxing with a good book, some needlework or even their laptops.

“We had to have something unique that nobody else had,” Monica Lieske recalled. “We came up with the idea of an indoor play center with an outdoor theme.”

From top to bottom, every nook and cranny fits that model.

Lost in Fun has three party rooms — Spring, Summer and Fall. The basketball room offers standard-sized and preschool-sized hoops, and also serves as the dance room with its disco ball.

Golfing takes on a whole new feel — not to mention a whole new challenge —  when you plop on the 3D glasses. And a game room features just a handful of video games, all designed to be played in pairs or groups. The room also houses air hockey and foosball tables.

“At play centers, parents normally watch their kids play. Here we want parents to get involved and play with them,” Monica Lieske said.

The Lieskes also have taken great care to listen to parents’ requests.

For example, although the snack shop features typical snack shop fare, such as hot dogs, chips, burgers and ice cream, it also offers healthier alternatives from homemade pizza and soups, to fresh fruit, sandwiches, muffins, juice and milk. In the dining area – also set up like an outdoor picnic pavilion, a big screen television sits in the corner, so parents can take a break and watch a televised game while their kids play themselves silly.

Meanwhile kids never run out of things to do, whether it’s building castles in a real sandbox, swinging on swings, climbing the chain fences and ladders, burying themselves in a ballpit or serving up make-believe lemonade in the treehouse lemonade stand.

There’s even a special toddler area filled with toddler playhouses, blocks, teeter-totters and other toys. And at every play station there are comfortable Adirondack-style wooden chairs for parents to rest and relax.

Lost in Fun offers birthday party packages starting at $99, which includes admission for 10 kids. Party extras include food, cakes, authentic Mexican piñatas stuffed with candy and a chocolate fountain with treats for dipping.

Families can choose from several admission packages. Family discounts and punch cards are available.

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com.