I was wondering if anyone knew of some indoor or outdoor weekend hangouts, parks, or activities geared toward the pre-school age or just families in general? We've already taken advange of Como Park to the point that my two year old is through the zoo and bored within an hour. I recently moved from Ohio and my husband will be working afternoons, so I'm a little desperate for new activities for all of us in the mornings and for just Aizlynn and I in the afternoons, and something that we can do in crummy weather. Thanks.
Have you tried this website yet? http://twincities.parentzone.com/
I think they have wonderful ideas and a section for free things to do in the Twin Cities.
Hope this helps.
How about the children's museum? There's also JW tumbles in Edina. We also love the Minnesota zoo-so much nicer than como. And for winter it's a great place where the toddlers can just run through. ( so much is inside) There is a toddler room and the dolphin show is always a hit. Even if you get thru in an hour. At least it's an hour where they can get some energy out and you get out of the house. Good luck getting thru the winter:)
I agree with the Children's museum in St.Paul as a great place to take kids. I think they have free Sunday admission on the third Sunday of each month (check their website because I am not sure of which day is free). If you go on the free day I heard it is pretty crowded but if you get there early in the morning it might not be so bad.
Also, check out your local library. My two kids love going there and looking at books (absolutely free). I live in Woodbury and the library near us has an indoor playground (central park) which is great in the winter or when it is raining. It does have a fee around $5 but in the winter it is worth it.
Also I just found out that the libraries around the twin cities have this special deal going on called "Museum Adventure Pass". You can check out free passes to local museums and zoos (including MN zoo and Como zoo) which is great. When you check out the pass it is only good for 1 week. Some passes have 2 free tickets and some have 4. I found out about this on the MN zoo's website.
Finally, one more thought...since it is fall, why not take your daughter to an apple orchard? There are quite a few in the Twin Cities and Wisconsin that don't cost that much. Many have hay rides (some free, some charge), corn mazes, and other fun stuff like petting farm animals.
Oh..also thought of another fun place we take the kids and that is the teddy bear park in Stillwater. It is a bit of a drive (even for me in Woodbury) but it is one of our favorite parks. This would be nice on a warm fall day.
I love getting the museum pases from the library. The Bell Museum of Natural History is a great place to visit at that age (tons of stuff to touch). My son also loves the History Center, the Mill City Museum, the MN zoo, the Children's Museum, the Science Museum, etc.
Local nature centers are great too. As far as the indoor playgrounds go, we always buy a 10 visit pass to save money. Only Lookout Ridge doesn't offer that but they offer lower prices during school hours.
Hi A.,
There are several local chapters of the MOMS Club, and even if you're not interested in joining one, many chapters post their calendars on their web sites. From those you can get lots of ideas for local events, free or paid. Go to momsclub.org and check out the Minnesota chapters near you for some ideas. Good luck! (If you want more info or specific ideas, feel free to e-mail me, too: ____@____.com). Good luck!
A.-
I agree with all of the things already said - great ideas - also you might want to try any of the wonderful Nature Centers around the Cities for live critters (like turtles, frogs, etc), toys, and trails to walk along for free (some might also have programs going on).
Another idea is to get a copy of Things to Do With Kids. It's free and published by a mom via email. To request to be on her mailing list, email ____@____.com you can email me separately, and I can forward the document to you (it's pretty long!).
Good luck!
T.
Try looking at Minnesota Parent each month. You can get it at the library, grocery store, or community center. I read the other suggestions, and most of them I thought of as well. Check out the Three Rivers Park District. Some of the events cost, but some are free, and you can always browse the nature centers for free.
Hello,
Have you tried any of the art museums, such as the Walker or the MIA? We've been visiting a lot of museums, also the arboretum, for free with passes from the library. (The MIA is free other than sometimes certain exhibits have a fee).
Also, since you are a Veterinary Medicine student I assume you're at the U--in St. Paul the downtown library had a Saturday 11:30 am "show" every week last year... good luck!
We just visited the arboretum with my mom. It was $7 to get in, but kids under 15 are free. We packed a lunch and ate it on the fly outside. It was nice. It would be different depending on when you visit because of when the different flowers bloom. Check it out, there might be a few nice days yet this year.
When it gets crummy outside you should try the Eagle's Nest in New Brighton. It's an indoor playland like at McDonald's but ten times the size. It's got a toddler area and an area for big kids. It's cheap and lots of fun. I have an 8, 5, and 2 year old---they all love it and play for hours. There are picnic tables so you can take lunch and eat there as well.
