L.K.
GoCityKids (http://www.gocitykids.com/?area=184) has a fabulous listing of things to do. One of my favorites for weekends: puppet shows at Heart of the Beast puppet theatre on Lake St. in Minneapolis (not far from the Midtown Global Market).
Hello,
I organize a weekend playgroup and I am looking for ideas/suggestions where some fun indoor places will be for the fall & winter months ahead.
GoCityKids (http://www.gocitykids.com/?area=184) has a fabulous listing of things to do. One of my favorites for weekends: puppet shows at Heart of the Beast puppet theatre on Lake St. in Minneapolis (not far from the Midtown Global Market).
My friends and I love taking our toddlers to Riverview Cafe. It's a coffee shop in Minneapolis that has a great play room filled with toys. The lattes aren't bad either! I don't think the website has any info on the play room, but here it is: http://www.theriverview.net/cafe_about.php
I know that in St. Paul we have free indoor play gyms for toddlers and preschoolers. It opens a few mornings a week and has balls, bikes, etc.
Eagle's Nest in Shoreview is only $5 admission and you can go all day.
Just Jump in Woodbury has weekly specials, I think $6 Thursday mornings, it's an indoor inflatable playyard.
Children's museum
Eden praire mall has a indoor playground-free
Ridgedale Mall has similar playground
Mc donald's playlands
Edinborough Park in Edina
Pump It Up has playdates, different from birthdaypartys
(there all bizzarly crazy on weekends though)
I don't know where you live but the Maple Grove Community Center also has a pretty cool indoor playground. They also have a nice indoor pool with a 0 debth section for the real little ones. The one bummer about that place is you have to pay to get in.
We love Eagle's Nest Indoor Playground in New Brighton and there is another in Woodbury (?Lookout Ridge? or something similar). They usually aren't as crowded as Ediborough and they are easier for keeping track of little kids. Various nature centers like Woodlake in Richfield and Harriet Alexander in Roseville have fun indoor exploration areas (free) and then if the weather is nice they have paths to walk.
You can also get free museum passes from the library for going to places like the Bell Museum, Mill City Museum, and the History Center among others. They are fun even with toddlers.
www.twincitymoms.com has a great list.
Other wise
BLAST in Eagan
McDonalds/BK for playtime
Lookout Ridge
Eagales Nest
Some hotels even have a pool with slides and you can either pay a small fee to use or its FREE,cant remember
Applevalley and Rosemount Community centers have FREE open gym time
Edinborough
There are so many, you could also do a search for indoor play areas, MN.
http://www.ci.edina.mn.us/content/facilities/edinborough_...
Really great, but a little busy on weekends unless you go early or right at lunch time.