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Post by beemama on Jan 24, 2012 22:40:58 GMT -6
Does anyone have any ideas for what to do this winter with two toddlers? We don't have cabin fever yet, but my two year old (Brennan) is at home almost every day and I want to get him out to have fun! (My 4 yr old Charlie gets to go to preschool).
Charlie doesn't do well outside when it's below freezing, so we don't get to even play in the yard.It's hard to get out with the two of them because it's REALLY hard to carry my 4 yr old with our winter jackets on, and I don't have a safe stroller to push him through the snow with. And my two year old has always been very good at staying next to me, but you never know when he's going to do the flop and drop or run into traffic, because he's just being two! SO, I'm looking for really family-friendly places to go!
Has anyone been to the play area at Rosedale mall? It looks a little "young" for Brennan. But I've heard they have a new train ride too! I don't like EFCE classes - at least the ones in our area. Are there any good MOPS groups around? That would get us out of the house! Any other ideas??
Thanks!
Rachel
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Post by love on Jan 24, 2012 22:45:12 GMT -6
Go to mops.org to find a MOPS place near you. Most are mid way into the year but most will let you join.
Rosedale mall play area is nice but kinda for older kiddos unless they are monkeys. I know when we go ds's friends cant play on anything since it is too big and slippery. The train isnt all that. 3 dollars a person including you and it is a short ride around the lower level. Ridgedale mall has the best play areas.
Maplewood has a fun one, ride the carousel and the train is there as well. Story time at roseville library is awesome. Childrens museum. Pump it up. Sky Zone.
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Post by love on Jan 24, 2012 22:47:07 GMT -6
Toddler Tuesday at Moa.
Could you join the town next to yous ECFE? ECFE has been such a blessing in our lives and Im so thankful for it. I love having it on my schedule. I would do some research and give it another shot. Most will have a drop in playtime which is fun!
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Post by apryllraye87 on Jan 25, 2012 7:11:02 GMT -6
DS and I used to go to ECFE when I didn't work on Fridays and it was awesome. We loved it there. I agree with Love, you should definitely check out another towns ECFE if you didn't like yours.
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Post by beemama on Jan 25, 2012 9:43:44 GMT -6
Thanks! Maplewood sounds like a great idea. I'll look into the Roseville ECFS - I've done other things through them, I don't know why I didn't think of it!! I love the drop-in idea. Brennan would love pump it up! Charlie wouldn't be able to do anything though.  Thanks for the ideas! |
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Post by elizac on Jan 25, 2012 10:34:00 GMT -6
Roseville has a very nice nature center. You can sign up for classes or just visit the top floor and play there, read books, look at animals, etc. Love mentioned Roseville library -- it has been renovated and has nice rooms for children to play, read. Institute of Art in Minneapolis has a nice play area for children. You could visit Science museum in St Paul. Also, many churches have Bible studies for women with child care provided, if you are interested. Many of them start this week. Some coffee shops have children areas to play at. We like Jerabek's. You could also take the train to the Mall of America or go to the airport to watch planes take off. We have a sled for winter walks when the stroller cannot be used -- nature centers or city halls rent out snow shoes as well for fun walks in the snow.
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Post by sarahisis on Jan 25, 2012 11:10:40 GMT -6
I think the play area at rosedale is perfect for a 4 yr old.. and a 2 yr old. My only problem with that one though is my 2yr old can't climb anything with just socks on.. pretty much have to be barefoot, and I will not allow him to run around in those zones w/o socks. yuck. I've also been in there when parents just "drop" their kids off and then LEAVE! I also find that there are more older kids in there than there should be and it's not safe for toddlers when that's the case. Maplewood is perfect for young toddlers.. 2-4 yrs old.. anything too much older than that, I think it becomes a hazard again for the little ones because the parents are usually engrossed in a book, their phone or something else and not watching. We love the train.. but it's a short ride... and the carousel.. so if you plan to do all of it and then maybe get a pretzel or cinnamon roll or icecream to share, it'd def. be worth it. I live right behind it, so I go there often. The renovations are really nice and they have A LOT more seating than they used to.. water fountains gone.. seating in!  We got a membership to the children's museum.. my 2yr old loves it.. though some of the areas were too much for him because of all the older kids running around. train depot (one in st. paul) has caboose rides, though it does cost money to get in! We want to take p there! even community centers often have drop off times or even play with me programs.. check out your local community ed programs... maybe a tumbling program that's once a week or something. |
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Post by deannemdm on Jan 25, 2012 13:38:32 GMT -6
There is/was a place just inside Ham Lake (just past Bunker Lake Blvd off 65) that is called Adventure Park I think-- large indoor play area -- I think about $5-6 for kids they also have toddler area if the other area is too beg for him
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Post by love on Jan 25, 2012 15:08:58 GMT -6
SHoreview has a fun indoor playground as well. That is my sons favorite. Maple Grove has one too. It could be hard swimming with 2 at that age but you could swim at shoreview eat lunch and then play ( you can tell how we do it lol)
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Post by love on Jan 25, 2012 15:11:03 GMT -6
Choo choo bobs is fun and you can walk to izzys to grab a nice ice cream treat. ice cream always tastes so good in the winter!
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Post by beemama on Jan 25, 2012 19:29:43 GMT -6
I love all these ideas! The problem with indoor playgrounds is there's nothing for my 4 y.o. to do. He can't walk or crawl and he's teeny and fragile - a one year old could mow him down!! Maybe I should have asked, what to do with a toddler and a baby! Because that's really what I'm looking for. I've realized, reading these ideas, is that the biggest problem is it's *tooooo hard* (whine!). For example, I'd like to take them to the library tomorrow, but how do I get Charlie inside? Do I try and push his stroller through the snow, or just carry him? My arms start going numb after a while...and then I heard how whiny I was and told myself to shut up and get over it. LOL! So, library it is! Sarahisis - is there really enough for a 2 year old at the children's museum? I haven't been there in awhile. Maybe we'll have to try it out one of the free Sundays! |
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Post by dara1012 on Jan 25, 2012 22:01:06 GMT -6
DS has loved the Children's Museum since before he was 2 (almost 4 now), I highly suggest it.
I love Shoreview Community Center's indoor playground. Even if the 4 yo can't climb or walk well you could play help him get up to some areas where you can sit and have him play with some different equip. I see parents there with 1 yo all the time helping them. During the weekdays it's not too crowded so I would try then to see.
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Post by danikasmom on Jan 26, 2012 7:19:53 GMT -6
The library has story times and it's good for all ages. I bring my cc there in the summer and I have babies to school age and they love it. WE have a membership through mn history museum and we go to Mill City and they love it. They have water tables and a train table. I have brought my cc there too and they love it.
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Post by sarahisis on Jan 26, 2012 10:05:38 GMT -6
they have a storybook area with lots of manipulatives and imaginative play stuff at ground level... they have a "community" room with a bus that you can sit in it's seats... a dance area, doctors office, post office, grocery store etc...
they have a wilderness area with tunnels, tubes, climbing things and some water features that canbe play with... and they also have an area that is for just water play but my son is too wild with it so we couldn't play there lol but they have a bubble area, funnels, and other things you can use to play. they do provide smocks... around that area are other things a 2 yr old can do but P was so mad that I wouldn't let him play in the water we had to leave the area lol
there is also a hands on art center with a staff member, and if you check the website they have story time
they also have a special area just for toddlers and babies (like a play area)... they actually have an infant area w/in there for rolling around.. some tactile things... but have bridges and slides and things to climb for toddlers...
they'd both love it!
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