Rain, rain ... come and play?
Portland forecast calls for grey skies and rain. What's a mama to do? Check out suggestions from last year: When it rains, where do you go?
Renee emails:
We just moved to SE Portland from California. We love it here, but I am intimidated by the upcoming rainy weather. What are some good rainy day afternoon activities I can do with my very active 14 month old boy. We have things lined up for most mornings, but the afternoons are wide open.
Share more rainy day suggestions for fun!
check out the indoor play ground at the Trinity church in NE Portland(irvington neighborhood). You can join yearly or quarterly and it is very inexpensive. Your 1st visit is free! It's great for little one's especially on those rainy days!
Posted by: coll | September 19, 2007 at 10:40 AM
I just found this web site while doing a search for the Trinity Church listed above:
http://www.oeconline.org/kidshealth/tinyfootprints/babyactivitiesindoor
It lists several indoor park/play areas in the Portland area. If anyone does the research, can you let us know which ones are open on week nights and weekends? Thanks!
Posted by: Debby | September 19, 2007 at 11:35 AM
Get good raingear and go for a walk! Seriously, rain doesn't stop anyone here. I know it's hard to picture when you're new, but that's why there are so many outdoor outfitters in this town. The rain is usually a drizzle, not buckets of water like in some parts of the country. And once you get moving it's not that cold. One of my favorite activities is putting my kid in a slicker and rubber boots and collecting colored leaves and whatever else she finds on a walk. Then we put our treasures on a little table on the front porch and keep adding to it.
Welcome to Portland!!
P.S. Honestly, I'm not always that excited about the rain, either. When I want to talk to other mamas and let the kids run, we go to Peninsula Park indoor playgym. See the Portland Parks & Rec website for one near you.
Posted by: thisKat | September 19, 2007 at 12:25 PM
OMSI, OMSI OMSI. We never get tired of it...If there's a break in the rain, you can head out to the Esplanade to see the river.
Also, we have a little routine in Lloyd Center -- play in the kid's book area at Barnes and Noble, watch the ice skaters and see the animals at Scamps (depressing for me but fun for them). Occasionally sneak a visit to Nordstrom's in for me :).If they want to run, we go up to the third floor where there aren't many stores and they can race around a bit....
Good luck and welcome to Portland!
Posted by: Kristin | September 19, 2007 at 01:08 PM
I have two young girls (3 years and 16 months) and we go to Rose City Indoor Park (NE 62nd and Sandy, Faith Lutheran Church basement -but no affiliation with the church). It is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:30-11:30. It sounds like you have mornings covered but you might want to check it out some rainy day. I've enjoyed visiting with some great moms and dads while my girls get their energy out in the large play space. OMSI's Science Playground is also a big favorite with my kids. Good luck!
Posted by: Sonya Carnes | September 19, 2007 at 01:20 PM
Welcome to Portland!
I actually just compiled a list of indoor play venues in or near SE for my playgroup. Some of these have been mentioned already, but I'll paste it here for your reference.
1. Mt. Scott Community Center Indoor Park
5530 SE 72nd Ave
503-823-3183
M-F ９：１５--１：１５
１０/１--１２/１４
ages：０-５
＄１/kid
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewFile&PolPdfsID=555&/Mt%20Scott%20-%20Fall%202007%20Catalog.pdf
2. East Portland Community Center Indoor Park
740 SE 106th Ave
503-823-3450
M,W,F １０：００－１２：００
9/１0--１２/28
ages：0-5
＄１/kid
Other activities include Art Park, Family Park, Family Night, more...
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewFile&PolPdfsID=544&/EPCC%20-%20Fall%202007%20Catalog.pdf
３．Siｐ ＆ Kranz
Not an indoor park, but a coffee shop with playroom that is popular among Portland parents
M-Sat ７am-7pm、Sun ８am-8pm
901 N.W. 10th Ave.
503-336-1335
http://www.sipandkranz.com
4. OMSI Science Playground
1945 SE Water Ave
503-797-4671
Daily, 9 am - 7 pm
adults（ages １３-６２）＄９
kids（ages ２-１２）＄７
annual family membership：＄７５
http://www.omsi.edu/visit/playground/
５．Portland Children's Museum
4015 SW Canyon Road
503-223-6500
Tue-Sun ９am-5pm （closed Mondays）
ages 1-54 ＄７
Membership available:
Two person membership ~ $55
Family Membership ~ $80
http://www.portlandchildrensmuseum.org
There are also some indoor parks in SE for members only:
SE Indoor Park
http://www.playinside.org/
Sunnyside Swap Shop and Indoor Playground (Co-op)
http://sunnysideswapshop.org/Swap%20Shop%20and%20Playground/Family%20Swap%20Shop%20and%20Indoor%20Playground.html
Also see:
http://urbanmamas.typepad.com/urbanmamas/2006/09/rainy_monday_ou.html
http://www.oregonmom.com/indoor%20parks.htm
http://portland.parentzone.com/parentresources.asp?prid=53
http://www.oeconline.org/kidshealth/tinyfootprints/babyactivitiesindoor
Posted by: tsubaki | September 19, 2007 at 01:51 PM
I'm currently somewhat involved in the formation of the Sunnyside Swap Shop and Indoor Playground. (link above). If you're in the Belmont/Hawthorne area or thereabouts, definitely check it out. It's going to have a great set-up for toddlers, wonderful wooden play structures from Creative Playthings, comfy couches for the mamas (something definitely not found at our former indoor park, East Portland Community Center), and a real community feel to it.
I of course am totally into it for the lego room, which is going to keep my 4 and 7yo completely entertained after school with its fabulous collection of the Danish goods, while I sit on the aforementioned couch with my book...
Posted by: Zinemama | September 19, 2007 at 02:40 PM
Zinemama, do you know what the hours are going to be?
Posted by: Debby | September 19, 2007 at 02:52 PM
Yes, it will be 8am to 8pm. Members will have keys or the number to a keypad to let themselves in and out. It will open October 1.
Posted by: Zinemama | September 19, 2007 at 03:44 PM
We live in N Pdx, so sometimes we head up to the Jantzen Beach mall and ride the carousel. (Just heard they are going to be moving it to the children's museum next year).
We moved up here from Ca, too, a year ago. We are loving the season changes!
Posted by: Ana | September 19, 2007 at 07:36 PM
Thank you so much for all the great ideas.
--Renee
Posted by: Renee | September 20, 2007 at 07:08 AM
Look at the local community pools - most have a free afternoon (like the one nearby us Buckman Pool is free on Wednesday afternoons). Parks and Rec also has evening indoor parks and family swims, about once a month. Very cheap. Some have nice music and snacks.
Posted by: Cindi Carrell | September 20, 2007 at 08:55 PM
Another great place to go if you're willing to drive a bit is the Kids Club Fun and Fitness Center (http://www.kidsclubfunandfitness.com/) in the 'Couv. They have a three story, completely enclosed play structure with tunnels, slides, bridges and lots of stuff to crawl over and around. The first time we went there my then 3-year-old came out drenched in sweat, passed out in the car on the way home (a rare occurrence)and we moms actually had a chance to talk. They have a small toddler area, though my 1 year old would rather be with the big kids, which means I get a workout tailing her.
Posted by: Krista | October 04, 2007 at 11:36 PM
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Posted by: Agreementcan | December 31, 2009 at 02:19 PM