Some parents are really good at keeping their kids busy at home by doing arts and crafts and other things. That is not my skill and I am mostly OK with it. We read a lot of books, spend a lot of time playing with toys and outside but we also spend a lot of time out an about to keep busy.
One thing on activities for toddlers- it is really rare to get more than
2 hours entertainment out of any of these. Toddlers just don't have the attention span so it is best not to have unrealistic expectations. Last note- these are not really listed in a specific order but just as they poured out of my brain.
Museums/ Historical Sites
1. The Bell Museum- This is on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis and really is a hidden gem. I am frequently surprised by how many people are not aware of it. It isn't huge and will take about an hour to visit. The museum has two highlights for the kids:
- The dioramas are awesome. Marcus specifically likes the ones of the deer and now he thinks that every museum should have deer.
- The touch and feel room. This has all kinds of cool things for the kids to touch- even really creepy things like snakes. Marcus loves this space.
- Here is the link to check it out: Bell Museum Website
One more bonus- free for kids under 3, and free for everyone on Sundays.
2. The Children's Museum- I will admit that this is not actually our favorite museum in town (mainly because it is usually really busy) but if it is rainy and there is not a lot else to do we will go over. When Marcus was really little the toddler room was one of our favorite places to visit.
The third Sunday of the month is free (sponsored by Target) but get their early because their is always a line on that day.
3. The Science Museum- We love the science museum but it is still a little too old for Marcus. He still has a good time but doesn't really get it yet.
4. Minnesota Historical Society Museum- We have a membership to the MN Historical society so this is a free museum for us. We still don't go as often as we should but it is a lot of fun when we do. I really like the kids farm play area. This is part of the Minnesota Historical Society so if you get a membership this one is free.
5. The Minnesota Transportation Museum- This is a new addition to the list for us because we only found it recently- and I wrote an entire blog about it. All I can say is that if you love trains, check it out!
6. The Mill City Museum- This is a fun little museum- where you get the chance to see how a flour mill ran. If you are there are the right time you can even have a cookie. This is part of the Minnesota Historical Society so if you get a membership this one is free.
7. Fort Snelling- This is a ton of fun. Check out the historical reenactment's and just check out the fort. Marcus loves it. This can be quite a bit of walking so we normally bring a stroller or a wagon. This is part of the Minnesota Historical Society so if you get a membership this one is free.
8. The Landing - part of Three Rivers Park District (used to be Murphy's landing)- Another old site with lots to see and a lot of walking. On top of having lots of buildings to visit they also have farm animals to check out. This is good in both summer and winter (when they have limited week-ends open)
Zoos
- The Minnesota Zoo
- Como Zoo- Nice and free but always busy
- Sea Life at the Mall of America
Play Areas and Parks
1. Any of the indoor parks and play areas. There are a ton around town. I normally try to save the indoor activities for days when it is either too hot or too cold to play outside.
- The Minnetonka Tree House- the smallest on this list but also the closest to our house.
- Edinburg Park in Edina- This is a really big play area
- Maple Maze- Maple Groves indoor park
- The Eagles Nest- This is over in New Brighton area.
2. A lot of the malls also have
small (and free) play areas inside. These are great for blowing off some energy. Also the malls have a lot of water features and Marcus LOVES to look at water fountains. We have visited the one at Ridgedale and Eden Prairie mall. One point of warning is that these can be extremely busy. I tend to only visit them when we don't have enough time for a trip to an indoor park.
3. There are an awful lot of
state parks around and we highly recommend those. If you want to know more about any them check out the blog.
4. The
Mall of America is a good place to visit on a rainy day. With Nickelodeon Universe it can be fun but it is also one of the more expensive activities. If you are at the mall there are several free things you can check out also including the Lego Store or you can just ride the escalators and elevators.
5.
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden- This is a lot of fun to walk around and check things out. Just an warning they are closing it until 2017 for renovations.
6.
The Lakes- I can't believe I forgot this on my initial pass. We love to go to any of the Minneapolis lakes and hang out. We Rollerblade or walk around them, play in the parks, and their are even beaches (we haven't been to them).
7.
Hyland Park Play Area (also called chutes and ladders)- This is huge play area and park that we have visited many times. This works from really little kids to big ones and it has a ton of different climbing items for them to pick from. We have also done the nice little hike around the lake and at about 1.5 miles it is a great length for Marcus. We tend to do the hike around the lake and end at the play area- that tires him out a bit so it is easier to convince him to leave the play area.
Random other things
1. Ride the light Rail Line- I know this may seem kinds of silly but Marcus LOVES it. It is good for about an hour.
2. City Events- lots of the cities have great events put on just for toddlers. Chaska has Touch-A-Truck, Minnetonka has a Daddy and Me event at the fire hall.
3. Trolley Rides- old school tram cars. There are actually two of these- Como Harriet and Excelsior. Marcus went a few weeks ago and was blown away by it and its awesomeness.
4. The public library- it is super easy to forget how much fun the library can be but most of them have dedicated kids areas that are really fun for them. We love the Ridgedale library. They have so much stuff for him there.
Seasonal Activities
- Christmas Lights- We spent time looking up the best Christmas light displays in town and drove around and looked a them with Marcus. He thought it was fun. We listed to Christmas Music on the radio and had a blast.
- We also went to the U of M display put on by one of the student groups. It was cool.
- Corn Maze's-
- Pick Berries-
- Pick Pumpkins-
- Apple Orchards- even better if they have a vineyard too! We tend to like the ones in Waconia.
- Lake Minnetonka Swimming Pond- This is a sand bottomed zero depth pool and we love taking him there. He loves to explore the water and play in it. There are plenty of other pools in town- and even similar ones but we haven't been to them.
- The State Fair- So much to do. One piece of advice- go early in the day when it isn't as crazy!
- Parades- It doesn't really matter just go to any of them for a good time.
- Go to a park- Any park really. We walk to the park at least a few times every week.
- The Farmers Market- we prefer the Minneapolis farmers market -mainly because it has a section dedicated to water fountains and yard features. This is a great time to teach a kid how to handle money. Marcus loves to be a part of the process of buying veggies.
- Splash Pads- Another great summer activity and there are some of the spread all over the cities. We love to hit the one in St. Louis Park- it is actually where we had his birthday party.
- Steamboat Minnehaha on Lake Minnetonka- The steamboat Minnehaha was a part of the Minneapolis streetcar system between 1906-1926. This is a refurbished original that they pulled out of Lake Minnetonka where it was skuttled in 1926. Rides happen several times a day on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer. Best part- kids 3 and under a free. Marcus and Beckett loved it! Steamboat Minnehaha Website
This certainly not an all encompassing list and I intent on continuing to add more to it as I think about it more but I have had this post half written for a long time so I am just going to put it out there!
All right it is your turn how. What did I forget? Put it in the comments I and I will add more. Thanks in advance for any ideas!
More Ideas from Friends
I put this up on Facebook and some of my friends added ideas to the list. I have to admit that I haven't been to most of these so now they are going to be a priority.
1. Wild Rumpus- What I know is that this is a book in Minneapolis and we haven't been there but I have heard good things. I just checked out their website and I am intrigued and have a felling we will be going there pretty darn soon.
2.
Kiddywampus- This is a kids art studio in Hopkins- so super close our house but although we have been by it we haven't actually been to the store itself. I was looking at it and I think that we will have to check out one of the classes that they offer.
3.
Pools and Community Center- I can't believe that I forgot these on the first round. There are a ton of cool community centers that have pools and play areas. Chaska community center is a great example- another is Maple Grove community center. Both of these have pools that offer some water features that make for a great time in the pool.
4. The Theater- So I didn't include any of the children's theaters because we actually haven't been to them yet. But we do have some awesome ones in the twin cities. Stages Theater in Hopkins and The Children's Theater at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA)- which is also a great place to walk around. I see a visit in our future to both.
5. The Minnesota Arboretum Green Play Yard and Maze. Luke and I have been to the arboretum but is has been years and we have never taken Marcus. Sounds like we should head out there this- maybe on a trip to an winery/apple orchard.
6. The American Swedish Institute- Although we lived in Minneapolis for 12 years I never made it to the American Swedish Institute but it has always made my list. It is amazing from the outside. I never would have thought of it as a spot to take Marcus but I guess after some advice I am adding it to the list.
7. The Bakken Museum- This is a museum we have been to but just haven't gotten around to taking Marcus to yet. This is a neat little museum about electricity and magnetism. It is also right near Lake Calhoun. This is going to make the shortlist for the next few weeks.
We made it to the Port of Excelsior just in time to load on the boat and take off. Here is a bit about her from the website.
That changed, however, in 1980, when a salvage team discovered her and raised her back to the surface.
We got onto the boat at and first we sat on top but it was TOO hot so instead we all went and sat below. It was a really fun boat ride (last a bit over an hour) and I would recommend it to anyone.
