15 Places to Go with Small Children on a Rainy Day (and 7 of them are FREE!)

Well, hello, friends!!!! Today we’re headed on a mommy adventure. Yay!

I don’t know about you, but I live in a city that is consistently the top five for rainy days per year in our country. Seattle may not get the most INCHES of rain, but it sure rains enough to dampen even the most conservative of child play plans!!! This, honestly, is another reason why Seattle wasn’t a top choice for me! (If you missed that wild story, check out The Contract: An Ultimate Doctor’s Wife Compromise).

So anyway, I have to get creative with what adventures to do with my little chickadees. If you’ve been riding along with me for a bit, then you know I have three delicious gals, and my oldest is 4. Getting out is a MUST or I turn into a crazy person (and a pretty terrible mom!)

Since taking them out of the house is legit madness, I have to pick my spots carefully.

Today, I am going to give you the rundown on places I have been able to make work consistently, and they don’t break the bank! Maybe they’ll work for you, too!

Let’s start with our FREE options!

1. The Local Library

Libraries are everywhere, of course, and nearly all have some kind of children’s program (or several!) When I’m scrambling for a last-minute adventure, this is usually the first place I call. I LOVE taking my kids to storytime at the library! It’s a great place to be exposed to fun songs and new books, as well as for me to meet other moms in my area!

2. Toddler Play Times at Community or Recreation Centers

The Community Centers in my area have Toddler Play Times, usually twice a week! Some of them in my larger geographical area are free! If they’re not free, they’re usually quite inexpensive, at about $3 per family, per visit. It’s definitely worth a quick look online or phone call to find out if the community center in your area has one!

3. Kids Play Zones at Restaurants

This is probably an obvious choice, but as you know, many restaurants have kid play areas that are quite fabulous. The local McDonalds is my go-to right now. It’s free and all three love playing there (even my baby just crawls over the floor piano!) I’ll grab a coffee and watch them run around like wild thangs. Then, of course, I bath them in sanitizer afterwards. But it’s a great way to spend a couple of hours.  Don’t forget to bring socks!

4. Nature Centers

If your town has outdoorsy life, then you probably have some sort of nature center! These are great for being educational, interesting, and often…FREE! We lived near one a year or so ago, and would take the girls all the time to go watch the turtles and fish, and let’s be honest, run like maniacs up and down the ramps because apparently that is the MOST fun.

5. Grocery Stores

Many larger grocery stores are incorporating child play areas these days, because they know us moms have a hard time deciding what to buy when someone is yelling, “CAN WE BUY THAT??” every 2.4 seconds. Our grocery store allows you to put children 2 and over into a play area that is well-monitored for up to an hour! It’s perfect because the children get some wiggles out and I get to shop in peace! It’s a win! Of course this isn’t the best choice for quality time with your child, but it will get you a check on your to-do list!

6. Ikea

You think Ikea is parent heaven? Well, it’s also a kid paradise. Most locations have a fab play place for the small people. Our Ikea often has a line for kid check-in because so many families love going there! However, I think they only accept ages 3 and up! So that’s something to consider before heading that way! Kids also like wandering through the store, so it’s another way to kill time if you have enough hands for it to be safe!

7. Mall play areas

I love taking my kids to the kid play areas at the mall. It’s usually relatively accessible, safe, and always free! It may be worth doing the research beforehand to determine WHERE the kid area is, so you’re not hiking miles through the mall with all of the kids in tow.

These next options may have a fee associated with them, but are sure to wash away those rainy day blues, as well!

8. Swimming

If you have a pool in town, call to see when they have open swim! You may get lucky and be able to do that! (Obviously this won’t work if it’s lightening along with the rain!)

9. A Local Gym

Usually, if you check out a gym for the first time, they’ll let you visit on a guest pass (and even your kids, too!) Of course, after the guest pass expires, you’ll pay a monthly or annual fee, but it could be something to try out! My kids LOVE going to the “big gym.” And I love treadmills. So that works out! 🙂 Be sure to pick a gym that has a kid care area! Some gyms also have swimming pools that are kid friendly which could make for some fun mommy (or daddy) & me time!

10. A Toddler Gym

Our girls LOVE “The Little Gym” and it’s the perfect way to spend a rainy morning! Tuition can be steep, but we always found it to be worth it! Many cities have large gymnastics training gyms that have classes for kids, which is worth looking into as well! They often have “practice” times which you can just drop in for (for free!) are various times throughout the week.

11. Roller or Ice Skating

You probably need to 1. have a child who is not teeny tiny, and 2. be one on one for this one, depending on the ages of your kids! But it’s definitely an idea to keep you busy for a morning or two if your kids are the right age!!

12. Bouncy House

Almost every town has a version of a bouncy house place! My kids have loved them at any age, and always ask to go back! It’s not the cheapest option, but perfect as a special treat or reward!

13. Kindermusik

These classes are so much fun to do mommy & me style! They focus on music and movement and are perfect for building a variety of language skills and physical development. The first class is usually free but then tuition is required afterwards! HERE is the link to see if there’s a class near you!

14. Children’s Museum

Most cities have a nearby Children’s Museum! These are, no doubt, great places to learn and explore, and provide enriching family time! Usually there is some kind of membership available that will save you some dollars if you plan to visit regularly!

15. Science Center

Science Center’s are becoming more common! They are perfect for littles with all kinds of interests, so check and see if there’s one near you!!!

Where else have you taken YOUR kids on a rainy day?!

Thanks for joining me on this mommy-adventure, friends! Join me over on Facebook or Instagram for more fun between posts!!! I LOVED having you here today! Muah! 💋

XOXO! ❤️❤️❤️

Honestly,

AM 🙂

More About Me: Hi! I’m Ann Marie, a blogging mama of 3 tiny gals, and a wife to a busy Orthopedic Surgeon. You can find me right here for a weekly smattering of inspiration for your motherhood journey, home, marriage (I see you other medical wives!), style, and beauty. You’ll find me most active on Instagram or Facebook for life between blog posts. And I truly can’t wait to see you there, friend. ❤️💋

To connect, shoot me an email at honestlyannmarie@gmail.com ❤️