Here Comes The Rain Again

Rainy and chilly days are now upon us, and with that comes the inevitable “indoor season” (insert manic scream here).

It can be hard enough to keep a kid occupied during the warmer months, but when the options are limited to indoor activities, it can be even trickier.

Here are some ideas to stave off the cabin fever and outwit the cries of,  “Mom, I’m booooored!”

My Gym

Located at 1262 S. Bascom Ave. in San Jose, this kids’ fitness center is a great means of  meeting other parents (potential friends!) and giving your kids a great workout!  

While there is no “drop in” option, they do offer a free two week trial session (through the month of November) to see if it’s a fit for you and your child.

Classes are offered for children ranging in ages from 6 weeks to 7+ years and include free play, gymnastics, dancing and puppet shows. Classes are once a week (plus one free play per week) for $77.50 (if using recurring billing).

They also sponsor “parent’s night out” where you can drop off your child for a few hours (for a nominal fee) while Mom and Dad get some “alone time.”

Rachael has been a member here since her daughter was 18 months old and can’t say enough great things about it! Go see for yourself, what have you got to lose?!

SwaRay

You can find SwaRay in an office park in North Sunnyvale at 1233 Reamwood Ave. They have many options for active kids “bounce houses”, a climbing wall, balls of all sizes, a play kitchen, toy trains and cars, and more.

They are set up to host parties, but also offer a drop-in play on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for $5 per child.

If you come with a group of 10 or more, you can get a group discount of $1 off per child.

California Sports Center For Kids

Located in Willow Glen at 824 & 832 Malone Rd., this is a great place for active kids. It is a kid-friendly gymnastics gym that offers classes for different age groups and skill levels as well as daily “open play” drop in days during the week.

The drop in days are Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to noon for $5 per child (over 1). The drop in play times are unstructured, but supervised by gym staff who are happy to help.

The Jungle

In all honesty, we are not a fan of this place. Some of our mommy friends like it though, so here’s the scoop: They have a huge indoor play ground along with some coin operated games and rides.

There is a toddler area, but it can be over-run with “big kids” and you have to actually go and find an employee to ask them to leave, only to have them return soon after. Also, we have found that the cleanliness leaves much to be desired.

For those of you interested in braving The Jungle, there are two locations in San Jose:

• 5401 Camden Avenue (The Jungle - Island).(This location is much smaller and doesn't have much of a toddler area.)
• 950 El Paseo de Saratoga (The Jungle).  

Admission M-F is $7.95  (3 and up) and $5.95 (ages 1-2) all day for unlimited play. On Tuesdays they have “Toddler Tuesdays” (for ages 1-2) where admission for toddlers is $3.48 for unlimited play.
Saturday admission until 5:00 p.m. is $8.95 (ages 3 and up) and $6.95 (ages 1-2), after 5:00 p.m. admission is $5.95 for all ages.

Pump It Up (& Pump It Up Jr)

This is a great place in Sunnyvale (1165 N. Fair Oaks Ave.) for active kids. It is a large room filled with inflatable slides, bounce houses, obstacle courses and more.

They are set up to host parties, but also offer drop in play times a few days per week. (Times and prices are listed on their website.)

Children’s Discovery Museum

At $10 per child & adult it can be kind of pricey, but may be worth it if you have a curious kiddo (180 Woz Way, San Jose).

There are many hands-on things for kids to climb on, play with, and explore. They have a great toddler-only room upstairs called “The Wonder Cabinet” (for ages 0-4).

On the main floor you will find a fire truck and ambulance, a stagecoach, a great water play room, and lots of other fun activities. (We suggest saving the water play for last and possibly bringing a change of clothes.)

The small bottom floor is dedicated to bubbles. Kids can make teeny tiny bubbles or even big giant ones. It can be kind of messy, but they do provide paper towels. There are also different exhibits every few months to check out. You can find more info on membership rates and discounts here.

Palo Alto Jr Museum & Zoo

We LOVE this place (1451 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto)! It’s great for all ages as they have various science experiments for kids to participate in from wind tunnels to water power and green energy.

Outside houses a beautiful, albeit small, zoo with mountain lions, bats, peacocks, racoons, various reptiles, and more. They also have two aquariums with a diverse array of sea life such as sharks and sea anemones.

The museum is free, but does suggest a donation of $5 per person. Quite reasonable considering everything you get to experience, and being that the museum is a non-profit center. Check them out!

Bethany says, "On a nice day, we like to bring a picnic lunch to eat in the park next to the museum."

Nickel City

If you and your kid like video games (who’s kid doesn’t like video games??), Nickel City (1711 Branham Ln., San Jose) is the best place to get a lot of bang for a little buck.  

For two dollars a person you get access to more than 100 video and redemption games - all operated with nickels. There are also thirty classic video games like Pac man and Tetris on free play, no nickels required! Nickel City also features hundreds of redemption prizes, snack bar, and a party room available for rent.

Rachael says, “My daughter LOVED this place!  Some of the games were a little too old for her, but she went nuts for air hockey and was able to find a host of other games she really liked. Overall we had a great time and I recommend checking it out.”

Library Story Times

Many local libraries offer for . It’s a good way to get out of the house and even meet some other moms.

You can find the times listed on the website for that particular library. Some have more convenient times than others or even some with music incorporated into the story time. We suggest giving different libraries a try until you find one that suits you.

Mall Play Centers (Oakridge, Valley Fair)

This one may sound kinda lame, but give it a try.

From what we’ve found, all Westfield locations have a GREAT play area for kids, and generally, they’re located in close proximity to a Family restroom as well.

Not only are these places fun for the kids, they’re a good place to meet other moms or to hang out with your mom friends and let the kids blow off some energy in a safe, enclosed space. We like to let them play and then go grab some lunch at the food court.

Home Play Dates

Invite some friends over for a play date. We love this one!

Sometimes, it’s so nice to just let the kids play while we moms have a chat. You will feel much better after spending time with other “grown ups”, especially fellow moms (we all know how important this is), and your kids will be nice and mellow after exerting all their energy with their friends. It’s a Win-win!

Local Parks

On a day with no rain you can simply bundle up, grab an old towel (to wipe off the wet slide and swings), and brave the chilly weather. Some of our favorite parks are , Lake Vasona / Oak Meadow Park(s),, and Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park.

Get outside while the gettin’s good!