Favorite Places/things to Do

We love the Como Zoo. My son has loved the carasal for quite a while at the Maplewood mall (they also have a little play area, but again a ways from you) and I know they have one at the Como Zoo. We also love the indoor park in Woodbury (which might be a ways for you, but really nice), Lookout Ridge. We just went to the MN zoo which has soo much (we really like the tropics trail and discovery bay).

Stillwater is very beautiful and a fun place to walk around lots of antique shops and a ice cream parlor. You can take 494 to Hwy 36 east... it'll run you right into it. If you go past downtown Stillwater just stay on the main road there will be a reststop area thing that's awesome there is bathrooms and picnic tables you go down a ton of stairs and you your on the shore of the river, we swim, fish down there and walk around. There is even a cave you can go partially into that's safe.

Then there's the children's museum.. Way fun I think the 3rd Sunday of the mo. is free or something you'd have to check.

We walk around and take pictures at the sculputre garden in Mpls. by the Walker Art Center.

Como zoo is Free and fun!

We go to Cascade Waterpark in Eagan atleast weekly in the summer.

Eden Prairie mall has a indoor free playland area that's great on a rainy day or in the winter it's by Kohl's.

I just took my daughter to Mpls last weekend to the Global Market it's in the old Sears building off of lake street. It was very interesting and we got to see and eat things from other cultures.

I just took my son to the Children's Museum in St Paul tonight for the first time (they had a special birthday celebration that I got an invitation to), and it was GREAT! I am going to get a membership ($80/family/year) and try to go at least once a month. My son just LOVED it! There is so much to do... but we only saw a tiny part of it. He was having soo much fun in the first areas we got to... restaurant and grocery store, that we didn't get any farther than that. It was set up for them to just explore and pretend, cash registers, a whole kitchen, shopping carts, even mail and everything. He would still be playing if he could. He can get so much out of the experiences he has there, and loves every second of it.

We also have a yearly membership at the MN Zoo- $55 for individual plus 1 guest, children under 3 are free, and parking is free. My son was 16 months when I first got a membership there, and is now 3. We have used it more than enough to be worth it, and he loves it there. It is great in the summer when you want to get outside, you can get exercise, they learn, and you all enjoy being there. It is also great in the winter, when I was a nanny we would go there every week, and walk through the tropics trail. We went right when they opened at 9 am, just left the house after breakfast. We got done at naptime, and both kids were completely out in the car. It kept us busy.... if I don't go somewhere the day just passes by and I feel like it was wasted. That was something the kids loved to do. There is so much to see, that they get something new out of it every time. Even now. Members also get half off the monorail, so for $1.75, you and your son can ride the train and see everything from above. My son loves that too... he gets to ride a train... and get a different view of the animals.

I am guessing in Eagan you have been to the wooden park on Cliff Rd? I'm not sure of the name, but it looks like castles. It is great! If you haven't been there, you should try it. I also bring sand toys there, there's lots of open space to play in the sand and build. That's my favorite park. But you said you live in Eagan and go to neighboring parks, so I am sure that is one of them. It is between 35W and 13.

Hello,
You can do Stertch and Stroll at Burnsville Mall. Every Tuesday 9:30 to 10:30 am. ECFE drop ins are always fun and that is a good way to meet people. You can find out about that through the internet. I know that there are 2 Eagan's moms clubs-East and West. Google Moms Club International and you can see the different chapters. That is neat because you do playgroups, park dates and Mom's Night out. Our club has a a lot of different things that we do. Check out your local library see about storytimes for and under. They do stories and music. You also borrow new cd's and movies from the library for you and your child.

Enjoy!
M.

My 18 month old son and the rest of the sibs all LOVE Hyland Park in Bloomington. It's an awesome outdoor playland with trails and other things to do, open till dusk daily. There's play areas for little and big and sprinklers in the summer. It takes me around 25 mn from Apple Valley. Also, indoor, we go to Eden Prarie center mall and next to Penneys (??) on the bottom level, there is a really cool indoor playland for under 5.

Check out babyzone.com, they keep moms posted on fun things happening for kids and it can be catered to your area. For example when MN Zoo had their Tropical Beach Party with a huge indoor sandbox, The State Capital has fun "treasure hunt" like activities for families, The Children's Science Museum has certain Sundays free, story hour at the Saint Paul Library (I think it's that library), etc.

You have to take him to the Como Zoo & Conservatory now that it's getting nicer! It's a great cheap field trip!