It's looking pretty stormy out there for us Portlanders.
With all this cold & blustery weather those trips to the park aren't sounding as tempting as usual.
Here are a few indoor splay spots around Portland to fight that cabin fever.
Oaks park opened in 1905. It is one of the oldest amusement parks in the country!
This park holds a special place in my heart. Not only did my parents take me to skate the beautiful old wooden rink as a child myself, but my Mother, my Great Aunt, and my Grandparents all skated on the same floor throughout their childhoods.
My Grandmother and Great Aunt have told me so many stories of leaving school with there skates and going straight to Oaks Park for the late afternoon skating session.
Listening to the Pipe Organist play the "Hokey Pokey", grabbing a boy for the infamous "couple skate" and ordering a soda at the fountain afterwards with girlfriends.
It's such a neat feeling to take our daughter there now.
To skate along with her and tell her all the stories I have been told, along with the memories I have made skating there throughout my life.
Oaks Park is a huge part of our cities living history.
Visit their web-site for rink hours. They have pre-school skate weekday mornings as well as kids morning skates on Saturdays. Shoes and strollers are welcome on the skating floor. Adults are FREE with every paid child's admission.
Have fun skating the 100 year old floor while you become a little piece of Portland history.
Mt.Scott Community Center has a great indoor pool area. They also have a large gymnasium, roller skating and weight room. A little something for the whole family.
I have not been here myself, but have heard great things about it!
Rock climbing walls,with 1400 square feet of matted roll and tumble play area as well as a large cork dance and yoga floor! They have rock climbing walls, an indoor tree house, climbing ropes and more!
Sounds like a great place for you and the kids to work up a sweat while you play together!
I particularly liked the philosophy from the owners regarding their business and place in our community. They are a locally owned business committed to our city and the health and well being of our families.
They also discuss that being a parent means we are all very busy, and that need I think we all have for balance between busy family life and nurturing family health.
they say...
"The Playground Gym is a local business, and our core values reflect everything we love about the Portland community. We started the gym with the intention of building a little niche in this city especially for the kids who are growing up here."
and
"Besides the usual benefits of increased blood and oxygen flow to the brain and respiratory system, keeping young kids active actually promotes development of their neurological system, increasing memory, perceptive skills, attention span and behavior. Television and video games are a quick fix for any busy parent, sometimes even a necessary tool we use to distract the kids so dinner can get made. There’s nothing wrong with this, but children need a balance of time spent in front of the television with active time spent using their bodies and brains."
Try them out, and tell us what you thought!
Story time is a great way to get out of the house while giving our kids a venue to interact with other children, and it gives us a chance to meet other neighborhood families.
All these options are fun, inexpensive or even free.
Best of all they are all local.
Just by taking your kids to skate at the beautiful and historical Oaks Amusement Park, or for a nice swim at Mt.Scott Community Center, or to climb a rock wall at The Playground Gym, even having a story read to you at your neighborhood library you are participating in and supporting your community while giving your children new experiences and adventures they will remember.
Have a great indoor play spot?
Share it with us!!
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