Apparently it is now spring. Shhhh. Just a minute…. Nope. No birds chirping just yet. Still sportin’ the parka.  This edition of Friday Faves is going to be your savior for next week. You can google the 10 day forecast or you can just trust me. Not feeling like spring anytime soon, which means another week of indoor event planning. Yes, parents, we should add that to our resume as well. Here are 4 indoor activities for kids that will save your sanity. And no, vodka is not one of them.

4. Painted houses. Go to Jo-Ann Fabrics. Buy a few of these little houses at $1.00 each and have your kids paint them. I put a letter sticker on for each kid and had them paint over, and then peeled off when the paint dried. Now these little cuties are being used as bookshelf decor.

This activity should take about 12 minutes and 38 seconds of your afternoon. Now onto the next.

3. Indoor Scavenger Hunt. Give the kids this list (or make your own) and do some SPRING CLEANING! Rules are, all of these have to be “found items”, meaning on the floor and not in location where they should actually be… because why would we ever put anything back in the proper place? Winner wins a birdhouse. (see above)

2. Straw Rockets – The last time my dad watched my boys he made these straw rockets with them. I know, dad, my sisters and I were too busy playing Barbies when we were little to do anything fun like this. Your welcome for providing you with so many grandsons to make rockets with…..and watch baseball and wrestle with. You know, guy stuff. Although I am pretty sure girls would think this activity is pretty awesome, too.

1. The Play Cafe! I have no idea what I did last winter without The Play Cafe in my life.  Vague memories of being very uncomfortably pregnant and begrudgingly exhausting every single Pinterest craft known to man come to mind. But this year a special thing happened.  A true gem, a savior, to all moms-going-stir-crazy has opened in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Meet The Play Cafe. The Play Cafe is a 4,000 square foot indoor play space geared for kids aged 0-5. They offer high quality toys for open play, costumes for dress up, a Lego wall, a soft play area for pre-walkers, arts and crafts and more… including killer coffee, soups, and pastries. These pictures speak for themselves.

My kids beg to go there and never want to leave. Afternoon activity accomplished. And hey, while you are there you may just pick up another mom friend and have a moment of uninterrupted conversation as your kids play.