Winter in Portland, Oregon is usually dark and rainy. From November until well into the Spring months, it can be hard for kids to get a lot of outdoor time. Parents and children need to be creative in finding fun activities to stay busy during the winter. Here are just a few of the fun things to do with kids during winter in Portland, Oregon.
Children’s Museum
Located in Washington Park, the Children’s Museum is a wonderful way to spend some creative time indoors. Kids can play restaurant in their very own little kid-sized diner. There are dress up clothes and accessories for kids to be a waiter, chef, cashier or customer. There is also a little grocery store where kids can role play in similar ways. A big “tree house” type fort is also available with lots of tubes that can be arranged to send balls rolling down ramps and through tunnels. And if the kids don’t get wet enough running through the parking lot and into the Children’s Museum, there is a large water play area. There are plenty of smocks so that kids can stay as dry as possible as they explore different water activities. A music and art area are also big kid pleasers, and I dare you to leave the Children’s Museum with out checking out the gift shop!
OMSI
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry is a great place for kids to learn about the science in the world around us. OMSI is perfect for the young scientist of 2-5 years old, as well as the older scientist of 6 and older. The Discovery Area has lots of activities for kids, up to age 5 to learn and explore. There is a sand pit, blocks and different vacuum tubes that suck up balls and spit them out. There is a craft area, a water play area and even an infant area. Older kids can explore the chemistry lab where they can actually mix chemicals to perform simple experiments, the physics lab, the animal lab, the watershed lab and the archeology lab. Other areas teach kids about the physics of paper airplanes, or the way structures are built to withstand earthquakes. A special exhibit that changes every few months is also a great draw for OMSI. Past exhibits have been focused on magic, rollercoaster science, robots and even something called “grossology” which is the science of all the gross things in our bodies.
If you have a kid who LOVES airplanes, the Evergreen Aviation Museum is a must see. Located about 90 minutes from Portland in McMinnville, Oregon, the Evergreen Aviation Museum is home to the famous Spruce Goose. This massive plane is definitely they big attraction at the museum, but there are so many other planes that it will be easy to spend at least 2 hours just checking everything out. Free tours are offered twice a day by museum docents, many of whom are veterans and former pilots of some of the aircraft on display. They are knowledgeable and filled with fascinating information.
Roller Skating
Parents will love the trip down memory lane and kids will love the groovy atmosphere of the Skateworld Roller Skating Rink in Hillsboro, Oregon. With décor that has remained the same, most likely, since the 70’s and a black light that makes everything white glow, kids will have a blast figuring out how to stay up on 8 wheels.
Bowling
There is a great selection of family bowling alleys in the Portland area. Many even have discounts for school holidays. Park Lanes, in Hillsboro is a wonderful, clean facility with a snack bar, arcade and vending machines. They have optional bumpers for the lanes, for those who want to guarantee a “no gutter” game. For the littlest bowlers, they even have a contraption you can arrange in front of the lane, set the bowling ball on top of and let your little one just push. It rolls down a ramp and sometimes, the little ones even get strikes!
If all else fails, don’t fight the weather: work with it. With so much rain in Portland, many residents have let the water roll off their backs, duck style. Grab an umbrella and your rain boots. Put on a good raincoat and head for the Oregon Zoo. Located near the Chidlren’s Museum in Washington Park, the Oregon Zoo is home to hundreds of different animals. The zoo is open every day, and when it rains, you will practically have the whole place to yourself. Many of the exhibits have indoor viewing areas too, so you can still see the elephants and polar bears and penguins and musk ox while staying dry.
