What to Do in DSM: Winter Style

Baby It’s Cold Outside!

We are in full blown winter, but that doesn’t mean we need to stay inside and not soak up our awesome city. I get a little stir crazy when it gets so cold, and I love taking my boys on adventures, no matter the temperature! Here is a list of our favorite FREE things to do!

Skywalking

We love everything about the “city,” as my boys call it, so hitting the skywalk is a favorite thing to do in the winter months. It is so fun to see the cars whizzing by underneath, the buses going by, and it never fails, we always see some sort of construction equipment. Come on, you know you get excited when you see things like that… (okay, maybe it’s just me)! The best part… the kids get to RUN! They have art in the walk ways to check out, businesses to window shop and maps, Finnean loves reading the maps! We have been during the week and on the weekends. Weekends are my favorite because there aren’t as many people using the skywalk so you have the place to yourself. Capital Square is a must stop. They have an atrium that is great for exploring. During the week, I like to pack the kids a lunch and order Big City Burgers & Greens for myself (and usually for my husband who works downtown) for a picnic. Give it a try; call up someone you know who works downtown and meet them for lunch somewhere. It is a great way to get some adult interaction (for you stay-at-home mommas) and a good way for the kids to burn off some energy getting there!

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

We all need a little fresh air during the winter, so why not take the kids to the Sculpture Park. I love that it’s free, the kids can run free (have you noticed a theme – my boys need to move), and they can check out art without having to be quiet. This is probably at the VERY top of Finnean’s favorite places to be in the city. Take a pad of paper and have your kids draw pictures of the art, or if it is too cold and you just want to run them around, have them do it when they get home. You will be amazed at what they remember. Hutchinson loves rolling down the hills in the summer, but in the winter when there is snow… that is even better!

Iowa State Capitol

My boys are OBSESSED with the “Capitol Dome” so it makes for a great place to explore. They love to spy it from the car, so when we go inside, it blows their little minds. You have to go through security to get in, and that in itself is really cool when you are five years old! The staff has always been very friendly to us and showed us where the elevators are when we have had the stroller. There are plenty of places to explore. Seeing all the books in the beautiful library, gazing up at the inside of the stunning dome, and checking out the giant model battleship are all at the top of our list. You can even go in the Senate and the House Chambers when they are not in session; Finnean loved comparing the two rooms. The staff does offer a guided tour that is about an hour and would be great for older kids. They have some tables that we picnicked at and a gift shop that had free coloring sheets for the boys. It would also be a great place to explore when grandparents are in town visiting. I love that we live in the state’s capital city but have found SO many people who haven’t been inside our beautiful capitol to check it out. {Open Monday-Saturday during regular business hours.}

Public Libraries

We hit up our public library in the winter for story times and finding new books to keep us busy, but it is really fun to check out someone else’s library. It is new, they have different puzzles and activity tables, and the story time leader is different. Change is good! It is just a great chance to explore somewhere else in our city. We love the Central Library, but ask a friend where they go to the library and join them! It’s a great way to meet up with some other mommas during the week. {Let us know where your favorite library is in the comment section below.}

The Des Moines Art Center

We hit up this free spot last week. Finnean is five and I would say he was just about the right age to start exploring. The little fingers of Hutchinson, who is two, made me a little nervous. They have a Family Fun Time area in the lobby that has activities to engage the kiddos. I would definitely recommend taking a little notebook for the kids to draw pictures of what they see or to write notes about the things they liked. Talking about what they have learned on the way home or at dinner is one of my favorite things about going on adventures, and the notebook helps them remember. For hours click here.

Adventure Tips:

-Talk about where you are going that day at breakfast with your kids. Make a list of what you think you will see, and cross things off while you are there.

-Pack a snack, take a lunch and have a picnic! Don’t forget to bring water – saves me so much money!

-While you are there, ask them questions! What do you see? What is your favorite thing in this room? This list can go on and on. It really makes them pay attention to their surroundings, and most of all, it gets them talking!

-Get down on their level and see what they are seeing. I am always amazed how beautiful things are when I squat down next to the boys and see the world from their view. The buildings are bigger, the sculptures look different – I love seeing the world through their eyes!

-Snap a few photos so you can remember your adventure! Pictures always help jog my memory of what kind of day we had!

I know that I have missed some great FREE things to do… so I need your help! What do you do? Where do you go to keep the kiddos and YOURSELF entertained during these cold, winter days? Let me know!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of “What To Do in DSM: Winter Style” on Monday!