Fun Things To Do On A Rainy Day

We've had our fill of making dioramas and pillow forts! It's time to get out of the house--rain or no rain.

These are places I take my preschoolers when cabin fever hits.

1. Train Up A Child is an indoor Thomas-the-Train wonderland on Trousdale (just off the I-65 Harding exit). It's a store, but for a small fee, it's also your playroom. Your child can busy himself with one of several train tables or other Brio toys. It's also a great place to meet local moms.

2. Adventure Science Center is Nashville's science museum. It's undergoing renovation, so not all exhibits are currently available. However, Adventure Science Center has a large permanent wing called BodyQuest and a four-story physics tower good for a couple of hours of entertainment.

3. YMCA's indoor pools and nurseries are our first choice for burning off excess energy (and calories!). We like the wood-beamed pool room at the Maryland Farms Y and often make swimming our family night entertainment. I also enjoy dropping the kids off to play in the nursery while I exercise.

4. The Frist Center's ArtQuest is an art studio just for children. Volunteers at different stations assist your child in printmaking, painting, and collage. Let the Frist handle all the glue and paint clean-up!

5. Christ Church's Kidpark on Old Hickory Blvd., is a free indoor playground, open to anyone in the area. You leave your driver's license at the desk while the kids play. It's cheaper and healthier than McDonald's--and open seven days a week.

6. Chik-Fil-A's tiny play tower seems to be the hot spot for tots in Brentwood. The next nearest indoor play place is at the McDonald's at Old Hickory Blvd. and Edmondson Pike--or at either Chik-Fil-A or McDonald's in Cool Springs.

--->Here's how to find other McDonald's Playgrounds in Middle Tennessee.

7. The Brentwood Skate Center is hidden between office buildings and I-65, but it's always a fun place for families.

8. If you are north of the city or don't mind driving 15 minutes, Fundom Kids is a former skating-rink-turned-play-kingdom.

9. Okay, I'll tell you our *secret* rainy day spot: the TN Agricultural Museum at the Ellington Agricultural Center. This former estate in Crieve Hall houses the state departments of agriculture and wildlife. The museum, open Monday through Friday, is free, filled with interesting objects, and rarely busy.

10. No rainy day list would be complete without the local library. Perhaps it's time to venture beyond Brentwood's beautiful library on Concord Road. Have you visited Nashville's downtown library yet? The building itself is not to be missed, but the free marionette shows in the children's theatre make it extra-special.