The Best Rainy Day Kids Activities in Sonoma County

Here are a baker’s dozen things to do with kids in Sonoma County on a rainy day, dozens of places (besides home) to do them in, and a handful of discount offers or coupons to make rainy day desperation less of a dent on the household budget. Be sure and call ahead, times and costs may have changed.

Bowling

Double Decker Lanes
300 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park
707-585-0226

Boulevard Lanes (AMF)
As I mentioned in a birthday freebies post AMF bowl has an online club that sends you a coupon both on signing up and on your birthday.They occasionally sned other special offers out to online club members; free game coupons, etc.
1100 Petaluma Blvd., South, Petaluma
707-762-4581

Skating

Cal Skate
On Monday and Thursday mornings from 9:30- 11 am they have “Tony Tot” Skate (for parents and kids 10 and under) $6.00 with free quad skate rental and instruction. Family night is Thursdays 7 pm to 9 pm. $5 a person plus $4 for inline skate rental and $2 for quad skate rental. Sunday nights they have All You Can Eat Pizza and Soda night from 6:30 pm to 9 pm $8 a person includes admission, pizza and soda. Skate rental extra.
6100 Commerce Boulevard,Rohnert Park
707-585-0494

Snoopy’s Home Ice: The Redwood Empire Ice Arena
Various open skate times (call for details) , and a Parent and Puppy session on Sunday mornings from 10:30 to noon for kids 11 and under and their parents ( includes a 15 minute lesson). Parent and puppy sessions cost $7 for adults and $5.50 for kids, no skate rental charged.
1667 West Steele Lane Santa Rosa
707-546-7147

Libraries

Public libraries aren’t  “run-it-off” locations for kids, but they are rich in activities for kids. You can pick up a few great read-aloud books, a free rainy day DVD rental, or stay for toddler story time, a craft activity, book clubs for 3rd to 5th graders ( boys clubs, girls clubs, and both) , teen days at some branches, even read aloud to a dog days.  Here is a complete calendar for all branches, or you can select a calendar just for your local branch.

Movies

Movies are a rainy day standby, and most local theaters offer bargain matinees (the Rialto has bargain matinee prices all day Tuesday).  See the local movie listings here.

The Rohnert Park 16 offers “Crybaby matinees” on Wednesdays at 1:00 pm—a chance for moms to watch movies with their babies without fear of disturbing the other movie goers—everyone in this showing has kids.

Roxy Stadium 14, Airport Stadium 1 , Third Street Cinemas in Santa Rosa,  and Raven Film Center in Healdsburg offer free small popcorn for signing up for their e-club.

Indoor Playgrounds

Jack & Jills
Drop in rates $8 for the first child, $6 for second child and $4.50 for third child.  Specials include Mother’s Club Mondays, Tag along Tuesdays (pay for 2 kids from one family and additional kids from same family are free); Pre-registered playgroups of 5 or more paying on same bill pay $5 per kid; and Grandparent Thursdays ( $1 off when kids are accompanied by a grandparent).
217 Western Ave. Petaluma, CA
707-981-7155

Chuck E. Cheese
Check this link for daily discount coupons. Or sign up for the Chuck E. Cheese e-club for coupons to save up to $30.
601 Rohnert Park Expressway, Rohnert Park
707-586-1949

Funky Monkey (Santa Rosa)
An SOTC reader describes this as “like Chuck E. Cheese but more low-key.” If “low-key” is a euphemism for “less ear-drum shattering”, I’m there! There is a free soft play jungle gym and a bunch extra cost of video/arcade games. Pizza, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, cappuccinos, and even beer & wine ( for the long-suffering adults, of course). On Tuesday-Thursdays they have an a.m. Group Discount Program “Morning Monkeys.” Morning Monkeys specials vary, but can include free coffee, snacks, craft project materials, and even live music and magic.
397 Aviation Blvd., Suite E, Santa Rosa. 707-573-0304

Pump it Up (Cotati and Santa Rosa)
The “inflatable party zone”. Both locations have some open drop in times for $7 a kid, call for details.
374 Blodgett Street Suite 1, Cotati, 707- 794-9533

3360 Coffey Lane Suite A, Santa Rosa 707-545-172

Kid’s Party Central
Open play, call for times, $7 per kid
327 O’Hare Court Santa Rosa  707-575-KIDS (5437)

McDonald’s
Two area McDonald’s restaurants have indoor play areas—the one on Commerce Blvd in Rohnert Park, and the one on Old Redwood Hwy in Windsor.

Misc.

Mom and Me Mondays at the Charles Schulz Museum
Every Monday 10 am to noon, story time, crafts and activities for kids age 1 to 5, $5 for kids, adults free before 11 am.
2301 Hardies Lane,Santa Rosa
707-579-4452

Vertex Rock Climbing Center
After school and school holiday programs for kids, and climb time on weekends and school holidays for kids 5 and up.

A few indoor activities mentioned in previous blog postings:

Game Day at Aqus Café

Bay Area Discovery Museum (OK, this is actually in Marin, but it’s a great rainy day trip for kids.) It’s $8 for kids and $10 for adults, but can occupy kids for hours. Admission is free the first Wednesday of the month.

Still don’t know what to do?

Here is a list of 102 Free and Cheap Things to do in Sonoma County.

Look here for list of discounts on Bay Area day trips with kids (mostly outside Sonoma County).

And check out this list of Sonoma County Restaurants where kids eat free.

Want to visit wineries with kids? Check out this list of the most kid-friendly wineries in Sonoma County.

Or click on “for kids’ in the category list on the right for more ideas.

And I’ve got an unabashed plug to make. My friend Kris Bordessa wrote a book that has some great indoor activities for kids: Team Challenges: 170+ Group Activities to Build Cooperation, Communication, and Creativity.

Any other suggestions? Email me : lisa (at) sonomaonthecheap.com or add a comment below.

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