Winter Fun
When wintertime comes, I find myself searching for creative ways to entertain my family in order to keep cabin fever at bay.
No, I don’t mean finding a craft project on Pinterest that the whole family can do together.
I mean escaping from our house to find places where entertainment is their business.
Over the years, I’ve found some places that are consistently declared Winter Fun Winners by our family.
I now share them with you.
Winter Fun Winners
A visit to the Joplin Public Library has brought me peace on many winter days; the energetic and engaging staff members in the children’s library keep my kids entertained during the weekly story time sessions and monthly “Explore & Play” events (which are all FREE). My girls also love playing with the toys in the play area, too.
When I find my kids itching with pent-up energy that needs to be released immediately, I’ll take them to bounce on inflatables at House of Bounce, jump on trampolines at Soar Trampoline Park, or to skate until their legs turn to jelly at Roller City. By the way, adults have fun at these places, too.
When the kids can’t agree on the same activity, I drive directly to Northpark Mall – the home of Tilt Studio. Like an indoor carnival, Tilt has a variety of attractions so that EVERY child goes home happy.
Have I mentioned that my girls and I suffer from chocoholism? This condition worsens during the dull, drab days of winter, so we make sure to visit Candy House Gourmet where we can get our chocolate fix that carries us through to the sunny days of spring.
We’ve even toured the chocolate factory there, which was both educational and delicious (weekdays only – call ahead to schedule a tour).
This wouldn’t last more than 24 hours in our house.
On those days when the strong, warm Gulf air reaches southwest Missouri, we like to forget that it’s winter and do something fun outside. While many outdoor attractions are closed for the season, some remain open year-round – like Rangeline Golf Center where we like to play mini-golf.
We’ll also visit an area park. Joplin’s Parr Hill Park offers several playground areas for the kids, plus the city’s only official dog park.
Or we’ll explore the wooded trails along Shoal Creek at Wildcat Park, and then visit the nature center there.
Sometimes we’ll search outdoors for hidden treasures when we go geocaching. Our family enjoys this activity so much that it’s even become our New Year’s Eve tradition (during daylight hours, of course).
We also check the area calendar of events to see if there’s something new and exciting happening around town.
There you have it – a list of places and activities that you can rely on to entertain the kids and maintain your mental wellness throughout the winter season.
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This article was commissioned by the Joplin CVB, however the opinions expressed are purely my own. The purpose of Joplin MO Life is to highlight all the best that our area has to offer, and when an article is written about a restaurant, business, attraction, or event, it is because I have had an enjoyable experience and want to share it with others.
Click here to visit the Joplin CVB’s Facebook page.
Living Life to The Fullest!
I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.
