The calendar still says Autumn but Winter arrived in the Coulee Region with a vengance this last weekend. That's good news to those who love the snow and cold but not so good for those of us who dream of becoming snowbirds every time the thermometer dips. I'd love to stay warm and cozy in the house until Spring but cabin fever strikes quickly when hanging out in the house with a toddler and baby. The solution? Head to a place with indoor fun.

Perhaps the ultimate indoor play area in the Coulee Region is the Gertrude Salzer Gordon Children's Museum of La Crosse where "children play to learn and adults learn to play". With three floors of activities there is no shortage of fun. Think your child is too young? Think again! The recently added Wiggles and Giggles section has a baby safe area and plenty of colorful activities for the toddler set. Older kids will enjoy the many opportunities for pretend play such as the shopping at the child sized Kwik Trip, fighting fires on the real fire truck, and working on the House that I Built. A full list of activities can be found on the museum's website. Check it out and, if you love it as much as I think you will, buy a membership before you leave to get that day's admission applied towards it. A tip: if it's just you and one child, by the two person membership and put it in the child's name so any adult can bring the child.

The La Crosse library downtown has more than just books. In the children's' area you'll find a large play ship with the story time room inside. There's also Legos and puzzles and computers with games for the older kids. Each of the libraries has story times set up for various ages for an hour of songs, stories and crafts. Check their schedule for details.

Chuck E Cheese near the Valley View Mall is a great cold morning destination. Pizza in the morning? Actually, if you go for the fun, not the pizza, off meal times are best. From their opening at 9 until after 11 during school days you can have the place nearly to yourselves. This is great for letting little ones run around with no worries about them getting lost in the crowd. Toddlers are cheap as pushing buttons and watching the flashing lights will keep them happy without tokens for quite a while. As they get older and realize the machines do more with tokens, it will cost you a bit more but it's still reasonable for a couple hours of fun. Watch the paper for token coupons that make it even cheaper.

If you want to entertain the kids and get a bit of shopping done while you're out, there are a few stores that provide play areas for the kids. Toys R Us in Onalaska is the granddaddy of these with a huge play structure to climb. They used to have toys at the bottom but they were removed because someone thought it looked to cluttered. It's a shame because I think they were essentially toy demos and likely sold more toys. Over at the Red Giraffe, which is near Festival Foods in Onalaska, they have a small play area with a train table and other toys. On Monday and Friday mornings they have an hour of activities with songs and crafts. Finally, Barnes and Noble in the Valley View Mall has a small area with a train table.

Want a bite to eat while the kids play? Unfortunately, the finer dining places in the area don't come with play areas but, if you don't mind fast food, there are a few options. McDonalds, of course, is the obvious one. The McDonalds in Onalaska by the mall has a huge, recently remodeled play area. It seems geared more towards the older kids, though, and isn't the best for very little kids as the toddler area is a little too high up. The Holmen McDonalds on OT has a smaller play area but is also less crowded. It is surrounded by windows, which makes it bright and sunny, but it also can be too bright on sunny mornings when the whole row of booths is in direct sunlight. In Bridgeview Plaza in La Crosse is another McDonalds with a play area. Then there's Burger King with a large play area at the Bridgeview Plaza location and a smaller one near Festival Foods. Not in the mood for a burger? Try Pizza Doctor's in Downtown La Crosse. They have a lunch time buffet and a good sized play room for the kids. Like Chuck E Cheese, fast food restaurants are great in off meal times. Go for a healthy snack like apple dippers at McDonalds and have a couple hours of fun for a couple bucks.

Do you have any favorite indoor places to add to the list? Or have information on other locations of the places I mentioned outside the Holmen / Onalaska / La Crosse area I frequent? Add a comment and share! I'd love to hear from you.