It’s that time of year again. You know, the one season that seems to stretch on forever. It’s dark, it’s wet, and we parents — not to mention the kiddos — start itching for a change of scenery.

Don’t despair. We’ve gathered 30 outings that we hope will inspire you to get out of the house. Explore a new museum or revisit an old favorite, burn up energy at a roller rink or gymnastics center, or settle in for story time at a new bookstore. The rainy season is your chance to be adventurous indoors.

1. White River Valley Museum  The history of South King County is on display at this small museum tucked into Auburn’s Les Gove Park. It’s hands-on fun for just a couple of bucks: Admission is $1-$2, and Wednesdays are always free. 253-288-7433, www.wrvmuseum.org

2. Metropolitan Gymnastics  Drop by this spacious Kent gymnastics center for open play on the equipment. Check updated schedule: 206-575-4138, www.metropolitangym.com

3. Pattison’s West Skate Center  A Federal Way institution, Pattison’s offers a couple of skate times when you won’t have to worry about your preschooler getting run over by groups of teens, including a weekend family night and weekday skate for kids younger than 10 only. 253-838-5788, www.pattisonswest.net

4. Federal Way Community Center  The brand-new community center boasts a swimming pool that’s worth the drive, with a long, gently curving “lazy river” kids can navigate riding float toys. Family swims, indoor playtimes, weekly stroller walks and family pickup basketball games are also on the schedule, and a daily pass gives you access to everything. 253-835-6900, www.cityoffederalway.com/Page.aspx?page=1180

5. Rainy Dayz Playcenter  The under-5 set will love the colorful, soft climbing and gym toys available during open play at this Gig Harbor preschool — while mamas and papas enjoy a coffee or tea on the house. Open play is scheduled daily at various times, and reservations are recommended. $5 for one hour. 253-853-7529, www.rainydayzplaycenter.com/play.html

6. Trackside Pizza  Trains run right by this Puyallup restaurant while kids play with dough, make their own pizzas and turn it in to the kitchen with a “Pie up!” 253-845-7437, www.pizzatrackside.com

7. Tiffany’s Skate Inn  A huge maple floor sets this ‘60s-era roller rink, located in Puyallup, apart from the pack. Tiffany’s doesn’t offer family skates, but plays kid-safe music on the weekends. 253-848-1076, www.tiffanysskateinn.com

8. Northwest Trek  Don’t ignore the Trek during the rainy season. The Cheney Discovery Center is packed with interesting natural history items for kids to examine, from animal pelts and teeth to puppets and coloring projects for little ones. You could happily spend a morning here. 360-832-6117, www.nwtrek.org

9. Tacoma Art Museum Take a quick tour of the galleries, then proceed to the art studio where kids can experiment with good art supplies and work on projects (free with admission) suggested by the museum. Free every third Thursday. 253-272-4258, www.tacomaartmuseum.org

10. Odyssey 1 Family Fun Center   The Tacoma play center’s Jungle Gym Park is a great place for kids to expend energy on the large climbing structure, monkey bars and more. 253-566-3233, www.odyssey-1.com

11. Michael’s Kids Club  On Saturdays, visit Michael’s Arts & Crafts for a changing lineup of easy but absorbing craft projects. Check with the store to find out what’s up next. 10 a.m.-noon. 5730 Lakewood Towne Center Blvd. S.W., Lakewood. 253-584-2058.

12. Proctor District Tully’s  Pop in for coffee or a treat and spend some time in the nice children’s play area. 2312 N. 30th St., Tacoma. 253-572-1480.

13. Garfield Book Company  Pacific Lutheran University’s campus bookstore offers free, all-ages Saturday story times that include snacks and activities. 11 a.m.-noon. 253-535-7665, http://luteworld.plu.edu

14. Washington State History Museum  When you arrive, pick up a scavenger hunt sheet for elementary-age kids, and if you visit with preschoolers, don’t forget to check out the detailed miniature train display on the fifth floor. Free on Thursdays, 5-8 p.m. 253-272-3500, www.washingtonhistory.org

15. Black Hills Gymnastics  The kids are safe and supervised in the gym as they play on the gymnastics equipment. You can stay and watch or sneak out to do an errand. The Olympia-area gymnastics club offers open gym on Friday mornings and Friday and Saturday evenings at locations in Lacey and on the West Side. www.blackhillsgymnastics.com

16. Bigelow House Museum  Take a 45-minute guided tour of Olympia’s oldest residence, built in 1860, and find out how one family of that era lived, worked and played. This is one for families with older kids. 360-753-1215, www.bigelowhouse.org

17. Washington State Capital Museum  Visiting this Olympia museum, located in an historic mansion, is a grownup pleasure just because of the surroundings, but kids can enter a Salish winter house and handle artifacts created by local tribal members. 360-753-2580, www.wshs.org

18. Hands On Children’s Museum   Here’s an indoor play area especially for kids younger than 4: The Olympia museum’s Tot Spot fosters early learning with arts and crafts, a dramatic-play area, a soft space for infants and crawlers, and a wealth of parenting information for caregivers. 360-956-0818, www.hocm.org

19. Olympic Flight Museum  Take your plane-obsessed child to the Olympia Regional Airport to view several beautifully designed vintage warplanes, such as the shark-snouted Hawker “Hunter,” and a large collection of model aircraft, too. 360-705 3925, www.olympicflightmuseum.com

20. Wind Up Here  Kids are welcome to try out the display toys at this cool independent toy store, or visit for Game Night (call or visit Web site for current schedule). 1-800-531-2616, www.winduphere.com

21. Warehouse Rock Gym  Drive them up a wall — a rock wall, that is. Climbing at this Olympia gym is open to all ages, so as long as your kiddo can fit in the child harness (call for guidance if you have a question), you’re good to go. Rent shoes and harnesses for all ages on site. 360-596-WALL, www.warehouserockgym.com

22. Capitol Conservatory  Escape the cold in this lush indoor garden, constructed in 1939, that features orchids and other interesting subtropical plants. It’s free and open Monday through Friday, year-round, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. It’s located on the Capitol campus, and you can find a map and info on navigating the grounds at the following Web site: www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/self-guide.htm.

23. Legislative Building Tour  Tour the domed 1928 building that’s at the heart of Washington’s government, learn about the state’s legislative system, and visit the Public Galleries. It’s all free — how cool is that? The hour-long tours depart daily, on the hour, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/guide.htm

24. Orca Books  Visit on Sundays at 1 p.m. for a free story time downtown at this large, charming indie bookstore in Olympia. Story times are for ages 4-10. We suggest calling ahead before dropping by: 360-352-0123. www.orcabooks.com

25. De Colores Bookstore  On Thursdays at 10:15 a.m., another Olympia independent bookstore presents a free kids’ story-and-activity time that draws on other cultures for inspiration. 360-357-9400, www.decoloresbooks.com


Out of town

If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, make the drive to Seattle to visit attractions and museums that feature exhibits you won’t find anywhere else in the state.

26. Seattle Art Museum  The museum’s new entry hall features real cars, hung from the ceiling, that seem to be catapulting through the space. Don’t miss the Art Ladder, located in the south building, which features kid-friendly art installations. Another draw for families is the refurbished children’s play area, the Knudsen Family Room on the third floor. This quiet nook, with windows that look down on a busy streetscape, is beautifully designed and filled with outstanding play and educational materials for kids. 206-654-3100, www.seattleartmuseum.org

27. Seattle Aquarium  Haven’t checked out the new Neah Bay-based exhibit, the 120,000-gallon “Windows on Washington Waters,” yet? Now’s the time. 206-386-4300, www.seattleaquarium.org

28. Museum of Flight   Take a spin in a two-seat flight simulator ($8) or tour a real Concorde — the only one on view on the West Coast — and other iconic aircraft in the Airpark. 206-764-5720, www.museumofflight.org

29. Pacific Science Center  When the cloud cover is thick, there’s nothing like getting an eyeful of the starry night sky in the Willard Planetarium. Daily shows are for kids ages 4 and older. 206-443-2920, www.pacsci.org/planetarium

30. The Burke Museum  Wander through a hands-on exhibit that traces Washington state’s past natural history and check out the “oh wow” mastodon skeleton. Leave time for a treat trip to the wood-paneled café on the ground floor. 206-543-7907, www.washington.edu/burkemuseum

Kris Collingridge is ParentMap’s Out & About editor. Got South Sound indoor play tips? Email kris@parentmap.com.