By Melanie Meren

Weekend mornings can be a bit tough in the winter when the park is no longer an option. While it seems there are many things to do on the weekdays, the weekends get kind of sparse as places reserve their space for pre-registered kid classes. Rec centers and indoor play spaces are pretty much a no-go, and Jammin Java might have a kids show on Saturdays here and there.

Here are some places we’ve found around Vienna that offer brief respite for those lazy, indoors-focused weekend mornings:

• Chick-fil-A. Yes, it’s a fast food place. But the one at Fairfax Circle has a decent indoor kids play space. I haven’t eaten a chicken sandwich there since grad school in North Carolina in 2002, but in desperation we went there recently. It wasn’t awful – clean and cute. Apparently they have kids programs Tuesday evenings at 5:30pm, too.
• Upcoming Find the Fun Fair, February 4. There’s a new group in town called Play Today that culls together info on places for kids activities in real time. They are having a Find the Fun Fair this Saturday at the Westwood Country Club, 10am – 2pm.
• Upcoming (rescheduled) Chinese New Year Festival. Our discovery of Chick-fil-A was prompted by a failed attempt to attend the free Chinese New Year Festival that was rescheduled and cancelled twice. It is now (supposedly) scheduled for this Saturday, February 4 at Luther Jackson Middle School on Gallows in Falls Church. It looks great, but check the website first.
• Smithsonian Museums. If you get there right when they typically open at 10am, you can have a decent morning before lunch and nap time roll around. But it’s a challenge to make it work if you’re having a bit of a lazy morning. The American Indian and Natural History Museums have nice places to let kids run around without destroying priceless pieces of art.
• Be With Me Playseum. I’ve now been to the one in Eastern Market and in Bethesda, and they are both great. They seem to get packed in the late morning – like, fire code hazard packed. So again, if you’re an early riser, check one out.

Read more from So Very Vienna here.