Green Frog Toys

1031 NW 11th Ave
503-222-2646
greenfrogtoys.com

It would be easy to lose your-self—or your 3-year-old—in the aisles of colorful, creative toys in this Pearl District shop. Don’t. Head straight for the bath toys section and grab a few rubber duckies (they come in three different sizes). Mark each with a number, then hit up somewhere like Tanner Springs Park for an afternoon of fowl play with Rubber Ducky Derby Races. Here’s how it works: pick start and finish lines, dump your duckies in the water, and follow along with them to see which quacker’s faster. —KC

Story Time

Multnomah County Library 
503-988-5234
multcolib.org

There’s more to story time than just flipping open the latest Eric Carle picture book and hoping for the best. Which is part of why the Multnomah County Library’s reading programs are so focused: Book Babies, for brand-new babies to 12-month-olds, centers on movement and exposure to language; Toddler Storytime, for 2-year-olds, relies on interactive stories and songs; and Preschool Storytime helps your 3-year-old build early literacy skills. By kindergarten, they’ll be ready to tackle Ulysses. —BWB

Academy Theater

7818 SE Stark St
503-252-0500 
academytheaterpdx.com

It’s an age-old conundrum: you want to see the latest Wes Anderson flick, but your caterwauling bundle of joy isn’t likely to make it through the opening credits without earning you the evil eye from the crowd. Nobody’s got your back quite like the Academy Theater, where ticket prices ($4) are cheaper than the in-house babysitting service ($7.50 per child). With the help of a play loft, story time, and crafting, the Academy sitters are masters of keeping you sane—and your kiddo entertained—for 90 minutes at a time. —BWB

Zenana Spa and Wellness Center

2024 SE Clinton St
503-238-6262
zenana-spa.com

In Persian, zenana means, roughly, “for women.” But every Tuesday and Thursday, this family-focused Southeast spa becomes a place for women and their babies at morning Mamalates, a Pilates class that invites moms to stretch and tone with their infants at their side. And should your baby-lifting biceps need a little more than stretching, the staff in the center’s children’s room will watch your precious cargo while you get the kinks worked out with a Swedish massage. —MC

 

Explorers Program at the Playground Gym

505 NE Grand Ave
503-235-7529
theplaygroundgym.com

Opened by Brazilian jujitsu coaches, the Playground Gym is an adrenaline-pumping paradise for lilliputian acrobats. The gym’s Explorers Program invites parents to direct their toddler’s wobbles and crawls toward a smorgasbord of padded gym mats, stairs, ramps, and even gymnast rings to help fine-tune those motor skills. And thanks to adult classes in circus stunts and swing dancing, you can drop by for a recess of your own. —BMB