Arden Fair Mall is not the best mall; it's better than Downtown Plaza but that isn't saying much. The play area (near the food court) is small but keeps my two (aged 3 & 6) occupied while the hubby and I finish our dinner. Plus there is a lot to be said for food court dinner - everyone eats what they want. The mall has a good selection of kids' stores: Gymboree, Janie & Jack, The Children's Place, Baby Gap, etc.

Dinner includes salad (applesauce for the kiddies), drink and ice cream for desert. Nothing fancy here -- just good food at a good price. Ask to be seated in the trolley car; it adds fun at no cost. Otherwise, ask to be seated facing the train tracks -- the little ones will smile with glee when a train barrels past. The restaurant is loud enough that no one will mund if your kids have a good time but quite enough that you can enjoy conversation with family and friends.

Membership at the museum includes unlimited visits AND rides on the steam train. There is a Thomas the Tank Engine play area upstairs along with a model train exhibit. Downstairs you'll find actual train cars complete with furnishings and, in some cases, "people." The train ride is nothing exciting, unless you are a young boy, then it is pure joy. Indoor eexcursions are always welcome in Sacramento. This is one of the best!

The state fair should be a showcase of all that is great about California and Sacramento. Instead it is the opposite. From parking to rides and exhibits the state fair is over-priced and under-whelming. Rides are individually priced and cost adds up fast. Teusdays bring $1 rides and lines too long for most kids to cope. Most rides have height requirements that exclude the preschool set. The best thing about the fair is the food -- it's a fried food fest but NOT worth the investment. Skip it.

With open play every Sunday from noon to 4:00 pm, Funtastic provides a welcome respite from the heat of summer and the rain of winter for working parents. They have additional open play Mon. through Thurs. from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Friday from 10:0p0 am to 8:00 pm.

This indoor play area combines a soft play area and tons of climbing opportunities in tubes, up nets and across a tall bridge. Most days, there aren't too many kids for mine (aged 6 & 3) to have an enjoyable time. Each addmission is $8.00 but a multi-visit punch card is available at substantial savings -- plus you can use one card for more than one child. The Natomas location is a bit out of the way but worth the trip from anywhere in the City of Sacramento,