Vancouver, WA

I’ve discovered that cloudy days are wonderful for a trip to Westfield Shoppingtown Vancouver with a very active child in tow. Of course, when I take her, I plan my time well. We start out with a walk around the top floor and another around the bottom floor. Located at 8700 NE Vancouver Mall Drive, this is an excellent place for those of you who are older or without someone to walk with to get your daily exercise. The Mall is very easy to get to from anywhere, just take I-5 to SR500 east, or 205 from SR500 west.

Our twice around the mall got cut short when Layla got hot and I said I would carry her sweater, bad idea. I lost it. We made a trip to the Information Desk but it had not been turned in, then or later.

The information desk is another great asset for harried mothers who have forgotten their strollers. It is located at the eastern end of the mall downstairs closest to JC Penney’s, and they have made the process of using their strollers quite easy and, best of all, free.

After looking for the sweater we decided to stop by the Food Court for lunch. Sometimes we pack a lunch and take it with us, but today we decided to stop at McDonald’s and took our tray to the “child size” tables. Layla loved it, but I found it uncomfortable not to be able to get my knees under the table. The food court, located on the top floor in the center of the mall, is a nice spot for an informal meal. One whole end of the Food Court is glass, and though the view of the freeway isn’t great, the natural lighting is nice. It is also close to restrooms for the whole family, which includes a family room with changing tables.

Our next stop is the mall library, also located on the second floor near JC Penney’s. You can grab a book and let the kids have a little quiet playtime. There are several area play rugs, one of the most popular being the road-trip rug with several cars available for playing. There is always a table or two set up with small puzzles or a large checkerboard. The room is very cozy, and today was full when we arrived. We stayed for quite a while; she played, I read. We signed up for the summer reading program, got a couple of books each and headed towards the last stop of the afternoon; the mall play area.

This area, located on the first floor just below the Food Court, is designed with very young children in mind but works well for ages up to five or six. The equipment and floor are built for rough and tumble play, with durable foam interiors. We timed it just right and were ready to leave when the area was closed for one if its four cleaning times each day.

This did not start out as one of my better days, I was told the mall did not allow pictures; either inside or out, plus I lost the sweater. The library has its own rules so we were able to show their play area there. Luckily, by the time we were ready to leave, I was back in a good mood; a little lunch always helps.