When kids have time off from school, it adds an extra stick-in-the-spokes of the usual daily routine. Suddenly there’s more running around and less time to do more things. Sometimes it works best to find someone to (or DIY) take the kids out of the house. If that’s possible, here are some great ideas for things to do in Portland. Families who live in another city can look at the ideas and apply them to what’s around their area, like local museums, to start.

The first idea is to take them to Ground Kontrol Classic Arcade at 511 NW Couch St., 503.796.9364. Easily the Pacific Northwest’s largest collection of arcade and pinball games, there are over 90 to choose from. This place entertains the young and old alike because there are all the old video games with the old "new" technologies. Atari, Coleco and Nintendo are just some of the old systems and some of the old games are PacMan, Mrs. PacMan, Defender, Space Invaders and Asteroids. Not to mention the newer games out on the west coast.

Movies Are Fun to Do With Kids

The Laurelhurst Theater is a good choice, too. Located at 2735 E Burnside St., 503.238.4088., it was built in 1923 with beautiful old architecture design and fine details. It was very popular in its heyday but was almost run out of business with the sweeping wave of multi-plex cinemas that sprang up everywhere. In 2000 it was remodeled inside and is once again a great place to take a family. Now it sells local microbrews and wines, and serves pizza and soft drinks at tables to watch the movie from, if so desired.