Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Austin, TX

The economic downturn has led to the demise of our favorite locally-owned place to run Will ragged on those (perhaps rare, at least in Austin) days when it's too cold or rainy to go outside.  Radijazz, the indoor "playnasium" in Lincoln Village near Highland Mall, closed its doors on November 10.  One of the nicest parts about Radijazz was that it was limited to younger kids, so you weren't as worried about your kid being run over when you stopped to glance at your watch.  The strangest part is that I heard the news right when I was attempting to extract red fuzz from the lava pit from a pair of Will's socks.

Now that it's finally feeling like fall in Austin (I think we have to wait until January for it to actually feel like winter), I'm thinking we need to find some alternatives.  Here are a few places other mamas like that we are planning to check out:

• Extreme Fun - you can bring in your own food, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays admission is $5 per kid (adults are free).
• Goin' Bananas - you can also bring in your own food, and on Mondays admission is $5 (1/2 price on Fridays from 4-7).
• Texas Jumping Beans -  outside food allowed, and if you can get a group of 10 kids together, admission is $5 each (regularly $7).