My big kids didn’t have school on Tuesday (because, well, I have no earthly clue why…). They had a doctor’s appointment at 11. So, we dropped the little ones off at Mother’s Day Out and I took my first- and second-graders to brunch at First Watch in Prairie Village. It was a special treat to go out with my big kids without the chatty presence of their three-year-old brothers.

We popped in and out of the pediatrician’s office after a pile of chocolate chip pancakes. And we headed to Brookside.

We live in south Johnson County so Brookside is a fun outing – for me and for the kids. I didn’t live in Brookside as a kid but I did spend a lot of time there, “back in the day”. My cousins were Brookside kids – we roamed the neighborhood on foot and on bikes for hours at a time. Bruce Smith Drugs on the corner, the Dime Store, Brookside Toy & Science and more.

Fast forward thirty years and we rode down 63rd Street not on Schwinns but in a Suburban. First stop, Brookside Toy & Science. We explored from front to back – spending a lot of time looking at insects, skeletons, microscopes, Legos, board games, Madame Alexander dolls and more. My son carefully selected a small Star Wars Lego set and purchased with his birthday money.

We then ventured down a few doors to the Reading Reptile, truly the most welcoming and wonderful children’s bookstore I’ve ever encountered. Each visit is just as fun as the last. My kids enjoy visiting with the store cats, wandering from shelf to shelf and then picking a chair to settle in and read for a while. If you’ve never been, you really should take an hour and explore Reading Reptile – the books are carefully selected by store owners who love children and children’s literature.

And, finally, the New Dime Store. A treasure. The original wooden floors and an always fun and wide variety of merchandise. Party plates and napkins, candles, toys, ribbon, crafting supplies, holiday decor, kitchen gadgets, stationery, cleaning supplies, office goods – all the stuff you didn’t know you needed until you saw it on the shelf at the New Dime Store. My kids love it as much as I did. My daughter chose a Barbie from the toy aisle and borrowed $8 from me to pay for it.

Then, we headed south to pick up the little guys and our day out was done. But our little 20 minute drive was just what we needed to reconnect and enjoy each other. I had to promise both of them that we’d do it again soon!

Next time, we’ll add lunch at Sharp’s followed by Baskin-Robbins or Foo’s Fabulous Frozen Custard to the mix for the quintessential Brookside afternoon…