Chillin' at Ikea

One of the places I love to hang out at in the summer is Ikea (College Park). I started going there one summer a few years back when our A/C was broken. That's when I discovered how wonderful that place is.

First off, they have 99 cent breakfast. It comes with two pieces of pork bacon, eggs and potato wedges. Now, I don't eat pork, so I ask for it sans bacon, but it's still a pretty good deal. And if you go for breakfast in the half hour before the store opens, you get free coffee. So, that's a wonderful perk.

Also, for parents with kids between 37 and 54 inches in height, there's free babysitting. They have a supervised play area, where parents can leave children who meet the height requirements and are potty trained. Ikea gives you a little buzzer and you can go shop in peace. They'll buzz if there's a problem and when it's time to pick up your kid. There is a time limit (I believe it's 2 hours), but it does give you a little me time. I've seen many parents in the eatery sipping coffee and reading the paper with their buzzer sitting on the table in front of them.

If your kids don't meet the requirements, there are several play stations for kids as you shop. My children love playing in the kids area, especially the slide. Plus, they love to sit on all the beds. So, lots of fun. Unfortunately, my kids also love the ice cream cones they sell downstairs for $1 each. If I'm not in the mood to buy ice cream, I tell the kids beforehand, no ice cream today, and we're still able to go and have fun.

I stopped in for breakfast and coffee the other day without the kids, and learned they have a wonderful food special on Thursdays. You can get a quarter of rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes for just $1.99. What a deal. So, I may stop back in this upcoming Thursday.

If you haven't been to the Ikea College Park with your kids, you should definitely check it out. Here's the website of the store, for pertinent details like hours and address: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/college_park.

-Hyattsville Mom