You already have plenty to do. The list on the fridge proves it. What’s harder to find is the other kind of thing to do: the kind where you talk to another adult, move a little, and come home in a better mood than you left in.
So here are 18 ideas, sorted by the kind of day you’re having. Some work with a toddler on your hip. Some need a kid-free hour. Most cost little or nothing, and most work in any town. Where we name a place, it’s near us in Pflugerville, Round Rock, Hutto, or North Austin, and we link to its official page so you can check the current schedule yourself.
With the Kids in Tow
1. Library storytime
It’s free, it’s air-conditioned, and somebody else does the singing. Around here you have options:
- Pflugerville Public Library lists baby time, storytime, move and groove, and pajama storytime for ages 0 to 5.
- Hutto Public Library, inside Hutto City Hall, posts its baby, toddler, and preschool story times on the city events page.
- Round Rock Public Library has an events calendar you can filter to young children.
- Austin Public Library runs storytimes at branches across the city, sorted by age.
Days and times change with the season, so check the calendar before you load the car. The real value is the ten minutes afterward, when the kids play and the adults finally get to finish a sentence.
2. A playground that’s worth the drive
Some playgrounds are a slide and a hot bench. Others buy you a full morning. Play for All Park in Round Rock is the second kind. It’s a large gated park built so kids of all abilities can play together, with themed areas like a kid-sized village, a race track for bikes and scooters, and a nature area with a tree house and zip line. The city has an expansion in the works, so glance at the park’s site before you go.
3. A lap around the lake
Lake Pflugerville is a former reservoir the city turned into a park, with a trail around the water, a playground, and a beach on the north shore. Stroller, snacks, one lap. If you bring a friend, it counts as both exercise and a social life.
4. A splash pad when it’s warm
Central Texas gives you a long splash pad season. The City of Pflugerville lists Falcon Pointe and Stone Hill splash pads on its parks page. Check that they’re running before you promise anybody anything. A splash pad is the rare outing where the kids wear themselves out and you get to sit.
5. A stroller workout class
If you want to move and the baby comes with you everywhere, look for a stroller class. FIT4MOM Georgetown | Round Rock runs Stroller Strides, a 60-minute workout you do with your little one along for the ride. Their site has the current schedule and locations. Everyone there is in the same season of life, which makes the small talk easy.
6. Pickleball where the kids can come
This one is ours, so we’ll be upfront about that.
Pickleland runs a Stay-at-Home Moms Open Play every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 4pm at 21427 Martin Lane in Pflugerville. Come any time in that window and leave when you need to. Nap ran long? Show up at 2:15. Nobody’s keeping score of that part.
It costs $5 per person and it’s free for Pickleland members. No paddle? Rent one for $5 at the front desk. Balls are provided.
You don’t need to know how to play. Pickleball is easy to get started with. Our team will show you the basics and help organize games, and most of the other players are beginners too.
Bring the kids. Moms Open Play runs alongside our Homeschool Open Play on the same days and times, so there are other kids around. Kids 7 and up can play with you. Younger ones can come and hang out, and there’s Jenga and ping pong for downtime. To be clear, there’s no childcare, so little ones stay with you. The nine courts are indoors and climate-controlled, which matters a lot in August and on rainy days.
While They’re at School
7. Go to a matinee by yourself
Middle of the day, middle of the row, a movie nobody under ten would sit through. Going to the movies alone sounds odd until you try it. Then it becomes a habit.
8. Take a class at the library or rec center
Libraries have programs for grown-ups too. Pflugerville Public Library’s events page lists adult crafts, clubs, guest instructors, and tech trainings. Your own library or city rec center probably has something similar. It’s a low-stakes way to try watercolor or sourdough without buying all the supplies first.
9. Volunteer for two hours
Your kid’s school always needs readers and library helpers. Food pantries and animal shelters usually have daytime shifts that other people can’t cover. Two hours is enough to feel useful to someone who isn’t asking you for a snack.
10. Take yourself to coffee
Bring a book. Put your phone face down. Order the thing with the foam. Leave the grocery list in the car. It sounds small. It’s also the first thing to fall off the list, so guard it.
11. Start the project you keep postponing
The photo book. The garden bed. The business idea in your notes app. Pick one and give it the same two hours every week. School hours disappear fast when they’re unassigned, so put it on the calendar like an appointment.
Free or Cheap
12. A free pickleball intro
If you’d like a proper lesson before you jump into open play, Pickleland runs a Free Intro to Pickleball on Saturdays at 10am. It’s 90 minutes, it’s free, and paddles are provided. Saturday morning usually means another adult is home, so this one can be a solo trip.
13. Trade playdates
Find one mom you trust and swap. She takes your kids Tuesday morning. You take hers Thursday. It costs nothing, the kids love it, and you each get a couple of hours to yourself every week.
14. A standing walk
Same park, same time, every week. Text three people and tell them you’ll be there with or without them. The standing part is what makes it work, because nobody has to plan anything. Someone always shows up.
15. Use the whole library card
Most library cards come with a lot more than books. E-books and audiobooks are the big ones, and many libraries add streaming, classes, or passes on top. Ask at the desk what yours includes. Audiobooks alone can turn folding laundry into something close to leisure.
To Meet Other Moms
16. Join a moms group
The MomCo has groups in every state and a search tool to find one near you. Neighborhood Facebook groups and church or school parent groups work too. The first meeting is the awkward one. Go to three before you decide.
17. Try a mom-friend app
Peanut is an app for meeting other moms nearby. It’s free to download. It can feel a bit like dating, and that’s fine. You’re both there for the same reason, so somebody has to say “want to meet at the park?” It might as well be you.
18. Pick a weekly thing and become a regular
Friendships come from seeing the same faces over and over. So choose one thing and keep showing up: Tuesday storytime, the Thursday walk, an afternoon of open play. If evenings are easier, Pickleland also has a Ladies’ Night on Mondays at 7pm. We wrote more about why repetition works in our guide on how to make friends as an adult.
A Good Place to Start
If you want one thing from this list to try this week, come to Moms Open Play. It checks a lot of boxes at once. You move. You meet other moms. The kids can come. It’s indoors. It costs $5, and you can leave whenever the day demands it.
You don’t need to be sporty, and you don’t need to bring a friend. Wear comfortable clothes and court or tennis shoes, and bring a water bottle if you like. Drinks are available to buy on site too.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 to 4pm, at 21427 Martin Lane in Pflugerville. Read how Moms Open Play works, or reserve a spot and we’ll see you on the court.
Need ideas for the weekend with the whole crew? Try our list of activities for kids in Austin or things to do in Pflugerville.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can stay-at-home moms do during the day to get out of the house?
Start with things that have a set time, because they’re easier to commit to. Library storytime, a weekly walk with a friend, a moms group meeting, or an afternoon open play session all work. Having one fixed thing on the calendar each week makes the rest of the week feel less shapeless.
How do stay-at-home moms meet other moms?
Go to the same thing at the same time every week. Storytime, a moms group like The MomCo, a stroller class, or a regular open play session will put you next to the same people often enough that hellos turn into plans. Apps like Peanut help if you’d like to start with a message first.
Are there things to do for stay-at-home moms near Pflugerville and Round Rock?
Yes. The Pflugerville, Round Rock, and Hutto public libraries all run programs for young children. Play for All Park in Round Rock and Lake Pflugerville are good outdoor options. Pickleland in Pflugerville runs Moms Open Play on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 to 4pm.
Can I bring my kids to Moms Open Play at Pickleland?
Yes. It runs alongside Homeschool Open Play, so kids are welcome. Kids 7 and up can play with an adult, and younger ones can come and hang out. There’s Jenga and ping pong on site. There is no childcare, so children stay with you.