Parents Talk: What to Do with a 1-Year-Old?

As I write this, my daughter, who recently turned 1 year old, is playing with the lid of a pot on my kitchen floor. Sometimes it's an ovenmitt. Other times it's the rolling pin.

Lucy's always been a curious girl—I assume most babies are—and each day she gets a little more adventurous. This week, she took her first unassisted steps.

Given that we're in the throes of winters, my wife and I haven't found much to do with Lucy that didn't involve stretches of carpet that she's all too familiar with. We've braved a few winter visits to the Minnesota Zoo, but Lucy was confined to her stroller.

We'd like to get out of the house and do a little more exploring.

What are some good winter options in the Twin Cities area to take a 1-year-old to? Or how about the spring and summer when she gets a little bit older?