i know what you mean....i can't really let my one year old run at the park, bc he falls and ends up with a mouth full of dirt or wood chips, and he is not steady enough to run in grass. but i am pretty sure i read somewhere that "the little gym" sometimes has open hours, you still have to pay, but you don't have to commit to being a part of a weekly class. that would be a great place to run around bc there is a padded mat.