While many of the fires burning Southern California are beginning to die down, smoke and ash still hang in the air, irritating young lungs. So, with red flag warnings in mind, it seems like a great time to do a quick roundup of top indoor mall play areas.

I don’t know about you, but the malls have saved me from the insanity of being locked inside with toddlers on the hottest days of the summer, the few rainy days and certainly the current hideous outdoor conditions that will hopefully be coming to and end by the weekend.

As I’m sure every Mom knows, all the Westfield shopping centers have these awesome mini parks somewhere in the mall, usually strategically located near the food courts. Some are better than others; they each have their particular charms. Here are my faves, please add to our list!

*Topanga (Canoga Park) The newly remodeled Topanga Mall boasts what I consider the Cadillac of mall playgrounds. Not only is it near the food, it’s right next to the brand new Carousel, representing the ultimate in one-stop toddler entertainment.

*Westside Pavilion (Los Angeles) This mall is not owned by Westfield, but it has one of the best playgrounds around. The play area, filled with giant, climbable fruits and cookies, has a reputation among Westside Moms for being a Petri dish of germs. But it’ll keep the kids occupied for hours. It’s also right next to the food.

*Fox Hills (Culver City) This play area is fairly standard, but it’s new and what I like best about it is it’s a lot less crowded than the other ones. It’s also just down the escalator from Old Navy. One downside – it’s nowhere near the food.