RALEIGH, N.C. — Many parents and their children, affected by cabin fever after being stuck inside their homes during this week's winter storms, were able to escape Wednesday to local malls and movie theaters.

With no school and no day care for the past few days, some parents were running out of patience.

"It's been rough," Ryan Chavis said about her daughter. "She's been running around and jumping around on everything, so we brought her out to burn out some extra energy."

The Streets at Southpoint were closed Monday and Tuesday, but when the mall opened Wednesday, it was just a matter of minutes before Kid Stadium was packed.

Cabin fever had set in at Cindy Taylor's house. She said both she and her husband had a mission Wednesday morning.

"I told him if he could shovel off the driveway, I was going somewhere today," she said. "There was no way I was staying home another day."

After being cooped up for a few days, going shopping was double the fun for the Matchinske girls.

"It sort of gets boring watching TV and playing computers after a while," shopper Erin Matchinske said.

Elizabeth Hamilton went to the movies Wednesday. She said she did not want the snow to be the main attraction anymore.

"I've just been at home with my neighbors and my family all this time," she said.

All the malls are expected to be open on a normal operating schedule on Thursday.