Looking for something fun to do with the kids? Here’s a list of over 100 ideas featured right here in the South Sound! These are things you can enjoy year round, listed by geographic location.
If you’re visiting right now because you’re trying to find things to do with the kids over summer break I also want you to know we have two guides just for that.
Our South Sound Summer Guide and our
50+ Free or Cheap Things to Do With Kids This Summer.
Don’t miss ’em! moving on to the rest of our
100 Places To Go
Here, There and Everywhere
Check out a Sandy South Sound Beach or Lake
Paint your own pottery at a local studio
Score a perfect 10 with your kiddo on the ice skating rink
Go totally 80s and hit up the roller skating rink
Work on your golf swing at a mini golf course
Visit a Museum for FREE with a Library Pass
Ride a carousel or merry go round
Grab two scoops at your favorite ice cream shop
Take a field trip to Auntie Anne’s Pretzels
Go for a swim at these impressive indoor aquatic centers
South King County
Renton
Take a nature walk on the boardwalk at Shadow Lake Nature Preserve
Enjoy a show at the wonderfully kid friendly Storybook Theater
Tukwila
Make a day of it at Bullwinkle’s Family Fun Center
Burien
Enjoy indoor fun at The Jungle Gym
Des Moines
Enjoy over 1400′ of shoreline and forested trails at Salt Water State Park
View 250 native Puget Sound marine species for FREE at the HCC Mast Aquarium at Redondo
Kent
Bring a picnic to Lake Meridian and let the kids play at the awesome playground
For the tiny tots, check out the City of Kent Indoor Park
Pretend you are an Olympic gymnast at the The Metropolitan Gym‘s Open Gym sessions
Federal Way
Jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down at Trampoline Nation
Take a picturesque stroll along the beautiful boardwalk of the West Hylebos Wetlands Park
Walk through a nature preserve and emerge onto beautiful, secluded Dumas Bay
Enjoy a full day at one of the South Sound’s most beautiful beaches, Dash Point State Park
Catch a $2.99 movie AMC Gateway 8 Theater
Float along the lazy river at the Federal Way Community Center Pool
Auburn
Take in a performance at the Evergreen City Ballet
Have the kids let off some steam at Les Gove Discovery Playground and Rotary Sprayground
Take a free tour of the stables and facilities at Emerald Downs
Pop in for an Open Gym session at The Auburn Gymnastics Center
Hang out at the Gymnasium at Les Gove Park, where kids can play at the indoor gym or tackle the rock climbing wall
Romp around the indoor play area at The Outlet Collection {formerly known as the Supermall} then hitch a ride on the carousel
Try out the Bungee Trampoline at Super Jump Party Zone
Visit the kid friendly, historical White River Valley Museum
Enumclaw
Cruise the indoor park at Peak Gymnastics
Eatonville
Have a splash in the calm Mashell River
Pierce County
Fife
Meet friends at the popular Wedge Park
Take the whole family for a swim at The Fife Swim Center for only $12.25
Bonney Lake
Hunt for adorable Gnome Homes in Bonney Lake
Eatonville
Visit area animals in their natural habitats at NW Trek
Fircrest
Take your runner to the Fircrest Tot Lot, where they can’t escape because it’s fully fenced!
Lakewood
Take in a Children’s Show at the Pierce College Science Dome
Pet animals in an indoor petting zoo at JOZEE ROOZ
Take a multicultural excursion at Asian supermarket Paldo World
Let the kids storm the castle at Ft.Steilacoom Park
Pierce County Parks and Recreation has a new indoor playground for preschoolers at Sprinker Tuesday and Thursday mornings. (Closed June 13, 2017-Sept 10, 2017)
Puyallup
Picha Farms strawberry picking and other seasonal adventures
Fred Oldfield Center at the fairgrounds Small cowboy themed museum; year round art classes for all ages
The Foothills Trail
See salmon at Clarks Creek Salmon viewing The nearby Puyallup Trout Hatchery here is open for self guided tours year round.
Wiggleworks kids’ indoor playground at the S Hill Mall
Super Jump Party Zone Indoor bounce house place at the S Hill Mall
Wild Hare Organic Farm (formerly Terry’s Berries)
Graham
Summit/Waller Orange Gate Property
Sumner
Windmill Gardens nursery **Check links for current classes
Auburn Gymnastics-Sumner (formerly Roach Gymnastics)
Tacoma
Center at Norpoint Playground and Sprayground
Dick Gilmer Kayak launch/beach access
Ruston Way Part One and Part Two
Discovery Pond playground at the Tacoma Nature Center
Working Waterfront Museum/Foss Waterway Seaport
Tacoma City Ballet
Wright Park and the Seymour Conservatory
Shake, Shake, Shake hamburgers
Job Carr Log Cabin Museum/Old Town Tacoma-Spar, Old Town Park, Tully’s
Brown’s Point Lighthouse and Park
Adriana Hess Park in University Place
Kidz Kaboodle Consignment-monthly .25 sale
Hidden Pt.Defiance Native garden and the Pagoda area
Hidden Pt. Defiance Rhododendron Garden and Trails
Hidden Pt. Defiance The promenade to Owen’s Beach
Port of Tacoma-Bus tours and observation tower
Tacoma Musical Playhouse and Lakewood Musical Playhouse-Performances and classes
STAR Center
Playground by the Sound at Chambers Creek
Bricks 4 Kidz Kids night out events and classes in the Tacoma area
Gig Harbor
Discovery Village Children’s Museum and Preschool
Kids gig, playground by Discovery Elementary in my Top 10 playgrounds list
Thurston County
Charlie’s Safari Currently Closed
Wolf Haven
Olympia Family Theater
Beyond the South Sound
Paddling at the arboretum in Seattle
Riding the Great Wheel Seattle
Pike Place Market Scavenger Hunt With Stray Boots
Pioneer Farm Museum in Eatonville
Klaloch Lodge-Olympic Peninsula
Ride the gondola at Crystal Mountain
You should also know that we publish a Massive list of everything going on over the weekend every Friday. You can go straight to the home page on Fridays for it, or sign up for our emails to get a sneak peek of it right to your in box on Thursdays!