Archives for September 2012

Looking for South Sound family fun? Kids’ activities in Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, or your neck of the woods?

You’ve come to the right place! Here’s my list of fun and affordable things to do with the kids in and around the South Sound this week!

Monday

Story time is back at  all area libraries! Every day this week, there are multiple events for all ages. Here is the link for Pierce County (change the date in the calendar on the left). Here is the link for the Tacoma Public Library (change the date in the calendar on the left). If you’re one of my Thurston County readers, here is the link to Timberland regional library. Use the calendar to the left to look for kids’ story times. Here is the link for my Kitsap readers, and here is the link to the King County Library System (You can search by individual library).

Pumpkin Perfect at the Auburn SuperMall 10AM-11 Pumpkin decorating and other fun for parents and kids under 6. Free with Momtopia membership (also free-sign up online or at the info. desk by the Rack)

Tuesday

It’s 1.00 day at the Starplex in Federal Way  Tickets are just 2.00 other days. Madagascar 3 looks like the most kid friendly choice. Avengers and Spider Man are also showing.

All ages drop-in time at Jump! in Gig Harbor 3:30-5:30

Read to a Dog at the Summit Library  Kids can drop in for a few minutes anytime between 4-5 to practice their reading skills with a patient canine listener.

Wednesday

FREE Yoga Class, Wednesday Oct. 3, at Evergreen City Ballet in Renton from 9:30-10:30am, please rsvp to andi@evergreencityballet.org to hold your free trial space! SFM Note: This is a class for moms and dads, not the kiddos. They’ve designed it to be just after school drop off time. Why not try one for free this week and do something nice for yourself!

Tot Time at Learning Sprout Toys  Weekly fun at this Tacoma toy store for the 2-4 set. You can double check on their fb page, before you head out. Juice and cookies provided.

Lego Builders Club at the Lakewood Library 1-3 Drop in and do some Lego!

Wacky Wednesday at the South Hill Library 2-4PM movies and more for kids 6-12

Juice and Jammies Story Time at the Olympia Barnes and Noble 7PM Three stories and a little juice. Every Wednesday

Thursday

Creation Station at Learning Sprout Toys in Tacoma Call or check their fb page to confirm

Family Fun Day for Little Kids at Southcenter Mall The Giving Tree and a Birdhouse craft 10AM

Critter Club at the Pt.Defiance Zoo Animal themed crafts, stories, and special visitors for 3 and 4 year olds. 8.00 members/ 10.00 non members. Fee does not include zoo admission. Preregister to hold your spot. 11AM Also on Friday Farmyard Friends is the theme

Break a World Record with Ladybug Girl at the Puyallup Public Library Special story time and craft inspired by the children’s book LadyBug Girl and the Bug Squad as the Puyallup Public Library joins in an attempt to set a world record for the most people reading the same book at the same time! 4PM

Chess Club is back at the Gig Harbor Library Kids in kindergarten and up are invited to drop in each week for 20 minutes of instruction and 40 minutes of game play 6-7 PM

Friday

Nature Alphabet at the Tacoma Nature Center 10:30 Nature themed story time for preschoolers 3-6. Registration and fees required.T is for Tongues today

Critter Club at the Pt.Defiance Zoo Animal themed crafts, stories, and special visitors for 3 and 4 year olds. 8.00 members/ 10.00 non members. Fee does not include zoo admission. Preregister to hold your spot. 11AM Also on Friday Farmyard Friends is the theme

Game, Craft, and Snack at the Summit Library from 3:30-5:30 Kids 7-12 are invited to drop in for video games or a game related craft and a snack

Harvest Festival at the STAR center in South Tacoma Activities from 5-7; movie 7-9  Event rotates around Tacoma community centers this month

Candlelight Tours at Ft.Nisqually

As always, I’ll have much more for your weekend up Friday morning.

Know something I missed? Want publicity for your group’s plans for the fall? Just give me a holler!

If you’re new here, I hope you’ll consider subscribing to my emails, joining us on Facebook, or following me on Twitter!  You’re also always welcome to drop me a line if you know something great I missed, or just want to give me a tip.

Looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend in Tacoma, Auburn, Lakewood, Olympia, or another South Sound spot?  You’ve come to the right spot for a whole list of affordable South Sound fun for kids and families this weekend.

If you’re headed north or south, you’ll want to check out the fantastic list over at ThriftyNWmom compiled by super bargain sleuth Sia of Centsible in Seattle.

All Weekend

Big LMNOP Consignment Sale at the Thurston County Fairgrounds   Score bargains on clothes and gears for babies and big kids!

Friday

Meet former Seahawk Ronnie Harries and members of the Seagals at the Alaska Federal Credit Union inside Top Foods, Puyallup 5-6PM If you need to pick up groceries, look at the registers for coupons for 10% off your total bill

Saturday All Over

Visit your farmers market! Here’s my list of which ones are still open.

Smithsonian Free Museum Day

National Public Lands Day-Free admission to National and State Parks

South King County

Federal Way Farmer’s Market Chili Cook-Off  South King County Fire and Rescue battles the Federal Way Police Department for the title 11:30-2  Tickets are 10.00, which includes chili and sides.

Malika Queen of the Cats  Auburn Avenue Kids presents a puppet show for kids 3 and up. Based on a Middle Eastern story. Tickets 6.00 2PM Call for tickets or buy online

Outlaw Days at the Mary Olson Farm in Auburn Interactive theater show, “Gentleman Desperado,” based on real life events when the Olson family was held hostage by Harry Tracy in 1902. I’m not sure about the ages this is suitable for. I’ll try to get some more scoop for you.

Water Weekends at HCC Mast at Redondo Every Saturday you can get up close with critters in the touch tanks and learn about sea life from 10-2 Here’s their Facebook page

StoryTime at Southcenter/Tukwila Barnes and Noble 11AM Every Saturday in the children’s section

Tacoma/Greater Pierce County

Firwood Alpaca Days

East Pierce Fire and Rescue Open House in Bonney Lake Annual event at the headquarters with children’s safety house, demonstrations, bike helmet and life jacket sales, bouncy house, face painting, and more. 1-4PM

Open House at Tehaleh Community Grand opening event at the new housing development with food trucks and fun for the kids. Fair Warning: If you spontaneously buy a house, this is no longer a frugal activity!

Tacoma Moon Festival at Chinese Reconcilliation Park on Ruston Way 2-9PM crafts and cultural activities for all ages; lantern parade in the evening

Family story time at the Wheelock Library in Tacoma

Meet the Bloodhounds: The NW Bloodhound Search and Rescue Team will be doing an appearance at the Narrows Glen senior living center in Tacoma. It’s a free, public event. I think there is an excellent chance your kids will be swarmed by grandmas. 🙂 12-2 call 253 238 9833 for more details

Kids’ Club at the Steilacoom Historical Museum 1-3 PM Cider pressing today

Gig Harbor/Kitsap/Beyond

Donkey Creek Chum Festival 10AM-5PM  At Skansie Brothers Park this year. Salmon themed fun and activities. Free admission; cost for some events.

See the glass pumpkin patch at Uptown Gig Harbor

Stories by William Joyce at the Kitsap Mall Barnes and Noble 11AM

If you’re one of my Kitsap area readers, you’ll also enjoy the Kitsap Macaroni Kid. You can sign up for Diane’s newsletter to get the scoop on all kinds of events around you!

Lacey/Olympia

Nisqually Watershed Festival
crafts, tours, display booths, and family fun at the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge
Free admission today Note-parking is off site

Fall Family Festival in Dupont
Saturday Story time at the Olympia Barnes and Noble  1PM

Bag It!  Presentation for the family at LOTT Wet Center Documentary and discussion about disposable vs reusable bags. For kids in grade 4 and up. Other family activities and a take home craft, too. 2-3:30 Link opens large pdf file; event is on pg.3

American Girl Book and Craft Club at the Olympia Barnes and Noble  Ongoing event for girls 8 and up

Sunday

Washington School Assembly Showcase Need a performer for your preschool fundraiser, homeschool celebration, or community event? You can see all kinds of area performers in one place at this event, and there is a discount if you book a date today. LaQuinta Hotel 12-4

The tall ship The Adventuress is in Gig Harbor. Contact them if you’d be interested in going on the public sale. This is pricey, but would definitely be an experience! There are typically free, public dockside tours the same weekend. I haven’t had a chance to check on this yet. If you find out before I do, let me know!

South Tacoma Farmer’s Market at the STAR Center Other markets still open are here

Blessing of the Animals  Several local churches celebrate St.Francis of Assisi with a pet blessing today. Churches I know about include Bethany Presbyterian in Tacoma and Saint Andrew’s Episcopal in Tacoma

Know something I missed? Don’t be shy-let me know!

If you’re new here, I hope you’ll consider subscribing to my emails, joining us on Facebook, or following me on Twitter!  I write just for South Sound families, and I have new ideas every day!  You’re also always welcome to drop me a line if you know something great I missed, or just want to give me a tip.

Get your fresh on at South Sound area harvest festivals and celebrations. I know this picture is Crazy, but I promise he had the teeth for it. I don’t like to brag, but my kid was very advanced in teeth!

As I mentioned last week, there is no Harvest Fest Farm Tour in Pierce County or King County for 2012. However, there is still an event on the Key Peninsula, and there are also many local farms and communities doing their own Harvest Fests and events.

If you know of another one I missed, let me know!

September 29th 10-4  Harvest Celebration at Trees ‘n Bees in Auburn
Honey related demos and fun

October 6th-Fife Harvest Festival   We’ve been to this with the boys several times. Carnival games, kids’ entertainment-all kinds of fun, but harvest….not so much.

October 6th Tahoma Farms in Orting 10.00 per carload includes one carving pumpkin and all activities-corn maze, hay rides, entertainment

October 6th Stringtown Lavender Farm John, from Stringtown let me know the farm will be open the 6th as well as every weekend, 10AM-5PM, Friday through Sunday. We’ve been here with the boys before. While their interest in lavender was somewhat limited, I can tell you that the whole place smells delish! There is also a wine and chocolate tasting the 6th for the grown ups.

October 6th Key Peninsula Farm Tour

For options further afield (Get it??) visit the event calendar at Puget Sound Fresh or check this list from Cascade Harvest.

You might also enjoy my posts on Foxberry Farm, and South Sound Apple Picking and Cider Making.

Do note that farms vary from true mom and pop spots to full scale, commercial operations. I’d urge you to double check with any spot before you head out, so you don’t arrive and find that plans have changed. I also recommend wearing clothes that can get muddy, and bringing along some spending money. Farming is a tough business, and it’s nice to support the folks working hard to bring you tasty things!

Of course, you’ll also be able to visit many other farms soon for pumpkins, corn mazes, and all kinds of fall fun. That guide will be coming soon!

I always mention the great Lowes Build and Grow sessions in my weekly lists whenever they come along, but they seem to be filling faster and faster!

With that in mind, I thought I’d work on giving you a little advance notice. The Ghoul Bus is Saturday, October 13th, and the Creeper Keeper is the 27th.You can register now, and I’ll be sure to remind you when they roll around.

This Saturday, September 29th, is National Public Lands Day, and you can get into national parks, including Rainier, as well as all our state parks and many other special spots for my favorite price-Free! Update: I also got a nice note from The Wilderness Society, with information on how you can spend this day volunteering, and get a pass for a future free visit good for up to a year! You can check out their blog for the scoop on this and more ideas. Keep reading for suggestions from yours truly.

What’s better than a free day at the park? Getting a free ride, too! National Public Lands Day is Saturday, September 29th, and admission to National Parks, Washington State Parks, and many other spots is Free!

Sites that will waive fees include national parks, national forests,Washington State Parks, US fish and wildlife sites, and Bureau of Land Management spots.  You will still have to pay fees at state fish and wildlife sites and sites  managed by the state Department of National Resources.  Clearly, you’ll have plenty of free to choose from!

The hard part, of course, is deciding where to go! You might want to head down to the Nisqually Wildlife Refuge, where there will be a family friendly, watershed festival. Kids love the boardwalk and playground, too. Note that parking is off site Saturday.

Mt.Rainier is another option. I think you should get an early start and be prepared for a crowd. Once you make your way in, you can easily find your way from the crowds with a short, easy hike. Any ranger can give you suggestions, or read my post on a family trip to Mt.Rainier for more ideas. I also wrote a post with a list of family friendly hikes a bit closer than Rainier.

My Gig Harbor readers might enjoy the Donkey Creek Chum Festival, and readers near Olympia can join the Capitol Volksport group for a walk through autumn colors at Millersylvania State Park.  If you don’t have a Discover Pass, you might just use the day to explore one of our state parks. Saltwater and Dash Point are particularly nice choices, with both beach and trails to explore.

If all of this sounds a little too outdoors-y for you, this Saturday is Also Smithsonian Free Museum Day, and as usual, I’ll have even more options in your weekend list Friday morning. I know…..it’s going to be hard to choose!

Good news, South Sound party planners! I know many of you have discovered the play area, UPlay Town Center at Frog and Kiwi since I first wrote about this sparkly clean, super fun play spot in University Place. I’m thrilled to announce that they’re now offering birthday parties.  Their party package includes a host to do all the set up and cleaning, paper goods, cookies and juices, two hours of private play, and 12 admissions for a return visit (You could Totally skip the junky goodie bags and just give these out). All you have to do is show up and watch your lucky kiddo have the best time ever!  This area has been needing more quality kids’ birthday party destinations for a while now, so I would encourage you to book your date soon. There are blocks on both Saturdays and Sundays available. For more information and reservations, give the friendly Marc a call at  253-579-4364

Children’s Bookshop is back on Groupon! 15.00 gets you 30.00 worth of books, educational toys, and games (Hint: They sell Thomas!). This would be great to snap up if you’re a teacher or a home schooling family, though I bought one just for myself!  It’s getting so hard to find quality playthings at the big box stores, so I was thrilled to see this pop up again.  There are locations in Puyallup, Kent, and Lynnwood. Want to nab one, too? Go here if you’re brand new to Groupon. Otherwise, go here for half off at Children’s Bookshop.

As always, read the fine print, and make sure the deal works for you! The other, Sweet Deal I mentioned yesterday is to Julia’s Gluten Free Bakery on the South Hill. I picked one of these up to give it a try. I’ll be sure to report back (I know-it’s a tough job)! If you’d like some half off treats, too, read on…

Julia’s Gluten Free Bakery is on Dealsaver. Just 5.00 gets you 10.00 of baked goodies, minus the gluten. This one is in Puyallup, almost to Graham-kind of across from the airport, near the Pancake place. Anyway, I haven’t bet yet, but I’ve heard good things about it, so it’s definitely on our list.

Looking for something fun to do with the kids this weekend in Tacoma, Auburn, Lakewood, Olympia, or another South Sound spot?  You’ve come to the right spot for a whole list of affordable South Sound fun for kids and families this weekend.

If you’re headed north or south, you’ll want to check out the fantastic list over at ThriftyNWmom compiled by super bargain sleuth Sia of Centsible in Seattle.

Ongoing

ManeStage in Sumner presents Huckleberry Finn (Last weekend)

Saturday

All Over

Visit your farmers market! Here’s my list of which ones are still open.

Kids want to get wet? Here’s my round-up of wading pools and spraygrounds still open.

Lowe’s Build and Grow 10AM It’s a fire truck. Advance registration required for these popular, free programs.

South King County

Classic Kids’ Movies in Auburn  Today’s is Charlotte’s Web 2PM; Tickets just 3.00, or buy the whole 5 film series for 10.00

Water Weekends at HCC Mast at Redondo Every Saturday you can get up close with critters in the touch tanks and learn about sea life from 10-2 Here’s their Facebook page

Talk Like a Pirate Story Time at the Federal Way Barnes and Noble 11AM costume contest, pirate stories, activities

StoryTime at Southcenter/Tukwila Barnes and Noble 11AM Every Saturday in the children’s section

Tacoma/Greater Pierce County

Fall Free for All Two Day Celebration of Arts in downtown Tacoma with free entertainment, bounce houses, face painting and more. This is really the day to go for family activities.

Wake up for Wapato  Check out recent improvements at Wapato Park Learn about conservation and sustainability programs, plus enjoy giveaways, games and a corn roast 10AM-2

It’s the Elephants Birthday at Point Defiance Zoo  Special fun included with admission. Zoo admission is pricey. SFM recommends investing in an annual pass, unless you can take advantage of monthly free days for Tacoma city residents.

It’s Puyallup Fair time! Go here for my post with ideas on how to save on your trip. SFM Note-This is the Last Weekend, so you can expect crowds, and there really aren’t any discounts, though there is still plenty of fair fun. Tim McGraw performs Saturday night, so it should be packed. Friday is the last night for fireworks.

Kids’ Gardening Class with the Master Gardeners at the WSU extension in Puyallup Free classes begin at 1. From the link, click on “Children’s Garden Programs.” Putting the garden to bed-last program until spring!

Buffalo Soldiers in Orting Learn about the history of the Buffalo Soldiers and meet members of the local Buffalo Soldiers group 1PM

University Place Library Used Book Sale

Living History Day at Historic Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood 10-4 Actors recreate the parts of soldiers and their families. Free event; donations accepted

Children’s Safety Fair at the Spanaway Home Depot 10AM-2PM Variety of vendors and free safety information; free cupcakes and rock climbing wall  There is a flyer on the SFM fb page. Thanks to Jennifer, and our friends at Frog n Kiwi for sending this in.

Gig Harbor/Kitsap/Beyond

Stories about friends at the Kitsap Mall Barnes and Noble 11AM

American Girl Club at the Kitsap Barnes and Noble 3PM

Pier Into the Night at Jersich in Gig Harbor  Join naturalists from Harbor Wild Watch to see sea critters drawn to the dock light. 7:30

If you’re one of my Kitsap area readers, you’ll also enjoy the Kitsap Macaroni Kid. You can sign up for Diane’s newsletter to get the scoop on all kinds of events around you!

Lacey/Olympia

Living History Day at Historic Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood 10-4 Actors recreate the parts of soldiers and their families. Free event; donations accepted

Saturday Story time at the Olympia Barnes and Noble  1PM

Marine Mammals Presentation for the family at LOTT Wet Center Presentation for the whole family on marine mammals. Plus, see skeletons and more. Talk at 2, but feel free to come earlier to enjoy the other exhibits. Free; link opens large pdf.

American Girl Book and Craft Club at the Olympia Barnes and Noble  Ongoing event for girls 8 and up

Sunday

Don’t forget-it’s the last day of the fair! It’s o.k. with me if you skip it, but if you’re wanting to go, today is the day!

Sea Otter Awareness Day at Pt.Defiance Zoo Learn about otters and meet Homer, a survivor of the Exxon Valdez spill. Special activities included with admission. SFM Note: Zoo admission is pricey. Consider investing in an annual pass, unless you can take advantage of monthly free days for Tacoma city residents.

South Tacoma Farmer’s Market at the STAR Center Other markets still open are here

Family Nature Walk with the Tahoma Audubon at Adriana Hess in University Place 4PM

Know something I missed? Don’t be shy-let me know!

If you’re new here, I hope you’ll consider subscribing to my emails, joining us on Facebook, or following me on Twitter!  I write just for South Sound families, and I have new ideas every day!  You’re also always welcome to drop me a line if you know something great I missed, or just want to give me a tip.