Archives for December 2012

Looking for family friendly New Years Eve options in Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia, or your South Sound home?

Here’s a list of New Years events suitable for kids and kids at heart!

Night Time Events

First Night in TacomaThis is a growing celebration in downtown Tacoma. Purchase a button (10.00 before the 31st or 14.00 on the day of). Kids 10 and under are free. Buttons get you free skate rental at the Polar Plaza, free entry to the Children’s Museum, and The Museum of Glass, plus access to a variety of live entertainment. This link shows all the kid friendly options by hour.

New Years Eve at Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup 7:30PM-1:30AM 20.00 admission includes skating, all you can eat pizza and pop, balloon drop, and raffles  Non skating parents are 10.00.

Lock in, overnight for kids 9-15 at Edgeworks Climbing

You can also hit  Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Lake (Drive-Thru) until 9PM Go here for a 3.00 off coupon. or  Zoolights at Pt.Defiance Zoo until 9PM Zoo admission gets pricey. SFM recommends investing in an annual pass (Christmas gift from grandma?) unless you can take advantage of monthly free days for city of Tacoma residents. Members get discounted Zoolights admission (sadly, not free). Holiday with Lights at Wild Waves is open until 10PM.

Daytime Events

New Years Eve Jump at Pump it Up in Tacoma 10AM  Other daytime jumping sessions today, also.

Activities at the Children’s Museum in Tacoma 10AM-5PM  Make noisemakers; enjoy hourly, “Parades,” through the museum beginning at 12. Admission pay-as-you-will

Happy Noon Year at the Main Branch of the Tacoma Library 11:15  Concert with Jim Valley, balloon drop, party hat decorating

New Years Eve for Little Kids at the Gig Harbor Library 11AM craft, dancing, snacks, and a countdown for kids 0-6

Noon Years Eve at the Hands-on Children’s Museum in Olympia Countdown at noon, special activities including face painting, glow science, and more. 15.00 for non members/ 4.00 for accompanying adults 10AM-3PM

Of course, the other option is to do your own New Years Eve. Pick another time zone and do your celebration early enough to get off the roads and get everyone in bed (Full Disclosure: It’s the grown-ups at the SFM house who most need early bedtimes!)

If you know of another great option for ringing in 2013, leave a comment, or drop me a line!

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!

 

Need a fresh new start in 2013? A plunge into Puget Sound should do the trick!

Yep, New Year’s Day is Polar Bear Plunge day, and for the 2nd year there is an event at the Pt.Defiance Marina in Tacoma. This year, you can do a short fun run to warm up first.  The polar bear plunges will kick off with a special cub plunge for brave kiddos under 10 at 11:30. The adult/family plunge is at noon.  Hot drinks and outdoor heaters will be on site, and participants will receive 3.00 off coupons for the Pt.Defiance Zoo. How bad do you want to save 3.00??? This is a free event, and if you don’t want to take the plunge yourself, you’re welcome to go and watch. I’m guessing it’s over pretty quickly!

If that’s not in your area, there is also a Polar Bear Plunge in Olalla, a Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Tapps, at noon, and there is a Polar Bear Plunge in Lacey at Long Lake, a Polar Bear Plunge in Renton at Gene Coulon Park on Lake Washington,and a Polar Bear Plunge in Seattle in Seattle.

Just to be clear-the Sound this time of year is Cold. While it’s very unusual, there have been folks who have suffered heart attacks doing this type of event, so if you have any history of heart problems please consult your doctor first. There is a good chance he’ll tell you you’re nuts. There are some other good words of advice here from the TNT.

If you know of other plunges, feel free to leave a note! If you’d like to start the day with something a little less chilly, there are family hikes scheduled at several state parks. (From the link scroll down to January). The closest to SFM territory is at Saltwater State Park, a great place to explore with the family (Yes, you’ll need a Discover Pass). Too far? You can always strike out on your own! Whatever you do, I hope it’s a great start to 2013. I’ll be spending the day with my family, but I have lots of exciting posts planned for you in the New Year. Cheers!

Looking for affordable holiday fun with the kids this weekend in Tacoma, Auburn, Lakewood, Olympia, or another South Sound spot?  You’ve come to the right place 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 Holiday Events

 Zoolights at Pt.Defiance Zoo Zoo admission gets pricey. SFM recommends investing in an annual pass (Christmas gift from grandma?) unless you can take advantage of monthly free days for city of Tacoma residents.

Franciscan Polar Plaza is open for skating in downtown Tacoma

 Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Lake (Drive-Thru) Ongoing event through New Years

Wild Waves Holiday Lights through December 31; 6pm to 10pm (11pm on Sat. & Sun). You can get discount tickets for $12.99 online or at Safeways. Includes lights and most rides. Thanks, ThriftyNWMom.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays. I don’t know who still has ’em up. If you do, leave a comment!

Events This Weekend

All Weekend

Apollo 13: Mission Control  Interactive show at the Tacoma Dome. Link has info. on  a discount code and our review

Winter Wildland at Northwest Trek  Watch the critters enjoy special holiday themed treats and activities. Included with admission. Trek admission is pricey; SFM recommends investing in an annual pass if you’d go more than twice this year. They can be added to zoo passes. Through January 1st.

Friday

Jim Valley kids’ concert at the Wheelock Library at 11AM

Jim Valley kids’ concert at the Moore Library at 2PM

Free Admission and Children’s Activities at the Harbor History Museum in Gig Harbor 10AM-5PM

Saturday

 Story time at the Southcenter Barnes and Noble 11AM  I’d call and check first, for holiday schedule changes

Model Train Festival at the Washington State History Museum  Floors of model trains, some children’s activities. You can Try to get a library pass for free admission. This is the one time of year I’ve had a hard time doing this. We did this several years with the boys, and if you have a train lover, it’s a great outing. I would urge you to try to go on a weekday if you can. It gets very crowded, and it is difficult for small children to see the trains with all the people. Pack your patience if you go today, and leave a report if you do! Thanks!

WinterFest at the Morse preserve in Graham Short nature walks, cocoa.If you didn’t have a chance to register, you can still go. Parking will be very tight, so you’re encouraged to carpool. Link has more info. on this outing, plus directions.

Go Green in 2013 The LOTT Wet Center in Olympia has a program with ideas for greening up the house this year. 1PM

Movie Night at Discovery Village in Gig Harbor ! Daytime Snowman craft and movie night at 6PM.Activities included with admission.

Sunday

See All Weekend and Ongoing listings at the top of this page.

Kids Design Glass at the Museum of Glass   The last Sunday of the month, artisans in the hot shop create a kid designed sculpture. Included with admission. MOG museum can get steep; you may want to try and get a pass from your library. There will be all kinds of free museum going in Tacoma New Year’s Eve, too!

Monday/New Years Eve

Head here for my guide to South Sound family friendly New Years events.

Later today, I’ll also have my listing of Polar Bear Plunges on New Years Day. Brrrr!

As always, if you know something great I missed, just 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!

Who’s up for a bit of adventure?This Saturday, the 29th,  is WinterFest at the Morse Wildlife Preserve, which is a bit of totally preserved habitat outside of Graham.

There will be nature walks, cocoa, and opportunities to climb up the bird tower and check out the boardwalk. It’s from 1-3PM, and you can drop in any time during those hours, though I’d go early to have the best chance at a parking spot. This isn’t a long adventure, or an action packed one-but it’s a nice opportunity to get the kids, “Unplugged,” for a bit and explore this special place that is only open to the public a few times a year. The walks were no more than 10 minutes last year, so even a young child should be able to handle them. Both the boardwalk and watch tower were slippery slick with frost, so you do want to be mindful of that. The time is later this year, which should mean this won’t be an issue. Update: I spoke with one of the organizers this morning, and she said some of the trails are still primitive, so you should wear boots.

As I mentioned, the boys and I did this last year. Their reviews were a bit mixed. The big kid enjoyed climbing up the tower, checking out a beaver dam, and looking through the binoculars. Henry got cold in about 5 minutes and spent most of the time whining, though he did like the cocoa. Dress warmly.

Update Two: I spoke with one of the coordinators, and she said you are fine to show up even if you didn’t register. To get directions, go here. She did urge you to carpool. As of this moment, they’re expecting about 25 folks, which should be close to the most vehicles they can manage. Hopefully, not everyone will go at once! Keep in mind I never know if posts I write will get 5 people showing up or 50… or more….I think the out-in-the-literal-sticks nature of this activity will mean it won’t be super crowded, but again-think carpool if you can. We didn’t have a hard time finding it at all, but it did feel like we were close to finding the edge of the world!

Need South Sound area winter break activities? 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!

Ongoing Winter Break Events:

 Zoolights at Pt.Defiance Zoo through January 1st

Franciscan Polar Plaza ice skating in downtown Tacoma

Winter Wildland at Northwest Trek   Watch the animals enjoy special enrichment activities. Through January 1st. Free with admission. Admission to trek is pricey. If you have some extra Christmas money from grandma, you might want to invest in an annual pass if you’d go more than twice (they can be added on to zoo passes).

Model Train Festival at the History Museum in Tacoma

Model Train Display and Lego Play at City Blocks

Kids Eat Free at Ikea Thanks, The Coupon Project!

 Fantasy Lights in Spanaway through January 1st (Drive-Thru)

Skate at the Fransiscan Polar Plaza

Half-off at Charlie’s Safari in Lacey with a canned food donation

Play time/Mini Camps at City Blocks at Freighthouse Square. Look for the fb post from the 17th for all the times and details!

Play and fun at Discovery Village in Gig Harbor

Bounce times at Trampoline Nation in Federal Way

Winter Break Camps

I know of camps at HOCM in Olympia, Discovery Village in Gig Harbor, and Pump it UP! in Tacoma. Beyond that, your best bet is to check with the YMCA (they do take non members) or your parks department.

Indoor Play Options See My Lists of

•  bounce house places,
• indoor playgrounds
•  malls with soft play sections

Do call any first this week to check for holiday related closures.

Other Weekday Events and Fun

Family Fun Day at the Main Branch of the Tacoma Public Library 1PM Drop in for video games, board games, refreshments and more

Thursday

Thursday Infant Story Time at the Auburn Library 10:15

Family Movie at the Gig Harbor Library at 1PM 

Read with a dog at the Puyallup Public Library  Drop in and practice your reading skills with a patient, canine listener 1-2 with Robbie or 3:30-4:30 with Dan!

Friday

Friday is looking a little skimpy, isn’t it? Check the ongoing options at the top, and don’t worry-I promise I’ll have more for your weekend. I’m also rounding up family friendly New Years options, and my list of Polar Bear Plunges for those of you feeling Brrrrave!

Know something I missed? Want publicity for your group?

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.

 Please head here for an updated version of this post for 2015.

Looking for spots open in the South Sound Christmas Day?

If you want to go out to eat, I found spots at Stanley and Seaforts and the Lobster Shop South in Tacoma, and the Iron Chef in Puyallup using Open Table.com.

If you’d like to get out and about, you can ice skate at the Franciscan Polar Plaza in downtown Tacoma Christmas Day. If you want to hit a movie, here’s the link to Fandango. Most area theaters are open, and the new Cirque Soleil show looks neat. Zoolights is closed the 24th, but open the 25th. Fantasy Lights is open the 24th and 25th. Follow that link on click on, “Admission,” to find a coupon for 3.00 off. If you’d like to leave other great suggestions, please do so!

Expect the usual suspects to be closed-government offices, libraries, etc….Walgreens is open. I *think* Safeway is open but closing early. Top and Fred Meyer are closed.

Here at the Sounds Fun Mom house, we’ll be enjoying family time, and I’ll be off-blog.

I want to thank you for allowing me to be a small part of the time you enjoy with your precious families. Your readership and encouragement are gifts to me year round. Enjoy our, “Santa Out Take,” and Have a Beautiful Day!

That’s Henry a couple of years ago getting a word in with you know who. He must be pretty persuasive because he gets loot every year no matter how much of a stinker he is. If you’d like to make sure Kris Kringle is headed to your house, you’ll want to read on for how to keep an eye on his progress with a little help from some fighter pilots and radar equipment!

Every year, NORAD-that’s the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a joint Canadian and American agency, tracks Santa. Beginning Christmas Eve, you can get regular updates via the web as NORAD tracks his progress using a combination of satellites, radar, and Santa Cams. You can even get them on your phone.

The NORAD Tracks Santa site is really well put together. It has lots of cute info. about how the NORAD volunteers keep track of the big guy. You might also want to read the history of how the agency got into the sleigh monitoring biz-it all started with a typo!

It’s also not to late to send your kiddos (or anyone, for that matter), a free video message from St. Nick via the Portable North Pole. Reader Kristin shared this tip on a previous post, and I’ve heard from several readers that their kids were Thrilled to hear from Santa. If only he offered, “Clean your room,” messages year round!

P.S. Heather from Because More is More says those of you with Onstar can get instant updates while you’re on the go!

Looking for something to do today? Most places are open Christmas Eve, though some shops close early this evening. If you go down one post to my weekend list, most of the, “Ongoing Events,” at the top are still going on. If you need a hand with something, hop on over to our Facebook page, and we’ll try to play elf for you! Have a Merry One!

Looking for affordable holiday fun with the kids this weekend in Tacoma, Auburn, Lakewood, Olympia, or another South Sound spot?  You’ve come to the right place 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 Holiday Events

 Zoolights at Pt.Defiance Zoo Zoo admission gets pricey. SFM recommends investing in an annual pass (Christmas gift from grandma?) unless you can take advantage of monthly free days for city of Tacoma residents.

Franciscan Polar Plaza is open for skating in downtown Tacoma 2.00 off admission Saturday evening if you wear an ugly sweater!

 Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Lake (Drive-Thru) Ongoing event through New Years

The reindeer are in at Watson’s nursery in Puyallup Santa during most hours, too. Ongoing event Link opens pdf; scroll down

Sleigh Rides and Santa at the Old Cannery in Sumner Santa Land weekends beginning the 23rd and going through December 23rd. Carriage Rides weekends beginning the 15th of December Check their Facebook page for update Link opens pdf; scroll down Note: The lines to Santa have been up to 3hrs. and have closed early. You’ve been warned!

Holiday Shows-For a whole variety of ongoing, family friendly shows, head here and scroll to the bottom of the page Last weekend for many of these.

For area Nutcrackers, go here Last weekend for many of these.

Events This Weekend

All Weekend

Apollo 13: Mission Control  Interactive show at the Tacoma Dome. Link has info. on  a discount code and a chance to win tickets (Winners announced Saturday).

Friday

Drop in Crafts at the Wheelock Library 1PM  Card making today

Read to a Dog at the Sumner Library Kids can drop in and practice their reading skills with a patient canine listener.

Straws and Connectors Open Build at the Summit Library Build amazing structures with straws! No registration required. Children under 7 should have an adult participate with them. 2-4

Little Winners Child Development Center in Graham hosts an open house with 5.00 Santa photos for a fundraiser Activities, craftsk dinner  5-7PM

Parents Night Out/Last Chance shopping event in Puyallup  Fees and registration required; Do call first; I don’t know if it’s full.

Saturday

South King County

See the top of the page for ongoing events. See the bottom of this page for shows and concerts.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays.

 Story time at the Southcenter Barnes and Noble 11AM  I’d call and check first, for holiday schedule changes

Winter Farmer’s Market in Federal Way

The Santa House is Open in Auburn 

Puyallup/Sumner/Greater Pierce County

See the top of the page for ongoing events. See the bottom of this page for shows and concerts.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays.

Tacoma

See the top of the page for ongoing events. See the bottom of this page for shows and concerts.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays.

Registration Deadline for the Jingle Bell Run Chip timed 5K at Wright Park Bring donations for the rescue mission. Deadline No day-of. 10.00 For ages 4 and up. Entry fee includes jingle bells. Actual run is on the 24th.

Model Train Festival at the Washington State History Museum  Floors of model trains, some children’s activities, Santa this year! You can Try to get a library pass for free admission. This is the one time of year I’ve had a hard time doing this. We did this several years with the boys, and if you have a train lover, it’s a great outing. I would urge you to try to go on a weekday if you can. It gets very crowded, and it is difficult for small children to see the trains with all the people. Pack your patience if you go today, and leave a report if you do! Thanks!

Sam and Terry’s Barber Shop hosts Santa for kids in need. Free gift for first 400. 110 S 11th St Tacoma

Gig Harbor/Port Orchard/Kitsap Area

See the top of the page for ongoing events. See the bottom of this page for shows and concerts.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays.

Santa is at Teaching Toys at Uptown  today 12-4

Drop n Play Class with our friends at Discovery Village ! 25.00 includes gingerbread house and play time. Or come for regular play, with craft and ELF (at 6PM) included with admission. Open 10-8; Gingerbread House class is 10-1.  Tell ’em I sent you!

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

See the top of the page for ongoing events. See the bottom of this page for shows and concerts.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays.

Holiday Handprint Crafts at the LOTT Wet Science Center in Olympia 10AM-4PM The science center is free and open to families, with a variety of handprint crafts available today.

Sunday

“Christmas in Flight,” Play by Taproot theater at First Presbyterian Church in Tacoma  Free

See the top of the page for ongoing events. See the bottom of this page for shows and concerts.

See this page for reader recommendations for neighborhoods with Christmas Light displays.

 

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!

If holiday shopping has you dreading January bills, you might want to get in on this deal that Heather of QueenBeeCoupons asked me to share with you.

It’s a great way to get coupons for Free without subscribing to the paper!

The free coupons are for houses that do NOT subscribe to the paper, and the offer is only good for certain zipcodes. Coupons are a great way to lower your grocery bill, and if you’re like us, that’s your biggest variable expense.

To get all the rest of the scoop on what you’re getting and how to get them delivered Free to your house, just head here to QueenBeeCoupons!

I’m beyond excited to tell you about the new Science Dome at Pierce College Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood, which will  transport you and your kiddos to space and beyond!

What’s a Science Dome? It’s a unique, 58 seat theater with a 38′ domed screen that will be completely filled with images that will have you exploring space, gazing at the night sky, getting up close with pyramids, or flying through the human body. It’s the only facility of its kind in the South Puget Sound, and I can’t wait to explore it with the boys.

Update: Grand opening events have come and gone, but you can now see very low cost, kid friendly shows every weekend! Woot! Just go here for more details  Shows are at 2PM every Saturday, and tickets are just 3.00 for kiddos 3-8. There are also public shows if you have an older kiddo (or, hey-unique date idea)!