Archives for December 2013

Getting the kids unplugged and outdoors is a great way to start the New Year!

The Washington State Parks system is again sponsoring First Day Hikes, which are organized outings lead by a ranger or other park staff.

The closest to SFM territory this  year is at Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, a great part for kid friendly exploration, whether or not you do the hike. You can read more about the hike here.

If that spot is too far for you, you can explore DIY style, as the first is a FREE day at Washington State Parks-no Discover Pass required!

For other suggestions, you might like my post on Ten South Sound Nature Walks.

The Washington Trails Association also has some favorite winter and all season hikes, including several suitable for children.  Do you have a favorite way to begin the New Year? I’d love to hear about it!

If you’re up for a Real adventure, you could always try a Polar Bear Plunge!

Need a fresh new start in 2015? A plunge into Puget Sound should do the trick!

Yep, New Year’s Day is Polar Bear Plunge day, and for the 4th year there is an event at the Pt.Defiance Marina in Tacoma.  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. Costumes are welcome but not required.   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!

You can get all the details on the Point Defiance Polar Bear Plunge Event here

Here are other area Polar Bear Plunges:

• Polar Bear Plunge in Lacey at Long Lake camp fire and cocoa starting at 12; plunge at 1. Spectators welcome!
• Polar Bear Plunge in Lake Tapps at Driftwood Point Park 12 noon You’re encouraged to wear wedding dresses (Yes, guys, too)! Shoes are recommended for the rocks. Donations to the food bank welcome. 12  There will be a fire to warm up by after your plunge!  This event has been canceled this year.
• Polar Bear Plunge in Renton at Gene Coulon Park on Lake Washington 11AM
• Polar Bear Plunge in Seattle at Matthews Beach 12 Noon  costumes welcome but not required; warm drinks after; new time before the big jump for “Cubs”  Carpooling encouraged. Participants get a patch.

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, I promise I’ll have some other ideas!

If you did a Polar Bear Plunge last year, I’d LOVE to hear about it!

Thanks to the  Guaranteed Education Tuition program for their sponsorship of this post.

The holidays are winding down and it’s time to get back on track. While everyone may have a different New Year’s resolution in mind (from hitting the gym to cutting out sweets) something many of us have in common is trying to get our spending back in control and our budgets balanced.

While setting your family budget for the New Year, it’s important to be looking ahead – especially when it comes to planning for future college costs.  Preparing for this major expense is a high priority for parents with high schoolers, but may be one of the last things on your mind if you’re busy cleaning up after infants or preschoolers. College may seem eons away when kids are young, but before you know it, your cooing, crawling baby will be a walking, (back) talking teenager, filling out college applications.

This year is a great opportunity to make a resolution to take that first step to begin saving for college. One of the best ways for families to begin putting away for higher education is through a 529 plan. These tax-advantaged plans are specifically designed to help families maximize their college savings. One of the most significant benefits of a 529 plan is that account earnings and withdrawals are tax-free when funds are used to pay for qualified higher education expenses.

Washington’s 529 plan, the Guaranteed Education Tuition (or GET) Program, shares the same advantages as other 529 plans, but with some unique benefits. The value of a GET account is guaranteed by the State of Washington to increase along with rising tuition costs in our state. This means that your savings are not subject to the ups and downs of the stock market that many other investment options face. It’s also important to know that even though the value is tied to rising tuition in our state, you can use a GET account to pay for school nearly anywhere in the country (and even in other countries).

There are many good reasons to start saving as early as possible, but perhaps one of the most convincing is that average student loan debt is now over $27,000, and national student loan debt has surpassed $1 trillion. Further, studies show that children who know there’s a college savings account in their name are seven times more likely to attend than those who don’t. By making a plan and starting while your kids are young, you’re ensuring they can focus on worrying about “where” they want to go to college, rather than “if” they can go to college.

About GET
GET is in its sixteenth year of helping Washington families save for college. Since 1998, GET has helped over 34,000 students attend college in all 50 states and 14 foreign countries. You can open a GET account online between November 1 – May 31, annually. Once enrolled, you can continue contributing to the account year-round.  For more information, visit the GET website here,  or call 1.800.955.2318.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with provided content. We are a proud GET family.

Phew! We’ve almost made it to New Years!

The holiday season can feel like a crazy sprint to fit in just as much fun as possible-and with good reason.  After all, there really isn’t anything more magical than the holidays through the eyes of a child.

Of course, we’ve had our share of less than magical scenes over here.  Let’s face it-anyone who has kids has a blooper reel! Whether it’s your little one who suddenly doesn’t Want to see Santa, or your bigger one who suddenly doesn’t Want to be a wise man, or maybe your four legged one who definitely Does Want that gingerbread house- we’ve all been there.!

Our friends at Sprout call these Holiday MOMents, and they’ve created some cute ways to help you celebrate them all-the funny ones,  the outrageous ones, and yes, the precious ones, too!

The picture above is one of my favorite holiday photos of Henry. Now, you know I’m all about the South Sound around here, but a few years ago I got it into my head that we should go into Seattle to take in all the big city lights and fun. Specifically, I had this picture in my head of our boys in the Teddy Bear Suite. If you’ve never been, it’s a lavishly decorated room at the super posh Four Seasons, and it’s full of teddy bears of all shapes and sizes. Sweet, right?

Well, my two rowdy boys would have nothing to do with it. I couldn’t even get them to fake interest long enough for a decent photo, not even with my husband hissing at them, “Smile for your mother. Right. Now.”  Magical, right? I told you….

Anyway, we gave up on bears and headed for cocoa. I don’t know what size we ordered, but Henry ended up with the biggest cup of whipped cream topped hot chocolate he’d had in his little life. When I saw his face I realized I’d been so focused on creating a photo op I’d almost missed the unplanned magical moments happening right in front of me.

I know his eyes are closed in what is objectively a terrible picture, but when I look at it I just remember pure joy! I also thought the Sprout tools really fancied it up!

If you’d like a fun way to preserve some of this holiday’s MOMents, Sprout has created some seriously cute graphics and tools you can use. We had a ton of fun playing with them, as you can see. I will warn you, it’s a little addictive-I couldn’t resist using the Pinterest themed treatment on the saddest. snowman. ever. You can head here to Sprout to create your Holiday MOMents, too!I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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!

If you’re still planning your Sunday, I have events for today, the 29th, one post down!

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, The Museum of Glass, and the history museum,  plus access to a variety of live entertainment. This link shows all the kid friendly options by hour. I strongly suggest parking at the Tacoma Dome station and taking the link over hunting for parking.

New Years Eve at Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup  20.00 admission includes skating, all you can eat pizza and pop, balloon drop, and raffles  Non skating parents are 10.00. Buy your tickets in advance so you don’t have to wait in line. You are also welcome to do drop-off with older children. 7:30PM-1:30AM  *sponsor!

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

Happy Noon Year at the Covington Library magician Louie Foxx entertains at 11AM followed by a celebration at Noon

Trampoline Nation is open until 9PM *sponsor!

Xtreme Bounce of Fun is open at the Auburn Outlet Collection during mall hours for those of you with littles *sponsor!

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 crafts to celebrate the Year of the Horse; enjoy hourly, “Parades,” through the museum beginning at 12 and more. Admission pay-as-you-will or free with first night buttons (see above).

Happy Noon Year with Nancy Stewart at the main branch of the Tacoma Public Library Join the popular children’s entertainer for sing along fun, paper hat crafting, and a balloon drop at noon. Best for preschoolers and young children 11AM-12:15

Noon Year’s Eve Party at the Wheelock Library 11:15-12:15  dancing, crafts, and a noon time countdown!

Winter Wildland continues at Northwest Trek Animals enjoy special holiday themed enrichments. Included with admission, which also covers a tram ride. This is a spendy outing. If you’d go even twice, you may want a membership (It can be added to an existing zoo membership). Or, there will be a kids free day in February.

New Years Eve for Little Kids at the Gig Harbor Library 10AM crafts, dancing, snacks, and a countdown for kids 0-3

New Years Eve for Bigger Kids at the Gig Harbor Library 11:15AM craft, dancing, snacks, and a countdown for the 4-8 set

Jeff Evans Science magic at Tumwater and Tenino libraries The magician/science/stunt guy will entertain Olympia area kids at two free shows 11AM Tuwater; 2PM at Tenino

Noon Years Eve at the Hands-on Children’s Museum in Olympia Countdown at noon, special activities including face painting, science presentations, and more. 15.00 for non member children or 12.00 for members/ 4.00 for accompanying adults 10AM-3PM  Timed entry for this event. You are encouraged to register in advance.

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 2014, 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!

Winter Wildland at NW Trek Watch animals enjoy special themed enrichment treats and activities; included with admission, which also covers a tram ride.  Trek is pricey; SFM recommends investing in an annual pass if you’d go even twice this year; one can be added to an existing zoo membership. Otherwise, there is a kids free day in February.  Continues through January 1st

Family Day at the Museum of Glass  12-5   You should be able to use a library pass for free admission if you can nab one. Visiting artists host family crafting the last Sunday of every month.

Skating party at the Polar Plaza with the Children’s Museum of Tacoma 10AM-1PM 5.00 includes admission plus skate rentals; play guides will be on hand to help young skaters  *I don’t know if you can still sign up for this or not. I’m asking now.

Bogo roller skating at Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup. Wear your Seahawks gear and get two for one admission to the 1-5 session. Yes, they’ll have the game on!

Visit the new South Sound Estuarium in Olympia  10AM-3PM

I’ll have ideas up for a kid friendly New Year’s Eve in just a bit. You can take a peek at last year’s New Year’s post to get an idea of area happenings.

New here? I’d love to have you use the buttons at the top to join us on the Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or subscribe to my emails so you don’t miss a thing!

Need something to do around the South Sound this  weekend? Here’s a list of events and activities with lots for your family to choose from!

For Seattle or Portland area fun you’ll want to check out the fantastic list over at ThriftyNWmom compiled by the newest member of their frugal finding team, Annaliese of Grays Harbor Deals! If you want to check out downtown Seattle, you might also enjoy this list of all the best to do for Free there over the holiday season from my friend Holly at FreePlayKids

Ongoing

Here is a list of current great deals on indoor, family fun!

Here is a round-up of Winter Break ideas!

Zoolights at the Point Defiance Zoo

Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Lake  Here is how to find the coupon

Here is a list of neighborhoods with great Christmas lights

 Saturday

 Touch tanks at HCC Mast at Redondo  Free and open to the public every Saturday from 10-2  ****You can still look at the critters in the tanks, but you cannot touch them currently because of concerns over a disease that has been affecting the sea stars.

Visit the new South Sound Estuarium  10AM-3PM special “Solstice Celebration,” activities today

Visit the LOTT Wet Science Center  Free and open to the public every weekend   Presentation on groundwater at 2PM today; other activities for younger children are usually also available.

Holiday activities at the Hands-on Children’s Museum  A variety of holiday themed activities are included with admission. Admission isn’t cheap, but you do get a very full day of fun here.

Gig Harbor/Kitsap

Indoor fall farmer’s market  (old Peninsula Gardens site)

Kitsap area readers may also like to get the free newsletter from Macaroni Kid Kitsap

Sunday

Family Day at the Museum of Glass  12-5   You should be able to use a library pass for free admission if you can nab one. Visiting artists host family crafting the last Sunday of every month.

Skating party at the Polar Plaza with the Children’s Museum of Tacoma 10AM-1PM 5.00 includes admission plus skate rentals; play guides will be on hand to help young skaters

Visit the new South Sound Estuarium  10AM-3PM

I’m working on a New Year’s Eve guide that I hope to have up later today. You can take a peek at last year’s New Year’s post to get an idea of area happenings. Meanwhile, be sure you’ve entered to win a family 4 pack of tickets to the New Year’s Eve party at Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup!

New here? I’d love to have you use the buttons at the top to join us on the Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or subscribe to my emails so you don’t miss a thing!

Update: The contest is now over, but tickets are still available!

Congratulations to Summer who won the family 4 pack of tickets. Her comment was selected by a random number generator. If you didn’t win, you can still get tickets, and they’re a great deal for an evening of entertainment and all you can eat pizza and pop! Get them now so you won’t be disappointed or have to wait in line! Many thanks to everyone who entered all of our giveaways this season. It’s been a Lot of fun! I don’t have more holiday experiences to give away, but I do already have some great contests planned for the New Year. I really do encourage you to check the site frequently, or sign up for my emails. If you’re only following me on Facebook, there is a good chance you’re missing a ton (Fewer than 20% of my likers see a typical fb post)! As always, I appreciate my awesome readers and sponsors every day of the year! I’m so glad you’re here! Read on for more details about Tiffany’s New Years Eve bash.

Hey, Puyallup! If you’re looking for a place to take the kids for New Years, I’ve got just the ticket!

Our sponsors at Tiffany’s Skate Inn have the most awesome, family friendly New Years around, and you’re invited!

It’s an Amazing New Year’s Eve Party, and just by showing up you’ll  have a chance to WIN an XBOX.

The celebration runs from 7:30pm-1:30am! Admission is $20* and Includes Quad or Blade Rental if needed, ALL YOU CAN EAT Pizza & Pop**, a Balloon Drop for ALL AGES with OVER $1,000.00 in Cash and Prizes, plus Raffle Prizes ALL Night Long, and  Plenty of Adult Supervision!

If that’s not enough, one lucky winner will go home with a brand new XBOX!

Make a great date with the whole family, or drop the kids off! You won’t find a sitter on New Year’s Eve cheaper than this, friends! Oh, and non skating parents pay just 10.00 for admission and still get in on the pizza and soda.

Buy your VIP tickets online  and you won’t have to wait in line!

As always, the party includes great skating on their wood floor, and a family friendly atmosphere managed by some of the nicest folks in town. If you’d like to ring in the New Year family style, I can’t think of a better way to create a new tradition. And, our friends at Tiffany’s have a family 4 pack of tickets to their New Year’s Eve Party to give away to one lucky Sounds Fun Mom reader! Woot! Here’s how to enter:

• For a first, required entry, share the information about Tiffany’s New Year’s Eve party! Facebook it, Twitter it, send a shout-out to your cousins, or see if you can get your preschool group to agree to a meet up! Leave a comment on this post telling us what you did!
• For a second, optional entry, Like Tiffany’s on Facebook and come back and leave a comment telling us you did so.
• For a third, optional entry, Join Tiffany’s MVP club, and come back and leave a comment telling us you did so. The MVP club is the Best way to stay in the loop on Tiffany’s Skate Inn events and get special coupons and discounts! It’s really worth doing!

All entries must be left as comments on this post. Click “Leave a comment” at the top of the post to do so. I can’t accept entries left via email, Facebook, or in any other form. Please leave each form of entry as a separate comment to improve your chances, and Please leave an email you check frequently. I’ll choose a winner Saturday morning at 9AM, and I’ll need to hear from you within 12 hours. Good Luck! If you don’t see your comment immediately, it’s just because I need to approve it. I promise it will be there!

Disclosure: Tiffany’s Skate Inn is a Sounds Fun Mom sponsor. They have skating sessions all winter break long, and I’d love for you thank them when you go in! Melinda and her team have generously provided the tickets for this giveaway in addition to sponsoring this post.