Do you need something great to do with the kids this weekend? We’ve found all kinds of great free activities and events for families in Tacoma, Lacey, Gig Harbor, and beyond this week. It’s an especially great weekend for nature lovers!
Don’t forget we have an awesome list just like this every Friday, just for South Sound families, and tons of other fun ideas every other day of the week!
A note to email subscribers, that we are still adding events, so do come check the site directly when you have a chance. I just wanted to get this out to you!
Peek into life in the 1800s during candlelit tours at Ft.Nisqually. That and Dozens of other fun family events are in our list this weekend!
Friday
Federal Way Teen Day active sports, free food, information about programming for teens 4-6
Fall Arts Walk Art activities at a variety of venues around downtown Olympia. From the link, look for the digital guide. The last page has a list of events. Double click to zoom in and find family friendly options.
Candlelit Tour at Ft. Nisqually Re-enactors portray 1800s fort life. More about this event here.
Free first Friday night at the Hands-On Children’s Museum in Olympia
Saturday
All Over
We’re In The Wrong Book Storytime at Barnes and Noble stores. 11AM. Special themed story time and fun. We have found participation to be inconsistent even when stores are listed as participating, so we suggest using the link to check for a location near you and then calling to confirm.
Kids’ Club at Michael’s Craft Stores It’s a harvest mobile from 10AM-12 2.00 per half hour session
Family craft time at Michael’s Craft Stores 1-4PM Great pumpkin event Supplies and event are free WITH purchase of craft pumpkin
Home Depot Kids’ Club Advance registration is now required for these popular, free workshops. It’s a fire truck today.
South King County
Salmon spotting on the Cedar River Trained naturalists will help kids spot salmon returning to spawn
Visit the HCC Mast Center at Redondo Touch tanks with sea critters free and open to the public Saturdays from 10AM-2
S’more than you imagined in Auburn Free, evening event. Bonfire, smores, music
ICYMI: Be sure to check out our post on the new Hall Pass deal with our friends at Trampoline Nation. A great deal for your frequent jumpers!
Puyallup/Sumner/Greater Pierce
City of Fife Harvest Festival Lots of free family fun including bubble man, entertainment, hay rides, and more. We’ve had a lot of fun at this in the past. It’s more community festival than harvest celebration imho, but that part gets bigger every year.
Salmon homecoming at the Puyallup hatchery More about this event here tours, music, and more.
Come Walk With Me Breast cancer 5k and kids’ dash in Sumner
Lego storytime at the Puyallup Library 11AM Free, drop in program. Hear a short stories and enjoy building time.
Family game day at the Graham Library 1-4PM Drop in and play new and old board games and other favorites They’re also having their fall used book sale today.
Tacoma/South Tacoma/ Spanaway
Family story time at the Summit Library 10AM
Family nature walk at Swan Creek Park Volunteer naturalists lead free walks. Not suitable for strollers; perfect for ages 3 and up.
Play and Grow Storytime at the Wheelock Library 10:30
Greek Festival at St.Nicholas Church All weekend event; dancing, church tours, and lots of authentic Greek food for sale
Tiger Cubs’ First Birthday at Point Defiance Zoo Special activities included with admission. Note from SFM: The zoo gets spendy fast. We recommend investing in an annual pass unless you can take advantage of free days for City of Tacoma residents. Be sure to also see the clouded leopard cubs if you go. Two of them are headed to their new home (and hopefully new mates)!
Arts and crafts at Learning Sprout Toy store Free, Halloween themed crafts More here
Kidz Code Club at the main branch of the Tacoma Public Library Kids 7-17 are invited to learn how to code, develop websites, and more. Programs include Scratch, Minecraft, and others. Kids should bring their own laptops (Call the library in advance if you need to borrow one). Kids must be accompanied by an adult. 9:30AM self paced, free
Friends of the University Place Library used book sale
Oliver at Tacoma Musical Playhouse Ongoing showings of the Dicken’s classic through October 11th
Fall book sale at the Parkland/Spanaway Library
Candlelit Tour at Ft. Nisqually Re-enactors portray 1800s fort life. More about this event here.
Keep reading-there’s so much more!
Children and all ages shows at the Science Dome presentations and shows on the overhead dome at the area’s only indoor, digital planetarium. Great, low cost, indoor activity-we really recommend the children’s version! Bring cash-no cards can be accepted at the venue. 3.00 as of this writing Children’s show is Haunted Night Sky ; all ages is Undiscovered Worlds.
Olympia/Lacey/Beyond
Fall Arts Walk Art activities at a variety of venues around downtown Olympia. From the link, look for the digital guide. The last page has a list of events. Double click to zoom in and find family friendly options.
Visit the LOTT Wet Science Center The center is free and open every Saturday-variety of art activities today in conjunction with art walk. Note that the link opens a lengthy pdf.
Book sale at the Lacey Timberland Regional Library
Visit the South Sound Estuarium open 11-4 weekends
It’s apple festival time at Lattin’s
Gig Harbor
Scarecrow Festival in Gig Harbor Not to be missed community event! Do bring some extra cash as a few attractions have small extra fees
Key Peninsula Farm Tour More info. here Note from SFM: I believe the tour is mostly self-guided. We’ve done these in the past and enjoyed them-dress for mess, bring your own hand cleaner, and bring some cash so you can support the farms you visit.
Pier Into The Night with Harbor WildWatch Free program; look for sea creatures drawn to dock lights and brought up by scuba divers.
You may also want to check the Kitsap Macaroni Kid.
Sunday
Steilacoom Apple Squeeze Get your apple on! No, you won’t be able to pick your own, but you’ll get a small-town experience full of charm. And cider. Yum!
Cider squeeze at Tumwater Falls Note from SFM: This is a great park if you’re in the area. Allow some time to walk and explore. There are also two nice playgrounds at the top and bottom (one is technically a different park,but they’re both good ones).
And……if you love using this list to plan your family’s weekend, we’d love your vote for Best Parenting Blog over at Evening Magazine’s Best of Western Washington. Thanks so much for that!
As always, if you know something we missed or you’d like publicity or advertising for your group, get in touch! You can email me at soundsfunmom@gmail.com or use one of the icons up top to find us on your favorite social media.