It’s a huge weekend if you’re looking for fun things to do with kids in Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia, or just about anywhere around the South Sound!
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!
Want to visit a pumpkin patch or a corn maze? Here’s our master list!
Trick or treat! Halloween fun and seasonal adventures abound this weekend!
Saturday
All Over
Click, Clack, Boo! storytime at Barnes and Noble stores. Stories and crafts around the children’s book.
Kids’ Club at Michael’s Craft Stores It’s a spider craft 10AM-12 2.00 per half hour session *Those little beads that you melt together. Cute for school age kids-too small for anyone who still sticks stuff in his/her mouth!
South King County
Halloween Harvest festival in Auburn
Fright Fest at Wild Waves Rides,haunted houses, scare free area for kids under 12 and live entertainment.
Salmon spotting on the Cedar River Trained naturalists will help kids spot salmon returning to spawn Every weekend in October at four locations-link takes you to a detailed post. LAST WEEKEND
Visit the HCC Mast Center at Redondo Touch tanks with sea critters free and open to the public Saturdays from 10AM-2
Howl and Prowl at Reber Ranch in Kent Bring your pet and enjoy free seasonal fun including hay rides, treats, and more! You and Fido get some perks for coming in costume!
Trick or Treat Fun Fest in Federal Way
Hoot and Howl at Northwest Trek Special, evening event with a nightime tram ride and treats and fun around the park. Tickets required. We have done this with the boys. They had a lot of fun, but don’t go thinking you’ll see a lot of animals because……it’s dark.
Puyallup/Orting/Graham/Greater Pierce County
Lego storytime at the Puyallup Library 11AM Free, drop in program. Hear a short stories and enjoy building time.
Meet author Kirby Larson The Newberry Award winning author will read from her new book and be on hand to sign it and others (books will be available for purchase). Tickets are 5.00. I would probably only take children who are fans of hers, but if you are a school librarian, teacher, or just a lover of children’s literature, this is a pretty amazing opportunity. Larson wrote Hattie Big Sky, and many other titles you will recognize.
Volunteer fair at the Fred Oldfield Center at the fairgrounds find a group who can use your help! 10AM-1
Dia De La Raza at the Karshner Museum Free family celebration of Latino culture music, dancing, and more
See the glass pumpkin patch in Puyallup
Halloween Festival at the Graham Library 2PM wear your costume and enjoy crafts, games, and other fun.
Left Foot Farm Fall Bash in Eatonville tour the farm, milk a goat, paint a pumpkin, and more! You’re invited to bring a picnic or smore fixings.
Pumpkin Decorating at the Buckley Library Stop in to the library to register
Tacoma
Haunted Theater at Tacoma Ballet Backstage tour and short, themed dances. Magical not spooky! Five performances left this season-don’t miss it! Advance ticket purchase suggested
Play and Grow Storytime at Wheelock Ongoing event
Children’s Concert at the University of Puget Sound Jacobsen Junior show with music from folk tales and the Beattles. Great introduction to classical and instrumental music for younger kids. Instrument petting zoo after! Tickets are 5.00
Celtic Faire at St. Andrew’s Church high tea, dancers, crafts, and more.
Paper Trails at King’s Books A celebration of all things paper! Hands-on projects for adults and kids
Alice in Wonderland at Tacoma Musical Playhouse
Bonfires, Beaver Pelts, and BoogeyMen at Ft. Nisqually Nighttime storytelling around a bonfire. Starts with gentler stories before moving to spookier tales. I have more about this event here.
Pier Peer at the Foss Waterway Seaport Night time event for ages 8 and up. Look for sea creatures drawn to the dock lights. Enjoy cocoa afterwards. My older son did this with my husband. He didn’t see any creatures, but he enjoyed being on the dock at night and having cocoa!
South Tacoma/ Spanaway/Lakewood/Steilacoom/Tillicum
Trunk or Treat at the LeMay Family Collection 2PM Bring costumed kiddos for safe trick or treating from the trunks of collector cars! Note this is the family collection location in Spanaway-NOT the LeMay museum by the Tacoma Dome. Readers had good things to say about this one last year!
Woof, Woof Walk at Spanaway Park
Fall Safety Day at the West Pierce Fire Department 10AM-1 Free pumpkins for kids while supplies last, bounce house, fire trucks, and fun. Bring food for the canned food drive. Custom fit helmets available for purchase for 7-15.00 Thanks, Leah, for sharing this one!
.Friends of the Lakewood Library used book sale
Camp Code Game Camp at the Lakewood Library learn about coding; make your own video game! For kids in grades 6-8. Registration required.
Marshmallow/Pumpkin target shoot Make a marshmallow shooter from pvc pipe and use it to hit a pumpkin. Our old neighbor made some of these or the boys, and they’re great fun. I think they’d be hard for kids on their own, so plan on having the handy grown-up in the family do this one with the kids. 2PM
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
Olympia/Lacey/Beyond
Boo Bash at the Hands-On Children’s Museum crafts, STEM activities, prizes, and much more! A don’t-miss afternoon of family friendly Halloween fun perfect for young children and their grown-ups.
Mercy Watson to the Rescue at Olympia Family theater Also Sunday
Tour the Tugboat Sandman at Percival Landing
Visit the LOTT Wet Science Center The center is free and open every Saturday with special, themed activities. Note that the link opens a lengthy pdf.
Visit the South Sound Estuarium open 11-4 weekends
It’s apple festival time at Lattin’s
Gig Harbor
Friends of the Key Center Library used book sale
Halloween pumpkin decorating at the Gig Harbor library You need to register, but there are lots of spaces right now. 2-4PM
Harvest Fest at Miracle Ranch in Port Orchard Also Sunday
Kitsap Steamers Ghost Train-evening event
You may also want to check the Kitsap Macaroni Kid.
Sunday
Halloween event at the Museum of Flight
Fall Festival at Riverview Community Church in Kent games, face painting, and fun. Food items for 1.00.
Yelm Farmer’s Market Harvest Fest Come to the last market of the year for all kinds of seasonal fun.
Sunday Spooktacular at Target stores trick or treats and fun for kids in costume
Salmon spotting on the Cedar River Trained naturalists will help kids spot salmon returning to spawn Every weekend in October at four locations-link takes you to a detailed post.
Alice in Wonderland at Tacoma Musical Playhouse-check for showtimes
Haunted Theater at Tacoma Ballet Backstage tour and short, themed dances. Magical not spooky! Ongoing event with various dates and times, but tickets go fast.
Harvest Fest at Miracle Ranch in Port Orchard
Visit the South Sound Estuarium open 11-4 weekends
It’s apple festival time at Lattin’s
Mercy Watson to the Rescue at Olympia Family theater
Want to visit a pumpkin patch or a corn maze? Here’s our master list!
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.