Archives for January 2016

Top 11 Can’t Miss Events in February

January 31, 2016 by Keri Welch

Updated for 2018!

February in Western Washington can be a gloomy time of year! We suggest getting some fun things to do with the kids on the calendar to fight off those winter blahs! Here’s this month’s, “Hot list.”

1. Put your dancing shoes on!

Do you have a little girl who would enjoy a special evening with dad? There are still a few daddy/daughter dances left. See our list here and scroll down as they’re organized by date!

3. Visit Point Defiance for free!

February 22nd is a free day at the zoo for City of Tacoma residents. You can see the list of all the free days for 2018 here.

On Thursday and Fridays, you can also catch the Critter Club for an additional fee. The Critter Club is an hour long special treat for preschool age kids where they get to learn about biofacts, hear a story, do a craft, participate in an activity, and visit with a live animal! This month kiddos can attend Fur & Feathers on February 22nd or 23rd.

4. Visit NW Trek for Kids ‘n’ Critters Weekend

NW Trek is running a special for Kids ‘n’ Critters Weekend where up to four children are admitted free with each paying adult, Get all the details on FREE Kids Admission to NW Trek.

5. Catch a FREE Movie at the Grand Cinema

Did you know that every 3rd Saturday of the month, the Grand Cinema offers a FREE Family Flick? The doors open at 9:30am for the 10:00am showing. Seating is first-come, first-served and is limited to the first 100 in attendance. All children under age 14 must be accompanied by an adult. This month’s pick is Paddington on February 17th.

6. Visit a Local Museum for FREE

Tacoma Art Museum

Most museums hosts a FREE day at least once a month. Check out our post Free and Cheap Museum Going Around the South Sound. for a round up of free days, plus info. on how you can go free any day with a library pass! It’s a great winter activity.

7. Hunt for Monkeyshines

Chinese New Year is February 16th this year. Traditionally that’s the time to start hunting for monkeyshines!

No clue what I’m talking about? Head here!

8. Take a Family Nature Walk

Tacoma Nature Center staff lead families on free naturalist-led walks through Tacoma Parks, where you can discover amazing plants and animals of the northwest. Pre-registration is required, but the walks are FREE. Sign up for McKinley Park on Saturday, February 17th. Link also has info. on their other programs for young children and families. All are excellent and tend to fill fast. Want to find your own adventure?

10. Introduce Your Child to Live Theater

Several of our favorite area theaters have new shows for kids this month. Olympia Family Theater is showing 3 Impossible Questions, plus their youth theater has two special performances of The Three Little Pigs.

TMP is showing Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical

Little bit older kids might enjoy the classic Oliver at Sumner ManeStage

Pinocchio is playing in Auburn

This time of year a lot of schools also have productions. This is a great way to introduce your kiddos to live theater for less! Call your area middle or high school to see if they’re doing something family friendly.

11. Meet Up with Friends at Wiggle Works

There is always something fun going on at WiggleWorks. Think about joining them on the 16th for their rock painting party-a great way to get in on this fun trend without covering your own house in paint.

Here are some other ideas to help you plan for fun in February:

South Sound Places to Play in the Snow

South Sound Kid Friendly Coffee Shops

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun And Things To Do January 29th-31st!

January 29, 2016 by Maegen Blue

Looking for something fun to do this weekend in Tacoma, Olympia, Puyallup, or another South Sound Spot?

We’ve got you covered with our weekly guide to free and affordable fun for families in the South Puget Sound. My favorite thing about this weekend’s list? Lots of it is FREE!

Ongoing

Want to go sledding or play in the snow? Here’s our guide! Do check the weather-it’s been warm and wet.

You never know who you’ll meet at a Mini Maestros show. See our detailed listing under “Sunday,” for information on this event.

Keep Reading for complete listings for Saturday and Sunday by area
[Read more…]

Mariner’s FanFest: FREE for Kids 14 & Under

January 28, 2016 by Keri Welch

Now that the Hawks are out for the season (#momentofsilence) are you and your family looking forward to baseball? Get an early start on the excitement by attending the 18th Annual Seattle Mariner’s FanFest! This event is FREE for kids ages 14 and under and $10 for adults.

Safeco

FanFest runs this weekend, Saturday and Sunday, January 30-31, from 11:00am-4:00pm at SafeCo. We know that might be quite a distance for some of our readers, but this is a can’t miss event if you have a little M’s fan in your life.

Activities include:

Boeing Run Around the Bases
Get an autograph
Ride the Zip Line
Play catch in the outfield
Boeing Dugout Dialogue
Pitch in the bullpen
Tour the Mariners clubhouse
Photos with Mariners players
Check out game used equipment
Giant inflatable slide
Inflatable home run obstacle
Roof control room tours

Did I mention it’s FREE for kids? YAY!

FREE Kids’ Admission at NW Trek

January 28, 2016 by Keri Welch

Looking to get outside with your kiddos this Winter? You can get them in for FREE at NW Trek on President’s Day Weekend, Saturday, February 13-Monday, February 15. NW Trek is running a special for Kids ‘n’ Critters Weekend where up to four children are admitted free with each paying adult. There will also be discounted admission for senior citizens, Pierce county residents and members of the military. Note from SFM: I don’t think you can combine discounts, but we’ll check for you!

For this special event, tram seating is limited to the first 1,500 visitors each day. All tram tours during Kids ‘n’ Critters weekend have been shortened to a kid-friendly 30 minutes long.

We went during their last kids’ free event, and we had a great time even though several critters were hibernating! The tram ride was awesome. Just bundle up because it can get chilly out there!

Northwest Trek is open from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day of Kids ‘n’ Critters. For more information, go
to www.nwtrek.org.

Looking for more free STUFF to do with your kiddos outside? Check out these posts:

Tacoma Resident FREE Days at Point Defiance

2016 Fee FREE Days at Washington State Parks and National Parks

Marvel Universe LIVE! Ticket Discount And Costume Event With Free Tickets!

January 27, 2016 by Maegen Blue

Update-There are no longer any coupons or discount codes to Marvel Universe Live at the Tacoma Dome, but you can still get 15.00 kids’ tickets to most shows. We’ve also added our own review below!

We got to see this show in Tacoma on opening night, and we were not disappointed!

All of Henry’s favorite super heroes were in it, and it was truly action packed, with TONS of stunts and a fun storyline. If you have a superhero fan, this is going to be a highlight of your year!

Here are a few things to know before you go:

There are not any valid discount codes or deals, but you should still be able to get 15.00 kids’ tickets.
We found easy parking in one of the side streets near the Dome. You could also park at the transit center across from Freighthouse Square and walk up the hill if you don’t want to pay to use the Dome lots.
Holy souvenir gauntlet, Batman! There is a program with a comic book being offered for 20.00 outside of the venue as you wait to go in. There are also many souvenirs available as well as face painting and photo ops. Popcorn and sno cones with souvenirs start at 15.00 and were a popular choice with the kids near us.
The show is roughly two hours with a short intermission in between. It went by quickly!
All the seats really are good ones.
This is a Super Hero show, so you can expect lots of fights with bad guys. There is no bad language or anything suggestive, but if you are not comfortable with the kind of fighting typical of an Avengers movie, then this is not the show for you.
There are smoke and fire sound effects, and it is dark. This may not be for you if your child has sensory issues. You will also definitely want to remind the kids not to try this at home!
Lots of the kids near us were in costume, though there were lots in their regular clothes as well.

Bottom Line? Henry turned to me at one point and said, “This is awesome!” If you have a kiddo who loves all things superhero, you won’t want to miss this one.

Read on for our original post with more scoop and pics!

Marvel Universe LIVE! is taking the live entertainment experience to a whole new level. The show will be full of mind-blowing stunts as favorite Marvel Super Heroes including Spider-Man and The Avengers come to life in an action packed arena experience.

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The show will feature an original story bringing more than 25 Marvel icons, including Marvel Heroes you love and Super Villains you love to hate, together in one awesome quest to save the universe!

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Marvel Universe LIVE! will debut in the Puget Sound area, playing Seattle’s Key Arena from February 19th-21st, followed by performances right here at the Tacoma Dome from February 25th-28th.

Ticket Discount To Marvel Universe LIVE!

Plus, I have a deal for you! Simply use code MOMBLOG and get $5 off of tickets in the two bottom price levels. Limit 4 tickets per purchase. The code is valid until 2/18 on all shows EXCEPT the Sat 3:00, Sunday 1:00 and Thursday 7 pm (in Tacoma only). It is valid for both Key Arena and Tacoma Dome shows online, by phone, and at Box Offices!

Marvel Universe LIVE! Costume Party With Possible FREE Tickets To Opening Night

~~OR you might be able to get a ticket to opening night for FREE if you attend an amazing Marvel costume party!~~

This event will be up at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle on Wednesday, February 17th (lots of your kids will be off for President’s Week/Mid-Winter Break). This will be the largest gathering of Marvel costumed characters Seattle has ever seen, and it should be a ton of fun for you and your kids to mix and mingle with their favorite heroes. The first 200 people to arrive dressed in full Marvel character costume will receive one free show ticket to the Opening Night performances of Marvel Universe LIVE! in either Seattle or Tacoma.* Marvel fans will also have the chance to meet Marvel Universe LIVE! performers, take pictures at the Marvel Super Hero Selfie Station, and test their skills at Super Hero-themed challenges.

*vouchers valid for Seattle Key Arena Friday 7pm show & Tacoma Dome Thurs 7pm & Friday 7pm shows only

~~With prizes being given out for the best costumes, there’s also the chance to win VIP tickets to the show and super cool Marvel swag!~~

~~WHEN: Wednesday, February 17^th starting at 12:00 PM~~

WHERE: Pacific Science Center – 200 2^nd Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109

Now, I have no idea how many heroes will turn out for this, so go with your spirit of adventure. It sounds like a lot of fun! If you want a sure thing, you can head here to purchase tickets. Just be sure to use the code I mentioned above!

To discover more about Marvel Universe LIVE!, please visit www.marveluniverselive.com or follow Marvel Universe via social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. #MarvelUniverseLive @MarvelOnTour

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, however we have a longstanding media relationship with our friends at Feld Entertainment. Photos provided by and property of Feld Entertainment.

Free Waterpik From Smiles Orthodontics For New Patients When You Mention This Post!

January 27, 2016 by Maegen Blue

Oh, you know how I love a good freebie!

Our friends at Smiles Orthodontics have one Just for Sounds Fun Mom readers!

Right now, new patients who mention this ad get a FREE Waterpik when they start treatment.

Winter2016 (1)

We got one when our older son got his braces on, and it has been SUPER helpful in terms of getting those tricky spaces clean. This is a high value freebie!

You know what else is always free at Smiles? Your first consultation! Dr.Larson did a complete review of my son’s x-rays and discussed all our treatment options with us on our initial visit, and it was low pressure and easy.

As we’ve told you before, 7 is actually the perfect time to get in for that first visit. While most kiddos won’t actually start treatment at 7, this visit will help you plan, and can sometimes mean shorter (and cheaper) treatment in the future. Seriously-the only thing I wish we’d done differently is start sooner.

And if you start now, you get that free WaterPik. You can make your appointment here, or by calling (253) 848-4537

Disclosure/Legal Stuff: This is a sponsored post. You must mention this ad to receive the free Waterpik. This offer is limited to new patients starting treatment. Don’t pout-ours wasn’t free either. 🙂 We are super grateful for our sponsors, who quite literally, keep this site up and running, and to you, our readers, for patronizing them and mentioning SFM when you do! Woot!

Win Tickets To The Love And Magnets Adult Swim At The Hands-On Children’s Museum

January 27, 2016 by Maegen Blue

Are you ever jealous of all the fun your kids have when you visit the Hands-On Children’s Museum in Olympia? Maybe just a little?

If you’d like to have some grown-up fun, you’ll want to learn about the, “Adult Swim,” programs offered by the HOCM. These are fun. themed nights just for grown-ups. They’re great for a different date night, or super fun for a girl’s night out.

The next Adult Swim is on February 12th, and it features a ,”Love and Magnets,” theme. We’ve got more about the activities below. It sounds a lot more fun than another night in watching Flea Market Flip (Just us?).

Can’t quite wrap your head around a grown-up event at a children’s museum? Here are some rave reviews from previous events!

“The best part is the fact that I can crawl around like a kid again.”

“The band was particularly noteworthy – they really rocked. I even left them a tip!” (Blue Laces at BeerCraft 2015)

“Amazing space, such great activities and displays! I am blown away!”

“The HOCM art studio is outstanding – space, materials, projects – SO COOL!”

Here are some of the activities planned for the Love and Magnets event

Live jams by local funk rock band DBST
Make animal-inspired Valentines
Pose in our photo booth with some of the world’s most notable romantics
Learn the perceived effects and real science behind aphrodisiacs
Test your health knowledge and win prizes in a fun game of Jeopardy! with the Department of Health
See liquid magnets in action
Meet the team behind Siren, Seattle’s newest dating app
Get stuck to a velcro wall
Learn about mating rituals of different animals
Dissect flowers to get views of the plant usually reserved for the birds and the bees
Learn why love stinks and how pheromones give us clues to genetic compatibility
Make a personal magnet with Shipwreck Beads
Watch magnetic and electromagnetic demonstrations with activities from OlyMega

Event Details

Later party time! 7-10 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 12

Tickets: $20, Day-Of Price is $25

Adults 21+ only

You can get tickets here. You’ll save 5.00 by purchasing them in advance.

You also have a chance to win a pair of tickets here. We have two pairs to give away to two lucky readers! Each winner will be able to take a date or a pal, but leave the kiddos at home, just this once!

Ready to win?

For a first, required entry, check out this program at the HOCM website, and simply leave a comment telling us why you’d like to win!
For a second, optional entry, share this contest and come back and leave a separate comment telling us what you did. Feel free to tell your fb pals, the gang at the bus stop, or whatever. Or, hey-strategy alert: Figure out who you’d take and have him/her enter and promise to take you!
For a third, optional entry, leave a note and let us know you’d like to start receiving our new weekly newsletter. We haven’t launched these yet, but they’ll be different than our daily emails. They’ll come out just once a week, and they’ll have some exclusive content and a sneak peek at coming events!
All entries must be left as comments on this post. Leave them as separate comments to improve your odds. If you’ve never commented before, yours will go to my moderation queue, but I promise I’ll get to it.

We’ll choose a winner Sunday evening, and I’ll need to hear back within 24 hours. Please make sure to use an email you check! Winners will be notified via email-no need to keep checking the post, though we do try to update it when we have a winner. Good Luck!

Legal stuff/Disclosure: The HOCM provided the passes for this event and media recognition to the site. I was not otherwise compensated. By entering you affirm you are eligible and assume all responsibility for your experience. Sounds Fun Mom LLC has no other relationship with this event or venue. I kind of hate Valentine’s Day, but I would totally go to this. I think that covers it…….

Community Fun Fair In University Place

January 26, 2016 by Maegen Blue

A whole day of free family fun is coming up in University Place this weekend.

If you’re one of my readers near Tacoma, Fircrest, University Place, or Lakewood, don’t miss this chance to take your kids to a whole afternoon of free fun with bounce houses, carnival games, face painting, and a free lunch. That’s a lot of free!

Community-Fun_Fair

The event is sponsored by University Place Presbyterian Church, and if you’re looking for an awesome preschool, you can also check out their great school at the same time.

Sunset Christian Preschool is dedicated to developing the whole child and bringing out your little learner’s unique gifts. It’s a great choice for University Place area readers looking for that, “Just right,” preschool.

The family fun day is a free event open to all families in the community with toddlers to 5th graders-you need not be a current or prospective student. I just love a day of free fun, don’t you?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. If you attend this event or put Sunset Christian Preschool on your, “Go-see,” list, I’d be super grateful if you mentioned Sounds Fun Mom!

Five Kid Friendly Coffee Shops In The South Puget Sound

January 25, 2016 by Maegen Blue

Kid Friendly Coffee Shops Tacoma

Frog n Kiwi University Place

Update-Permanently closed. This spots is now an Anthem. There is no more play area, but we hear it’s a nice Anthem.

Red Elm Cafe Tacoma

Several readers have encouraged us to add this spot which has delicious eats and a small kids’ area (Don’t go all at once, but do go and support them)!

Antique Sandwich Company Tacoma

The Antique Sandwich Company serves lots more than coffee, but their espresso is great, and they have an area for kids in the back-think books and toys. It’s a homey, slightly funky atmosphere, and it’s close to the zoo. We recommend the milkshakes in the summer. Who are we kidding? We recommend the milkshakes all year.

Rustic Aristocrat Tacoma

This is the location that used to be Cafe Brousseau. New ownership and menu but there is still a kids’ play area. Woot! No feedback yet on the food but we hear good things about the service and the coffee.

Anthem

-by The Spar

I haven’t been to this location (Anthem seems poised to take over the corners of the South Sound not occupied by you-know-who), but they’ve got a kid friendly location near Old Town Park, the Job Carr Museum, and the Ruston Way Waterfront. Get a cup here, and then enjoy all kinds of walks and fun. You can also go across the street to the Spar if you need something more filling. They have a small selection of books and toys for kids to play with and great fish and chips.

Gig Harbor MarKee is another spot I haven’t been to, and I believe they have new ownership (someone correct me if I’m wrong, please). It hosts quite a few all ages events and fundraisers for schools, so at least we know they like kids!

Manifesto Tacoma

This is another reader recommendation for a spot I haven’t checked out personally. If you go, I’d love a review!

Discovery Village Gig Harbor

This is a children’s museum/play area, so you’ll have to pay admission, but it’s a fantastic spot if you have little kids, and they have a small cafe area with delicious espresso and baked goods.

Cool Bean Espresso South Hill/Puyallup

I had a coffee date with some pals here. There is a *small* selection of kids’ books/games, and I thought the overall atmosphere was fairly child friendly. The chairs are high, which is a downside, but it was quiet and uncrowded with lots of space between customers, and the bathroom was clean and had a changing table.

WiggleWorks South Hill Mall Puyallup

Lovely sponsor alert! No, they aren’t a coffee place. But….they do offer FREE coffee until noon on Mondays with your admission, And a discount when you come with a friend. So, if what you were really looking for was a chance to enjoy a little coffee break with a pal without losing your mind……well, here you go! Tell ’em I sent you!

Sadly, a few other spots recommended to us seem to have closed (Cosmopolitan in Orting) or eliminated their kids’ area (Common Ground in Renton).

If you do know of one we missed, let us know!

Meet Up Monday At Wiggle Works

January 25, 2016 by Maegen Blue

A quick reminder that it’s Meet-Up Monday at WiggleWorks at the South Hill Mall from 10AM-12.

Just bring along a pal, and you’ll score the group rate AND a free cup of coffee. Plus, there is a story time with Captain McFinn at 12:30 Note that you only have to bring ONE friend to get the group deal on meet-up Mondays. You can come up with one pal who needs a break today, right?

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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: If you’ve got little ones, this is THE place to be. Safe, fun, and clean. Your kiddos will always have a ball, and you can take a short break from serving as the entertainment committee!

If you can’t make it today, this is now a regular event. You can keep up with them on their fb page for all their specials and fun.

Disclosure: WiggleWorks is a site sponsor, and we LOVE them. If you have a chance to mention Sounds Fun Mom on your next visit, we’d sure appreciate it.