Archives for June 2016

4th of July Festival in Auburn

June 30, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

Updated for 2017

Looking for fun and family friendly 4th of July events near Auburn? Have I got a plan for you! Head to Les Gove Park in Auburn for a full day of old-fashioned fun for all ages, including kids’ rides and activities, plus vendors, food, live entertainment, and much more.

Tuesday, July 4, 2017
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Les Gove Park, 1005 12th Street SE
FREE (purchase wristband for $5 unlimited activities)

The event includes a noon bike parade for the kids (meet East of the Bocce Courts), live entertainment on two stages, an arts & craft area with over 50 artists, a car show, 17 inflatable rides, a rock wall, euro-bungy trampolines, train rides and more-including mini golf, food vendors, and bocce just to start with!

4th of July Wristband sales begin at 10:00 AM. You can purchase a wristband for $5 for unlimited activities which include 17 inflatable rides, tubs o’ fun, bungy trampolines, rock wall, train rides, mini golf, two pony carousels, R.C. Truck Racing and balloon art.

Leashed, licensed and well-behaved pets welcome. More event information is here!

4th of July Festival 2012

Do note that all of Auburn’s signature events are popular. Read the parking and driving directions before you go, take our Facebook readers’ advice and arrive as early as you can, and bring your spirit of adventure!

We know lots of you do this one yearly, so feel free to leave your best tips, too!

We also have our whole list of 4th of July events and fireworks displays here!

Disclosure: We are proud to have a media partnership with Auburn Parks.

Nature Walks for Kids: Silver Creek Trail in Puyallup

June 30, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

Have you explored the Silver Creek Trail in Puyallup?

If you’ve never heard of this nature trail just a minute or two from the Puyallup fairgrounds, you’re not alone! I found it on the city website a while back, but the trail is tucked into a quiet, residential neighborhood-you won’t find it by accident! You also wont’ find a map of the Silver Creek Trail to speak of, so I’ll try to help out with that here!

There are two segments to this trail. Both are short and flat-not long enough to be a hike, but perfect if you want to get a toddler out on a little nature ramble without going too far away.

You’ll find the first segment just down the street from where 12th Ave and 11th Street SW meet up. The first bit goes right next to some houses. The path is old pavement next to fields. Soon, you find pretty Silver Creek (it’s protected, so don’t let the kiddos go in it, even though they’ll want to). This bit is super short, but it smells amazing right now, I think from honeysuckle. There were also bees all over it, but they were sticking to the flowers-just don’t try and pick one!

The second segment is a few yards down the road on the opposite side. You can also enter this part from the other end off 10th Ave SW. It starts next to the creek, but quickly turns into woods. There is an informational sign at both entrances, as well as a couple of benches.

When you reach the 2nd bench, you can go left and skirt between houses until you meet the street. Here you’ll see a sign pointing the way to Another creek trail-this one Meeker Creek. If you want to extend your walk, cross the street and follow that sign along another short, flat path.

Length wise this is a short outing-definitely a nature walk, not a hike. You’re also always in site of rooftops, so it doesn’t exactly feel like the wilderness. I think it’s just perfect for my Puyallup area friends with toddlers and preschoolers who want to walk by themselves, but don’t want to go far. We saw and heard a hawk, and spotted plenty of songbirds, and even a frog! It’s a lot of nature without much effort at all.

If you go: Entrances are where 12th Ave and 11th Street SW meet-look for the signs. Alternatively, the longer of the two trail segments can be entered from 10th Ave across from the Meeker Creek Trail. There are no bathrooms. There are bags provided to pick up after dogs. You can park along the shoulder; it’s a quiet, residential area. If you go with pals, try to carpool. The trails here are part of an extensive restoration project. If you’re interested, you can read more about that here.

If this one leaves you wanting more, you’re super close to the historic fish hatchery, which is open to the public for free exploration, as well as Clarks Creek South, a good place for play and hiking, and even DeCourssey, which has a short walk around a pond and a fun playground.

If this isn’t near you, try our post on 10 Great Nature Walks for Kids. It has fun choices all over!

50 FREE or Almost FREE Things to Do in the South Sound This Summer

June 28, 2016 by Keri Welch 4 Comments

Updated for 2018

When you’ve got all summer long to keep the kiddos having fun, things can get pricy. We’re here to help! Try out all kinds of these things for FREE or nearly FREE all summer long. Put them on your summer bucket list, write them on your calendar, or gather friends to do something fun!

PS If you like this post, we think you’ll LOVE the weekend lists we put up on the home page every Friday! Or get it right to your inbox on Thursday as our weekly newsletter!

Get Wet!

1. We’ve got a huge list of places to cool off in the summer sun. Try out one of many South Sound spraygrounds, fountains, splash pads or pools from Auburn to Olympia!

All the spray grounds, fountains, and splash pads are FREE. The pools have modest fees.

2. If something a little more outdoorsy is more your speed, try out an area lake that’s great for swimming! We’ve got a huge list of Great Lakes for Swimming in the South Sound.

A couple spots charge for parking but most are totally free.

Great lakes for swimming in the South Sound

Lake Tapps North, photo courtesy Pierce County

3. Explore one of the Best Beaches for Kids in the South Puget Sound. One of our family favs is Dash Point City Park. There is fishing pier, a little playground, sandy beach that turns rocky, and beautiful sunsets that you can only get in the PNW. The only charge for beach exploration is if you go to a state park requiring a Discover WA Pass, or there are a few city parks where you may need to pay to park.

4. Kiddos can stay busy for a very long time by playing in the sand. Choose from one of the Best South Sound Beaches with Sand, or make a day of it and drive to the ocean!

5. Explore the beach at low tide and find all kinds of critters and sea life. Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists will be at various South Sound beaches throughout the summer to help us all learn more about the amazing marine life that surrounds Puget Sound and what we can do to make sure it’s around for generations to come. The link has info. on similar programs from Harbor WildWatch, Metro Parks Tacoma, and the South Sound Estuary Association. There is one near you no matter where you live around here! All of these programs are FREE. You will need a Discover WA pass if you go to a state park.

6. Go fishing! Keep summer days easy with fishing at a local pier or river. You can even stop by Jim’s U-Fish in Spanaway if you want more of a sure thing! There are also animals to feed and pet here. This one can add up a bit, but readers have said it’s loads of fun and worth a one day splurge.

7. Try one of Five Fun Swimming Pools for South Sound Kids. One of our favs is Kandle Pool in Tacoma, which has the first wave pool in Pierce County. There are fees here, but they’re a great deal compared to a water park or a trip that requires plane tickets! Oh, and kids 4 and under are FREE.

8. If you rather stay out of the sun and get wet indoors, we’ve got a great list of Cool Indoor Pools in the South Sound just for kids! Entrance to the Covington Pool for a family is only $13.50 and kiddos under age 4 are FREE.

Cool indoor pools for kids tacoma, covington

The Octopus at the Covington Pool

9. Splash and explore at the Mashell River in Eatonville. It’s great for kiddos who are a little bigger. And, my kids never seem to tire of skipping rocks.

10. Have you ever played at Wildwood Park in Puyallup? It has a teensy little crick just right for preschool splashing and mucking around. There is also great shade and paved and unpaved trails to explore. It’s totally FREE.

11. The Mast Center at Redondo is such a treasure! It’s a small aquarium with touch tanks, and it’s totally FREE to visit. 10-2 every Saturday, and Thursday evenings from 4-7.

12.Get in on the painted rock craze and you’ll be creating and hunting for painted rocks at area parks in no time. So much fun!

Opt Outside

13. Try a new to you playground. Here’s our list of Best South Sound Playgrounds.

14. What little transportation lover doesn’t want to Touch a Truck?! Explore some of the biggest trucks around that service your community. Get all the details on upcoming events in our South Sound Touch a Truck Roundup. Don’t miss the new one coming to Fife in early August! FREE or low cost events.

15. One of our favorite things to do in the South Sound is explore a nature trail. Here’s our list of Ten South Sound Nature Walks Perfect for Young Hikers. Hylebos Wetlands in Federal Way is a great first start! FREE except for locations requiring passes.

16. If you’re ready to explore an actual hike, you can’t go wrong with Mt. Rainier. We’ve wrangled some of the best hikes near Mt. Rainier for kiddos!

If you actually go in the park, you will have to pay for a pass unless you go on a FREE day! For hikes outside the park the pass you’ll need varies, so do check on that. Got someone who just finished 4th grade? You can go to national parks for FREE through August!

Free activities with kids in the South Sound

Skookum Falls

17. Are your littles not yet ready for hiking or nature trails? Try one of the beautiful South Sound Stroller Friendly Trails. If you’ve got one with a bike and one in the stroller, try out the Puyallup Foothills Trail, which is wide enough for all of you!

18. Explore one of our many state parks or a national park for FREE on one of the Fee Free Days.

Fee Free Days Washington state parks and national parks

The nature trail at Dash Point State Park

19. Have you tried geocaching yet? There are some great caches in Pt Defiance, with some easily discovered near the Rose Garden area. Or, take a hike where you can find some that are slightly more difficult.

20. Now that it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a visit to the Puyallup Fish Hatchery should be on your summer agenda! Explore the Educational Center if it’s open and take a walk around the hatchery to see the fish. You can even hike into Clark’s Creek Park if you’re up for more adventure.

Free Your Mind

21. Sign up for a Library Summer Reading Program, where your kiddos can avoid the summer slide and win cool prizes, too! When you go in to sign up be sure to get a list of all the awesome programs being offered for FREE and mark some on your calendar so you don’t forget!

22. Hit up a museum for free! There are FREE days during each month at area Tacoma and Seattle museums. Or, go on your own schedule by checking out a pass from your library.

23. Catch an excellent planetarium show at Pierce College that’s just for kids! Shows are just 6.00 for ages 3-12 and FREE for everyone else. If you’ve never been, definitely make sure it’s on your bucket list this summer.

24. For only $3/parking you can explore the beautiful Nisqually Wildlife Refuge near Olympia. Kids will have extra fun becoming Junior Wildlife Refuge Managers while you’re here.

25. Do your kiddos enjoy getting dirty in the garden? How about signing them up for FREE gardening classes with the Pierce County Master Gardeners in Puyallup. These programs are FREE and include a short story time, lesson and activities. Programs are designed for children ages 3-11.

Get the Wiggles Out

26. Need a place for your kids to play a game that won’t make a mess in your house? Sign them up for Kids Bowl FREE all summer long!

27. Tiffany’s Skate Inn in Puyallup doesn’t offer free skating, but they do have lots of fun deals and a new mini golf place next door! Feel free to tell us about your favorite roller rinks, too!

Beat the Heat Indoors

28. No AC at home? Getting cranky with the stickiness of summer? Hit up one of the many South Sound Mall Play Areas. Meet up with friends and make it extra fun! Unless you do some shopping, it’s always Free to play!

29. You can also opt for an Indoor Playground. We suggest investing in the unlimited play pass from WiggleWorks. Yes, it will cost you upfront, but if you go enough you can get each visit down to just a couple of bucks (or less). Challenge accepted!

30. Got tiny history buffs? Try the pay-as-you-can Job Carr Cabin Museum. They have special summer story times and take home crafts on Fridays.

31. Catch a cheap movie! Regal Summer Movie Express is offering $1 movies on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings this summer.

Catch a Show

32. There are all kinds of FREE Summer Concerts and Shows for Kids in the South Sound all summer long!

Fun with Recess Monkey

33. Want something a little more magical? Enjoy the sights and thrills of magician Jeff Evans! He brings the magic of science alive to kids in a way that’s engaging, entertaining and FUN! Check out the schedule of FREE shows all summer long featuring Jeff!

34. Nothing says summer like FREE outdoor movies under the stars! We’ve got a HUGE list of Outdoor Summer Movies in the South Sound just for you and your kiddos!

Visit a Fair or Festival

35. There is an awesome variety of festivals around the South Sound all summer long. You could go to a different one each weekend.

36.The Pierce County Fair is coming up the 9th-12th. While not free, you can have a very reasonably priced time at this fair that has a more rural, small town feel than the, “Big One.”

37. Hit the Kid Kraze with Pierce County Parks and Rec

Our 2nd annual Kidz Kraze Children’s Festival is a FREE event for kids ages 3-12 and their families. The festival will feature a bounce house and obstacle course, lego workshop by Bricks 4 Kidz Tacoma, arts & crafts by Art Studio27, field games and more! Brew Dog will be on-site serving hot dogs and festival fare!

38. Celebrate your small town at one of these great events:

Kent Cornucopia Days July 13-15. South King county’s largest family festival features a street fair, parade, entertainment, and more.
Pacific Days – Friday-Sunday, July 13-15. 4-9PM Friday; 11-9 Saturday; 11-4 Sunday Music, parade, food trucks, vendors, and more family fun.
SummerFest in Lakewood – Saturday, July 14, 11:00am-11:00pm. FREE all day festival with activities, food, entertainment, car show, Kids’ Zone and more! Free outdoor movie in the evening, too!
Capital Lakefair, Lacey – Wednesday-Sunday, July 11-15. Enjoy a parade, fireworks, and rides.Covington Days – Saturday and Sunday, July 21 and 22nd. This official SeaFair event includes a parade, carnival, and kids’ activities.Gig Harbor Summer Arts Festival – July 21 and 22nd Saturday, times TBA. Art on display on the waterfront. In the past there have also been children’s activities, food, and vendors.Renton River Days – Friday-Sunday, July 27-29. An annual multi-day family festival featuring events and activities for kids, arts and crafts, reception, food, and live entertainment.Enumclaw Street Fair – Friday/Saturday, July 27,28 10:00am-7:00pm. This street fair includes a family fun zone with rides and games, live music, craft vendors, family activities, basketball tournament, farmer’s market, and more!

39. The Kite Festival at Chambers Creek (Saturday, August 4th 10:00am-3:00pm) is fun for the whole family! Head down to the Central Meadow for an amazing day of kite demonstrations, family kite flying, face painting, bounce houses, and more! The first 250 kids will have an opportunity to make their own kites!

Take a Day Trip

40. Hop in the car for a day trip! There is so much variety all within 3 hours driving distance of Tacoma, including Leavenworth, Port Townsend, and Snoqualmie Falls!

41. Head to Seattle for the day! The kids will get a kick out of the simple pleasures such as exploring Pike Place Market, the Gum Wall, and the Olympic Sculpture Park. Also worth a visit is the Ballard Locks, where kids will be mesmerized by boats passing through the locks or viewing the salmon in the fish ladder.

Our friend Angela at The Coupon Project also has a big list of frugal outings in Seattle.

Good Eats! Chow down at a free lunch site; eat ALL the ice cream you can, or send off summer at an August festival or street fair.

42. Kids can eat FREE lunches all summer long at locations all across the Puget Sound. Find the location nearest you at USDA Summer Food Rocks site. These are usually offered at local parks and schools and sometimes have free fun and games, too.

43. Community festivals and street fairs also abound in August.

Frederickson Community Festival – Saturday, August 11, 9:00am-3:00pm. The annual Freddie Fest features a car show, chili cook-off, and local vendors.

AuburnFest, Auburn Saturday, August 11, 11:00am-8:00pm

Held at Les Gove park, there will be live entertainment, a car show, literary fair plus lots of free kid’s activities.

Bonney Lake Days – August 18 This festival is VERY family friendly with Kids Zone, chalk art competition, parade, and more!

Milton Days– August 18 Events and activities TBA.

44. While this isn’t free, getting ice cream is a cheap outing that your kiddos will LOVE. Hit up one of our Reader’s Favorite Ice Cream Spots in the South Sound! Don’t miss Ice Cream Social if you’re near Tacoma!

45. Summer fun should always include some berry picking! Be sure to put this one on the calendar because it always seems to sneak up on us with everything else going on all summer. For where to get the best berries, head to our South Sound Berry Picking Guide.

South Sound Pride

46. If you haven’t been to Cabela’s in Lacey or Bass Pro Shop in Tacoma, summer is the perfect opportunity. How can you resist a free excursion with a description like this: the 185,000-square-foot retail showroom is an educational and entertainment attraction, featuring a decor of museum-quality animal displays, huge aquariums and trophy animals interacting in realistic re-creations of their natural habitats. Bass Pro Shop boasts a 12,000-gallon freshwater aquarium, 3-D diorama of a running waterfall with mountain lion, big horn sheep, and mountain goats against a backdrop mural of Mount Rainier, not to mention the unique bowling alley!

47. Got a kid who is into military history? Visit the McChord Air Museum for FREE, Wednesday-Friday, 12:00pm-4:00pm, and as of April 2016 open to the public. There are specific document requirements for gaining access to the base, so be sure to check those out before promising your kiddos this one!

48. Kitsap Live Steamers invites you to Port Orchard on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month through October to ride a miniature steam train for FREE (donations are welcome).

49. Have you been to the new Point Ruston? The Playground on the Waterwalk is made to look like a large ferry, and kiddos can pretend they are charting their own course across the Sound. You’ll also want to check out the Grand Plaza Sprayground, open from noon-10pm, daily. This is more of a splashpad for littles, but it’s free and lots of fun! Note there is now a charge to park in the garage at Point Ruston.

50. Visit Daddy or Mommy at work for lunch! This can be a fun way for the kids to see what Daddy or Mommy does, and also break up the long workday! Find a nearby park to make it a fuller trip, and explore the area. There may even be other family members who would enjoy a visit like this from your kiddos!

If all else fails, a good old fashioned slip n slide from Target is always fun!

Need still More ideas?

You can find even more fun in our complete summer guide! We’ll also have our awesome weekend round ups every Friday all summer long plus more playground reviews, hike reports, and outing ideas the rest of the week! We’d love to see you every day!

PS If you liked this post, we think you’ll Love Our Emails

South Sound Family Friendly 4th of July Events and Fireworks Shows

June 27, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

Go here for the 2017 edition of this list. I promise it’s worth the click. Thanks!

Here’s our 2016 round up of family friendly places to take the kids to see fireworks or enjoy other old-fashioned fun on the 4th of July around here. Most big South Sound celebrations include fun and free things to do with the kids during the day on the 4th as well as fireworks shows if you’re going to stay up that late. If you appreciate this guide, we would LOVE it if you shared it.

Tacoma 4th of July Events for Families

Family Fourth at the Fort, Fort Dent Park, Tukwila

This is an all day event, capped off with evening fireworks at 10PM! Lots of fun for the family including bouncy houses, slides, and entertainment.

Renton’s Fabulous Fourth, Coulon Beach

Enjoy free KidZone activities including Orbitron Spin, Giant Inflatable Slide, Obstacle Course, Ball Pond, and face-painting from 12pm-8pm. Professional fireworks display at 10pm. Many other activities!

4th of July Splash: Lake Meridian Park

Enjoy a variety of games, family activities and art projects from 12pm-10:30pm. Fireworks finale over Lake Meridian at 10PM. You’re encouraged to park at one of the off-site locations and take a shuttle bus. If you haven’t been to Lake Meridian before, check out our full review of this awesome park. It’s also on our list of Great Lakes for Swimming in the South Sound.

Fireworks over Des Moines

All day festivities at Des Moines Beach Park, including food trucks, fireworks, and more family friendly fun

4th of July Festival, Auburn, Les Gove Park

This event runs from 11am-4pm. Free activities include the kids’ bike parade at noon, bocce, White River Valley Museum entry, face painting, spray park, the Discovery Playground and a 5 & Under Indoor Playground. You can also purchase wristbands for additional rides and activities.

4th of July events for families Tacoma, Des Moines, Puyallup, Lakewood

Red, White, and Blues Festival, Federal Way

On site parking begins at 3pm, and the festival starts at 4pm. This year’s festival features international cultural performances, live blues, rock and dance music from Puget Sound artists, food and fun activities for the entire family, and Fireworks Display at 10:15 PM.

4th of July Parade, Enumclaw

Come to downtown Enumclaw and enjoy the 4th of July parade from 12pm-1pm. The parade route includes Cole St.

Fireworks in Enumclaw

Enjoy the 4th of July watching the Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce Fireworks Display at Southwood Elementary Soccer Fields. Fireworks will start at 9:45.

Puyallup

There are no public fireworks displays scheduled in Puyallup this year. But, you can always look up from wherever you are in Puyallup and see what your friends and neighbors are doing! You can enjoy daytime fun at the Meeker Mansion downtown (see below).

Meeker Mansion, Puyallup

Family Social & Puyallup Community Band Concert on the 4th from 2pm-5pm. Enjoy family games plus strawberry treats. The Puyallup Valley Band plays at 3pm.

Airshow in Tacoma for the 4th of July

Tacoma’s Freedom Fair

Spend the day at Ruston Way for Freedom Fair, featuring 4th of July activities, airshows, great food, vendors, exhibits, rides, and events. Northwest’s biggest firework show over Puget Sound at 10:10pm. We strongly suggest you utilize the free shuttle rather than trying to find a place to park.

JBLM Freedom Fest

Freedom Fest offers a day of fun, food, carnival rides, games, music, fireworks and more! However, they are aiming for a smaller scale event open to their JBLM families this year, so this one is NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR 2016.

DuPont July 4th: A Hometown Celebration

Full day of activities beginning with a pancake breakfast and parade. Kids’ activities follow at Clocktower park; fireworks at dusk at Patriot’s Landing.

Independence Day in Steilacoom

Lafayette Street open to the public for the day-long July 4th Celebration beginning at 9am and culminating in fireworks. Come join in the fun! Note from SFM: I cannot find updated info. for 2016, but this is an annual event, so I’m reasonably sure it’s going on. You may want to call.

Eatonville Fireworks + Parade

Eatonville does a fireworks display and other fun on the evening of the 3rd, with a parade and more on the 4th at noon.

Independence Day Parade, Tumwater

City of Tumwater hosts an afternoon parade, followed by fun and activities at the golf course, with a fireworks finale at 10:15. Admission is free; parking at the course is $10/car.

Gig Harbor

No organized displays that I know about, but try to get yourself invited to a party overlooking a small body of water, and you should have a good show!

4th of July Sinclair Inlet Fireworks Show, Port Orchard/Bremerton

Drawing crowds of 60,000 or more, the show is visible to Bremerton, the Naval Shipyard, and Port Orchard areas. Show begins at 10:30pm.

So many options! Which one will you and your family choose? Whatever you do, stay safe and have fun celebrating freedom! After all of that, be sure to check out more summer fun in our guide.

Playground Report: Meadow Crest Playground in Renton

June 27, 2016 by Maegen Blue 2 Comments

Writer mom Tiffany has another great park report on a fun spot for kids in Renton that she says is worth the trip for playground loving kids all over!

This unique park in Renton is advertised as a playground for all ages and abilities. Barriers to wheelchairs and walkers such as sand, curbs around equipment and wood chips aren’t a part of this park. Instead, artificial turf, wheelchair ramps, and cushy rubber surfaces make it easier for everyone to get around. I visited recently with my 12- year- old daughter and 9- year- old son.

Saucer on playground at Meadow Crest

The playground has four distinct play areas, each with a sign posting the recommended ages for that particular structure. A wavy walkway goes around the entire play space and is great for trikes or wheelchairs. While taking this path, kids can fuel up at the pretend gas station, or make music on the oversized drums, chimes, noise makers and xylophone.

All of the usual play structures are present, including interactive panels in each area. There are a few unique additions:

Accessible playground in Renton WA

The “Sway Fun” has two large bench seats accessible via a ramp. Kids can sit on the seats opposite one another and move to make the structure sway gently back and forth.
A 25 foot- long caterpillar to climb, which is colorful, detailed and very popular among the kids!
The swing set in the Active Play area (ages 5-12) is equipped with huge, enclosed seats (like a baby swings, but much bigger) along with a big saucer swing that fits several kids at once.
One feature my kids loved was a spinner that was like an open circle set at an angle. They walked on it, sat and spun on it, and balanced–or tried to!
Another big spinner features high sides for sitting upright inside and fits several kids at once for spinning.
In the active play area, a long climbing wall which resembles trees and rocks connects to a tube slide.

Caterpillar at meadow crest

Ample seating and two covered areas for adults and babies is a great feature. A central covered area with picnic tables allows parents to sit in the shade and see almost every play area. Benches are also scattered around the periphery. A bathroom was clean and close by.

This park is definitely worth the trip. Bring a picnic, but don’t bring your dog. Dogs (other than service animals) aren’t allowed; we found out the hard way!

Meadow Crest Park is at : 3000 NE 16th St, Renton, WA 98056

Hours: Mon-Thurs after 4:30 PM (open to Meadow Crest Early Learning Center only during school hours) All day Fri-Sun and during school holidays and summer break.

Tiffany Doerr Guerzon

For more great places for your summer fun bucket list, be sure to check out our list of Best Playgrounds!

If you’d like to write a playground review for us, drop a line to soundsfunmom@gmail.com! Play On!

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun and Things To Do June 24th-26th!

June 24, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

Friday

Blast from the Past Day at the Puyallup Public Library Drop in and try old-fashioned games like hula hooping and jump rope for a small prize.

KidsDay in Auburn Full day of FREE fun for kids! Crafts, touch-a-truck, inflatables, rides, and much more!

School age kids are invited to learn about rock hounding at the Tillicum Library

Louie Foxx at the Key Center Library Magician/stunt guy performs an interactive, high energy show at 1:30; you may want to call and check time-listing says AM, which makes me think it could really be 11:30……

Charlie the Noise guy performs at the Gig Harbor Library at 10:30 Human sound effects machine! Amazing!

Family Movie Night and Glow Party at WiggleWorks 6-8PM Movie starts at six, but you can arrive any time.Popcorn and pizza by the slice for sale. Free glow bracelet for the kids! How fun is this?!

Harry Potter event at Barnes and Noble stores 7PM coloring, trivia, and more Leave your muggles at home!

Free indoor movie at the STAR Center. It’s the Lion King. 8:45….I know…that’s late

All Weekend

Taste of Tacoma at Pt.Defiance free admission, 30+ food trucks and vendors, kids’ carnival. You’re strongly encouraged to take the free shuttle from TCC.

Yelm Prairie Days at the city park

Saturday, June 25th

All Over

Kids’ Club at Michael’s Stores 2.00/child for 30 minute sessions 10-12 It’s popsicle stick puppets from Finding Dory today. You can also check out their summer kids’ classes, Camp Creativity.

Lowes Build and Grow It’s an Iron Man figure today. Advance registration is now required for these popular, free building events for kids.

Secret Life of Pets event at PetSmart free poster and photo op for first 100 kids, plus free movie ticket with purchase-not sure on the amount. Have you been to a PetSmart event? I’d love to know how crowded they are.

South King County

Class for new babysitters at Seattle Children’s South in Federal Way Registration and fees required

Open hours at the Mary Olsen Farm in Auburn See the restored farm house and grounds; quiet,low key outing-nice place to pack a picnic, and the kids will like seeing the chickens.

The Exercise Everything Show at the Muckleshoot Library Show with comedy stunt guy Alex Zerbe Kids will LOVE him!

Visit the HCC Mast Center at Redondo The center and its touch tanks of sea critters are free and open to the public every Saturday from 10-2

Beyond

It’s Slug Fest at Northwest Trek special slug-themed games and activities included with admission. Also Sunday. Note from SFM: Trek admission is Spendy, but it does include you tram ride and access to the super cool new playground, so it makes for a full day of fun once you’re in.

Puyallup/South Hill/Sumner/Greater Pierce

Food Truck Frenzy at Bradley Lake Park Variety of vendors on site.

Something Enchanted Garden Party at the South Hill Mall stories, crafts, and a special time with WiggleWorks and the Daffodil princesses

Free kids’ gardening class in Puyallup with the master gardeners. It’s carnivorous plants today!

Youth Day at Mother Earth Farm Half day volunteer experience with learning, scavenger hunt, and tasting. Ages 6 and up-kids must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday night cruz-in at Sunrise Village

Tacoma Highland Games Get your kilt on and celebrate all things Highland Clannish at Frontier Park

Building Madness at the Graham Library at 10AM Drop in and build!

Keep reading for Tacoma listings and MORE! [Read more…]

Taste Of Tacoma 2016

June 23, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

It’s officially festival season! One of our favorites, The Taste of Tacoma, is coming up this weekend!

There will be tons of yummy food, of course, plus activities for the kids and more.

Admission is Free! You’ll want to bring money for your grub…..and maybe your comfy pants!

Taste of Tacoma 2010 – Courtesy of Festivals Inc.

I get to be a celebrity food judge this year, and I’m super excited. Honestly, I’m excited not to be eating food shaped like nuggets! I’ll be doing a quick Facebook Live Friday morning to give you a look at some of the family activities, so be sure to look for that.

The Taste of Tacoma features tasty treats from over 30 food trucks and specialty restaurants. You can get everything from strawberry shortcake to alligator on a stick! Do you think I’ll end up eating alligator? I’ll let you know…..

Taste of Tacoma 2010 – Festivals Inc.

No item or combo. plate is over 10.00 (Love that!) and every restaurant has one, “Bite,” item that is just 3.75.

There is also a variety of live entertainment, vendors, and demos.

It’s smaller than the Bite of Seattle, which is a good thing, in my opinion! There’s enough great food to nosh yourself silly, but it’s still possible to have a conversation with your foodie pals and actually enjoy yourself. It’s all at beautiful Point Defiance, and I know it’s drizzly now, but the weather is supposed to be improving just in time for the weekend!

Big thing to know if you’re new? Don’t try to park there! There is all kinds of construction going on by the zoo right now, so take the shuttle from TCC instead. It’s FREE, and it will save you a huge headache.

Emerald Queen Casino’s Taste of Tacoma® presented by BECU is June 24-26 at Point Defiance. You can get more information right here, and at their Facebook page, and, of course, look for our posts, too! If you’re a regular, we’d love for you to leave tips and tell us what dishes we have to try.

Don’t Miss KidsDay in Auburn Friday, June 24th!

June 22, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

Guys! KidsDay from Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation is coming up Friday, and you do not want to miss this full day of FREE fun just for kids! It’s totally worth the trip for families anywhere nearby!

It all happens at Les Gove Park, 910 Ninth Street SE on Friday, June 24, from 11AM-4PM.

There will be inflatable rides, children’s activities, live stage entertainment, mini golf, hands-on art activities, food concessions, over 100 information/activity vendors, a food court and much more.

Back again are the popular bungee trampolines, free face painting, and a heavy equipment/vehicle display!

Also returning by popular demand is the ArtRageous Zone, which invites attendees to work alongside professional artists to create their own art. Activities will include screen painting and super hero cape making! How great is that??

This year’s event has an exciting line-up of stage entertainment, too, kicked off with Eric Herman & The Thunder Puppies and followed by Recess Monkey, The Noiseguy, Elephant Umbrella presented by the KCLS and more!

Parking is available in and around the park, with overflow parking at Grace Community Church and street parking surrounding the park.

My boys and I have gone to this event several times and always had fun. The lines for the inflatables get long, so you might want to encourage your kiddos to check out other stuff because there is so much to do. Climbing in the big rigs was always Henry’s favorite!

We also like to go early or late in the day for even more fun with lighter crowds. You will want a little money for vendors/food, but there is seriously TONS to do for free. I don’t know any event in the area that offers quite so much for kids to do for so little.

For additional event information, parking information, a festival map or entertainment schedule, go to www.auburnwa.gov/events or call 253-931-3043. You can also check out the event details on Facebook.

Auburn’s KidsDay 2016 is coordinated by the City of Auburn Parks, Arts & Recreation, with support from Fred Meyer Stores, UW Valley Medical Center, Community Health Plan of Washington, Amerigroup and Seattle Children’s South Clinic. A big shout out to 100.7 The Wolf for their media support of Auburn’s KidsDay 2016.

Auburn Parks is hosting our playdates in the park this summer, and we are pleased to help promote their great events in exchange! They’re seriously the best-tell ’em I said so if you have a chance!

Let’s Hike With The Kids: The Nisqually Wildlife Refuge

June 22, 2016 by Maegen Blue 1 Comment

The Nisqually Wildlife Refuge (full name-Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge) is a great hike to do with kids near Olympia and Tacoma. It’s even stroller friendly in parts, making it a fun and easy nature walk for the whole family, especially your bird lovers.

My family and I head here often. There is a small, natural playground where kids are encouraged to build with logs, fill buckets with mud, and generally muck around. It’s on the dreary side in the winter but fun in the warmer months. We do recommend doing it after your walk.

The visitor’s center has some nice educational exhibits explaining the unique habitat here as well as a gift shop. You can also check here about activities, and if you have time (Hidden Gem alert) the kids can become junior wildlife refuge managers (similar to earning a junior ranger badge).

There are several trails to choose from at the refuge. All are flat and easy enough for even young hikers. The one note is that the boardwalk trails do get slick during wet or frosty months.

We typically take the boardwalk trail out to the picnic table by the barns, and then cut over and walk out on the boardwalk over the water. This is really neat to do-just keep in mind that if you go all the way, you’ll be doing some real distance, and somehow the way back is always a little longer than the way there! The part of this trail that extends over the water is also closed during several months in the fall for hunting season. It’s open now.

You’ll have the most fun if you bring along a camera or binoculars the kids can use, though there are many viewing areas along the way if you forgot yours. There is a nice bathroom at the center, and a not-at-all nice set of porta potties near the barns.

You will want to dress for the weather. It’s an open spot, and during the winter there can be a chilling wind off the water. During the summer, a sun hat is a good idea.

It costs just 3.00 to park at the refuge. There is no other admission charge. Do keep in mind that this is a refuge, not a park-no one expects your kids to be quiet; just don’t plan on flying a kite or playing catch, and leave the dog at home! It’s a popular place, and you’ll see lots of grandparents introducing kids to nature, and avid birdwatchers year round. The visitor information page has hours and directions.

Sign Up Now For Free Technology Camp For Kids At Apple Stores!

June 21, 2016 by Maegen Blue Leave a Comment

Woot! Apple Stores have just announced their annual, FREE technology day camps for kids 8-12. This year kids can choose from making stop motion movies, coding, and other topics. These are three day camps that run an hour and a half on three consecutive days, and the South Sound stores I checked are offering three different times the week of July 18th.

Some slots and topics are already full, and the rest will go lightning fast, so if you want in…..go NOW!

Free Kids Camps at Apple

From the link, you’ll want to choose your state and then select your store, topic, and session.

The only downside? Your kiddos will probably be wanting some very expensive, “Toys,” at the end of their session-something to think about before you sign up! Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Been before? We’d love your reviews! For more traditional camps on all kinds of topics, be sure to check our guide in the menu bar!

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