Archives for December 2017

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun and Things to Do December 29th, 30th, and New Year’s Eve!

December 29, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Is it seriously almost 2018? Crazy, right? Here’s a list of fun things to do with the kids around Tacoma and the rest of the South Puget Sound this weekend. We also have family friendly ideas for New Year’s Eve and some suggestions for New Year’s Day, too!

Thank you for letting us be part of your 2017. We hope 2018 is your most fun year ever! As always, on holiday weekends, we encourage you to use the links we provided to double check event details.

Ongoing Holiday Events

It’s the last weekend for most of these fun events!

Fantasy Lights, Spanaway Nov. 23, 2017-Jan. 1, 2018

The largest holiday drive-through display in the Northwest, featuring nearly 300 elaborate displays and thousands of sparkling lights.

Zoolights at Point Defiance Zoo Nightly through January 1st

Ivar’s Clam Lights in Renton, Nightly through January 1st

Holiday with Lights at Wild Waves in Federal Way. December 31st is the last day for this one!

Visit the Gingerbread Showcase Through the 1st-It’s in the lobby area; no set hours

Ice Skate at Point Ruston Tacoma’s temporary outdoor rink has a new location at Point Ruston this year!

Model Train Festival continues at the Washington State History Museum.

Friday

Life-Size Board Games at the Key Center Library 11AM-12:30

Drop in and play life-size board games.

Thank You Cards and Cocoa at the Orting Library 2:30-3:30

Continue the season of giving! Have a cup of cocoa while making thank you cards for family and friends.

KaBOOM! Block Play at the Graham Library 2-4PM

KaBOOM! blocks combine all of the benefits of block play on a larger-than-life size scale that encourages kids to play together in groups and have more fun. Free, drop in event

Saturday

All Over

Storytime at Barnes and Noble stores Most area stores do a free, weekly storytime at 11AM; however, we do suggest calling yours to confirm first, as we have found participation to be inconsistent. It’s The Story of Ferdinand at most stores.

South King County

Winter Wildland at NW Trek December 29-31. Watch animals enjoy special themed enrichment treats and activities; included with admission. NW Trek is spendy but a very full day of fun; SFM recommends investing in an annual pass if you’d go more than twice this year.

Family movie at the Muckleshoot Library

It’s Lego Batman 2-4PM light snacks provided; free, drop in events

Tacoma/South Tacoma/Parkland

Model Train Festival continues at the Washington State History Museum

runs through Monday, January 1, 10 AM to 5 PM (including January 1, New Years Day)

Lego Expo in Tacoma at Freighthouse Square 11-5 daily through the first, Super fun for your Lego lovers!

Lacey/Olympia/Yelm

The Hands-On Children’s Museum has fun activities included with admission all week.

New Year’s Eve at Noon at the LOTT Wet Science Center, Olympia

Bring the kids for playtime, New Year’s Eve crafts, face painting, hats, noisemakers, a silly photo booth, and more! 10-4; Free!

Sunday/New Year’s Eve

South King County

Also check ongoing events at the top!

Bullwinkle’s Family Fun Center Family Fun New Year’s Eve

Pay $25/person for unlimited use of select indoor attractions from 12:00pm-9:00pm, including bumper cars, laser x-treme, frog hopper, kidopolis, and bowling. Add 5.00 to get unlimited go-karts. Advance purchase suggested.

Noon Year’s Eve Party at Discovery Playtown Maple Valley

Join the fun as we ring in the new year with our big balloon drop – at a kid-friendly time! We’ll have a selfie photo booth with New Year’s props, and we count down to the balloon drop at Noon. Regular admission; members free. 9:30AM-2:30PM

Noon Year’s Eve at the Burien Library 11:15-12:30

Can’t stay up until midnight? Come celebrate the new year in a kid-friendly way! Crafts, treats and a big countdown to Noon!

Tacoma/Pierce County

Also check ongoing events at the top!

Tiffany’s Skate Inn hosts a New Year’s Eve event perfect for your teen set. They also have an earlier daytime, public skating session.

New Year’s Eve at Chalet Bowl

Glow bowling sessions all day at our favorite Proctor area bowling spot! Pre payment required.

New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Museum of Glass Tacoma

Make a conehead hat and noisemaker to celebrate the New Year! I *believe* this is free with the purchase of a First Night button (see below) or You could also try to get a library pass to go for free.

Noon Year’s Jump at Pump it Up Tacoma

Several Noon Year’s Eve themed jump sessions today, or take your kids to the parents’ night out session!

First Night in Tacoma – December 31. A family-friendly, arts-centered, alcohol free celebration of New Year’s Eve that takes place throughout the Downtown Tacoma theater district. Purchase buttons for admission to activities. Just some of the kid friendly options

Gig Harbor

Noon Year’s Eve Family Dance Party at MarKee in Gig Harbor

Gig Harbor MarKee 2nd Annual NOON YEARS EVE party. December 31st from 11am – 2pm hosted by Paige Schulte, Realtor, Rainier Family Medicine and MarKee.

Your ticket includes a magic show, lunch / snacks, a dance party, Noon ball drop & sparkling cider toast and activities. The art table, LEGO table, photo booth and cookie decorating table will be available throughout the event.

Admission price: $17 per person (1 to 199 years old)

Olympia

Noon Year’s Eve Party at the Hands-On Children’s Museum in Olympia

Regular admission applies.

Join us this Sunday!

Noon Year’s Eve Party

Dec. 31, 2017, 9am-6pm

Celebrate Noon Year’s “Aussie Style”

Meet kangaroo and wallaby animal guests
Watch Dr. Science set ice on fire and freeze Vegemite with liquid nitrogen!
Create and animate koalas and giant bugs!
Maneuver like a marsupial in our Outback Obstacle course
“Swim” with the sharks in our Black Light Reef Room
Join us as we explore the only country that is also a continent – Australia!

New Year’s Day

Polar Bear Plunge In Tacoma FREE. If you’re daring, take a plunge in the Puget Sound on New Year’s Day at the Pt Defiance Marina boat launch. There will be heaters and free hot drinks following the plunge.

There is also a Polar Bear Plunge in Lacey at Long Lake and one at Gene Coulon Park on Lake Washington

Go on a First Day Hike!

Get outdoors and enjoy an easy guided hike at a nearby state park. Admission is free today-no Discover WA pass required. The closest organized event is at Saltwater State Park, but you can certainly do a DIY outdoor adventure! We have a great list of easy, lowland hikes here. Or how about trying the gnome trail.

Note that regular fees apply to all areas besides state parks.

If none of those ideas float your boat, check out our post on the 14 Best Ideas for Winter Break Fun in the South Sound!

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 Instagram or subscribe to our weekly emails so you don’t miss a thing!

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun and Things to Do December 22nd, 23rd, and 24th

December 22, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Looking for something to do with the kids this weekend?

Here’s our weekly guide to South Sound area fun with activities for kids in Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia, and Your South Sound home!

You’ll find a list just like this-just for the South Sound-every Friday morning! One note-While we strive for 100% accuracy, this time of year we do encouage you to use the links we provide to confirm event details, as we have listed literally hundreds of haps on our various guides in the last weeks.

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South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun and Things To Do December 15th, 16th, and 17th!

December 15, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Looking for something to do with the kids this weekend?

Here’s our weekly guide to South Sound area fun with activities for kids in Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia, and Your South Sound home! We’ve also linked to all our holiday guides.

Tickets are still available for the Sprinker Rec. Center Santa Breakfast. 9.00 gets you a breakfast, Santa time with a professional photo (digital download), and an indoor ice skating session with a magical snowfall! That’s a deal!

[Read more…]

Winter Lego Event In Tacoma

December 13, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Woot! Get ready, Lego lovers!

Another great Lego event is coming to Tacoma this winter break. If you’re looking for things to do with the kids during their Christmas school vacation, this is a great solution!

It’s put on by Master Builder Dan Parker, and it’s in the downstairs portion of Freighthouse Square. If you have a Lego fan, you do not want to miss this!

Dan created this all Lego candy cane for an event several years ago. Expect to be wowed by all kind of Lego sculptures at this event!

You’ll find a whole room full of Lego with lots for kids to look at and all the bricks they could ever imagine.

Best of all? Kids can build, build, build, as long as they’d like!

We stayed for three (Yes, three) hours the last time we went. The Legos are set up in very cool themed display areas, and there are Lego sculptures to check out and Lego artisans who love to talk with kids about what they’re building. Dan is one of the only certified Lego Master Builders in the world, and it’s pretty cool that he’s right here in Tacoma! Here’s some more detail about this event:

The Brick by Brick LEGO Art and Play expo is back! The 8th show offers the best mix of exciting LEGO displays, fun play zones for all ages, and great work stations anywhere. See the new holiday displays, returning popular favorites, international skyscrapers, and more. Get your picture by a 7-foot LEGO Christmas tree! Build and race cars, play in the larger toddler zone, and shop the vendors for great deals and cool finds. Come for 2 hours or stay for 5, there’s lots to see and do!

If You Go

Hours 11-5 daily, December 26, 2017-January 1, 2018 at Foss Hall, Freighthouse Square Marketplace, Tacoma, WA

There are lots of dining options in the Freighthouse Square food court. For parking, I’d suggest you use the transit center garage across the street.

Note-I suggest this event for serious Lego fans, not your kid who build for a few minutes and be done. In my experience, most Lego Lovers will never want to leave, so do bring a book or a friend along!

Ticketing for this event is via Groupon. *Link is my affiliate. When you use affiliate links on the site, we receive a very small commission back, but it never changes the price you pay at all!

Admission for one is 9.00 or get a family admission for up to 5 people for just 24.00. I’m sure you can do the math yourself, but just because I like to help….that means if there are more than two of you, the family pass is the better deal. Even if just three of you go, you’re paying less than you would for a movie. AND right now if you use code SAVE20 you can take an extra 20% off, making the single admission a little more than 7.00, and the family pass a little over 19.00. Woot!

You can check this deal out here at Groupon.

Win Tickets To The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

December 12, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Another giveaway! What can we say? We just can’t stop!

By the way, if you’re not already following the site somehow, I do encourage you to do that so you don’t miss out on these! I’d like to particularly invite you to follow me on Instagram or subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

I love fb, but fb only shows our posts to a small percentage of you. I know….boo….Anyway, just follow us all the ways you can!

With that out of the way…….

Today’s giveaway is a family 4 pack of tickets to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever from our friends at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. This charming story of the Herdman kids finding the true meaning of Christmas (and that ham for baby Jesus) is one of my favorites.

The winner can choose the show to attend! You can see all the dates here (do make sure at least one will work for you before you enter).

You can also get more information and tickets here.

They’re a very reasonable 10.00, a solid deal for holiday entertainment! And, you can also enter to win that family 4 pack…..

Ready to win? We’re going to do this one fast, so get ready! Read on for how to enter.

[Read more…]

Indoor Play And Fun At Odyssey 1

December 12, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Hey, Tacoma, Do you need a fun place to take the kids for indoor play on a rainy day? We’re thrilled to have one of our family’s favorite places joining our sponsorship team this month.

Odyssey 1 is one of our family’s favorite rainy day destinations because it has safe, indoor fun for all ages! It’s a great place to take the kids on a dreary day and a perfect place for parties, too!

If you have younger kids, you’ll love the jungle gym and soft play areas. Your kiddos can play all afternoon in here (easy nap time guaranteed)! I was a regular here when my boys were smaller, and I loved that it is a dedicated space with its own entrance.

Tip: Go on a weekday mid morning with a friend. It’s usually quiet, and you can do a little catching up while the kids play.

Now that my boys are a little older they’re big fans of the laser tag arena and the arcade, which has modern and old-school games that the whole family will love (Skee Ball, anyone)? This is one of my kids’ favorite destinations with their pals when they have those odd days off school or half days, and I know we’ll hit it at least once this coming break.

Odyssey 1 also does great birthdays. You get your own room and can choose from a variety of packages that make your life easy. We LOVE a party where we can just show up and have fun!

Odyssey 1 is located at 2310 W. Mildred Street Suite #110 in Tacoma,making it a great destination for those of you in Tacoma, Fircrest, University Place, and Lakewood, and just a quick trip for those of you elsewhere. Oh, and their prices are very reasonable, so you can take your whole crew!

Odyssey 1 is open 7 days a week! You can check out their hours here to plan your next playdate. They also offer online booking for your parties, and they’d be glad to talk to you about hosting your daycare or school group! You can also like them on Facebook for regular updates and special offers!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. The opinions are my own. As always, we’re grateful when you mention the site to the businesses you visit! PS Keep an eye on our Facebook page for an exciting giveaway from Odyssey 1 coming soon!

Free Holiday Fun

December 10, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Does it feel like it costs a fortune to create holiday memories with your kids? It doesn’t have to! We’ve rounded up 12 great holiday outings to do with kids around Tacoma and the South Sound that are totally FREE! We’d love to hear your suggestions, too. Feel free to leave a comment or come join us on Facebook or Instagram!

Meet the reindeer at Watson’s Nursery.

The reindeer are outside, and it’s totally free to say, “Hello!” The inside of Watson’s is also festive this time of year, though there are a lot of gift items and plants-you probably want to stick to the outside with a stroller or very small children. Are you one of our South King County readers? You can find reindeer and camels at Carpinito Brothers in Kent!

Drive around and look at Christmas Lights.

We’ve updated our list of houses and neighborhoods with great Christmas lights, although we haven’t confirmed them all. If you have a spirit of adventure, we’d sure love your help with that. Hint!

See a Marionette show at the library.

These are free, drop-in events, and readers have said they’re much better than expected. You can attend one at any library (it doesn’t have to be the closest one to you)!

Get a museum pass and visit a museum for free.

Grab your culture vultures! Did you know you can check out a museum pass from the library and go for free? It’s true! If you’re super clever you can score one to the history museum and see the train exhibit for free, but that is the *one* time of year these get tough to come by. This post has info. on other free museum days.

Enjoy the festive Conservatory at Wright Park

(free on a 3rd Thursday evening-3.00 suggested donation other days). The Conservatory is Warm, and it’s beautifully decorated this time of year. It makes for a nice place for festive holiday photos or just a warm up! Also check out their events, like Cocoa and Caroling for 3.00. You can play at Wright Park before or after. Yes, it’s cold, but it’s one of the city’s most beautiful parks. Bundle up!

Visit the Gingerbread Showcase

This is a new event at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Tacoma. Go in the front entrance and you’ll see them right off the lobby. This is a Free event; donations are welcome, but there is no pressure. It’s a fairly quick stop, so think about combining it with a trip to the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, which is pay-as-you-can and right across the street from the back entrance. On exhibit until January 2nd. Note: I am not sure on the hours on this. We are working on checking.

Get a free Santa photo

Here’s our list of spots where you can still get a pic with St. Nick for Free!

Take a carriage ride at the Old Cannery.

Check the link for the schedule. There is also a free Santa, though he gets very busy! If you haven’t been here, this is a surprisingly fun stop for a furniture store. There is a train with a button kids can push and a counter that sells fudge. The Sumner Library is nearby.

Make a gingerbread house at the library.

These are totally free events, supplies included! Several drop in sessions remain as of this writing.

Visit Clam Lights in Renton.

This is a one mile, walk around light display at Gene Coulon Park in Renton, and it is totally free-nightly through January 1st! Olympia area friends should check out Olylightstravaganza

Take a hike.

We have a great list of easy, lowland hikes here. Or how about trying the gnome trail.

Visit Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shop Tacoma

Gather the family and come to experience the joy of a classic Christmas. Stay for FREE games, crafts and activities that celebrate the season. And, don’t miss the FREE photo with Santa!!! Ongoing-see link for schedule Free-unless you buy something 🙂

Enjoy Free holiday at fun at Sunrise Village/South Hill

living nativity, wagon rides, Santa, and other fun December 2, 9th, and 16th from 3-6PM

Not Free But Cheap!

and as a bonus, here are a few ideas that aren’t free, but are pretty frugal. Some of these are from lovely sponsors and site friends.

Drive Through Fantasy Lights

the whole car load is 11.00 with the coupon.

Have Breakfast With Santa at Sprinker

One of the last Santa Breakfasts with spots, and it’s a deal! 9.00 for waffles, your Santa pic, and a special indoor skating session with, “Snow,” falling! But call fast on this one!

See the singing Christmas Tree at Life Center.

Tickets start at just 5.00!

Go see a movie at a bargain theater.

You can see a show for just a few dollars at these spots!

Make ornaments at WiggleWorks!

WiggleWorks always has fun events all month long, and they’re free with your paid, all day admission to their warm and dry play space! The ornament making is every Wednesday in December from 11-1. you can check out all their events here!

And….if you liked these ideas, do come back! We’ll have even more ideas for winter break this week plus some awesome giveaways!

You may also like to check out these holiday posts:

South Sound Santa Breakfasts

Best South Sound Area U Cut Christmas Tree Farms for Families

South Sound Holiday Family Arts Guide

South Sound Nutcrackers

Fantasy Lights

Cutting your own Christmas Tree

The Big Holiday Events List

Our Trip To Pfaff’s Tree Farm

December 10, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Pfaffs Tree Farm: An Old Fashioned and Affordable Tree Farm near Auburn with Santa, too!

We’ve written about Pfaff’s tree farm before, but I thought I’d do an updated review with pics. from our family’s tree trip! We’re so pleased to have them back as sponsors!

If you’re looking for an old fashioned and affordable u cut tree farm near Auburn or Kent, I think you’ll love getting your Christmas tree from Pfaff’s!

We gave them a try last weekend and came home with a beautiful tree.

We loved the authentic, family farm vibe here-from the mud (wear your boots!) to the chickens. It reminded me of the tree farm we went to when I was a kid-nothing slick and fancy, just lots of fun with the friendliest folks ever. Oh, and Santa! More on that in a minute.

Pfaff’s is easy to find for folks near Kent and Auburn and was a quick trip for us from Puyallup.

We found plenty of parking by the pumpkin patch. Btw, keep ’em in mind for next year if you like a, “Sincere pumpkin.” You get to pick them right off the vine here!

Grab the info. sheet and map you’ll find near the office/cashier (see pic above), and go find your tree!

Most of their trees are priced by type. Douglas Firs are a particularly great deal if you like a really Big tree!

You can also hunt around the fields for pre-tagged trees. For these, you pay the price on the tag. Bargain hunting? You may find some as low as 19.90!

So-not tagged=pay by the type.

Tagged=pay the price on the tag.

Simple, right?

Our family got a beautiful fir. I love a fluffy tree!

You can pay a few bucks to have your tree baled (It’s a hand baling thing-no loud, stinky machines), and then you’ll pay for your tree in the office. You’ll want to get some freshly baked cookies before you head to Santa’s house!

Yep, Santa is hanging out on weekends, and he’s glad to visit with your kiddos after you’ve gotten your tree! His little house couldn’t be cuter! Apologies that I couldn’t get my kid to go inside…..

What else do I love about this spot? They stay open all the way until Christmas Eve, and it’s a true family farm run by the friendliest folks around. So, grab your hand saw and load up your procrastinators for some old fashioned fun. I’d love to see pics of the tree you choose! You can get the address for your GPS and any other scoop you need here at their site!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. The opinions, tree, kiddos, and hunky husband are all mine. Thank you for mentioning the site to businesses you visit. It keeps us (literally) up and running for you! This post first ran in 2017 and was updated for 2018

South Sound Weekend Kids’ Calendar: Family Fun and Things to Do: December 8th, 9th, and 10th

December 8, 2017 by Maegen Blue

Looking for something to do with the kids this Weekend?

Here’s our weekly guide to South Sound area fun with activities for kids in Tacoma, Puyallup, Olympia, and Your South Sound home!

[Read more…]

Don’t Miss Breakfast With Santa At Sprinker

December 6, 2017 by Maegen Blue

We’ve found the cutest Breakfast With Santa hosted by our sponsors and friends with Pierce County Parks and Recreation. If you’ve been looking to start a new tradition, this is one of the cutest things we’ve found this year, and it’s a good deal, too!

Your ticket includes waffles from P&J’s Waffle Delight, fruit, and drinks, and a visit with Santa that you’ll get to remember with a free digital download captured by their photographer! Plus, you’ll enjoy indoor ice skating under a snow filled sky with holiday music and special effects lighting. How cute is that??

Tickets are just 9.00 per person! Yes, for all that! This is a great deal, guys!

If that isn’t enough fun for you, later in the day you can head to the rest of Winterfest at Sprinker for more ice skating and fun. Skating with princesses! Fruitcake bowling! This is a separate event that requires an additional ticket, but it also looks awesome, especially if you’ve ever wanted to get on a Zamboni. #LifeGoals.

You can check out the rest of the Winterfest details here, but don’t get too distracted because you’re going to need to call for those Breakfast with Santa tickets as pre-registration is required. Here is the event on fb if you want to share and tag a friend so you can get the same seating. Just don’t wait too long to call.

Event Details

When: Saturday, December 16th 9-12

Where: Sprinker Recreation Center

Cost: 9.00 per person

Tickets: Call 253 798 4000

You can go in and pick your tickets up, or have them waiting at will call for you! These are going to go FAST, and many other Santa Breakfast options have already sold out and/or happened, so do call today if you can!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post; the opinions are my own! When you call 253 798 4000 for your Breakfast With Santa tickets, I’d love for you to say you saw it on Sounds Fun Mom! Thanks!