Hello, winter! It’s nice to see you again. There’s something about this time of year that makes parents’ start to twitch a bit – trips to the park to run off some energy aren’t as easy in the often cold and rainy weather and all our kids are still coming off of the holiday high, meaning that they need some ideas for winter survival. Here are 50 winter activities in Seattle for kids and families that will help everyone survive with a smile on their face!
1. Venture out of your own neighborhood to check out one of the other awesome Seattle Public Libraries.
2. Beat the cold at an indoor playground…of music! Discover the super fun EMP.
3. Warm up those little hands with Seattle’s best hot chocolate.
4. Drive to Tacoma for a dose of cool history at the Washington State History Museum.
5. Do some exploring on the local college campuses – UW, Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University are all excellent choices!
6. No better way to kill the winter boredom than to take the young ones skydiving. Yes, SKYDIVING.
7. Don’t forget to make plans for mid-winter break too – check out a fun new camp with a friend for the week.
8. Before you head out for these fun winter activities, throw a meal in the crockpot to eat when you get home
9. Book a sitter for these dark early winter evenings and plan a date night.
10. Be reminded that spring is just around the corner with a visit to see all the pretty flowers at Pike Place Market.
11. Just because it’s winter, doesn’t mean you can’t go swimming – check out these indoor pools in Seattle
12. Put Tuesdays on your calendar all winter long for the standard standing Village Playdates at University Village – including one at the new Microsoft Store
13. Make a point to visit this very special exhibit featuring vintage children’s books
14. Winter at the beach? Why not! Put on your layers and have an evening bonfire on the Golden Garden’s beach.
15. The Seattle Boat Show is a great way to beat the winter blues – it’s a winter tradition for many Seattle families.
16. Head downtown to Soundbridge at Benaroya Hall for some indoor music fun.
17. Thank goodness for indoor ice skating rinks in our (kinda) temperate climate – check out some of these near Seattle to lace up your skates.
18. Take the entire family out to one of Seattle’s kid-friendly breweries to warm up with a fresh pint.
19. Take an off-season tour of Safeco Field where the Seattle Mariners play.
20. On one of Seattle’s beautiful cold, clear winter days, bundle up and head to the top of the Space Needle and check out the view with the tourists – can you spot your own house?
21. Visit the Fremont Sunday Market, which is open year-round.
22. Spend some time channeling Picasso at one of Seattle’s super kid-friendly pottery painting studios.
23. The Sonics are long gone, but we can still enjoy some winter hoops in Seattle – take the little ones to a game at one of the local universities.
24. Mom dates are the new bro-mances. Book one with your favorite mom-friend ASAP.
25. The perfect way to end the winter is with a performance of Snow White at the Pacific Northwest Ballet.
26. Play tourist for the day on a tour of Seattle via double-decker bus (it’s enclosed on top to stay warm and dry!).
27. No plans this winter weekend? Take them to the movies! Don’t worry, we’ll help you survive.
28. They’re pretending Seattle is in the tropics at The Seattle Aquarium this winter – ukulele players included.
29. Get those little minds thinking at Puzzle Palooza.
30. Jump in the car and head south to Portland for some winter fun in a new city.
31. Take off your shoes and squish your toes in the sand at Sandbox Sports.
32. There’s no better time for comfort food than when the weather is chilly – here are some family-friendly spots to try.
33. For a little taste of spring, check out the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
34. A perfect indoor activity on a rainy winter Seattle day is bowling! Here are some family-friendly alleys to try for a strike.
35. Check Single Shard out the latest at the Seattle Children’s Theatre – this winter, they’re performing A Single Shard, perfect for the school-aged kids.
36. Think ahead to summer by trading that too-small bike for a bigger version at the Seattle Bike Swap (kids are free!).
37. Always a winter favorite in Seattle, the Model Railway Show at the Pacific Science Center is back this year!
38. Winter = snow! At least in the mountains… Head to one of the local passes for sledding, skiing and tubing fun.
39. For some outdoor fun, head to the Locks in Ballard to see the Steelhead heading upstream to spawn.
40. A winter wonderland and only 90-minutes away, Suncadia is quite magical this time of year!
41. Find your neighborhood community center’s toddler playtime for some cheap, easy rainy day fun.
42. Before they run off to join the circus from winter boredom, take them to the Seattle Juggling Festival.
43. With so many of their exhibits indoors, The Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is perfect for wintertime animal fun.
44. Just as winter is coming to an end, the whales start to arrive in Puget Sound. Take your family out to see these magical beauties during their short winter-time visit.
45. The penguins at Woodland Park Zoo love the winter! Come help feed them their lunch… if you don’t mind some smelly fish.
46. Emergency! Emergency! Check out the Last Resort Fire Museum STAT, before winter ends!
47. A little flour, a little sugar, a lot of fun: the perfect recipe for some winter baking.
48. Touchdown! Where are you watching the Super Bowl with your kids this year?
49. It isn’t Sundance, but it’s just as cool – the Seattle Children’s Film Festival hits the city this winter.
50. For little airplane-lovers who are going winter stir-crazy, book a tour at the Boeing Museum in Everett and see where those planes are made (Psst! There’s a minimum height to go on the tour!).
-- Katie Kavulla
