The Children's Museum, Seattle: Kidding Around in a Family-Friendly Place
Located a hop, skip and jump away from the Space Needle, the Children's Museum of Seattle provides a wide range of activities to engage and educate kids. Don't count on dropping your child off and heading elsewhere, though – the museum requires an adult accompany all of its visitors.
Myriad exhibits fill the museum's 22,000 square foot space. Kids can create art at Imagination Studios using clay, recycled materials, paint and other materials. At Cog City, they can explore the world of machines and learn about cause and effect as levers, lifts, pipes and pulleys combine to move balls through an enormous city-shaped sculpture.
In the Mountain Forest, they can visit a cave full of bats and lava pools while tracking animals on their way to the top to enjoy a story. The Global Village allows kids to travel the world, playing drums and visiting a house in Ghana, shopping or riding a tricycle at a Philippine market, or even riding a speedy Japanese bullet train. In the exhibit called the Neighborhood they can hop a Metro bus, catch a movie at the Bijou Theater, or explore the machines of the Dunn Lumber Construction Zone.
Museum educators are present daily, offering development and learning classes with a different theme each month, ranging from medieval castles in January through the Festival of Lights in December. The Family Fun series each month provides activities for families to enjoy together. Check the calendar on the museum's website to find out what programs and events are available.
The daily themes include Messy Monday, which focuses on art and science projects; Treasure Hunt Tuesdays, which sharpen problem solving skills while encouraging teamwork; Wellness Wednesdays, for movement and healthy eating; Try It! Thursdays, for testing the waters of new activities; Facets and Fiction Fridays, which focus on literacy and communication skills; and Spontaneous Saturdays and See It All Sundays, which offer a more generalized program.
One of the nice things about the Children's Museum is the age range it spans. The classes and programs are divided into two age groups: 10 months through 5 years and 5 to 10 years. Even toddlers and babies can find something to enjoy Discovery Bay, an interactive water exhibit aimed specifically at these younger ages. Aquariums full of fish and seaweed fill the exhibit, which also features a water table in which children can experiment.
HelloSeattle Tip: Grandparents pay a dollar less in admission.
Posted by Cat Rambo
