Washington State
Visiting Olympia WA: Top 10 Fun Things to Do with Kids
Looking for an easy weekend trip from Seattle? How about visiting Olympia, WA, the capital of Washington State?
What It’s Like to Tour the Seattle Amazon Spheres
Amazon is always trying to come up with ways to make life easier and a bit more enjoyable. I mean, Amazon Prime has changed the way most of my Mom friends live! So, it should be no surprise that they created a unique work space for their employees: the Seattle Amazon Spheres.
How to Take a Seattle Argosy Cruise to Kid-Friendly Tillicum Excursion
Day Trip From Seattle
To me, it’s hard to beat the Seattle Waterfront on a warm summer day. It’s just comes alive! And it’s the best spot to see ferries and cruise ships. The only thing cooler than being on the Seattle Waterfront is seeing it from the water on a Seattle cruise! So for my birthday this year, I decided to take my family on a Seattle Argosy Cruise to Tillicum Excursion on Blake Island.
The Lamp is the Moon is the Perfect First Theater Experience for Kids
The Lamp is the Moon
The Lamp is the Moon is a new works production at Seattle Children’s Theatre. Annelih GH Hamilton plays Shawn, a young girl who is supposed to be taking a nap, but can’t fall asleep. But, it’s not surprising. See, her grandmother gives her an old lamp right before nap time. This is frustrating to her because her mind is already ticking about all the possibilities of things she can do with her lamp. Her parents have already taken out the light bulb and cut the cord so its only function is to inspire creativity. It’s impossible to fall asleep when she has a lot of dreaming to do.
What to Pack for a Day at the Beach with Kids
When I was younger, I loved hanging out at the beach. I’d put on my swimsuit, grab a towel and a fun novel and off I’d go. Now that I have a baby and a 3.5-year-old, I seem to fill my whole car with “stuff” when I head to the beach with kids.
Living in the Pacific Northwest, we are lucky enough to be able to head to the Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound or a variety of nearby lakes. My new favorite spot is Lake Sammamish State Park in Issaquah, WA. Not only do they have an amazing new play area with a splash pad, but they have an awesome beach that is perfect for kids. It requires a Discover Pass, but we’ve visited this park so many times that it’s been worth the cost.
Washington State History Museum is a Hidden Treasure
My friend likes to collect memberships to museums. I always joke that if there’s a new museum out there, she probably already has a membership there. So, when she told me she just got a membership to the Washington State History Museum (located a good 45 minutes away from our house) I just laughed and thought “of course you did.” But then she invited my family to join them for their Model Train Festival and I totally got it.
Northwest Railway Museum’s Santa Train
I’ve spent the past month hearing my toddler ask me, “Are we doing the Santa Train today?” It’s my fault, really, for telling him as soon as we purchased tickets. It also prompted questions about Santa. I told my son that Santa goes to everyone’s house on Christmas Eve and brings them presents. My son’s eyes widened as he inquired, “Santa is coming to OUR house and bringing US presents?” And when I told him we’d be leaving cookies out for Santa because he gets hungry visiting so many houses, he almost couldn’t handle it. Oh, and this was all before Halloween.
Holiday Magic: Christmas in Seattle
Christmas in Seattle is such a fun time, especially with kids.
Our toddler was born just a few days after Christmas, so he was almost one before he experienced his first Seattle holiday season!
I really wanted to start some family traditions and I thought heading to Seattle to participate in their festivities would be a great tradition to start!
Baby’s First Pumpkin Patch
I absolutely adore holidays where our family can celebrate and do something fun together. While I used to love Halloween when I was growing up, it wasn’t until I had kids of my own that I really got into the Pumpkin Patch experience. I love the crisp air and drinking hot apple cider while strolling down the fields searching for the right pumpkins. Now, that is the highlight of Fall for me and my family!
How to Take Good Photos of Kids at Tourist Attractions
Guest Post by the Happy Film Company for Marcie in Mommyland
When traveling with kids there’s a big pressure to come home with gorgeous photos but my oh my is it stressful to keep smiles on those little faces. At the Happy Film Company, we specialize in keeping kids happy in front of the camera. These are our top tips for capturing happy vacation memories with beautiful photography.
Waterways Cruises Review
My husband Darren and I love to be on boats! Whenever we travel, we usually try to squeeze in a boat trip of some sort as an activity. We like to sit and relax while looking at the scenery from a different viewpoint. In fact, we even had our rehearsal dinner on a boat! So, when our toddler Owen kept telling us that he wanted to “sit down on a boat,” we thought maybe it was time for him to share our excitement for boats. I immediately contacted Waterways Cruises.
Weekend in Suncadia
For Father’s Day weekend, our family joined two other families for a long weekend in Suncadia in the foothills of the Cascades in Washington. From the Seattle-area, it’s about a 2-hour drive East. A mid-way point just happens to be the North Bend Premium Outlets that offers a Gymboree, Carters, Osh Kosh, Children’s Place, Stride Rite, Gap Kids and Motherhood Maternity. This is a great stopping place to stretch legs and find some good deals! We also went to Cle Elum to stop by Owens Meats to load up on steak, beef jerky, bacon, summer sausage and smoked meats to stock the fridge at our rental house.
Why the Seattle Museum of Flight is the Perfect Museum for Toddlers
Originally published June 17, 2016 and updated May 20, 2018
My family has now been members of the Museum of Flight in Seattle for the past 2 years. My husband and I love this aviation museum. We actually had a Museum of Flight wedding there 7 years ago and we’ve taken our kids since they were babies. It’s a great place for Seattle toddler play dates. We usually go on Friday mornings and can easily spend 2-3 hours. Here’s what you need to know about the Seattle Museum of Flight with kids: