If you’re a parent like me, you feel the weight of summer a little different than when YOU were a kid! Remember the anticipation of summer break– no homework, staying up late, going on vacations, water activities and lots of popsicles? Now that I’m a working mom, summer hits a little differently when the kids are out and the routines get all out of whack!

But I’m not going to squander the summers I get with my kids because as the cliche goes, they grow up so fast! So in an effort to plan some fun stuff for my family, I’ve done some research for you as well to get the kids moving, out of the house, adventuring and let’s face it, just off of screens! 

While I myself am based in Bonney Lake, there’s of course tons to do in the surrounding areas like Tacoma, Olympia, Seattle and in between. I’ll be covering ideas for all around the Puget Sound area! 

Kid Museums Near Seattle and Olympia

Pacific Science Center

Lots of fun things await kids of all ages at Seattle’s Pacific Science Center. General admission includes access to the Tropical Butterfly House, Tinker Tank makerspace, Dinosaurs, Live Science Stage, Planetarium, and daytime laser shows. Great stop for something fun and educational for your kids!

Address: 200 2nd Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109

Children’s Museum of Tacoma

Children's Museum of Tacoma is a “pay as you will” donation-based museum is the perfect spot for a chill day where the kids can run around freely on their indoor playground, or splash about in the sensory water table.  There’s a quiet reading corner and craft room as well. While the museum has select hours  for the public, (Thursday 10 am-2 pm. and Fri-Sun 10 am-5 pm) there is a membership available that opens up more days just for members!

Address:  1501 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402

Museum of Flight

If your kids enjoy planes, the Museum of Flight is a great spot to check out this summer! This museum has a flight simulator, space VR, free daily tours, and weekend hands-on family workshops. But I think the most alluring thing of all is a free admission every first Thursday of the month between 5 pm-9 pm!

Address: 9404 E Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98108

Hands On Children’s Museum

While the Hands on Children’s Museum is a little far for a quick trip to  Olympia, it is well worth the drive for this fun-filled museum!  Having only been to this spot once before, I could tell our family time there we barely scratched the surface of all they have to offer here. 

With over 150 exhibits and activities, you are sure to find something fun, creative or active to do with your kids this summer! There’s a wide range of indoor and outdoor play structures, an “arts and parts” studio, a huge water tower and airways maze, and plenty of areas for pretend play like construction, kitchens, emergency vehicles and so much more than I can list here!  Check out the full page of exhibits here and also be sure to look at the special summer schedule of events!

Address: 414 Jefferson Street NE Olympia, WA 98501

Spray Pads Around the Puget Sound

In the summer, especially when the temperatures get high, the best way to cool off is playing in the water!  Kids love splashing around with water balloons, blow-up pools, slip and slides or a free spray park! 

One spot that will surely entertain is the  International Fountain at the famous Seattle Center. It was re-opened in 2021 after a renovation that replaced 56 of the fountain’s 274 water jets and added fun LED lights to surely dazzle the kids and spectators alike!

Address: 305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA 98109

Another notable spray park is in Auburn at the Les Gove Park Rotary Spray playground. With its colorful features and its close quarters to several activities afterwards, it’s the perfect location to spend a warm afternoon. After a splash, you can head to Discovery Playground, the White River Valley Museum or the Mary Olson Farm. 

Address: 910 9th St. SE, Auburn, WA

While these are only two spray pads around the Puget Sound, there are plenty more to choose from. One helpful resource I’ve found is the Parent Map website. Here is an exhaustive list of spray parks and fountains around Seattle, the eastside and the north Puget Sound!

Summer Camps 

It’s not too late to still find a camp that your kids can attend this summer!  There are options for all types of interests, including full day, half-day or overnight camps. 

Wolf Camp and School of Natural Science

Wolf Camp, that has locations both in Puyallup, Lake Sammamish and Mt. Rainier, is a camp based on education in the great outdoors. It equips kids to appreciate nature and its life cycles. This camp focuses on skills like wildlife tracking, birding, learning about plants and herbs, wilderness survival and more! If you have a kid between the ages of 7-15 who loves being outside in nature, this would be a great option that still has openings for summer 2024! More outdoor camps can be found on this Parent Map resource page!

Peak Gymnastics Summer Camp

For those younger and active kiddos who may need to get their wiggles out this summer, check out the day camps at Peak Gymnastics in Enumclaw, Washington. This is a great spot to be active and have fun at the same time, great for ages 4-11. I went to a couple birthday parties here just this year, and needless to say my kids had a blast. Every week has a different focus and theme. Check out the calendar posted to see what fits best for your kids!

Camp Galileo

I first heard about Camp Galileo from my cousin who recently moved up to the Seattle area and now works for this summer camp! Originally started in the Bay Area, the camp is growing in locations! The Bush School in Seattle and Gregory Heights Elementary School in Burien both have locations for campers this summer!

With need-based scholarships and discounts available, this is a really good option for kids entering kindergarten all the way up to 8th graders. Camp Galileo has all kinds of themes every week for ages 5-14. The camp incorporates STEAM activities, hands-on projects and outdoor activities like water day, face painting and pie throwing! There are still weeks open that you can book today, so go check out their Seattle or Burien calendar.

Aquariums and Animal Parks in the Seattle Area and Beyond

Woodland Park Zoo

If you want a proper zoo experience, look no farther than Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. This zoo is packed with all walks of life and regions of animals. From the African Savanna, Tropical Asia, Australasia, and of course our very own Pacific Northwest, your family will be able to explore so many types of wildlife!

Address: 5500 Phinney Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

Seattle Aquarium

If your kids are into ocean life, definitely check out the Seattle Aquarium. From otters to puffins to stingrays and sharks, there’s lots of wildlife to explore! Plus, it’s right on the Puget Sound and has lots to offer for food and other activities nearby. If you have young kids, make sure to check out the aquarium’s schedule for the free Toddler Time program hosted on select Sundays and Mondays!

Address: 1483 Alaskan Way, Pier 59, Seattle, WA 98101

Northwest Trek

The Northwest Trek is such a fun way to see animals out in their natural habitat and also have an adventure-filled day! This spot is so much more than your run-of-the-mill zoo. While you can surely opt for the more traditional experience of walking around the park and viewing animals from the sidelines; there’s a whole other world to see from your car in the free-roaming area of the park! 

With a Wild Drive admission you can spot elk, bighorn sheep, bison, mountain goats, caribou, deer, and even trumpeter swans, all roaming the 435-acres of forest. And just this summer (2024) you can see the new baby deer fawns and elk calves that were just born! There’s even an option to board a Jeep with an animal keeper expert who will drive and answer any questions about the wildlife in the park. This will definitely be a day worth remembering with your kids!

Address: 11610 Trek Dr E, Eatonville, WA 98328

Waterfront Activities Around the Puget Sound

One really cool activity I discovered in my research is The Center for Wooden Boats in Seattle. Apparently it offers free one-hour rowboat rentals on Lake Union year-round! You’ll need to reserve a rental in advance, but what a way to spend an afternoon. Not to mention very budget-friendly!  Scroll down to the Public Peapod Program and see if you can get your spot before they fill up!

Address: 1010 Valley Street, Seattle, WA 98109  

If your kids enjoy being out on or near the water, consider a ferry ride!  These are often short and low-cost as well, depending on your final destination. Seattle and Tacoma have many islands close by, which are great spots for a day trip or even a weekend adventure. A couple ideas might be checking out Bainbridge Island or Vashon Island for a change of scenery.  Or if not a ferry, take a water taxi over to West Seattle and spend some time on Alki Beach! Here are some other ideas for day trips from Seattle.

Of course this is no way an exhaustive list of options for all the things you could do with you kids this summer around the Seattle area, I do hope it’s a good start to get your wheels turning!  It’s a lot to navigate entertaining kids when school is out, so I hope you find something fun for everyone and enjoy the sunshine with your littles. You have a finite amount of summers before your kids graduate; make them count!