Seattle's Child

Your guide to a kid-friendly city

23 free things to do with kids around Seattle, Jan. 13-19

Sailing, nature walks, Tet Festival, a youth MLK Jr. celebration, a magic show and more!

January is in full swing, and we’ve got your weekdays covered with storytime, chess, art, and music. Fill your weekend with a nature walk, a Lunar New Year festival, or a celebration of diversity with the Womxn’s March or a Youth Martin Luther King Jr. panel. There are plenty of options this week, and they’re all free!

 

Monday, January 13

Toddler Open Gym & Imagination Playground. Ride bikes, play pretend, build with blocks, and more! This special Imagination Playground offers geometric building materials with chutes and channels that allow for exploration of motion and connectivity. 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  Ballard Community Center, Seattle.  

Magic Monday. A show filled with mystery and wonder, this monthly event features some of the finest magicians in the Pacific Northwest. 7 to 8 p.m. Third Place Books (Ravenna), Seattle. 

 

Tuesday, January 14

Tot Story Time. A special story time where children can get cozy on the floor with pillow and mats. 11:30 a.m. to noon. Queen Anne Community Center, Seattle. 

Detective Cookie’s Chess Club. Come learn to play chess with friends! Best for children ages 7 and older. 3 to 6 p.m. Rainier Beach Library, Seattle. 

Who We Are: Identity, Inclusion and Ally-ship. Big kid pick! Rosetta Lee, activist for inclusion and powerful speaker, shares her wisdom about identity, inclusion, and ally-ship. Learn how bullying perpetuates stereotypes, and how to stop the cycle. Directed toward middle school students and older. 7 to 8 p.m. Mercer Island Library. 

 

Wednesday, January 15

Fledglings & Friends Storytime: Footprints. Winter is a great time to see footprints in the snow and mud. Learn about the footprints that other animals make and read stories about how to find them! Everyone will also make a footprint collage to take home. 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. The Nature Shop, Seattle. 

Out of the Box: Creativity Station. Each week, try different crafts or explore various art techniques and hang out with other tweens and teens. Space and supplies provided. Recommended for ages 10 and older. 2 to 4 p.m. Lake Forest Park Library.

 

Thursday, January 16

Toddler Open Gym. Tots can make friends and play in the gym for free at community centers all over the city. This one is at Northgate, and find dozens of others from High Point to Ravenna-Eckstein on our calendar. Beginning at 10 a.m., various locations throughout the city. 

Aperture. See a brand new, sculptural art installation by artist Ian McMahon. Today, he will be present to share his process and the space with guests of all ages. Noon to 1 p.m. MadArt Seattle (Westlake Avenue), Downtown Seattle. 

Music at the Library. Enjoy free live music in the evening in the Plaza Room above the library. An after-dinner, pre-bedtime treat! 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  Edmonds Library. 

 

Friday, January 17

Kelsey Creek Farm Storytime. Have you ever listened to storytime on a farm? In the wintertime?! Each session has a different theme, as well as a visit with a live farm animal! 10:30 to 11 a.m. Kelsey Creek Farm, Bellevue. 

Story and a Stroll. Listen to a story about Baby Bear and his friends, moose, owl, and rabbit, and their wintertime adventures. Pre-register. 11 a.m. to noon. Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center, Bellevue. 

Free Friday Night at the Museum. On the third Friday of each month, enjoy an evening of free admission at one of the best children’s museums in the area! 5:30 to 9 p.m. Imagine Children’s Museum, Everett. 

Night Hike at Lewis Creek Park. Learn about nocturnal species in the park, and join a ranger on an after-dark hike through the woods! Bring a flashlight and warm clothes. Pre-register. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Lewis Creek Park Visitor Center, Bellevue. 

 

Saturday, January 18

Family Nature Walk: Winter Wonderland. Take a naturalist-led walk through the parks while learning about plants and animals and how they adapt to the winter. 10 to 11 a.m. Wapato Park, Tacoma. 

Forest Home for Whom? Art Workshop. A professional artist guides you as you help create a forest mural in the library. Materials are provided for creating furry, fun forest characters. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Richmond Beach Library, Shoreline. 

Free Family Flick. Bring your friends and family for a free movie at The Grand Cinema! This is event is family-friendly and first come, first served. 10 a.m. to noon. The Grand Cinema, Tacoma. 

Tet Festival: Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration includes traditional lion dance, live performances, food, crafts and more. Today and Sun. from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Seattle Center Armory, Seattle. 

What’s Up? The Canopy! Learn about life within the many layers of Bellevue’s forest by taking a nature walk. 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Lewis Creek Park Visitor Center, Bellevue. 

 

Sunday, January 19

Sunday Public Sail. Each Sunday, the Center for Wooden Boats offers free 45-minute rides on Lake Union. Set sail on one of the beautiful, classic boats. Sign up for a slot in person, several trips throughout the day. Space is limited. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Center for Wooden Boats, Seattle. 

MLK Youth Celebration. Featuring food, videos, and a panel discussion, this youth-driven event invites the community to enjoy song, spoken word, dance and more. Young people will share how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. impacted their lives. Noon to 5 p.m. Langston Hughes Center, Seattle. 

Snow Day Lake Union. If you haven’t seen it yet, catch the Denny Park light display on one of it’s last evenings. Come at dusk, and enjoy these holiday lights before the season officially comes to a close. 4 to 11:30 p.m. Denny Park (South Lake Union), Seattle. 

The Playlist. Looking for winter-themed fun but don’t want to leave the house? Check out this jam-packed article, filled with activities geared toward STEM, cooking, art, movement and more!

 

About the Author

Leah Winters, Calendar Editor