When they’re babies, you wish you could just go to the bathroom alone. But then the kids get older, and the number of things that they deign to do with you plummets. Activate is a rare gem where teens and tweens will have fun playing with their parents … and you can’t put a price on genuine family bonding.
The brand-new indoor game facility in Tukwila has 12 rooms, each with 2 to 7 games, plus a photo booth. Wear your comfy shoes — it’s a workout!
Throw balls to hit asteroids. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
You will break a sweat. Everyone will have fun. So much fun, your kids will forget they’re too cool to hang with you.
Activate has 66 locations across North America, France, Dubai, and the United Kingdom. The first Washington location opened Dec. 14, kitty corner from Westfield Southcenter.
We love how this area, dubbed Seattle Southside, has become a hub for activities for older kids. There’s Activate and iFly next to Southcenter, and Great Big Game Show and The Escape Game inside the mall. (Attention puzzle fanatics, The Escape Game at Southcenter has different escape rooms from the South Lake Union location.)
The laser room is one of the most popular at Activate. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
We visited Activate two weeks into its opening. Everything was sparkly clean, and the staff was super friendly. When the clock ran out, we left happy — and wiped.
For your first visit, here’s what you need to know:
Age Rules, Group Size, and What Families Should Know Before Playing
The average age of Activate players is 24. The minimum age requirement is 6, and it’s better if kids are around 10 to really understand how to play. Kids 6 to 13 must be supervised by an adult. It is very dark inside with lots of flashing lights.
You need at least two people to play, and up to five people fit in a room. If you are a party of six or more, split into smaller groups.
If you need a break, try this game where you match what the screen tells you to do. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
To save time, book a reservation, sign the waiver, and create a player profile online ahead of your visit. Keep in mind Fridays and weekends, especially toward the evening, are the busiest times. During the daytime, you see more families.
When you enter, check in at the front desk and stash anything that doesn’t fit into your pockets in a secure locker. Shed extra layers while you’re at it. You’ll be running, jumping, and crawling, and you will get hot.
Scan your wristband on the iPad to check your score when you finish. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
Each player gets a rubber wristband, and the clock starts running once you tap into your first game. Don’t waste any minutes. Before you tap in, use the restroom, get a drink of water, and take a lap around to scope out the options. Save the photo booth for last because you can do that after your time is up.
There’s a helpful staff member monitoring the game area if you have questions.
Inside the Games: What You’ll Actually Play at Activate
The three most popular games are running on the grid, dodging lasers, and shooting hoops. Our absolute favorite was the mega grid, which are light boxes on the ground, and we played that multiple times.
Other challenges include flinging balls at asteroids, pressing buttons all over a room, and hiding from a giant eye. You’re interacting with screens the whole time, but it’s active and will definitely get your blood pumping.
The mega grid is made of light-up tiles on the ground. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
If you need to catch your breath, check out the more chill options. You can shoot lasers at targets or scan photos to spot the differences.
Most of the games are very physical. The key point is you can be as active as you want. Play one game the entire time, or bop around from room to room. It’s completely up to you.
Each room has a list of games posted on the touch screen outside. The cooperative games are coded blue, and the competitive ones pink. Get directions by tapping on the question mark. Each round runs two to four minutes, so you’re never waiting long for an open room.
Find the button that matches the one on the screen. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
When time’s up, scan your wristband on the iPads in the hall to see your scores. The system saves your progress, so you don’t have to start from scratch when you come back.
Where to Eat After Activate Near Southcenter Mall
There’s no food, drink or gum allowed inside Activate. After working up an appetite, we strolled across the street to Southcenter. Mr. Dim Sum is a buzzy Cantonese restaurant that opened in the mall a little over a year ago, and it’s 100 percent worth the hype.
Mr. Dim Sum serves dim sum all day, and most of the dishes on the menu run about $8 each. When the steamers landed on our table, I understood why: each chubby har gow is loaded up with four or five shrimp inside. No skimping on ingredients! Try the juicy shui mai and the softest, freshest mango mochi. If you can restrain yourself, save a little food to take home only because their to-go bag is ridiculously cute.
We wrapped up a truly banner day in Seattle Southside with bubble tea from 85C, a yummy Taiwanese bakery. (The Southcenter location will reopen Jan. 30 after a remodel.) Their drinks are on the sweet side, and after a session at Activate, you’ve earned it.
Mr. Dim Sum in Westfield Southcenter serves dim sum all day. (Image: Caroline JiaYing Grygiel / Seattle’s Child)
If You Go: Planning Your Visit
- Location: Activate Tukwila, 300 Andover Park West, Tukwila (in the same shopping plaza as Barnes and Noble)
- Phone: (564) 206-0920
- Cost: 60 minutes for $28 plus tax, 90 minutes for $38 plus tax
- Hours: Monday-Tuesday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 11 p.m, Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Parking: Free parking in the shopping plaza
- Best Time for Families: Weekday mornings and early afternoons tend to be quieter
