Darn it! The snow is going away, just in time for Seattle kids to have a full week off school. Here’s what we’ve got for midwinter break 2021 activities for kids:
(Yes, to some of us, “sleeping in” is an activity.)
Get creative: Have kids enter this COVID-19 art contest
Stay active/explore: State parks that are great in fall and winter; best fall/winter hikes around Seattle; guide to a winter beach walk at Lincoln Park; hands-on ways to play outside in winter; 8 great beaches to explore at low tide
Head for the hills (if it’s safe): Closest downhill skiing places to Seattle; 8 places to go cross-country skiing; Parent review of Hyak Sno-Park sledding;
…. and check our updating list of popular attractions that are open around the area.
Free virtual programs from Pacific Science Center:
NASA image of Mars from Pacific Science Center
Marvelous Mars
Remaining session: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16; free, suggested donation $25
Join the excitement ahead of Thursday’s scheduled landing of the Perseverance rover. Study the geology of Mars: craters, volcanoes and ancient canyons.
Ingenious Engineering
1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16; 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17; free, Suggested donation $25
In honor of NASA’s four Mars rovers, kids will create a simple rover capable of surviving a drop test, while learning about some of the past and future machines that have landed on Mars.
Watch the Mars rover landing: It’s expected to take place at 12:55 p.m. (Pacific time) on Thursday. Check NASA’s website for coverage leading up to and including the landing.
Let the library help you
Seattle Public Library put out this great list of Midwinter Break Activities for Your Family:
1. Borrow books, music and DVDs, and pick them up curbside.
2. Museum Pass: This beloved Library service is back! Plan a visit to the National Nordic Museum, Seattle Aquarium, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and the Burke Museum.
3. Freegal: Download (and keep!) five songs a week. Did you know there are more than 30 versions of “Baby Shark”? (Did you need to know that?) Try the Valentine’s Day version, or learn how to sing along in Korean or Portuguese.
4. COVID-19 Community Collection: Contribute your COVID-19 era stories, songs, photos and videos to this project.
5. Virtual Story Times: This kid-friendly YouTube channel full of virtual story times is great for a morning activity or for unwinding just before bedtime!
6. Hoopla: Keep entertained with comics, graphic novels or manga on Hoopla via SPL.
7. Kanopy: Â Take family movie night for a global tour with GKIDS Films on Kanopy.
9. Beginning Drawing for 50+ – Do you live in a multigenerational household? Join us for this art class. All you need is a pencil, paper and eraser.
10. Exploration Guides – Watch our new Exploration Guides, which focus on subjects of high interest to learners from grade 3 through high school.
