May is when Spring is in full bloom, and free family-friendly fun events are happening all over the region. Looking for free kid-friendly events in Seattle this weekend? We’ve got those below, plus even more free things to do with kids all month long, both indoors and out.
Keep checking back — new free events and activities are added all month.
Free Ideas for May Family-Friendly Fun
Mother’s Day is May 10th, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate with a free outing – see below for details. For the full range of paid and free options, check out our Guide to Mother’s Day 2026.
Explore tide pools with a guide. Starting in May through mid-July, the Seattle Aquarium Naturalist program stations naturalists at six beaches in the area during select low tides to point out the sealife and tell you about what you are seeing. Our Seattle’s Child tidepooling primer is also a good beginner’s guide to where to look and what you might find.
Playground Season is upon us. There are ao many new and redesigned playgrounds popping up all over the greater Seattle area – it’s hard to know where to go for your playground visits. These 10 best playgrounds with a theme are a great start.
Watch the boats go up and down. The Ballard Locks offer free public tours from May 1 to September 30, daily except Monday and Tuesday, when the Locks are closed. The tours are informative, but visiting the locks is a free, fun outing anytime. Our guide shares how to time your visit and make the most of it with kids.
Wander somewhere new. Trade the busiest garden paths for hidden gems across the Seattle area, from tucked-away botanical gardens to quiet neighborhood green spaces. Our guide highlights spots that feel like a secret.
Get ready to ride. Bike/Roll to School Day is May 6 and the whole month of May is National Bicycle Month. The Cascade Bicycle Club does a fabulous job working with the schools to get everybody involved – on bikes, scooters, skates, or feet.
Free fun on the water. At The Center for Wooden Boats, families can hop on a free sail (select Sundays) or drop in for hands-on activities like toy boat building and storytime. It’s a uniquely Seattle experience — and one of the best free outings around.
Hit the farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets are one of the easiest (and free) ways to spend a morning— grab a snack, listen to live music, and let kids explore. In May, they are fully in action with Spring vegetables and flowers in dazzling abundance. Our guide rounds up the most family-friendly markets across Seattle.
Visit a working farm. Just minutes from downtown Bellevue, Kelsey Creek Farm lets kids see goats, sheep, pigs, and more up close — no admission required. Animals are viewable daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., making it an easy, free outing any day of the month.
Let them run wild (indoors). Seattle Parks’ free toddler play gyms are a lifesaver on rainy days, with balls, trikes, mats, and plenty of space to burn energy. Drop-In sessions happen at community centers across the city until June 21st, when they take a break for the summer — just check the schedule before you go.
Listen to stories. Story times are one of the easiest free ways to go out with little kids. From baby sessions to bilingual storytimes, there are options happening every day across Seattle.
Go to a museum (for free). On the first Thursday of every month – and a few select other days – many Seattle-area museums open their doors with free admission — think everything from dinosaurs to contemporary art. Our guide breaks down where to go and when.
Free Kid-Friendly Events in May
Weekend May 2 – 3
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- Windermere Rowing Regatta & Opening Day Boat Parade | Saturday, May 3 | 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Montlake Cut | Free | All ages | Stand on the banks of the Montlake Cut and watch the official Seattle Boating Season kick off with teams of rowers from all over the world competing. Races start at 10:15 a.m. followed by a parade of decorated motor boats of all sizes heading under the Montlake Bridge and out to Lake Washington. ‘
- Kodomo no Hi | Japanese Children’s Day Festival | Sunday, May 3 | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington | Free | All ages Hosted by the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington (JCCCW), this annual festival features live martial arts demonstrations, taiko drumming, tea ceremony demonstrations, local food vendors, and more.
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Wednesday, May 6
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- Small Frye Small Frye Storytime + Art| Wednesday, May 6, 10:15-11:15 a.m. | The Frye Museum, Seattle | Ages 2 – 5 | Free, pre-register | With interactive storytelling and the visual arts, teaching artists from the Seattle Children’s Theatre and Frye Art Museum bring favorite picture books to life through movement, drama, and hands-on artmaking.
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Thursday, May 7
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- Museum Free Days | Times and locations vary | All ages | Free | Most museums in the Puget Sound area offer free admission on the first Thursday of the month (or a different day). All participating museums have exhibits that are designed with kids in mind or have obvious appeal to children with special interests.
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Weekend May 9 – 10
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- Storytime at Kubota Garden | Saturday, May 9 | 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. | Kubota Garden | Free | For kids and families | Engage in stories and hands-on art activities that connect kids and families to nature at Kubota Garden. At this program, local storyteller Tobey Ishii-Anderson will share Japanese folktales.
- Edmonds Spring Fest | Saturday, May 9 | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Frances Anderson Playfield | Free | Enjoy this spring family-friendly festival, with lots of vendors, great food trucks, and, a good place to shop for Mother’s Day.
- Pacific Bonsai Museum: BonsaiFest | May 9-10 | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way | Free | See hundreds of beautiful bonsai in an enchanting, woodsy setting. Live bonsai-making demonstrations, Docent-led tours of the collection, pop-up shopping, kids’ activities, and food trucks.
- Saturdays at SAM | Saturday, May 9, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Seattle Art Museum | Free | Play, create, and connect in the Brotman Forum every first, second, and third Saturday. This lively space is filled with hands-on art making, live music, and moments of community—all inspired by SAM’s permanent collections and exhibitions.
- Pike Place Annual Flower Festival | May 9-10 | 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Pike Place Market | Free | Find seasonal bouquets from over 30+ local flower farmers, exclusive shopping deals, and lively music performances from Market buskers! This event is for all ages.
- Ballard Farmers Market | Sunday, May 10 | 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. | Every Sunday, year-round | Ballard | Free | The market is open rain or shine year-round, in the heart of Ballard. Features live buskers, local vendors, and shopping! Some vendors offer free samples, which is perfect for the little ones to try something new. Find more Sunday Farmer’s Markets.
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Weekend May 16 – 17
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- University Street Fair | Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday, May 17, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. | University District |Free| All ages |This two-day fabulous Seattle Spring tradition has filled “The Ave” just west of the UW for over 55 years with live music and performances , over 40 food trucks and booths and more than 70,000 visitors. Parking is difficult – public transportation encouraged.
- Saturdays at SAM | Saturday, May 16, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Seattle Art Museum | Free | All ages | Play, create, and connect in the Brotman Forum every first, second, and third Saturday. This lively space is filled with hands-on art making, live music, and moments of community—all inspired by SAM’s permanent collections and exhibitions.
- Columbia City Night Market | Saturday, May 16, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. | Free | All ages | Seattle’s Columbia City Night Market is a monthly after-dark celebration where four city blocks light up with food, music, art, and local makers.
- Storytime at Bellevue Botanical Garden | Sunday, May 17, 1 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Bellevue Botanical Garden, in the Sharp Cabin or outside at the Bellevue Botanical Garden | Free | geared to K to 2nd grade | There will be a free garden tour after storytime with a focus on the theme of the day.
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Weekend May 22 – Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day)
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- Northwest Folklife Festival | Friday, May 22 – Monday, May 25 | Times vary | Seattle Center | Free/donations welcome | All ages | This legendary, family-friendly festival, is a vibrant tapestry of music, dance, arts, workshops and food.
- Lakewood Playground Star Party. | Saturday, May 23, 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.| Lakewood Playground, 5013 S Angeline St, Seattle | Free | All ages | Meet amateur astronomers, view through their telescopes, and learn about the night sky at a star gazing party hosted by Seattle Astronomical Society.
- National Free Parks Day | Monday, May 25 | On Memorial Day the National Parks in Washington are free (state parks charge the usual admission fee today).
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Weekend May 29 – May 31
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- Honkfest West! | Friday May 29, Georgetown, 6 pm-10 pm, Saturday, May 30, Columbia City, noon – 8 p.m., Sunday, May 31, Pratt Park, noon – 6 p.m. | Free | All ages | A fantastic three-day outside music festival ideally suited for families looking for a chance to move to the music – featuring bands that draw inspiration from NOLA second line tradition, Brazilian Samba, Punk, Funk, Hip Hop, Eastern European and Latin American traditions, percussion ensembles, and other mobile and acoustic street bands traditions from around the globe.
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