It can be hard to find fun things to do to occupy your kiddo’s mind when you are visiting a new city. Well, if you are visiting Seattle, WA, this is the article for you because we’re going to tell you our favorite attractions to do with your young ones.
The Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium is a great place for kids. Why? Because it’s like a real-life adventure book.
Your kids can get up close to wonderful animals like sea otters. Sea otters are probably the most fun creature at the Aquarium because they are so playful. They have human characteristics in that they tend to play in groups, float on their backs, and even hold hand, or in this case, paws.
Not only do kids love the different animals at the Aquarium, but the Aquarium also has activities that just will just draw your kids’ attention like a magnet, like the Diver Show. The Diver Show only takes place on the weekends, but they take place three times a day.
Your kids can watch the divers as they tend to the Aquarium, and they can also ask and have questions answered by the divers because they were a specialized face mask that lets them talk with the guests.
If you have younger children, in the 3 to 6 years old range, then you’ll want to stop by the Family Activity Center for Story Time (only on the weekends). For Story Time a staff member pulls a Puget Sound or Pacific Ocean themed story to read aloud, and afterward answer questions with the kiddos.
Ticket prices are free for kids 3 and under, $25 for ages 4-12, and $35 for ages 13 and up.
You can learn more about the history of the Seattle Aquarium here: https://www.historylink.org/File/2203
Ride The Ducks of Seattle
Probably the most fun way to see the sights of the city is on these WWII style amphibious “Duck” boats. They’re called Duck boat because like a duck, these open-air vehicles can travel on both the land and water.
The kids will love the “quackiness” of it. The tour guides, with funny names like Chance O’Rayne, and Chip Ahoy, keep the tour upbeat and lighthearted with family-friendly jokes and encouraging participation such as clapping and even dancing.
The tour prices are family-friendly as well, Child (4-12): $23 and Infant (0-3): $5
You can learn more about the Ride The Ducks here: https://www.ridetheducksofseattle.com/seattle-sightseeing-tours/
Chocolate Walking tour
This one is at the parent’s discretion as chocolate is known to turn kids up to 11. So, if you’re up to it, a chocolate walking tour is a blast with the family.
There are three main stops on the tour which are Boehms Candies & Chocolates, Liberty Orchards (they sell fruits, nuts, and candies), and the star of the tour Theo Chocolate Factory.
The Theo Chocolate Factory is the most fun and educational of the three. They explain the entire process from the planting of the cacao seeds to harvesting the beans to the creation of the dark chocolate that every child loves.
Theo also has a Kids Story Time tour. During Story Time the chocolate guide reads from the book Molly And The Chocolate Tree (recommended for kids 2-6).
At only $8 per person, the factory tour is a reasonable price, but then when you see how many chocolate samples they give you, it’s a steal. And if you still want more, after the tour you get a discount on any chocolate purchases made at the factory store.
Artists At Play
The Artists At Play playground is located at the Seattle Center in the shadows of the odd-looking MoPOP. This epic playground boasts a massive 35-foot climbing structure that kids love. There are rope ladders, rope climbing nets, rope swings, and two huge slides.
There’s also a walking maze, and interesting music devices, and a merry-go-round.
The city of Seattle went all out creating the most fun playground in the country where your kids can spend hours. Something to watch out for is the crowds. Due to the popularity of the playground, it can become overcrowded, so your best bet is to get there early in the morning.
And finally, the best part for parents is that Artist At Play is free.
You can learn more about Artists At Play here: http://www.seattlecenter.com/explore/attractions/artists-at-play
The Museum of Flight
Located just outside of south Seattle is the Museum of Flight (it’s also a member of the Smithsonian Museums). If your child has any interest in flight, airplanes, or spacecraft, they’ll love this place. It’s located in what was the original Boeing factory, which is at Seattle’s oldest airport and there are over 160 airplanes and spaceships on display.
Your kids will love the 3D movies on aircraft carriers and full-motion flight simulators. Even the adults love flight simulators.
From rocket engines to lunar rovers, to M-21 Blackbird spy planes, to WWII fighter planes like the “Big Stud”, the Museum of Flight has enough attractions to keep the whole family entertained for a day.
Ticket prices are not cheap, but reasonable at free for kids 4 and under, $17 for ages 4-17, and $25 for adults.
You can learn more about the Museum of Flight here: https://www.museumofflight.org/
Seattle Children’s Museum
This huge museum boasts 18,000 square feet of interactive exhibits for children 6 months to 8 years old. It’s broken up into different sections like the Discovery Bay. The Discovery Bay area is for small children up to 3 years old that can safely touch and play with all the displays in the Bay.
For the little artists in your family, there’s the Imagination Studio. In this area, your kids can paint, make clay pottery and just generally let their creative energy flow.
For the more active types be sure to check out The Mountain, where you can scale a small mountain and learn about some of the native Washington species that call the nearby alpine region of the Cascade Range home.
Ticket prices are free for infants to 12 months old, and $12 for all other children and adults.
Sightseeing in a big city like Seattle with kids in tow can be a challenge, but it’s not that bad. With a little planning and not too much money, you can have a great family day. For tours like Ride the Ducks of Seattle and the Walking Chocolate tour, you’ll want to make sure to call ahead and reserve your tickets. Reserving tickets is not necessary for the other spots on this list, but due to their popularity, the earlier you get there, the less crowded and more enjoyable your family experience will be. Get out there, and have fun!
