If you use these all the time, they’re probably not that exciting for you or your child. However, if you don’t regularly use these, you can convince your child that a ride on public transit is almost as special as Disneyland!

Plan a short simple outing at non-peak travel times, and get a transfer when you board – you’ll be able to ride back out for the single fare.

You can choose to take transit to a special destination. (Even something as simple as a shopping center with an ice cream shop.) Or you can just go on a ride, focusing on enjoying the journey, not a destination.

Things to Do on the Trip:

• Gaze out the window and talk about what you see.
• Play I-Spy.
• Do a scavenger hunt or travel bingo, looking for things like stop signs, blinking lights, and so on.
• for older children who know their alphabet: first find an A (on a sign, license plate, etc.) then a B and so on. See if you can complete the alphabet.
• Many transit stations feature public art – check it out!
  • In Seattle area: On light rail or Sounder rail, you can go on a scavenger hunt for the public art at their stations: see http://www.soundtransit.org/Rider-Guide/public-art. (Also, check out this great article, which is focused on light-rail-based adventures, but also has plenty of “cheap date” ideas for downtown Seattle (note: it’s from 2010 so parts are likely out of date): www.deliciousbaby.com/journal/2010/jan/13/seattles-link-light-rail-kids/
• This post covers the new light rail on Seattle’s Eastside and fun kid attractions along the way.

Here are lots of train related adventures in the Seattle area. #5 is the monorail, #6 is the Seattle streetcar, 7 is light rail, 8 is the Sounder.