Category Archives: Seattle area

Cheap Dates with Toddlers: Buses and Trains

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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!
  • 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.

Cheap Dates with Toddlers: Farm Parks

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Spring is coming, and the baby animals are appearing at local farms.

A few years ago, I took this picture of a 2 week old calf  at Farrell-McWhirter. He was shorter than my 3 year old! (Sorry that it’s not a great picture… my son was really ready to go have snack, so we only got a really quick look at the calf… but wow he was cute!)

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At any time of year, toddlers love outings to meet farm animals. Lots of children’s books, games, and videos feature farm animals, so kids tend to be familiar with them, and get very excited when they can recognize and name the “real thing.” Seeing and hearing (and smelling) the animals in person make the idea much more real. At farm parks, you can check out chickens, sheep, bunnies, cows, pigs, and goats. Some times you’ll get an opportunity to see fresh eggs in the coop, or see a cow or goat being milked.  This is a great outing for a child who has just learned to answer all those vital questions like “What does a cow say?”

For my readers in the Seattle area… here are some free outings:

Farrell McWhirter Park in Redmond. When last I visited (it’s been a while), they had a small pot-bellied pig and a really big pig, bunnies, chickens, 2 goats, a calf and horses. Animals are on view 9 am to 4 pm.  It is not a petting zoon – you  can’t pet or feed the animals – just see them. They do offer farm classes and pony rides. You can register for programs here. Farrell McWhirter is also home to Nature Vision preschool. There are great hiking trails, streams, swings, and tire swings too.

Kelsey Creek Farm Park in Bellevue. They’ve got sheep, pigs, cows, goats, ponies, bunnies, and chickens. (Learn about their animals.) Again, they’re on view, but this is not a petting zoo and you can’t feed them. It’s free to visit – animals are on view every day from 9 am to 3 pm. They also offer horseback riding and farm classes, including a great program for toddlers called Little Farmers. They also have a nice playground and walking trails. Learn about farm tours and farm classes.

Sammamish Animal Sanctuary. They have alpaca, goats, mini horses, mini donkeys, llama, cows, pigs, sheep, chicken, ducks, bunnies and guinea pigs. For a small donation, you can purchase treats to feed the animals, or you can bring your own spinach or carrots. You do have to make reservations. It is free, but they encourage donations to support their work.

Farms with a Fee:

Red Barn Farm in Redmond. They do farm visits on Wednesdays – you need to reserve. Feed the animals and walk around the farm! Price is $25 per car up to 4 guests. Additional guests beyond 4 are $10 each children under 2 free. They have cats, chickens, dogs, donkeys, ducks, goats, pigs and rabbits. (See pictures.)

Fancy Farm in Fall City. By appointment only. (Check their Facebook page for availability.) $10 per person, or $20 for family for a one hour visit. They have emu, goats, pigs, horses, chickens and ducks. Pony ride for an additional fee. I believe they let you hold / pet the animals.

Remlinger Farms Fun Park in Carnation. Opens for the season on Mother’s Day. They haven’t announced 2023 fees yet – a few years ago, they were ~$20 per person (babies under 1 are free). They have horses, pigs, sheep, alpaca, goats,  rabbits and donkeys. They have pony rides for an additional fee. They also have some amusement park style rides, and a train ride. Plus a hay maze and a hay barn to play in.

Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Adults $27.00. Kids are $16.50. Under two years is free. By the south entrance, there’s the Family Farm area, which includes a petting zoo where kids can meet goats up close. There’s pigs, goats, sheep, cows, bunnies, chickens, and a donkey. Plus, of course, lots of more exotic animals.

When visiting  farm parks: remember bring a change of clothes and shoes for your child! They can get pretty muddy in any of these places. Please teach your children to be calm around animals and gentle. If you’re at a petting zoo, always remember that these are animals – if you stand behind a horse and spook it, you may get kicked. If you annoy a goat, you may get bit. If you stay calm and quiet around petting zoo animals, you’ll do fine.

Updated March 2023.

Bellevue College Parent Education Programs

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I have some spaces available in my class, from now through early June. We are a first year toddler program for children born between September 2011 and August 2012. We meet just north of downtown Bellevue on Thursdays from 9:30 – 11:30. There are also spaces available in some other classes in the program: To sign up, go to: www.bellevuecollege.edu/parented/2013-2014-class-schedule/

We are also now registering for the 2014 – 2015 school year. (We have lots of open houses next week if you’d like a chance to check things out.) All of our programs share key components:

  • play-based learning for the kids based on brain research that shows children learn best through hands-on play in environments where they are relaxed and happy and encouraged to explore
  • circle times led by our fabulous children’s teachers, filled with developmentally appropriate songs, rhymes, stories, and active games
  • parent involvement – at every level from infant classes to cooperative preschools to enrichment programs for 5 – 7 year olds, parents are involved, active participants in the classroom
  • parent education – our college faculty present lectures and facilitate discussion on topics from emotional development to discipline to early learning and nutrition – all the topics parents care most about

In other news from our program: this weekend is our Healthy Kids, Healthy Family Fair, with exhibitors, free consultations with parent educators, mini seminars, and lots of great hands-on activities for your children! It is open to anyone. Learn more here: http://bcparents.org/Healthy_Kids_Event.html

Learn more about the parent education programs and cooperative preschools at Bellevue College and other community colleges by clicking here.

Cheap Dates with Toddlers: Going to the Dog Park

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img_20160724_152718837I have an on-going series of easy, cheap or free activities that toddlers love. Here’s one in honor of today’s lovely sunshine…

Off-Leash Dog Areas: If you’re feeling down and lonely in the winter, when the sun comes out (even if it’s cold) head to the dog park, and you’ll find lots of people and lots of very happy dogs, which always lightens my mood! It’s great for exercise, socialization, and learning new things: Dog parks are a great place to teach your child adjectives: big dog, little dog, white dog, fluffy dog, and so on. (As they get older, you can work on memorizing dog breeds – it’s a great way to train their brain to notice distinctions between things, categorize them, and remember those categories.) FYI, you don’t need to have a dog of your own to go to the dog park. Even if you do have a dog, you might find it easier to leave him at home when you take your toddler on her first few outings.

Note: wear boots for puddles, and wear clothes that can get wet and muddy, as you may encounter a dog shaking off, or a friendly dog who jumps with muddy paws.

A few important safety notes: even the friendliest and ‘safest’ dog can bite if circumstances are right. Consider carrying your child in a front pack or back pack that puts them up and away from the dogs. If your child is walking, tell them they need to hold your hand whenever a dog is nearby. Never approach a dog without its owner’s permission, and once you have permission, have your child first hold out a closed hand for the dog to sniff before petting the dog. Here are more tips on teaching your child to be safe around dogs.

For folks on the Eastside of Seattle, here’s where to go:

We love Marymoor Park‘s off-leash area in Redmond, because you can go for a nice long walk. But you’re definitely in the middle of the action when you go for a walk there, and should expect close encounters with 20+ dogs of all sizes and behavior as you walk. If you’d rather view dogs with a little more distance, check out Jasper’s in Kirkland. There is a fenced off-leash area where you can keep your toddler outside the fence where they have a good view of the action, but may feel safer to them. Another option is Robinswood in Bellevue, which is a smaller “corral” where on weekdays, I often find only 2 – 3 dogs and their owners, so it’s a little more low-key.

For more animal fun, check out Pet Stores and Farm Parks. Considering a pet of your own? Find my recommendations on Best Pets for Kids.

Cheap Dates for Toddlers – Garden d’lights

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[Every Friday, I post a “cheap date” idea for something fun and simple to do with your toddler. The big picture ideas apply to any locale, but the specific examples will be Bellevue-centric.]

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The Bellevue Botanical Gardens is doing their annual holiday lights show, Garden d’lights. www.gardendlights.org/ They’ve got over a half million lights assembled into flowers, trees, ponds, animals, and so on. If you’re a plant person, you’re certain to recognize a wide range of specific flowers done in delicate detail with Christmas lights. If you’re like me, you’ll still be able to identify the most obvious few – the sunflowers, the wisteria… My favorite was the barrel of grapes…
It’s $5 for adults, kids are free. It’s very toddler accessible. It opens at 4:30, so easy to fit it in before an early bedtime. It’s a fairly short loop, which our 3 year old was able to do twice through without tiring (the 80 year old grandparents were content with once through!) It’s probably stroller accessible, but may be easier to walk it. I would guess we were there 45 minutes the time we did the double loop, and 30 minutes on the single loop day?
The lights are quite pretty, even for a baby to enjoy. Toddlers can spot the animals – butterflies, a frog, a bear at a honey tree, a sea serpent. Older kids can do the scavenger hunt and find ALL the animals. We still haven’t found gecko #3, so let us know if you spot it!
It’s almost all out doors – there’s a brief respite where you can go inside for a few minutes of warmth about 1/3 of the way through. There are also hot drinks at that point. So, be sure to BUNDLE UP!
Here’s a list of other options for Christmas light viewing: www.parentmap.com/article/best-holiday-light-displays-in-greater-seattle