Fun & Affordable Activities in Seattle with Kids

Pacific Science Center is dedicated to fostering curiosity and wonder about the world for kids of all ages.

Living Exhibits lets children explore intriguing aspects of rare animals and plants.

Tropical Butterfly House is a sun-filled enclosure with hundreds of tropical butterflies.

Other exhibits and experiences include Just for Tots water experiments, Sonic Bloom solar-powered art, a pollinator garden, seeds in action, Puget Sound model, Insect Village, a saltwater tide pool, and a dinosaur exhibit with animatronics.

The museum also has a laser dome, a planetarium with free daily shows, and an IMAX theater. Pacific Science Center Café serves lunches and snacks.

200 2nd Avenue North, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-443-2001

The Seattle Center Monorail has been shuttling riders a mile across the city since its first appearance during the World’s Fair in 1962. Today, it delivers more than two million passengers annually from Seattle Center to WestLake Center along 5th Avenue.

Two trains, the Red Train and the Blue Train, operate on the rail system; each has a capability of transporting 250 passengers. Together they can serve 6,000 passengers every hour.

The front seat of the train is next to the driver, which gives children and parents alike a great view. Another cool aspect to the monorail is that it goes right through MoPOP, the Museum of Pop Culture.

400 Pine Street, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-905-2620

The Museum of Pop Culture, more casually referred to as MoPOP, was the brainchild of Microsoft co-founder and pop culture enthusiast, Paul Allen.

Located next to the Space Needle on the Seattle Center campus, the museum’s dazzling exterior offers a hint of what’s to come. Inside, exhibitions change with the same fluidity of culture and music.

Past and current exhibitions include nods to Marvel super heroes, horror films, science fiction, myths and fantasy, and video game culture.

There are tributes to a range of musical artists from Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana to Pearl Jam. The museum has a Holodome where visitors experience immersive virtual realities.

Sound Lab offers opportunities to explore studio music and even record a song.

325 5th Avenue North, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-770-2700

For Younger Kids

Seattle Children’s Museum provides hands-on experiences in creative and imaginative play in 22,000 square feet of space. It was designed specifically for children ten years old and younger and their families. This interactive museum is based on The 40 Assets, which is a developmental framework to help kids grow up healthy, happy, and compassionate. Cog City explores cause and effect, Global Village introduces kids to many cultures, and Dunn Lumber Construction Zone encourages hands-on construction. These and seven other interactive centers provide hours of fun. The museum is on the Seattle Center campus, so families can combine a museum visit with a ride on the Seattle Center Monorail.

305 Harrison Street, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-441-1768

Seattle Aquarium is on its way to becoming the crown jewel of Seattle’s revitalized waterfront. Since its last expansion in 2007 that included a 120,000-gallon marine exhibit, café, gift shop, and meeting facilities, it has also added a harbor seal exhibit. Visitors will find six exhibits at the aquarium, including Marine Mammals, Pacific Coral Reef, Window on Washington Waters, Birds & Shores, Life on the Edge, and the Underwater Dome. Kids will love the hands-on marine experiences, learning about orcas in Puget Sound, and weekend story time in the Family Activity Center. There are always new and seasonal events at Seattle Aquarium.

1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-386-4300

Seattle Children’s Theatre is among the country’s 20 biggest regional theatres having produced more than 200 plays, 100 of which were world premieres. The theater company performs at two Seattle venues – Eve Alvord Theatre and Charlotte Martin Theatre. There are approximately six shows per season with classics like The Velveteen Rabbit and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Some performances help kids discover important figures like Edward Tulane, Anne Frank, and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). There are ASL interpreted, sensory friendly, and audio described special performances for the entertainment of all guests. Seattle Children’s Theatre also runs a drama school and holds auditions for child actors.

201 Thomas Street, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-441-3322

Olympic Sculpture Park is a modern, urban waterfront green space designed to connect downtown Seattle to the city’s revitalized waterfront. Laid out in the shape of a “Z,” this park’s pedestrian walkway descends 40 feet from the street-level PACCAR Pavilion to the waterfront, offering visitors epic views of the Olympic Mountains, the Seattle skyline and port, and eventually the waterfront beach along the way. Moving along the route, pedestrians will encounter evergreen trees, deciduous trees, a shoreline garden, and of course dramatic sculptures. The park is free, and guided one-hour tours are also free. Landscapes Café is located in the Pavilion.

2901 Western Avenue, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-65-3100

For Teens and Tweens

Seattleites (the correct moniker according to The Seattle Times) have been dedicated to growing and improving Volunteer Park since its purchase in 1876. By 1912, an ambitious project by the Olmsted Brothers came to fruition with a shelter, children’s wading pool, music pavilion/pergola/comfort station, numerous gardens, and a conservatory building. Named a Seattle Landmark in 2011, visitors will find the latest iteration of the park that includes Seattle Asian Art Museum and Volunteer Park Conservatory. Visitors to the park will also find Volunteer Park Amphitheater where live performances and events are held. The Volunteer Park children’s wading pool is open seasonally.

1247 15th Avenue East, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-684-4075

The mission of Woodland Park Zoo is conserving the diversity of animals across the globe and slowing their absurdly high rates of extinction. The zoo aspires to show visitors what’s at stake and motivate conservation action. Guests will see over 1,100 animals from 300 species on the zoo’s 92 acres, which is divided into temperate rain forests, coastal deserts, and tropical rain forests. Travelers here won’t want to miss the Assam Rhino Reserve special exhibit for the one-horned rhinoceros. Woodland Park Zoo habitat exhibits include African Savanna, Australasia, Temperate Forest, Northern Trail, Tropical Asia, and others. There is also a butterfly garden and a penguin exhibit.

5500 Phinney Avenue North, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-548-2500

Pike Place Market is a lively public market that overlooks Elliott Bay waterfront. Open since 1907, the market has been serving Seattleites and visitors for well over a century. It’s one of the country’s oldest public farmers’ markets in continuous operation. A good approach visiting is to take the self-guided tour using your smartphone, website app, and a circular walking tour with 10 stops along the way. It starts under the Public Market Center’s iconic sign at the corner of Pike Place and Pike Street. Visitors won’t miss a thing at this nine-acre market, including the historic arcade, three lower levels of owner-operated specialty shops, crafts market, and much more.

97 Pike Street, Suite 2, Pike Place Market, Seattle, WA, Phone: 206-623-8204