We’re already in month two of the New Year. But don’t kid yourself, Spring is not just around the corner. Groundhog day was this week and old Punxtsutawney Phil saw his shadow, promising six more weeks of Winter! I know winter gets a little gray and damp around here so if you’re looking for ways to ward off the drear here are some fun activities to keep you and your family busy until the tulips start blooming. If you keep reading you’ll find that I’ve picked things that are not only possibilities for your 2015 holiday season activity list (should you be the kind of person to plan this far ahead) but are fun activities all year round! You decide when you want to take advantage of them. (Side note, you’ll probably notice a strong holiday reference, that’s because these are activities I did over Christmas but realized that they should be taken advantage of all year round!)
- Seattle Public Theater — Greenlake’s Bathhouse Theater. Take advantage of SPT’s remaining productions during the 2014-15 season. Although some of the plays are more adult oriented, good for a date night, SPT has a rich Youth Program. Check out the listing of upcoming Youth Program performances so you can start to instill a love of local theater in your kids. If your child has a flair for the dramatic, try outs are starting soon for some performances. How cool would it be to see your child dazzle on stage! Actually, my 9-year-old son’s school friend performed in the December production of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It was inspiring to see so many young thespians. www.seattlepublictheater.org
- Ice Skating at the Highland Ice Arena. My children’s elementary school has an annual tradition of kicking off the holiday season with ice skating. Typically, the school rents out the ice skating rink at the Fisher Pavilion located in Seattle Center. This year, they reserved the small rink at the Highland Ice Arena on Aurora Avenue in Shoreline. I have to say, I was thankful for the location change, since I live a mere three miles from the arena. It was also a nice reminder that I don’t need to limit my ice skating to once a year (which could explain why I’m still extremely wobbly and prone to clinging to the sides of the rink). My kids and I can take advantage of the arena’s public skating sessions Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall! Public skating is offered at a reasonable price several times throughout the week and on the weekends. Bring your own skates if you have them or rent them for $4. Reserve one of the picnic tables for a birthday party or for a larger group rent the small rink like our school did (there are a total of two rinks). It’s the perfect activity to do this Winter when you don’t feel like driving to the mountains for some fun on the ice. http://www.highlandice.com/public_skating.php
- PCC Kids Cook. A couple of weeks before Christmas a friend and I signed our 6 year-old daughters up for a holiday baking class at the new Greenlake Village PCC. We spent an hour and a half after school baking and decorating gingerbread men and thumbprint cookies. The kitchen and instruction space was equipped with attractive modern appliances and easily accommodated all six groups of parents and kids comfortably. We watched as the instructor walked us through the steps for each recipe. A large flat screen tv that hung above the demonstration area allowed for easy viewing in case you couldn’t see from your seat. The girls enjoyed getting their hands gooey with dough and flour, rolling the dough out and picking from a fun assortment of cookie cutters to shape their cookies. Everyone left with copies of the recipes plus a bonus recipe to try on our own at home. My daughter and I have since made the thumb print cookies a few times, it has become a favorite of ours. PCC offers a wide variety of cooking and baking classes for kids ranging in ages from 2-13 at several of their locations. Check out what they have lined up for the Winter and Spring. Members get a discount on registration. If you have a budding chef in your family, I highly recommend Kids Cooks! www.pccnaturalmarkets.com
What are your favorite activities to keep your family entertained during the dreary winter months?
About the Author
Meg Butterworth lives in NW Seattle with her husband and two children. She’s been a part of the PEPS community for almost nine years. WOW! When she has a couple of kid free hours she enjoys writing, exploring Seattle, and enjoying a couple of beverages with her life line of fellow Mom friends.