Christmas Leftovers

I'm sure few parents have missed the irony of having their kids abandon newly unwrapped toys in order to play with the boxes and paper they came dressed up in.

I figure they'll get back to the toys at some later point. But for now, why not enjoy the Christmas leftovers? I'm talking about all the fun packaging these toys come with. The bigger the boxes the better!

My sister and I were experts at making complex forts and mazes when we were kids. It used to captivate us for hours as we added to our structures with things we found around the house. The best part of this kind of play is that it is free, creative play... something that isn't necessarily fostered in a lot of the toys that come inside these boxes.

Now 10-month-old L is not yet a skilled fort-builder, but he's having fun poking around in the boxes and wrapping. He even found one box big enough to hide in. He thought that was the best part of the holiday!

Bad Weather Doesn't Stop Us

People moving to the Puget Sound-area should have to pass a quiz before they settle in: a) Have you ever suntanned in 60-degree weather? b) Do you feel relief when rain finally returns in September after a hot August? and, c) Do you eagerly participate in year-round outdoor activities in all weather conditions?

If you answered yes to these questions, congratulations! You'll be a happy resident here.

The truth is that life is indeed sweeter in the Puget Sound region if you can find ways to stay busy despite the weather forecast. And kids usually think it's cool to do their favorite summer activities in the off-season.

Here are a few ideas for fun things to do with kids no matter what the barometer says:

* Go to the beach: Beaches are great in summer, but when the weather cools that doesn't mean you have to pack away the beach bag. Dress the family in warm layers and visit one of our area's great Puget Sound beaches. We took little L for a walk at Dash Point State Park in Federal Way this month. Kids still love to play in the sand in cooler weather, and looking for sea life is a great year-round activity.

* Build a campfire: Campfires aren't just for camping. We recently made one in our backyard in an inexpensive fire pit. It's fun to bundle up and tell stories around a fire. And, of course, kids can't resist a chance to roast marshmallows.

* Take a swim: Okay, not in the lake. But indoor pools are a great cold weather activity. Even little L at eight months had fun splashing around in the warm water. Most local community pools have time set aside for family swims, which is a great rainy afternoon activity.

It's easy to find fun things to do this fall and winter... as long as you think like a local.


Links:
Washington State Parks
City of Seattle Swimming Pools
King County Pool
Build a Campfire

Ferry Along

Those of us who were raised in the Puget Sound region are accustomed to ferries as a normal mode of transportation. But listen to the oohs and ahhs of an out-of-town visitor and you realize that the greater Seattle area is pretty lucky to have such a cool system of ferries. In fact, our region is home to the biggest ferry system in the country.

Kids share an out-of-towner's enthusiasm for ferry riding. They love seeing cars loaded on and off the big green and white vessels. Kids get a kick out of standing at the front of the boat and watching the Seattle skyline disappear. It's not difficult to get caught up in the excitement of setting off on a new adventure on a ferry.

Taking a round trip ride on a Washington State ferry is a great idea for an easy day trip with kids. Some fun destinations include Vashon Island, Bremerton, Bainbridge Island or Orcas Island.

The price of riding the ferry has risen steeply in recent years. But you can make the trip more affordable by parking your car and walking on the ferry. Kids will like walking off the ferry to eat an ice cream cone or to explore a new beach before hopping back on for the return trip home.

Let your kids pick the destination and teach them how to read a ferry schedule. Then, sink into the plastic benches, enjoy the views and become a ferry enthusiast again.

Links:
Washington State Ferries

The Real Outdoors

Camping is of the best ways to expose your kids to unstructured, outdoor play. A visit to one of our region's national parks or wildlife areas gives them a chance to experience the "real" outdoors in a setting that (hopefully) has no TVs, iPhones or DVD players. Those opportunities are rare today, and camping provides a way to go backward in time to when kids spent most of their time playing in the woods and getting dirty.

We took little L on his first camping trip this past weekend to the North Cascades National Park. He's too little to run around and play in the woods, but he's not too young to enjoy being outside.

We were thrilled to see that he seemed to really love it. The fresh air is good for his lungs. So, is the exposure to new experiences, such as looking up at huge old growth trees, hearing new bird calls and feeling the early morning mist. He experienced his first night in a tent with the rain pounding on the nylon ceiling. He took his first hike and looked out at the lake from the viewpoint 600 feet above.

For three days we listened to children playing from morning to night all around the campground. Shouts of joy and discovery.

Kids enjoying the real outdoors.

Berry Pickin'

When I was a kid, I remember trying to pack in all my favorite summer activities into the final days of August before school started. And for me, one of the most fun things to do was pick berries. What better way to bide the last days of freedom than with berry-stained hands and mouth?

I have yet to meet a kid who doesn't like to pick berries. I think it's because there's something very satisfying about snacking straight from a berry bush. Even true city kids will enjoy foraging for a sweet treat.

Some of the most common berries to pick in our area are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. Lesser known, but also delicious, are salmon berries, currants and gooseberries.

Picking berries with kids can be as simple as grabbing a plastic container and finding an alley with overgrown blackberry bushes. Or, you can visit one of the many "U-Pick" berry farms in our area.

It's a good idea to check to make sure the area you're picking hasn't been sprayed with pesticides. Also, avoid picking blackberries too close to a dusty road. And, of course, never pick a berry you're unfamiliar with. In fact, teaching kids which berries are edible and which are poisonous is a valuable lesson about nature.

A delicious lesson they'll enjoy beyond childhood.

Links:
Find a U-Pick Farm
Seattle's Pesticide-Free Parks

Hopping in a Lake

Nothing makes me feel more like a kid in the summer than going swimming in a lake. And, there's no better way to occupy kids on a hot day than taking them for a dip.

We are lucky to live in an area with so much water and so many great places to swim. I recommend Green Lake, Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish, all of which have nice swimming beaches and many lifeguarded areas.

For parents with more than one child, it's especially worth it to visit one of the guarded areas. With the water packed with kids on a hot day, you can have the peace of mind of knowing that there are more than one set of eyes watching your children.

Older kids will love the beaches that include platforms and diving boards. Littler ones can have a blast splashing in the shallow areas and playing in the sand. The great thing about visiting the lake is that there's a fun activity to occupy all ages.

A lot of people are surprised to hear that our area lakes warm up to very comfortable temperatures in the summer. The truth is that all three of these lakes have temps of about 70 degrees right now and many areas reached nearly 80 degrees during the late July heat wave.

Parents who are squeamish about water quality can even visit King County's web site, where carefully monitored bacteria levels are reported.

But I try not to think about what's in the water. Part of acting like a kid in the summer is letting go of worries and just taking the plunge.

Links:
King County Water Quality Monitoring

Suburban Hiking

The Puget Sound area is one of the best places in the country to access great outdoor activities without even leaving town.

We took L for his first hike recently, and we didn't have to venture further than the north end of Lake Washington. We stopped at St. Edwards Park, just north of Kirkland, on a gray Sunday morning to get in a short walk before meeting up with family.

St. Edwards Park is one of those incredible resources that is mostly unknown outside its local community. For those of us who grew up within a five-mile radius, we have fond memories of attending birthday parties at the park's swimming pool, participating in cross country races that crisscrossed the park's many trails and watched friends play in recreation soccer games.

The park is very popular with trail runners and mountain bikers, but it's also a great place to take a hike, and the trails are surprisingly challenging. We chose a random path that looked like it headed in the direction of the water and took off down a nicely maintained trail. After just a couple of minutes we felt like we were up in the Cascades on a true wilderness hike. We passed only one other family on the way while we enjoyed the forest which is thick with old, very tall trees.

After stopping briefly at the lake to feel the temperature of the water (warm!), we found a different trail that promised to lead us back up in less than a mile.

L woke up from his nap in the Ergo at that point, but he was quiet as he took in all the still, green surroundings.

I think we'll be doing a lot more suburban hiking.

Links:
St. Edwards State Park

How Things Grow

Gardens are magical for kids. I still find them magical myself. I planted a dozen different types of vegetables in early May, and it never stops to thrill me when I see the first plants emerge.

Today, L and I did some gardening maintenance since we're at a midpoint in our harvest. Our family can barely keep up with the zucchini and tomatoes. It seems like every day there's a new foot-long zucchini to pick. We should continue to get many more in the coming weeks, so I did a little pruning and harvesting of those plants.

We had a great season already of peas and beans, but it was time to yank them out. I replaced them with beets and some more salad greens that should do well in the cooler fall weather. I also thinned some carrots and parsnips hoping to get some bigger vegetables in a few weeks.

Kids are great helpers in the garden. They can drop seeds into carefully prepared holes. They enjoying helping you water, especially with a kid-sized watering can. And, best of all, kids are excellent at harvesting. It's fun to teach them which part of the plant to eat and which part to discard in the compost pile. It's a great place to secretly teach kids about nutrition, since most of the fun of gardening is tasting everything straight out of the soil (okay, maybe after a squirt of water from the hose.)

L isn't even eating solid foods yet, but I've been introducing him to the smells of the vegetables in our gardens. I will hold up a juicy tomato or shallot to his nose to see his reaction. Sometimes he wrinkles his nose. Sometimes he smiles. I think he likes gardening, too.

Links:
HGTV: How to grow a vegetable garden
Backyard Gardener

Smooth Strolling

I hadn’t really noticed until recently how inaccessible many walking areas in our region are to people pushing strollers or folks in wheelchairs. As a mom pushing a stroller with a 15-pound baby plus the attached car seat, it makes a big difference if the sidewalks have curb ramps to make crossing the streets possible without lifting the stroller wheels up and down each block. I have started seeking out the most stroller-friendly routes on our walks just to avoid that dreaded up-down-up-down lifting.

So, L and I set out recently with our beloved Mr. Bob to test out several stroller paths in the greater Seattle area, and we have some recommendations to share. These paths are also good for people in wheelchairs.

Alki Beach: This is a great spot for a long walk along the shore with views of the Olympics, the islands and--if you venture far enough--downtown Seattle.
Info

Seward Park: A 2.4-mile loop around a peninsula that features a nice path and views of the water.
Info

Lake Washington Boulevard: Start at Seward Park or Leschi and walk along the Boulevard for a meandering stroll that follows the water. Lots of places to stop for a swim along the way.
Info

Green Lake: As long as it’s not too crowded, which it often is on a sunny day, Green Lake is the most popular walking path in Seattle. You can't beat the great people-watching.
Info

Downtown Kirkland waterfront: Start at Houghton Beach and walk toward Kirkland's quaint downtown. You'll have nice views of Bellevue and Seattle as you pass several waterfront parks.
Info

Kid-Sized Economics

Today, L and I supported the most local of the local economy: the sidewalk lemonade stand. As we headed out on our daily walk, we passed two elementary-aged girls on the corner sitting at a table with a big glass pitcher of lemonade.

I happily turned over a quarter for a large paper cup of lemonade.

When I was a kid I loved to sell things by the side of the road. Kool-Aid, Tang, lemonade… anything we could find in the pantry was a potential consumer good as far as we were concerned. (We hadn’t yet grasped the concept of supply and demand.)

Once my friend and I even made perfume by mashing up dandelions and combining it with some baby oil. (It smelled awful, and needless to say, the customers were very few.)

There was something very satisfying about making something and selling it. I wouldn’t say we ever did a swift business, but it was fun, and we learned a little about sales and marketing. After spending a day trying to sell Tang out of our backyard, we realized the importance of signage and a good location!

Summer is a great time to support kids’ economic endeavors, either by helping your kids set up their own stand or by being a good customer in your neighborhood.

And, for 25 cents a glass… lemonade is one thing that is still a good value.

Urban Safari

Did you know that seals sometimes come ashore to rest on the beach at Lincoln Park?

Looking for wildlife is a great activity for kids, and it's surprising how much you can see without even leaving the city. In addition to looking for tough-to-spot animals like seals, it’s also fun to see how many different types of insects and birds you can spot. Lincoln Park, located in West Seattle, is one of the best parks in our area to go on a wildlife “hunt.” In visits during the past two years, I’ve spotted bald eagles circling high above the tallest trees and seen fish jumping just off shore.

Today we set off just after lunch with L in Mr. Bob, our trusty and off-road-friendly stroller. It was a perfect Seattle day… sunny, high 60s and blue, blue skies. There is still a dusting of snow on the highest peaks of the Olympics, setting a wonderful contrast against the deep blue water of the Puget Sound. One of my favorite things about living near the Sound is the smell of salt water. Today a cool breeze brought the salty scent right off the water.

We walked along the lower path in Lincoln Park, about a mile-long stretch of beautiful waterfront. Parking is located at the top of the park, so visitors have to walk a distance to reach the path.

Earlier this month, humpback whales were seen jumping in the waters between West Seattle and Vashon Island, near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. Today, I couldn’t stop scanning the water for large movements. But, no luck spotting whales. Or seals.

We have only been lucky enough to see a baby seal once, although I’ve heard about many other sightings. Often the mother seal will bring the baby to rest on the beach while she goes hunting nearby. It’s important to remember to stay at least 100 yards away from baby seals and especially keep close rein on dogs. Close contact with humans can scare the mothers away from returning to fetch their babies.

In fact, the wildlife sightings were few. We heard three different types of bird calls, saw several seagulls and crows—my least favorite birds. A couple of pretty white butterflies flittered about. At one point, we played chicken with a fist-sized, unidentifiable flying insect. (I ducked first!)

In fact, the most interesting “wildlife” sightings were: a couple wearing matching blue and white track suits; a four-year-old jumping enthusiastically in and out of a small stream buck naked; and an older couple riding two recumbent bikes with orange flags and grinning like they had just rediscovered the joy of biking.

So, we may not have seen many wild creatures, but we had a wonderful walk. L wasn’t much of a help at looking for animals. He didn’t manage to stay awake for very long, thanks to the bumps of the gravel path that act as a powerful sleep aid.

Other places to look for wildlife in our area:

- The Washington Park Arboretum: An exceptional location for spotting many different species of birds, the Arboretum has dozens of trails that make exploring with kids a lot of fun. The Arboretum is located near the University of Washington.
Link: http://depts.washington.edu/wpa/index.htm

- The “Ballard” Locks: The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (popularly known as the Ballard Locks) are an exciting place for kids to look for salmon jumping up the ladder, as well as the sea lions that like to feast on them. The Locks are located near NW Market Street in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood.
Link: http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/PublicMenu/Menu.cfm?sitename=lwsc&pagename=mainpage

About This Blog

When I was a child, the backyard was my summer playground.

My mom turned us loose in all types of weather to fill the endless hours of summer with all kinds of creative fun.

My sister and I would make forts out of blackberry bushes and put on plays with neighborhood kids. I climbed trees and fed imaginary horses. We invented new elaborate games of tag, rode bikes in endless circles and pretended to be spies plotting the next mission from a backyard tree house.

I’m sure we must have occasionally watched TV on a rainy afternoon, but I don’t have any memories of it. Instead, I remember running freely around the yard in nothing more than shorts and a tank top, the bottoms of my feet black with dirt. It felt like our entire cul-de-sac was filled with happy kids playing outside. It was hard for our parents to get us to come inside for bed when there were always interesting games in mid-play.

Two decades later, as I've recently become a parent, I realize that kids are now spending more time inside in front of TVs and computers and much less time outside exploring their surroundings. I’ve started to think about how special childhood is and how important those unstructured outdoor experiences are for kids.

I believe it is up to us as parents to not only allow, but to also foster, these adventures. I’ve started this blog to share ideas for fun, play-filled experiences we can have with our children. My son and I will be exploring our own backyard and the greater Puget Sound region.

And I hope to recapture some of my childhood along the way.