Professor Banjo (Paul Silvera) will play live folk music for youngsters to dance to at the Seattle Family Dance on Sunday, Jan. 20. Photo courtesy of www.squaredancepaul.com
The cold temperatures may be tempting you to keep the young ones inside, but there’s still plenty to enjoy outside the home with these relatively low-cost — and sometimes even free — activities.
The 100-year-old Arthur Foss tugboat at the Center for Wooden Boats (1010 Valley St.) hosts Tugboat Storytime on Thursday at 11 a. m., through Jan. 24. The indoor/outdoor activities are geared toward 2-to 5-year-olds, with stories followed by boat exploration.
Cost: Free
Information: (206) 382-2628 or www.cwb.org.
The Museum of Flight (9404 E. Marginal Way S.) is honoring the animals that paved the way for human space exploration in a series of weekend family workshops focusing on “Animals Heroes.”
The program is appropriate for children age 2 to 12 and is offered at 11 a. m. and 1 p. m. on Saturdays and Sundays through January.
Cost: Free with admission Information: (206) 764-5720 or www.museumofflight.org
The Nordic Heritage Museum (3014 N. W. 67th St.) presents its sixth year of “Nordic Stories,” a preschool-age program featuring children’s stories from the Nordic countries, as well as craft projects.
The program takes place the first Thursday of each month, from 10 to 11 a. m.; the next one will take Feb. 7, featuring “Ricky, Rocky and Ringo’s Colourful Day,” by Finnish author Mauri Kunnas.
Cost: Free
Information: (206) 789-5707 or www.nordicmuseum.org
Preschoolers age 4 and 5 can learn about nature with stories, songs, activities and a short, easy exploration of Seward Park’s trails through Tales & Trails at the Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center, 5902 Lake Washington Blvd. S.
The next Tales & Trails takes place Saturday, Jan. 19, from 11 a. m. to noon.
Cost: $2/person
Information: (206) 652-2444 or sewardpark. audubon.org
Kids age 2 to 10 and their parents can enjoy a two-hour morning stroll to some of the many kid-friendly spots in Downtown Seattle on the Seattle By Foot Kids Tour, which starts at Pike Place Market (First Avenue and Pike Street) at 10 a. m. Friday through Sunday, until September.
The guides are parents and/or qualified child-care providers who are familiar with all the spots, especially those featuring family restrooms. The tour, which ends at Westlake Center, will change sites, depending on availability of kid-friendly offerings.
Cost: $15 (advance registration required)
Information: (206) 508-7017 or www.seattlebyfoot.com/seattle-kids-tour
The Center for Wooden Boats (1010 Valley St.) offers free public sails aboard classic wooden boats on Lake Union on Sundays at 2 p. m. (and sometimes at 3 p. m.)
Because the boat rides are popular and are first-come, first-served, it’s recommended that you reserve a spot as soon as the center opens at 10 a. m.
Cost: Free
Information: (206) 382-2628 or www.cwb.org
If you prefer to stay closer to home and still have the kids expend their excess energy, community centers across the city offer Toddler Gyms on weekdays (call the respective center for times).
Cost: $3
Information: www.seattle.gov/parks/
centers. asp
The Dragon Arts Studio will perform “Images of China: Puppetry from Beijing” at the Northwest Puppet Center (9123 15th Ave. N. E.) from Saturday, Jan. 19, through Jan. 27.
Appropriate for children age 3 and older, this show features a collection of vignettes drawing from Chinese culture and literature, as performed by master puppeteers Xu Zhengli and Wang Yuqin from Beijing.
Cost: $8.50-$10.50
Information: (206) 523-2579 or www.nwpuppet.org
The Children’s Film Festival Seattle returns to the Northwest Film Forum (1515 12th Ave.), with more than 120 international children’s films from more than 35 countries. The 11-day festival runs from Wednesday, Jan. 24, through Feb. 3.
Cost: $6-$10/film
Information:childrensfilmfestivalseatt le. nwfilmforum.org
Actor Mary Margaret Moore addresses the themes of curiosity and patience in “String,” a theater and dance performance for children age 2 to 6.
The show takes place Friday, Jan. 25, from 11:15 to 11:45 a. m., at the Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave.
Cost: $5
Information: (206) 432-8200 or fryemuseum.org/program/string_theatre
Families with children age 9 and younger can dance to live folk music during the Seattle Family Dance on Sunday, Jan. 20, from 3 to 5 p. m., at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N.
Simple dances will be taught. Cost: $6/person; $18/ family
Information: (206) 330-7408 or seattledance.org/family
The Mount Baker Community Club (2811 Mount Rainier Drive S.) hosts the Kindie Rock Series on Saturdays at 10:30 a. m., featuring such musicians as Johnny Bregar (Jan. 26), Recess Monkey (Feb. 9 and March 30), The Board of Education (Feb. 23), The Not-Its! (March 9), The Harmonica Pocket (April 13) and Caspar Babypants (April 27).
Cost: $15/family
Information: (206) 722-7209 or kindiependent.com