Weekend Ideas

Not a ton of events going on this weekend, and it all comes down to how far you want to drive, and how how much you want to spend. But here's some ideas to consider:

• Northwest Flower and Garden Show: I know, it doesn't sound that exciting for kids, but they actually have a Playgarden there for kids with dirt to dig in, chicken and bunnies to pet, seeds kids can take home and Recess Monkey is playing there today. There's also food and drinks available, and it's at the Convention Center (800 Convention Place) so you're surrounded by other food options. Cost is $20 adults, $5 ages 13-17, 12-and-under free. It's $10 if you go after 3 today and after 2 on Sunday.
• Octopus Week at Seattle Aquarium: It's a week devoted to the giant Pacific octopus, with daily talks (not exciting for kids) and kids hands-on activities. At noon Saturday and Sunday a diver dives with an octopus and they have daily feedings. Satchel loves the aquarium. Cost is $19.95 for those 13 and over (which seems pricey to me), $13.95 for ages 4-12 and 3 and under are free.
• Northwest Bears: This seems pretty cool to me, but brown bears are my favorite animal. At 1 p.m. Saturday the Department of Fish and Wildlife are going to do a presentation about bears in the Northwest and will have three Karelian bear dogs there. The cost is $5-7 and it's at McCollum Park (600 128th St SE, Everett). Not sure how exciting it would be for kids, but if they like bears and dogs, maybe it's a cheap option.
• Auburn Daddy Daughter Date Night: It's a bit of a drive and it costs $45-$57 per couple, but if you're a dad looking to splurge on something with your daughter, this might be fun. The ticket includes appetizer, dinner and desert, dancing and a photo. It's at the Auburn Senior Activity Center (808 Ninth St. SE, Auburn).
• Langley Mystery Weekend: This sounds fun. You search the town for clues to solve a mystery and win prizes. It goes from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday, and they reveal the culprit at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. It's part of Langley's Centennial celebration and tickets cost $8-10 depending on your age. Sounds like an awesome event and they have really good prizes.
• SJCC Purim Festival: Come celebrate Purim at the Stroum Jewish Community Center (3801 E. Mercer Way, Mercer Island). It's free! They have Purim Land for kids 5 and under, story time, costume contest with prizes, music and entertainment and you can buy tickets for carnival games, bouncy houses and face painting and there's lunch for sale. Oh, it's noon-3 p.m. Sunday.
• Pacific NW Yo-Yo Championship: I don't know about you, but I love a good Yo-Yo competition, and so does Satchel. This event is free and is located at the Seattle Center Armory (formerly the Center House). It's from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday. Maybe tie it in with a trip to the Seattle Center.
• Cardboard and Excess Packaging Craft Workshop: How about a trip to the Burke Museum (on the UW campus) where kids can bring used cardboard to make a giant trash monster and learn about the value of recycling? Satchel likes the Burke, it's not very big but there's lots of stuff there kids will like (think Dinosaurs). This event is from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Museum entrance fee is $7.50-$10.
• Discover Mat Weaving: This is free, only takes about 15 minutes and is for kids 4-12 (adults too) at the Shoreline Historical Museum (18501 Linden Ave. North, Shoreline). You can learn how to do traditional mat weaving from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. I don't know anything about mat weaving, but it's free, close to us, and doesn't last long.
• Paper Airplane Flight School: This is a drive, it's at the Olympic Flight Museum in Olympia (7637 Old Hwy 99 SE) but it sounds fun. I've never been there but it sounds like a cool museum and this event is open to all ages, where you learn to build awesome paper airplanes. They also have contests. Sounds like it goes from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday so you'll have to get moving. Cost is $5-7.
• The Art of Video Games: I'm not sure how kid-friendly this exhibit is, but if your kids are into video games maybe they'd be into this. It's at the Experience Music Project (325 Fifth Ave. North, Seattle), which is obviously a museum Satch and I love. This exhibit talks about the history of video games and you can play like 80 different games, which sounds good to me. The cost to get into the museum is $12-20 but if you're into music and video games, it would be worth it.
• Owl Prowl: Have been wanting to do this but haven't yet. You walk the woods of Camp Long (5200 35th Ave SW, Seattle) looking for owls. It starts at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and it's $8, and you have to preregister.
• Total Experience Gospel Choir: If you haven't seen these guys, they put on a really great, high-energy show. This one is free, and it celebrates Black History Month at Third Place Books (17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park) at 1 p.m.. Saturday. A lot of fun stuff at Third Place so this could be a fun day.
• Sundays are Special: The Seattle Public Library system is celebrating being open on Sundays now with a weekly event at a different library. This week it's at the South Park Branch (8604 Eighth Ave. South, Seattle) from 2-3:30 p.m., where they'll have refreshments, a craft activity and their Check-Out Challenge game. It's free.
• Lunar New Year: Celebrate the Lunar New Year at Bellevue Square (Bellevue Way NE and NE Eighth St.) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. It's free, there'll be martial arts demonstrations, music and dance exhibitions and at 2 p.m. the traditional lion dance and dragon parade.
• Cascade Symphony Orchestra Children's Concert: Not sure how well kids would sit through a symphony concert, but this one is kids music so it might be worth a shot, though it costs $10-15. It's at 3 p.m. at the Edmonds Center for the Arts (410 Fourth Ave. North, Edmonds) and features music from Tubby the Tuba, whatever that is, and a narrator.
• Cirque du Soleil Amaluna: I've heard this show is amazing. It's a little hard to describe it, so check out the website, but it's a Cirque show so you know it's pretty awesome. It's costly at at least $43.50 per adult and at least $33 kids 2-12, but if you're looking to splurge, you could find worse things to do it on. It's at Marymoor Park in Redmond with various show times.
• Dot & Ziggy: This is the current show at Seattle Children's Theater (201 Thomas St., Seattle) about a ladybug and a skunk learning to get along. Cost is $20, check the website for times. Seattle Children's Theater always puts on good shows. Sounds like it's geared towards kids 5 and younger.
• It Gets Better: You may have heard about the It Gets Better Project, a campaign to show young LGBT people that their lives will get better once they get through the tough teen years. This show at the Moore Theater (1932 Second Ave., Seattle) is geared around that theme and is geared toward kids 11 and older. The cost is $12.50 to $72.50 and it's at 8 p.m. Saturday. It's a great message to support if you're interested and can afford it.
• The Music Man: This is a well-known musical full of great songs about a con artist who puts together an all-boys marching band, it's bright, vibrant and fun. This one is at the 5th Avenue (1308 Fifth Ave., Seattle) and costs $27-$97, various showtimes and geared toward kids 8 and older.
• War Horse: You might have seen the Spielberg movie of this. A friend saw this show the other day and raved about it and it's got a ton of awards to back it up. It's about a boy during WWII who loses his horse to the army and goes on a journey to find the horse. The story is better than I describe it and the play is supposed to be pretty incredible. It's at the Paramount (911 Pine St.), cost is $20-105 and is geared toward kids 12 and up.
• Puss in Boots: The Northwest Puppet Center (9123 15th Ave. NE, Seattle) - which puts on great shows - is having this one at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. This one is set in New Orleans with live music and is about a boy and his cat journeying to impress and king and a princess. Cost is $8.50-10.50 and is for all ages.
• The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley: Satchel loves Flat Stanley. It's about a boy who is literally flat, like a piece of paper, but wants to be normal and go on adventures. This is at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse (7116 6th Ave., Tacoma) at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, cost is $12-19 and is for ages 4 and up.

Alright, there's more and I'll try to get to thos