Go Climb A Mountain - Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Here is the Pacific Northwest we are lucky to be surrounded with amazing options for outdoor activities.  Within an hour we can be hiking deep into an old growth forest or climbing mountains.  One of the reasons we have this bounty available to us, is the commitment to preserve these green spaces for public use.  In addition to the many state parks and community spaces, the National Parks System has several parks within driving distance with the most famous being Mt. Rainier and the Olympic National Park.  This weekend, no matter where you are in the United States, you can enjoy these historic wonders for yourself.  As part of it's 100th Birthday, the National Parks Service is opening all of it's parks for free!  That's right, no entrance fee at the more than 400 National Parks throughout the country.  So grab your hiking shoes, pack a lunch and go enjoy the tranquility of nature.

Let's All Go To The Lobby - Kubo and The Two Strings

Being the Pop Culture family that we are, we tend to see a lot of movies.  Sci-fi, comedy, animated, fantasy, action, drama, documentaries...we enjoy a wide spectrum of films as a family. That being said, Kubo and the Two Strings satisfied us all on several levels. The story is engaging, with plenty of action to keep the youngest focused and a solid story of love, loss and family ties for the oldest. The characters are written and acted nicely, allowing you to connect with them throughout the movie. The animation is beautiful, with the unique style that only comes from stop motion animation and the music was stunning, primarily focused on Kubo's shamisen (with an incredible cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps featuring Regina Spektor)  The plot and overall theme have you leaving the theater in a good mood, wanting to hang with family. 

If You Build It- Adventure Playground

In a time where people are perhaps too focused on protecting their kids from every bump and bruise, there is a place you can take your kids where they can hammer, saw, construct and watch their imaginations take shape.  

Adventure Playground, located in Deane's Children's Park  on Mercer Island, is a build-it-yourself play zone that will satisfy anyone's craving for design and fabrication. 

Upon checking in at the front, kids are given a toolbox, safety gear (including a hard hat and goggles) and nails.  After that they are let into the construction zone.  

The current construction zone has a tree house theme!

All children under 12 must have adult supervision, but really, why wouldn't you stay to create with your kids. 

All in all we spent several hours 

hammering,

Sketching, 

Climbing, 

and building. 

 The best part was watching all of the various projects slowly emerge from the materials at hand. 

Adventure Playground is open Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. from July 5th through September 25th. The program is run by donation.  All participants, including adults, must have closed toe shoes to enter.