I admit to having a difficult time when the weather heats up. My 9-year-old daughter seems to melt even faster. While walking our dogs tonight, she simply said, “Why is it so hot? We live in Washington.” And that was at 7:30 p.m. – in the shade, nonetheless.
Does 90+ degree weather send you (or your kids) on overload?
Use this list of 15 free activities (well, one actually costs $1 but that’s virtually free nowadays) to keep everyone calm and cool.
- Splash in the water at the East Bay Public Plaza. Bring a hat because there is minimal shade. And, be prepared for a request for ice cream inside the Hands On Children’s Museum’s cafe.
- Get out of the sun at LOTT’s WET Science Center, just next door to the East Bay Public Plaza. Explore how your toilet works and other educational water-related exhibits.
- Weave through the crowds and find a spot at the Heritage Park Fountain. Check out the hours before you go. It’s closed periodically to adjust the chemicals and you don’t want to end up with unhappy campers.
- Tour downtown Olympia on Intercity Transit’s free DASH bus. You will get air conditioning while enjoyed a relaxed loop around the downtown core and Capitol Campus. The DASH bus runs every 15 minutes during the week and every 10 minutes on Saturday. Skip this activity on Sunday.
- Step inside a movie theater. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are $1 movies in Olympia and Lacey. Read more in this article.
- Look for books at your local branch of the Timberland Regional Library. Focus on stories about icebergs, penguins, and Alaska. Other highlights includes the Library’s summer Minecraft contest and Wednesday LEGO Studio in Olympia.
- Dive in the water at Frye Cove Park or Tolmie State Park. Both of these parks have great beach access for even the littlest swimmers. Burfoot Park is a great picnic location and offers superb beach access via a tree covered trail. Find even more beach recommendations in this article.
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Take a dip at Skokomish Park at Lake Cushman. Walk through the shady McLane Creek Nature Trail. Bring a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book (see #6) and keep track of how many species you can identify.
- Drive out to Lake Cushman and jump in the water. Everyone can enjoy the car’s air conditioning during the drive. This article includes 6 ideas for things to do while at Lake Cushman.
- Stop in to visit your local fire station. Kids can check out the fire truck, say hello to the firefighters on duty and (sometimes) take a tour of the station.
- Find an ice cream truck. I recognize it’s only a temporary solution (and certainly not free) but at least it cools off the kids for a few minutes.
- Stay inside and go to an outdoor movie in the evening. Tumwater’s Screen on the Green is on Friday nights. Lacey In Tune at Huntamer Park offers up family-friendly entertainment on Saturday evenings. A more sophisticated movie-going crowd will want to visit the State Capital Museum on Friday nights beginning August 7.
- Load up the shovels, boots and a kite and head to the beach. It’s guaranteed to be at least 10 degrees cooler at the Pacific Ocean. Here is a list of 6 beaches ideal for kite flying.
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Nothing occupies a group of kids more than a good beach and digging a big hole. Visit an animal shelter. (I have to repeatedly remind my kids that no animals are coming home with us, but it feels great to share a little love.)
- Explore a local museum.
Thrifty Thurston highlights inexpensive family fun in Thurston County. The weekly series focuses on family-friendly activities throughout our community. If you have a suggestion for a post, send us a note at submit@thurstontalk.com. For more events and to learn what’s happening in Olympia and the surrounding area, visit our complete event calendar.
