Seeing Seattle through the Eyes of a Child

If you are planning to visit Seattle Washington any time in the near future I hope you are either bringing along your children, or the child in you at the very least. Why you ask? Well, the answer to that is simple, because there are so many fun things for children to do in Seattle.

In addition to the many parks spread throughout the city, and by that, I mean that Seattle has several extraordinary parks. Among those great parks are: Alki Playfield, Cal Anderson Park (which boasts a wading pool and a gigantic chess set), Cascade Playground (which features free music Fridays from noon until 2:00), Discovery Park, and Woodland Park. But parks and playgrounds are just a start. Seattle really has so much more to offer than just this.

There is the Children's Repertory Theatre, which offers plays and musicals that are sure to delight children of all ages. In addition to the theatre, Seattle has an excellent Children's Museum. For hands on learning, there is the Pacific Science Center and to aid in a healthy respect and appreciation of musical arts, there is the Experience Music Project.

If you have a child or are a child that wants to grow up and touch the stars, the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame might be in order. And there's always Gameworks' for the child in all of us that has never outgrown playing video games. For little boys that may never grow up there is the Northwest Railway Museum and the Boeing Tour that shows how these huge planes is made. There is also the Museum of Flight, which consistently ranks as one of the top museums in this category worldwide.

If your child is a lover of animals, there is so much to do and see in and around Seattle that it is difficult to know where to begin. I'll start with Wolf Haven, which offers daily tours that last about an hour and provide visitors an opportunity to observe these magnificent animals in a natural surrounding. Next, there is Northwest Trek, which allows guests to take a tram ride through their park for the purpose of observing several animals in a natural environment. One of my favorites is Cougar Mountain Park, which is really a one of a kind experience for any animal lover. This park takes animals that are endangered and shelters them while providing education and enlightenment about the plight of these animals and the effect they have on the ecosystem.

In addition to these animal havens, there is Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, the Seattle Aquarium, and Woodland Park Zoo. Each of these is more common as far as zoos and/or aquariums go but offer the opportunity to view animals just the same. Also, there is my personal favorite Seattle activity, whale watching. You can either charter a boat or take your child out to Lime Kiln Point State Park to look for these magnificent creatures. Either way, this activity will probably be the highlight of your trip for your child, especially if you happen to see one of these beauties.

If that isn't enough, Seattle is the host city for several professional sports teams. If you or your inner child loves sports, then this is the city to visit. Almost every major sport is represented. There are the Sonics, the Storm, The Mariners, The Seahawks, and the Thunderbirds. The Thunderbirds are a Western Hockey League team but a professional team just the same and you really don't want to get me started on the NHL for now, that would take days of writing.

At any rate, it would be really wonderful to me, if I could see Seattle just once through the eyes of a child. The closest thing I can hope for is to see it through the eyes of my children and hope that they develop the same respect and appreciation for this great city that I have.