Child’s Play
Let your kids loose at these imaginatively designed playgrounds and parks, then continue the fun by exploring nearby family-friendly eateries and attractions.
Jellyfish Playground photo credit Ciccarelli Photography
Waterfront Park Jellyfish
A sculptural 25-foot-tall wood-and-steel jellyfish on Pier 58 invites kids of all ages to climb, slide, and play, with tentacles that undulate into rope courses, climbing walls, a covered slide, and other interactive elements like crab-shaped wobble boards in a kelp forest. At dusk, colorful LEDs allow extended whimsical play. Afterward, ride the Seattle Great Wheel for an up-close view of the downtown skyline, and grab a bite at family-friendly classic Ivar’s Acres of Clams.
Artists at Play playground at Seattle Center Stuart Mullenberg/SagaCity Media
Artists at Play at Seattle Center
This playground engages all senses, with a 30-foot climbing tower, labyrinth, human-powered carousel, and springy play mounds. Inspired by its location next to the MOPOP, sound installations include musical instruments, sound swings, and listening stations. Pop inside the food court at the Seattle Center Armory to find several tasty and fast-casual food options, such as Skillet Counter and The Little Chicken Teriyaki. Check out a Seattle Children’s Theatre production or spend time at the Pacific Science Center, with its IMAX screen and hands-on exhibits.
Photo: Nick Hall Photography
Alki Playground and Whale Tail Park
Plan a beach day in West Seattle, starting at this play space just a block away from Elliott Bay. Kids can scramble aboard a ship and the namesake whale tail sculpture (by Washington artist Rich Beyer), and spot the octopus and other artfully embedded sea critters and beachy scenes. Walk to nearby Alki Beach Park, one of Seattle’s longest stretches of sand, with its bustling paved boardwalk for walkers and rollers. Plentiful eateries offer everything from hot dogs to birria tacos and fish and chips. Adults and kids can vie for top score at West Seattle Arcade, which includes pinball, simulators, and two VR experiences.
Jefferson Park Courtesy Wikimedia
Jefferson Park Playground
Slides built into hillsides, a spraypark, geometric climbing boulders, gently arcing paved paths, and a vista of the city and distant Olympic Mountains—and that’s just the playground. Jefferson Park is a vast Beacon Hill gem that invites hours of exploration—there’s also a skate park, public golf course, and even a cricket pitch. Head downhill to Beacon Avenue for fried chicken sandos and soft serve at Milk Drunk. In addition to serving great beers, Perihelion Brewery—children welcome!—doles out elevated gastropub fare, plus house-made juices and other nonalcoholic sips.
rachaeljonesphoto
Donnie Chin International Children’s Park
Head to the Chinatown-International District for one of the coolest urban playgrounds, with a wiggly bronze dragon play sculpture by artist Gerard Tsutakawa, colorful drums, a spray tower, and pathways. Then behold the variety of eats in the food court at Uwajimaya. Young visitors appreciate the Wing Luke Museum, with its engaging contemporary exhibits on Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history.
Bruun Idun, the troll at Lincoln Park in West Seattle, a collaboration between Thomas Dambo and the artist Coyote of the Muckleshoot Tribe. Photo: Erik Davidson
Out for a Troll
With Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King Danish artist Thomas Dambo has used recycled materials to hand-craft dramatic sculptures in five Puget Sound locales, including West Seattle’s Lincoln Park and outside Ballard’s National Nordic Museum.
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