Visit Seattle - Seattle Children's Museum

Click on all photos to enlarge.  Disclosure: Our family received complimentary admission.

During our trip to Seattle, we took the kids to the Seattle Children's Museum, where they could play, paint, build, read, draw, and more!

Highlights of Our Visit
Designed for kids 10 and under, the Seattle Children's Museum offers kids a space where they can express their creativity and explore their imagination.

All of my kids had a lot of fun in Cog City, or "the golf ball room" as my oldest son called it.  Here they were able to place balls in baskets, tubes, and other contraptions to see what would happen to them. 

The grocery store was also very cool.  My middle son filled his shopping cart with cheeses, juices, and other food and drink items, and then my oldest son scanned all his groceries and placed them in a shopping bag.

My 2-year old had fun in Discovery Bay, an area specifically designed for kids 3 and under.

 He also enjoyed building with the LEGO bricks in Fort Adventure.

My two youngest kids spent some time in the Imagination Studio, where they created some very cute pictures (space is limited for various class times throughout the day - those wishing to attend the Imagination Studio must obtain a free ticket near the entrance).

 My middle son also had a blast stacking paint cans in the Construction Zone...

...serving sushi in Global Village...

...and cooking in Bean Sprouts Play Cafe (he even "cooked" for some visitors in the exhibit).

Our Experience Visiting with a Special-Needs Child
My oldest son has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and although I know kids on the spectrum all behave and react differently in various environments, I always try to share our personal experience when visiting attractions.

One of things I love about the Seattle Children's Museum is that they offer Sensory Sensitivity Hours the first Saturday of each month.  On these Saturdays the museum opens up a little earlier with dimmed lights and a quieter setting to accommodate those with sensory issues.

We didn't visit on a Saturday, but we did visit on a weekday afternoon to avoid any possible field trips since my son can get overly anxious when around a large group of kids, especially ones that he doesn't know.

There was a still good amount of children there, but not an overwhelming number.

One of the first places my son went to, and the place he kept going back to, was Cog City.  He kept asking to play there (and wanted to play there while my other two kids went into Imagination Studio with my husband), and it was no surprise.  Whenever we go to museums, he's always drawn to exhibits that involve balls, so being able to play with the ping pong balls, place them in different equipment, and watch what happens to them brought him a lot of joy.

My son also enjoyed Fort Adventure and the Mountain, but by far, Cog City was his favorite.

For those with children on a GFCF or any other restricted diet, outside food is allowed. They have a designated space where visitors can eat (eating within the exhibits is prohibited).

There was adequate seating for those times when my son needed to take a break, but for the most part, he was completely content in Cog City, and whenever I ask him about his favorite thing about our trip to Seattle, he always answers "the golf ball room." 

Final Thoughts

Although the Seattle Children's Museum is in the middle of going through a lot of upgrades and improvements (there is a gigantic checklist near Cog City which details items they are in need of or tasks they are planning to do), that didn't stop my kids from having a lot of fun.  

I enjoyed watching my kids do what they do best - playing, exploring, learning, creating, building, and pretending. 

Below are more photos from our visit.  Enjoy!

Seattle Children's Museum: 305 Harrison St  Seattle, WA 98109, (206) 441-1768

For hours, click here; for admission prices, click here.