22 Fun Things to Do With Kids in Gig Harbor, Tacoma, and Surrounding Areas

In Gig Harbor:

1. Watch Airplanes Take-off and Land at The Hub. If your little ones have a difficult time staying entertained at restaurants, The Hub may just be the perfect place to have dinner. Kids will be enthralled by watching all the airplanes gain speed and take off to the skies--and parents can sit back, relax, and enjoy a nice meal or beverage. 

2. Duckpin Bowl at Ocean5. Duckpin bowling is a perfect activity for the whole family, as kids can throw the ball just as well as any adult. The balls only weigh 3 pounds and don’t have any finger holes, so it is different from traditional bowling, but the objective is the same: knock down as many pins as possible. 

3. Paint Your Own Pottery at Java and Clay Cafe. At Java and Clay, kids can paint and take home their very own pottery masterpiece. The studio has several options for unfinished pottery the kids can choose from, like different animal figurines, mugs, bowls, and plates. Kids will love bringing their pottery to life with all the different paint colors. Once finished, the studio will glaze it and put it in the kiln, and it will be ready for pickup in about a week. 

4. Dig up a Hidden Treasure Box on Bella Bella Beach. This one requires some prep work, but is well worth it. Make a trip to Goodwill, Michaels, or the Dollar Store to pick up a mini treasure chest and some toys and trinkets that your kids would enjoy. Fill the chest with the toys, bury it in the sand (preferably when the kids are distracted so as not to spoil the surprise), and watch your kids’ pure amazement as they dig up the hidden treasure. 

5. Feed the Ducks at Adam Tallman Nature Park. Bring a bag of peas or corn to your trip to Adam Tallman Nature Park, and you’re sure to make your feathered friends happy (and entertain the kids for a while). If you park in the parking lot, make your way to the trail head and walk about ¼ mile to the dock to find the ducks. The trail is wide and mostly paved, so very stroller friendly. 

6. Find a Message-in-a-Bottle at Narrows Beach Park. Prep a message in a bottle on your own and bury it in the sand when the kids aren’t looking. Enjoy the surprise on their faces when they dig it up and open the note. You will need an empty bottle with cork, paper, pen, and some tape to complete this fun project. Write a note of encouragement on a piece of paper, roll it up, tape it, and place it in the bottle. Then cork the bottle, bury it, and tell your kids that you see something poking up through the sand. Sit back and relax as your kids brainstorm where the bottle came from. 

7. Do a Scavenger Hunt at Sehmel Park. With so many trails to wander through and explore, Sehmel is a great park for a scavenger hunt. Check out these scavenger hunt cards (here and here), or you can print your own. This is a fun and educational activity that kids of all ages will love to play. 

8. Create Plaster Sand Casts at Kopachuck State Park (or just pack up some sand from the beach and bring it home if you’re time-crunched). Kids can take home a piece of the beach with this fun arts-and-crafts project. You can make a sand cast of your kiddos’ hands, feet, or just a beach shell. Watch the full tutorial here. 

9. Go Salmon Fishing at the Fox Island Pier or Sunrise Beach Park. August and September are the best months to try your luck fishing for coho salmon, and Fox Island and Sunrise Beach are our most productive fishing spots. You may have the best luck casting from the pier or beach with silver buzz bombs. New to fishing? Check out this video for everything you need to know about shore fishing in the South Sound. Own a paddle board or kayak? You can jig for king salmon from your paddle board using green or white Point Wilson darts. Even if you don’t catch anything, kids will have a blast trying their luck fishing. 

10. Visit the Splash Pads at Gateway Park, Titlow Park, or Ruston Spraypark. Need a break from the heat? Visit any of these three splash pads for some fun in the sun. Kids will love cooling off in these water playgrounds as they run through the twirling fountains. For little ones, I would recommend the Ruston or Gateway Park splash pads, as the water streams are a tad lighter (and less intimidating for toddlers). 

11. Go on a Painted Rock Hunt at Wilkinson Farm Park. This fun activity is like an Easter egg hunt with painted rocks. Paint some rocks at home, let them dry, and place them alongside the trails in the park. Have fun helping your kids find their painted rocks. You can also leave the rocks for someone else to find. For more info on the community rock hunting, check out this Facebook group. 

12. Rent a Kayak from Lee’s SUP’s and Picnic at the Gig Harbor Lighthouse. There is something so peaceful about being on the water, and kayaking is a great way to explore the harbor. This is a perfect adventure for kids, too, as the harbor’s water is flat and easy to navigate. Just before you reach the mouth of the harbor, you’ll see a lighthouse. This makes for a great spot to stop, enjoy your picnic, and play on the sandy beach. 

In Tacoma:

13. Take a Trip to the Zoo. A Point Defiance Zoo trip never fails to disappoint. Bring the kids and get close to tigers, sharks, and a friendly elephant. Not only are there plenty of different animals to see, but you can also feed the goats in the petting zoo, take a ride on the merry-go-round, and climb up on a play structure. 

14. Visit LeMay Car Museum. Old cars, new cars, red cars, blue cars--kids will love seeing all the different types of cars, from old-school classics to modern-day race cars. Check out the Family Zone for fun, hands-on activities.

15. Take a Trip to the Children’s Museum of Tacoma. Not your typical museum, this indoor play area is full of creative hands-on activities that kids of all ages will enjoy. We were blown away at all the different unique activities. Kids can draw with a light wand, throw balls into a vacuum tube, play with toy boats in the water exhibit, climb up a twisty bridge, build houses with Magna-tiles--the list could go on. Perfect trip for a rainy day! 

16. Jump and Play at Defy Trampoline Center. This one is perfect for energetic kids who just need to let off some steam. Defy is equipped with dozens of trampolines, foam pits, trapezes, swings--everything a kid could dream of. For little ones 6 and under, Defy offers a discounted rate from 9-10am--it’s easy on the wallet and perfect for toddlers to wobble their way through the trampolines without any big kids. 

17. Visit Bass Pro Shops Zoo. Well, it’s technically not a zoo, but it sure feels like it with their aquarium and walls of taxidermied animals. Kids will love getting up close to the bears, moose, deer, and birds. The toy section of the store is also fun to browse through. 

18. Visit Proctor Farmers’ Market. This year-round farmers’ market has a wide variety of vendors. You can pick out fresh-cut flowers and local produce, munch on pastries from artisan bakeries, and sip on kombucha. For the kiddos, check out the face painting and balloon animal modeling vendors. They can get their faces painted like a cat and have a kitty balloon to match. If you’re up for the drive, you can also check out the Puyallup Farmers’ Market, which has more than 150 vendors. 

In Other Areas: 

19. Take a Train Ride on one of the Kitsap Live Steamers.  All aboard! Everyone in the family will love the 12-minute open-air train ride through the Port Orchard forest. This has become a favorite event for our family, and especially our train-obsessed toddler. There are no seat belts, so smaller kiddos will sit between your legs on the train, and babies must be strapped to your chest with a carrier or wrap. Tip: if your baby or toddler is sensitive to sound, bring a pair of earplugs or headphones--the choo-choo’s can be a little loud for little ones. This event is completely free, but we always bring some cash to donate to keep the trains running. The trains usually run the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, from April to October, from 10am to 2pm. 

20. Visit Lattin’s Country Cider Mill and Farm in Olympia. The variety of fun activities for both kids and adults will make the 50-minute drive worth your while. The kids’ complaints of the long drive will soon be drowned out by laughter as they feed the pigs, play in the wooden maze, or ride the tractor-drawn wagon. The Apple Festival is a fun fall time event where kids can pick out their pumpkins, sip on hot cider, and jump in the bouncy house. 

21. Pet a Lamb at Debbie Dolittle’s Petting Zoo in Parkland (about a 25 minute drive from Gig Harbor). Calling all animal lovers! Pet and feed bunnies, lambs, goats, and more at this indoor petting zoo. If the weather is permitting, visit their outdoor exhibit, which includes many more animals like kangaroos, sheep, and otters. 

22. Take the Ferry to Vashon Island. Looking for a fun day trip? The whole family will love exploring this eclectic town, and getting there is half the fun! The ferry leaves about every hour from Point Defiance, and is only about a 15 minute crossing to the island. Grab ice cream at Glass Bottle Creamery, visit the llamas at Vashon Llamas, and check out the cool working Point Robinson Lighthouse.  You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time while touring this beautifully rustic island.