911, a media arts center in South Lake Union, provides the community - and teens - with access to media tools and space to finish and display projects. Members can rent field equipment and use the center's editing suites, shooting space, and screening room. An animation lab is available to members of all ages.

Youth programs include the Young Producers Project, a program for middle- and high school students that introduces them to media literacy through alternative forms of media production. Media Underground is a weeklong intensive workshop for teens. Professional videomakers teach kids how to deconstruct media, design and storyboard a short video, and operate professional digital video cameras. Other youth programs are listed on the website - click on the "Youth" tab.

The Alki Community Center offers a wide variety of programs and classes for all ages, including adults. Toddlers and preschoolers can attend arts classes and playclub (school year and summer). Kids can learn cartooning or pottery, take sports and music classes, or attend arts workshops. Teens have a full schedule that includes sports classes, arts, dance, performing arts, movie nights, and a chance to sit on the Teen Advisory Council.

Drop-in activities include ping-pong and pool all day, as well as a drop-in playtime for tots and their parents during the fall and winter. The Community Center also hosts periodic community events like picnics or sports days for youth. A children's playground and playfield are located adjacent to the center.

The center offers before- and after school care, summer camps, and school break camps. Parents' nights out are offered once a month.

The Community Center's art classes are held at the Bathhouse Art Studio, a beautiful venue located on Alki Beach.

Arena Sports offers recreation and sports opportunities for all ages.

Soccer: Programs for kids include Lil' Kickers (introductory soccer and movement skills program for kids 18 months to nine years), and Youth Indoor Soccer for kids seven to high school. The Lil' Kickers program is offered at satellite locations in Issaquah, Mercer Island, Queen Anne, Silver Lake, and Snohomish.

TNT: TNT (Technical and Tactical Training) is offered for kids ages eight to 13 and Advanced TNT for ages 14 to 18. The programs teach technical skills and how to most effectively use those skills in the game.

Summer camps, school break camps, and "drop-n-shop" days are available for kids ages three to 12.

The Arena Sports Fun Zones are indoor inflatable playgrounds available at the Magnuson Park and Redmond locations. Events include drop-in playtimes, field trips, camp activities, and youth lock-in events.

Birthday parties can be customized with various activities, including soccer, the Fun Zone, flag football, dodgeball, t-ball, field hockey, kickball, and other activities. Parties include 40 minutes in a reserved party room, 50 minutes on an indoor field, a coach/instructor/referee, invitations and envelopes, and equipment for the field.

The Magnuson Park location also offers an all-ages indoor baseball training facility featuring pitching machines, two batting cages, and a large astro-turf indoor training area.

Arena Sports offers age-specific tournaments between Christmas and New Year's for players of all abilities between ages four and 99. Tournaments are played on one day for each age group and offer a three-game minimum with the top teams from round robin play advancing to single elimination rounds until a champion is crowned. Check the website for details.

Arena Sports offers recreation and sports opportunities for all ages.

Soccer: Programs for kids include Lil' Kickers (introductory soccer and movement skills program for kids 18 months to nine years), and Youth Indoor Soccer for kids seven to high school. The Lil' Kickers program is offered at satellite locations in Issaquah, Mercer Island, Queen Anne, Silver Lake, and Snohomish.

TNT: TNT (Technical and Tactical Training) is offered for kids ages eight to 13 and Advanced TNT for ages 14 to 18. The programs teach technical skills and how to most effectively use those skills in the game.

Summer camps, school break camps, and "drop-n-shop" days are available for kids ages three to 12.

The Arena Sports Fun Zones are indoor inflatable playgrounds available at the Magnuson Park and Redmond locations. Events include drop-in playtimes, field trips, camp activities, and youth lock-in events.

Birthday parties can be customized with various activities, including soccer, the Fun Zone, flag football, dodgeball, t-ball, field hockey, kickball, and other activities. Parties include 40 minutes in a reserved party room, 50 minutes on an indoor field, a coach/instructor/referee, invitations and envelopes, and equipment for the field.

The Magnuson Park location also offers an all-ages indoor baseball training facility featuring pitching machines, two batting cages, and a large astro-turf indoor training area.

Arena Sports offers age-specific tournaments between Christmas and New Year's for players of all abilities between ages four and 99. Tournaments are played on one day for each age group and offer a three-game minimum with the top teams from round robin play advancing to single elimination rounds until a champion is crowned. Check the website for details.

Arena Sports offers recreation and sports opportunities for all ages.

Soccer: Programs for kids include Lil' Kickers (introductory soccer and movement skills program for kids 18 months to nine years), and Youth Indoor Soccer for kids seven to high school. The Lil' Kickers program is offered at satellite locations in Issaquah, Mercer Island, Queen Anne, Silver Lake, and Snohomish.

TNT: TNT (Technical and Tactical Training) is offered for kids ages eight to 13 and Advanced TNT for ages 14 to 18. The programs teach technical skills and how to most effectively use those skills in the game.

Summer camps, school break camps, and "drop-n-shop" days are available for kids ages three to 12.

The Arena Sports Fun Zones are indoor inflatable playgrounds available at the Magnuson Park and Redmond locations. Events include drop-in playtimes, field trips, camp activities, and youth lock-in events.

Birthday parties can be customized with various activities, including soccer, the Fun Zone, flag football, dodgeball, t-ball, field hockey, kickball, and other activities. Parties include 40 minutes in a reserved party room, 50 minutes on an indoor field, a coach/instructor/referee, invitations and envelopes, and equipment for the field.

The Magnuson Park location also offers an all-ages indoor baseball training facility featuring pitching machines, two batting cages, and a large astro-turf indoor training area.

Arena Sports offers age-specific tournaments between Christmas and New Year's for players of all abilities between ages four and 99. Tournaments are played on one day for each age group and offer a three-game minimum with the top teams from round robin play advancing to single elimination rounds until a champion is crowned. Check the website for details.

Facilities at Auburn Valley include an aquatic center with two pools and a whirlpool, a gym, a teen and family center, baseball and soccer fields, and a running track. Featured programs at this branch are swimming lessons, family swim sessions, summer programs, before- and afterschool care, youth and teen sports, and birthday parties.

Ballard offers before- and afterschool care, toddler programs, dance classes (creative ballet, pre-ballet for young children, jazz dance, and dance workshops), piano, pottery, youth sports programs, an urban 4-H program for ages five-19, an active teen program (Saturday night concerts, service learning, and arts exploration), intermittent language and nature classes for all ages, and day camps for children and teens.

Each year the Center hosts terrific special events, including the Annual Daddy-Daughter Dinner, Spring Egg Hunt, Neighborhood Flea Market, and Friday Family Nights. Check our calendar for details.

Preschool classes are available at the center. Check the brochure for a current schedule.

Indoor Play for parents and children from infants to five years is offered during weekday operating hours at a fee of $2/day. It's closed during the summer.

Day Camps, for kindergartners through six graders, run during the summer and feature swimming, field trips, and theme days. The camps run all day, with pre- and post-camp care available. Camps also run during school breaks.

Facilities at the Bellevue Family YMCA include an indoor pool, cardio equipment, weights, indoor track, family activity center, teen and senior center, childwatch, and a full-size gymnasium. Featured programs at this branch are swimming lessons, youth and teen sports, birthday parties, camps and afterschool care.

Bitter Lake offers before- and afterschool care; pre-school, grade school, and teen programs; youth sports (basketball, football, nerf soccer, girls' volleyball, roller skating, and tennis lessons); day camps (general and sports), and family programs and events.

Pre-schoolers: The community center offers preschool, sports, movement, ballet and science workshops, tumbling, and music classes. The preschool program is offered for children ages two to five.

School-aged kids can take piano lessons, ballet, drama, tap, karate-butokukan, gymnastics, science, and cooking classes.

Teens can get homework help. Friday and Saturday night activities at the Annex, step classes, teen talk, design, cooking classes, volunteer opportunities, and special events (dances, basketball, snowboarding) are also offered. Teens can attend campouts and programs during the summer, as well.

Burien CC offers classes of all types and for all ages (karate, gymnastics, yoga, ballet, a variety of art classes, and school break activities for kids of all ages), teen activities, a skate park, and family-friendly programs and shows in the center's auditorium. This is Burien's only community center.

Download a current recreation guide with classes and events from the website.

This 68-acre park, hidden in the heart of West Seattle, is the only place in town where you can (legally) camp. Some of the camping and picnic areas are obviously well-traveled - it's not an extremely wild park by any means, and trails are fitted with metal handrails for access - but it does feature thick stands of native plants and trees, a large central meadow for activities or picnicking, a pond, and lots of birds (wood ducks, migrating warblers in May, owls) and wildlife (Pacific Chorus Frogs, salamanders, foxes, coyotes, great blue herons, barred owls, flying squirrels). It fits the bill as close-in retreat from city bustle.

Make sure you stop by the rustic lodge on your way into the park. The old building, with its hardwood floors, high ceiling, and large brick fireplace is available to rent for events, but it also houses the Environmental Learning Center. Kids can look at displays put out by the helpful and informative staff. This is the place to find out what's in bloom, and what's been seen around the park lately.

The recently-restored Schurman Rock is available for rock-climbing. It's open for free to public use; sign in at the rock kiosk to the west before climbing. If you're with a group, call ahead to make reservations.

Camp Long offers a full calendar of interesting science and nature programs, arts and crafts classes, camps, and special events; see our calendar for details, or check the online brochure. There's something for every age group and natural history interest. Pre-registration is required at all programs. Day cares, preschools, school groups, after school and Scout groups can schedule programs throughout the year, featuring seasonal topics.

Rustic cabins are available for rent. Call to reserve, and ask about special programs offered by Camp Long Naturalists that include overnight cabin use.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Community Day School Association is a licensed, non-profit United Way organization that offers year-round preschool and school-age programs at sites throughout the city. The school-age program provides before- and after school care and extended care on early dismissal days, no school days, and school breaks. Summer camps are also available.

Delridge offers dance classes, teen programs, preschool programs, before- and after-school programs, summer day camps, and computer literacy classes.

Parents with children ages five and under can drop by for Mini Gym time (school year only - see the website for a current schedule).

The Kiddie Academy is a morning preschool program for children ages three to five. It offers an individualized classroom experience based on Early Childhood Developmental practices and can help prepare young children for school. Children can attend the program two to five days per week and prices are very reasonable.

Seattle's largest park offers an interesting mix of domesticated and wild landscape. Smooth asphalt trails for walking and biking co-exist with unmowed grass, open meadows, and lots of birds, especially during spring migration. There's a little bit of everything in this 534-acre park, including two miles of beach. Hiking trails wind throughout - try the 2.8-mile Discovery Loop for a walk through forests of oak and douglas fir, a meadow alive with the song of savannah sparrows, and breathtaking vistas of the sloping land and Puget Sound.

The Environmental Learning Center (open Tue-Sun, 8:30am-5pm) is well worth a stop on your way through the park. It offers interactive nature displays for kids (including a stuffed coyote and fox); a charmingly decorated Discovery Room where kids can color, play, and put on a sea-themed puppet shows; and a good collection of hiking, botanizing, and birding guide books for kids and adults.

Park maps are available here for $1. New visitors would do well to buy one; this park doesn't reveal itself easily to the casual observer and signs are limited. Do walk out the back doors into the small amphitheater-like garden out back. This charming spot, planted with native plants, is a sheltered place to sit, picnic, or bird. Walk along the path on the right and into the woods.

Tennis courts, basketball hoops, and a children's playground are located beyond the Environmental Learning Center. Follow the left-hand path past the center a short distance; all three are on the left. The playground features lots of trees and good shade, a nice climbing structure, a tire swing, and a rope swing. Contact the City of Seattle Parks Department about reserving the tennis courts.

Classes: Discovery Park offers a monthly calendar full of classes for young naturalists of all ages and their families, as well as birding and botanizing walks, and conservation classes. Check our calendar for listings, or contact the park to get on their mailing list for a quarterly catalog. A catalog is available on the website.

Nature Day Camp: Each weeklong session in this tremendously popular daycamp gives your child the chance to explore the park and learn about its plants and animals. Sessions usually begin the second week of June, and run through the end of August. Each week is tailored toward different ages; check the park's website for details. Fees are $200 to $235 per week.

School vacation day camps are also scheduled to coincide with the Seattle School District's breaks, including mid-winter break at the end of February and spring break in April. Contact the park for registration information.

Facilities at the Downtown YMCA include an indoor pool, gymnasium, racquetball/squash/wallyball/handball courts, a strength training center, an indoor running track, a power cycling studio, cardiovascular center, and massage therapy room. The recreation room features an air hockey table, foosball, ping pong, and darts.

Featured programs at this branch are swimming lessons, youth and teen sports, and birthday parties.

Teens can participate in the Leadership Development, Service & Civic Engagement program and learn a variety of leadership and team-building skills.

Camp programs and afterschool programs are offered at local schools. See the website for more information.

Garfield is one of Seattle's best community centers, located next door to the Medgar Evers Pool. The center offers sports programs, dance and movement classes, music lessons, before- and after school programs, summer and school break camps

The center is well-known for its special teen programs, including a Teen Life Center where kids ages 14 to 17 can congregate for dances, barbecues, or just have a place to call their own where they can hang out with friends. The center also offers athletic programs. The Teen Center is open Mon-Thu 2pm-9pm; Fri 2pm-12m; and Sat 7pm-12m. The phone at the Teen Center is 206.684.4550.

Note: During construction at Garfield High School, the Teen Life Center moves to Washington Middle School, 2101 S Jackson Street. The center is closed July 12-17, 2006, during the move to its temporary location. See www.seattle.gov/parks/teens/teenlifecenter.htm for details.

Housed in a historic brick schoolhouse in Seattle's Central District, Giddens School (formerly Happy Medium School) is an independent private school that offers preschool through 5th grade children a developmentally appropriate, academically excellent curriculum.

Giddens School is one of the most ethnically, economically, and socially diverse independent schools in the Northwest. Between 20% and 40% of families receive tuition assistance and more than 40% of students are children of color. Students learn about diversity in a diverse environment that provides vital, tangible opportunities to learn with and about each other.

Before- and after-school care available. School break and summer camps offered.

Hiawatha offers before- and afterschool care, music and movement for pre-schoolers, family music classes, sports programs for school-age kids, and day camps, among its many family-friendly programs. The Center also features a playfield, lighted running track, tennis courts, a large wading pool (open daily during the summer) and kids' playground, and a batting cage.

Learning Ladder Preschool and Co-op Playgroup programs are available - download a current brochure from the website.

The newly-renovated and expanded center High Point Community Center offers before- and afterschool care, school break camps, karate, cooking class, computer lab, basketball, flag football, volleyball, a teen program, and Friday Family Movie Night among its family-friendly programs.

Annual special events include the Fall Festival and Christmas Ship bonfire. Fabulous Family Fridays take place on select Fridays from 6:30pm-8:30pm. See our calendar for details.

The winner of several 2008 Parents' Picks awards, including best museum, day camp, and parents' night out in Seattle, Imagine Children's Museum, features activities that are hands-on challenges requiring kids to use their imaginations, think creatively, and problem solve.

The museum features interactive exhibits. On the farm, kids can "milk" a life-sized cow; at the mountain, they can climb a rock wall and explore the shadow cave. The 16-foot-high treehouse offers a bird's eye view of the museum.

The museum also offers seasonal art classes, kids' nights out, and school break and summer day camps. "Tuesday Tales" are told on the first Tue of each month. Check Imagine's website and our calendar for event listings.

Birthday parties at the museum come in four flavors. The Birthday Bash ($85/$95) includes invitations, a T-shirt for the birthday child, and 90 minutes in a special party room with extended play at the museum for up to 12 friends (additional children $5/each; accompanying adults free; 20-guest maximum). The Birthday Bash Deluxe ($170/$190) includes invitations, a T-shirt for the birthday child, and 90 minutes in the party room for up to 24 friends (additional children $5/each; accompanying adults free; 40-guest maximum). The Caboodle Bash ($115/$130) includes invitations and T-shirt, cupcakes and juice, a free next-visit pass for each guest, and 90 minutes in the party room for up to 12 friends (additional children $6.50/each; accompanying adults free; 20-guest maximum). The Whole Kit 'n Caboodle ($220/$250) includes all of the above for up to 25 friends (additional children $6.50/each; accompanying adults free; 40-guest maximum). Prepayment and one adult chaperone for every six children are required.

Bring your budding naturalist to IslandWood, 255 acres on Bainbridge Island that serve as an outdoor lab where all ages can study the natural world and its conservation; explore the preserve's varied habitats (bog, mature second-growth forest, and more); and take a variety of cool arts and seasonal workshops.

The campus' amenities include comfy, family-friendly sleeping lodges for overnight stays; classrooms and learning labs; an Arts Studio; miles of trails and a pond, bog, marsh, and streams; and a 190-foot suspension bridge over a ravine.

IslandWood offers Family Adventure Camps and kids' spring break and summer camps. Day camp and overnight programs are available. A schedule of camps and camp descriptions are available on the website.

Facilities at Issaquah Community Center include a gymnasium, youth center, pool, and outdoor skate park. A wide variety of sports classes are offered for children. Preschool and camp programs are also available. Party rentals are available from September through May for $85 (up to 30 participants. Parties include use of a party room, gym court, and sports equipment. Call for more information.

Jefferson serves a wide range of ethnic groups, and boasts a staff who are fluent in Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, and Tagalog.

Programs include youth and adult sports leagues at area schools, arts and dance classes (including ballet and hip hop), karate classes, and a variety of health and fitness classes.

The center offers before- and afterschool programs at Beacon Hill and Kimball elementary schools, and summer day camp programs for young people ages five to 14. The toddler/preschool program, called Kiddie Kampus, is for kids ages three to five.

Annual special events include the Halloween Carnival, Egg Hunt, and the Beacon Hill Community Festival, typically held on the first Saturday in June. See our calendar for details.