3-2-1 Bounce provides private indoor parties with new, interactive
inflatables, plus air hockey and foosball. Parents can relax in the comfortable lounge seating area while watching the children. Parties are 2-1/2 hours long (1-1/2 hours in the supervised Bounce Zone and one hour in the private party room). Party consultants serve your cake to guests as well as any custom party items (see Web site for options). Party packages include invitations and food-serving paper products. Goodie bags, balloons, pizza, and soda are provided at additional costs (see the website for prices).

Drop-in play for the Bellevue location: Session 1: Mon-Tue, 9:30am-10:45am; Session 2: Mon-Tue, 10:45am-12n. Drop-in play for the Everett location: Session 1: Wed-Thu, 9:30am-10:45am; Session 2: Wed-Thu, 10:45am-12n. Parents can interact and play with children on the equipment free of charge.

Playgroups are also welcome Mon-Thu before 2pm. Sessions are one hour; call to reserve.

3-2-1 Bounce provides private indoor parties with new, interactive
inflatables, plus air hockey and foosball. Parents can relax in the comfortable lounge seating area while watching the children. Parties are 2-1/2 hours long (1-1/2 hours in the supervised Bounce Zone and one hour in the private party room). Party consultants serve your cake to guests as well as any custom party items (see Web site for options). Party packages include invitations and food-serving paper products. Goodie bags, balloons, pizza, and soda are provided at additional costs (see the website for prices).

Drop-in play for the Bellevue location: Session 1: Mon-Tue, 9:30am-10:45am; Session 2: Mon-Tue, 10:45am-12n. Drop-in play for the Everett location: Session 1: Wed-Thu, 9:30am-10:45am; Session 2: Wed-Thu, 10:45am-12n. Parents can interact and play with children on the equipment free of charge.

Playgroups are also welcome Mon-Thu before 2pm. Sessions are one hour; call to reserve.

Kids from preschool to high school can take tap, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, creative dance, ballroom, and swing dancing - as well as parent and tot classes - at this spacious, light-filled neighborhood studio, which has two dance floors.

Classes start up quarterly, and the year includes holiday and Valentine's Day parties and a Spring Performance at the Shorecrest Performing Arts Center in Shoreline. A full schedule is available by calling or online.

Summer dance camps, offered in weeklong sessions beginning at the end of June, meet Mon-Fri for 2 1/2 hours each day.

The studios are also available for birthday party and special event rental. If you rent space for a birthday party, the studio can provide an instructor to lead the kids in dances and art activities.

All That Dance also offer classes at its renovated satellite studio at 5500 35th Avenue NE (30 blocks to the south).

The studio on the corner of 80th and Greenwood in North Seattle offers movement and dance classes for children ages two months (with parent) to adult. It aims to provide instruction to beginners and experienced dancers alike, in a non-threatening, non-competitive environment.

Class offerings include pre-ballet, ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, Irish, Polynesian/Hula, Flamenco, parent/toddler, and Nurturing Baby.

Birthday parties and studio rental are also available.

Redmond's oldest park offers two historic cabins and a covered picnic shelter available for rent, along with picnic tables, a shaded children's play area, bike racks, and a brick plaza with an outdoor stage.

The playground is on many "best of" lists, for good reason; it provides colossal fountain sprays, lounge chair swings, and plenty of ride-on activities.

Andrew's Playroom is an indoor play center and party place specifically designed for kids ages nine months to five years.

Facilities include clubhouses, a play hut tunnel system, a pretend market, kitchen, and garage, toddler basketball, golf, bowling, board games, and activity books.

Angle Lake Park is a ten-acre park that features a playground, fishing pier, boat launch, playground, stage, picnic shelter, and barbecue area. Life guards are on duty at the park's swimming area from mid-June through Labor Day. The park hosts special events throughout the year. Call for information on renting the picnic shelter and stage.

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.

Baby Power Forever Kids offers preschool classes, parents' night out programs, birthday parties, and parent/child play and enrichment classes.

Bellevue Aquatic Center's blue lagoon pool is 25 yards with six lap lanes, a diving tank, and a 10-foot slide. The center's warm springs pool, which was designed for therapy and rehabilitation, but is available for public open swim, has a wheelchair ramp and an average water temperature of 91 degrees.

The center offers swimming lessons and has locker rooms are available for men, women, and families. The pools are also available for rental for special occasions and birthday parties, along with a party room.

Pool schedules are subject to change; be sure to call ahead before you go.

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.

The Eastside roller rink features various family-friendly public skate times, including a Tiny Tots skate session (children under 10 with parents only) and a Sunday family skate with special admission deals.

Birthday parties should be booked well in advance. The Basic Package includes admission; roller skate rental (inline skates are extra); party table; invitations; candles; place settings; ice cream; soda. The Premier Package includes pizza or hot dogs, popcorn, and goody bags. To book a party, call 425.641.2047 during any public skating session.

Our first visit to Blue Highway Games was a brief one, but it didn't take long to decide that this store is a new favorite. We think it's one of those rare spots that really does offer something for everyone.

The store strives to pull families and friends back to the table for a good, old-fashioned, sit-down game and stocks hundreds of board and card games from around the world. We found the store very easy to navigate, with games organized by category, including "family," "party," "travel," and "strategy." We loved the big selection of innovative and high quality European games, although the store has plenty of American classics on hand, too. Samples of many of the games are on display and out of the box, ready to go for a test run.

One of the store's co-owners offered to help us narrow down the choices soon after our arrival. He gave us lots of great information about how the games were played that helped determine which ones might appeal to our six-year-old decision maker. As she found games that she liked, he put them out on a table and gave her a live demonstration. We both appreciated his attentiveness, knowledge, and manner of interaction with her.

The back of the store features tables where families can try out games from the store's "library." In addition to serving a good practical purpose, this area also makes the store feel like a wonderful community gathering space.

Blue Highway Games hosts a variety of events at the store, including school game nights, kids' clubs, summer camps, family game nights, and parents' nights out.

Two different birthday party packages are available for kids ages eight and up. For $200, up to eight children can attend and are entertained with a variety of age-appropriate games in the store's loft. For an additional $50, decorations, cupcakes, and drinks are included, as well as balloons, cups, plates, napkins, and flatware.

The Bothell Sons of Norway hosts a variety of cultural events throughout the year.

The Youth Group meets once each month and offers opportunities for youth ages seven to 23 to learn basics of the Norwegian language, folk dances, songs, and arts and crafts related to Nordic culture. The group normally meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30pm; check our calendar or the Bothell Sons of Norway website for a current schedule. The group also performs dances at several events each year. Youth who are Sons of Norway members can earn Cultural Badges for participating.

The Bothell Sons of Norway hall can be rented for private events. Call for details.

A combination toy store and workshop that lets kids create their own stuffed animals, Build-a-Bear offers both drop-in fun and party options for little cuddlers.

Bears and other stuffable creatures range in price from $10-$25 and additional options, such as sound or clothing, are also available. Take your creation home in its own "house" box.

Parties: Guests build their own stuffed animals, and take their new friends home. Call to plan a party.

A combination toy store and workshop that lets kids create their own stuffed animals, Build-a-Bear offers both drop-in fun and party options for little cuddlers.

Bears and other stuffable creatures range in price from $10-$25 and additional options, such as sound or clothing, are also available. Take your creation home in its own "house" box.

Parties: Guests build their own stuffed animals, and take their new friends home. Call to plan a party.

A combination toy store and workshop that lets kids create their own stuffed animals, Build-a-Bear offers both drop-in fun and party options for little cuddlers.

Bears and other stuffable creatures range in price from $10-$25 and additional options, such as sound or clothing, are also available. Take your creation home in its own "house" box.

Parties: Guests build their own stuffed animals, and take their new friends home. Call to plan a party.

A combination toy store and workshop that lets kids create their own stuffed animals, Build-a-Bear offers both drop-in fun and party options for little cuddlers.

Bears and other stuffable creatures range in price from $10-$25 and additional options, such as sound or clothing, are also available. Take your creation home in its own "house" box.

Parties: Guests build their own stuffed animals, and take their new friends home. Call to plan a party.

Cal Anderson Park is a 7.3-acre park that was recently redesigned and features a fountain, texture pool, reflecting pool, promenade paths, a plaza, playground, wading pool, and sports field. The shelter is available for rent.

This park's 216 acres has it all: hiking trails, expansive views of mountains and water, beach access, remnants of an historic orchard, picnic areas, a salmon creek, a wetlands walk, an innovative playspace for children, and broad grass fields. Visitors with binoculars can catch glimpses of the park's resident bald eagles, as well as of great blue herons, wintering ducks, and dozens of other species (especially during spring migration in May.)

The children's play area, designed by local artists, features a giant salmon slide. Kids enter at the salmon's mouth, and - as in nature - come out the other end, and most children seem to love this idea. Kids can choose the seesaw or swings, but can also crawl through a hollow log, hide in kid-sized shelters, or climb over concrete "tide pools" imbedded with tile "sea creatures".

During the salmon run in late fall, Piper's Creek is alive with salmon returning to their spawning grounds. Naturalists stay on hand to give out information, and the park celebrates the return of the salmon with nature programs and events. Birders can look in the creek for American Dippers, feasting on salmon eggs.

The wetlands walk, located just south of the train track overpass to the beach, offers a short boardwalk through still, dark water full of ducks and other birds, and places to pause and observe the area. A trail passes through native plantings to the creek. Dogs aren't allowed through the wetland, and kids should avoid climbing in the creek, since it destroys habitat and can also contain pathogens. The wetland walk is a good place to spot birds.

Carkeek Park has a vibrant environmental education program. Its Environmental Learning Center, open since July 2003, offers free and low-cost environmental education classes for adults and kids, including bird walks, nature stories, seasonal events, environmental workshops, and tours of the park for preschoolers.

Birthday parties - Does your child love bugs, birds, fish? Develop a theme with the Environmental Education Center. They'll provide a naturalist and theme activities. You provide refreshments, utensils, and up to 20 kids. For ages six to 15. Make arrangements three weeks in advance.

Summer Camp - The EarthKeepers Nature Camp, for ages six-12, offers weeklong programs during the summer, led by trained naturalists in an outdoor classroom setting. The camp programs strive to impart respect for and interconectedness with the natural world. Camp themes include: Survivor Island; Furs, Tails, Tracks, and Tails; Tidepool - Window to Puget Sound; Buggin' Out; Carkeek's Incredible Time Machine; and Wet and Squiggly Tidepools. Registration begins in early spring, and sessions fill up quickly. Camps cost $195 per week per child and $160 for a second week. Before and after camp programs are also available. Call or email for more information. [206.684.0877; earthkeepers_day_camp@yahoo.com]

Carol Edwards Center offers sports, arts, and other recreational programs for families. Facilities include a gymnasium, sports fields, picnic shelters, a teen lounge, and an outdoor basketball court.

Several of the center's rooms are available to rent for private events.

Cascade Elite offers giant trampolines, foam-filled safety pits, summer and winter camps, competitive opportunities, birthday parties, parents' nights out, overnight events, and classes for kids from age 18 months. Party packages include one hour of supervised gymnastics and games, invitations, balloons, refreshments, and a t-shirt for the birthday child.

Our six-year-old attended a Cascade Elite Gymnastics Summer Camp at Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA and we were impressed with how much she learned at this five-day program. We spent time observing the class, and found the instructors to be kind, enthusiastic, and skilled at working with small children.

Cascade Elite offers giant trampolines, foam-filled safety pits, summer and winter camps, competitive opportunities, birthday parties, parents' nights out, overnight events, and classes for kids from age 18 months. Party packages include one hour of supervised gymnastics and games, invitations, balloons, refreshments, and a t-shirt for the birthday child.

Our six-year-old attended a Cascade Elite Gymnastics Summer Camp at Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA and we were impressed with how much she learned at this five-day program. We spent time observing the class, and found the instructors to be kind, enthusiastic, and skilled at working with small children.

Cascade Elite offers giant trampolines, foam-filled safety pits, summer and winter camps, competitive opportunities, birthday parties, parents' nights out, overnight events, and classes for kids from age 18 months. Party packages include one hour of supervised gymnastics and games, invitations, balloons, refreshments, and a t-shirt for the birthday child.

Our six-year-old attended a Cascade Elite Gymnastics Summer Camp at Meredith Mathews East Madison YMCA and we were impressed with how much she learned at this five-day program. We spent time observing the class, and found the instructors to be kind, enthusiastic, and skilled at working with small children.

In addition to regular public skating times, Castle Ice Arena offers a wide variety of programs for kids throughout the year. The very reasonably-priced Learn to Skate program is for skaters of all levels and includes instruction, practice time, and skate rental. The Summer Skating Camp is for kids ages six and up and features skating instruction, practice time, and other activities.

Figure skating offerings include freestyle sessions, private lessons, and a summer school.

Aspiring hockey players have several options to choose from, including drop-in times, camps and clinics, private instruction, and a Youth Learn to Play program offered in conjunction with the Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association. Kids can also play broomball and sled hockey.

Birthday parties are also offered. Families can rent a decorated party room for $50 per hour, then purchase skating admission separately, or they can rent one of the ice arenas for $150-$290 per hour and have the ice to themselves.

In addition to regular public skating times, Castle Ice Arena offers a wide variety of programs for kids throughout the year. The very reasonably-priced Learn to Skate program is for skaters of all levels and includes instruction, practice time, and skate rental. The Summer Skating Camp is for kids ages six and up and features skating instruction, practice time, and other activities.

Figure skating offerings include freestyle sessions, private lessons, and a summer school.

Aspiring hockey players have several options to choose from, including drop-in times, camps and clinics, private instruction, and a Youth Learn to Play program offered in conjunction with the Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association. Kids can also play broomball and sled hockey.

Birthday parties are also offered. Families can rent a decorated party room for $50 per hour, then purchase skating admission separately, or they can rent one of the ice arenas for $150-$290 per hour and have the ice to themselves.

Central Cinema is Seattle's only dinner-and-a-movie theater. After you select your seat - booths with tables in front and some funky school-desk seats with fold-down tables in the back - a server brings menus, then returns to take your order. Your food arrives while you watch the film. You can continue to order items throughout the first hour of the movie.

Menu items appeal to both kids and parents and includes pigs-in-a-blanket with turkey or tofu dogs, a bowl of popcorn, calzones, a tapas plate, and wood-fired pizzas.

The theater is available for rental for birthday parties and other events. Rates start at $175/hour, with a two-hour minimum.

Centre at Norpoint features a climbing wall, classes in a variety of arts and sports, a gymnasium, and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

The water temperature at Centre at Norpoint Pool is maintained at 85 degrees and the pool features a beach walk-in, a mushroom waterfall, two hot spas, and a dry sauna. Swimming lessons and swim party packages are available.

Children's Technology Workshop offers hands-on, high-tech engineering and technology programs. Programs include instruction programming computer games; creating digital animations, stop motion films, and digital art; robotics; and engineering projects.

The summer icamp program offers students the ability to customize their own curricula, choosing from a wide range of activities, including computer game creation, stop motion animation, digital art, graphic design, and LEGO based engineering and robotics projects. Project themes include video game creation, animation, fashion design, architectural design, mission to Mars, expedition Egypt, and team F1.

During their participation in the icamp program, students are provided with laptops, robotics equipment, cameras, and digital drawing tablets.

Camp sessions are available at several locations around Seattle, including Edmonds, Mill Creek, Bothell, Redmond, Bellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish, Mercer Island, and Renton.

Color Me Mine is a paint-your-own ceramics studio that offers "Art Adventures" classes for kids. Each weeklong session is held Mon-Fri from 2pm-4pm.

The studio also offers birthday parties. The basic package includes two hours of studio time, a p