Free Thinking: Queen Anne and South Lake Union050

What's free in Queen Anne and South Lake Union for kids and families?

Most of the attractions at the Seattle Center are on the pricey side, but the International Fountain is always a blast for kids, even in cooler weather, with its dramatic sprays flying high into the air, accompanied by music from around the world. The Center also hosts free cultural festivals throughout the year and free or inexpensive activities during its Winterfest celebration. Keep an eye on our calendar for details.

The Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum offers free admission from 5pm to 8pm on the first Thursday of each month.

A few blocks north of the Seattle Center, in the Uptown area of Lower Queen Anne, a small public garden on the grounds of St. Paul's Episcopal Church features a fountain and a stained concrete labyrinth that offers an intriguing challenge to younger kids. Counterbalance Park, just across the street, has a mesmerizing display colored LED lights continuously moving around its perimeter after the sun goes down.

Head up The Counterbalance for a visit to Blue Highway Games, which offers tables and a selection of games that visitors can sample. Free games nights are held each Saturday from 7pm to 11pm and Mah Jong night is held on the last Wednesday of each month at 6pm (advance registration is required). Check the website for other free special events.

Also on top of the hill, Urban Kids Play frequently hosts free events for kids ages seven and under, including storytimes with Moonpaper Tent each Thursday at 10:30am. Check the store's website for a complete list of upcoming events.

Queen Anne Books hosts a free storytime at 2pm on the third Sunday of each month (check the website for exceptions).

Two nice playgrounds are located within two blocks of the shopping district on Queen Anne Avenue, including East Queen Anne Playground, which features a sports field where families can catch kids' soccer and basketball games, a wading pool, and a half basketball court. West Queen Anne Playfield is a larger park that has big grassy fields and a new playground.

The Queen Anne Branch of the Seattle Public Library holds a toddler storytime each Thursday at 10:30am and a Pajama Storytime on Mondays at 7:45pm.

At the bottom of the hill at the south end of Lake Union, families can visit the free museum at the Center for Wooden Boats. The center also offers Free Public Sails each Sunday (call to check for exceptions) and canoe carving on Sundays from 1pm to 4pm.

Another great outdoor offering is a free treasure hunting game called Geocaching. Geocaches are hidden containers that can be found using coordinates and a GPS unit. If you choose to remove a "treasure" (stickers, toy cars, postcards, pencils, crayons, bubbles, etc.) from the cache, be sure to leave an item to replace it - all of those kids' meal toys laying around the house make great treasures for the cache.

Know of more free stuff, events, and activities for kids and families around Queen Anne? Add a comment below and we'll get right on it!