Free Activities for Kids and Families

Here are some ideas for free and cheap family fun on the Eastside.

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Guided Nature Walks. Learn about Nature from the Park rangers at The Mercer Slough Nature Park who give guided tours every Saturday (May-September) at 2p.m. You'll discover the park's forests, marshes, swamps, and many animals - including variety of birds and otters and beavers. All ages. For ages 5 and up, rangers also give guided canoe trips, every Saturday (May-September) from Enatai Beach Park, where you'll paddle across Lake Washington to the Slough.

Blueberry Picking. Try the Overlake Blueberry Farm at Mercer Slough - which is open daily during the summer. You can pick your own berries or buy them already picked. Fun for all ages.

Beaches. There are so many beaches in the summertime. Some of our favorites are Lake Sammamish State Park Beach, Medina Park Beach, and Madison Beach Park in Seattle (it even has a little play area across the street).

Free Day at the Museum. Most museums offer free days. Check out our calendar for free museum days and take your kids for some play (at the Kids Quest Museum), some culture (at the Seattle Art Museum), or to see some dinosaurs (at the Burke Museum). Also, for free museum passes, including the Kids Quest and the Bellevue Art Museum, visit the library website, www.kcls.org, and print out some free passes.

Story Times. These are usually for the under 5 crowd, but are loads of fun for the whole family. Check out the King County Library System for programs. Also, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Pottery Barn Kids, and University Bookstore all offer weekly story times.