Here are some ideas to celebrate Dr. MLK Jr. Day with your kids next week.

(FREE) Washington State History Museum (Tacoma)
Admission to the museum is free in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. There will be screening of a documentary, a civil rights speaker, and music. 
Hours: 10-4; website: www.wshs.org

(Free) Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration at the Seattle Center (Seattle)
The Center House at the Seattle Center will have a an afternoon full of music, dance, and celebrations. Mayor Mike McGinn will also be present to present an award to youth.
Hours: 12-5; website: www.seattlecenter.com

Don't forget, most museums and libraries are closed on Monday to celebrate the holiday, but most kid museums will be open. So, if your kids are bored, check out these museums:
Kids Quest Museum (Bellevue)
Imagine Children's Museum (Everett)
The Children's Museum (Seattle)
Children's Museum of Tacoma (Tacoma) - special activity in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

When you're looking for things to do on rainy days, don't forget about the free museum passes offered through the King County Libraries website. The museums rotate every once in a while; right now, free passes are being offered to the Kids Quest Museum, The Washington State History Museum, and the Bellevue Art Museum. 

When you search the site, make sure to search for museum passes, and don't forget to print them out before you go. 

More info: www.kcls.org

If you haven't been to the Seattle Children's Museum yet at the Seattle Center, make sure to go before January 31st while the Sesame Street Body Exhibit is still open. We took our kids there last weekend (a 1.5 year old and a 3.5 year old), and they both loved it. The museum has a lot to do, and you can easily spend a whole day there. They have in and out privileges so make sure to get your hands stamped before your leave. The food court is directly above the museum, so it's convenient to grab something to eat there then return to the museum. 

Here's a breakdown of everything the museum has:
- A miniature world, where everything is designed kid-size, including a grocery store with food and shopping carts, a restaurant with a counter, register, table, and chairs, a sushi kitchen, a mini market, a bus, a boat, a subway, and a little Japanese house with a kitchen, a bedroom, and a sitting area. 
- An arts and crafts room, for painting, coloring, getting messy, and making crafts projects.
- A large room with a play kitchen, a dining table, a dollhouse, and an area for the daily story time. 
- A very cozy library room, with many books to read to your kids.
- A large toddler area for ages 0 to 3.

The Body Exhibit was great, but needs guidance from the parents so the kids can understand the concepts being taught. There are many demonstrations about how our bodies work, including a very memorable but somewhat gross demonstration about how we digest food.