We're signed up for the Little Ditties Story Time series at the Lake Hills Library with Ms. Jenny and highly recommend it. Each series of classes is based on a theme (food, winter, animals, etc...) and we sing songs, dance, read books, and play instruments. It's actually a lot more fun than other paid music classes that we tried. The ages in class are between 1.5 and 6; my kids are 1.5 and 3.5 and both love it.

She also teaches the same class at the Bellevue Regional Library and you don't have to register for a series, or even sign up in advance. But you have to get there early because it fills up fast.

More info and registration info at www.kcls.org (search for storytimes)

We went to the Orange Blossom Society in Redmond this morning, my son who's 3 participated in the Nutrition and Fitness drop-off camp ($20 for 2.5 hours), while my daughter (who's 20 months) and I stayed and played for $5. There are 5 rooms full of toys on the main level and in the basement. The upstairs was reserved for the camp. The house has a very nice atmosphere, is clean, and the kids immediately felt at home there. 

There are lots of great toys: play kitchen, dolls, cars, puzzles, blocks, tents, dress-up clothes, little tables and chairs, books, etc...For the parents, there's free Wi-Fi, and a serve-yourself/pay later kitchen stocked with fresh brewed coffee, tea, juice, and snacks. All in all, it was a fun morning and neither of my kids wanted to leave when it was time to go. We'll be checking out other classes and camps that they offer and going back to play often.

Website: http://www.orangeblossomsociety.com/

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.