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Enjoy the list I’ve gathered; it should help to keep your crew entertained as we dive into a new year. Photo: iStock
With holiday gift giving now in the rearview mirror, I’ve resolved to tighten my wallet and save cash where I can. That means finding free fun for the family and cutting down on indulgent treats! If that sounds like you as well, enjoy the list I’ve gathered that includes 25 free things to do around Seattle in January. It should help to keep your crew entertained as we dive into a new year.
Note: Some activities require preregistration and can fill up quickly.
1. Polar Bear Double Dip
Date and time: Thursday, Jan. 1, 10 a.m. and noon
Brrrr-ing it! Take the plunge not once, but twice in Renton where the city is hosting an invigorating double dip day to start the new year. Dive into the chilly waters of Lake Washington at Gene Coulon swim beach at 10 a.m. or head to Henry Moses Aquatic Center and brave the unheated pool at noon. Preregister.
2. ‘Weci | Koninut’ Installation
Date and time: Through Jan. 3
Make time to view public art when you’re out and about in Seattle. Six giant forest-inspired dreamcatchers representing pre-winter and autumn are on display in the Yes Plaza of South Lake Union. These interactive pieces are a tribute to the wisdom of ancestors and Indigenous cultures.
3. Puget Sound Party
Date and time: Saturday, Jan. 3, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
The WET Science Center is throwing a party to celebrate the remarkable Puget Sound, and you're invited to drop by to craft a marine party hat and mask, and play clean water games.
4. Kids Eat Free Sundays at MOD Pizza
Date and time: Sundays, Jan. 4–25
This freebie is for kids ages 12 and younger only, but it's a tasty (and handy) one! After a weekend of on-the-go-fun, skip cooking and refuel your hungry crew with free kids meals (with purchase of a MOD-size pizzas or salads) at local MOD Pizza locations.
5. ShoreLights Winter Light Display
Date and time: Nightly through Jan. 11
The lights will soon be dimming on the remaining holiday light displays around town. Catch the last days of sparkle at the Park at Town Center in Shoreline. For added cheer, attend on a Thursday or Friday evening and find live music performances.
6. Storytime for Little Spark Plugs
Date and time: Tuesday, Jan. 6, 10–11 a.m.
Young car enthusiasts will love the interactive stories and songs at Storytime for Little Sparkplugs held monthly at Tacoma’s LeMay – America’s Car Museum. It’s also the perfect time to meet new friends and play in the hands-on Family Zone. Preregister.
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7. Tacoma Light Trail
Date and time: Nightly through Jan. 11, 5–9 p.m.
Bring on the lights fantastic and extend your holiday sparkle into January walking the Tacoma Light Trail. Artwork will light up the dark and otherwise dreary nights throughout Tacoma, including Downtown, Hilltop Neighborhood, South Tacoma Way and more.
8. Sasquatch Hunt
Date and time: Daily, Jan. 5–16
Go on an outdoor adventure with the family, test your investigative skills and have a grand time searching for Sasquatch. You and your squad can scour the Grandview Trail at Chambers Regional Park for eight of these elusive mythical creatures to win a prize.
9. Community Access Skate Night in Everett
Date and time: Friday, Jan. 9, 5–6:30 p.m.
Lace up and get whirling and twirling on the ice during Community Access Skate Night at Angels of the Winds Arena every second Friday of the month. What a fun way to get the crew moving this winter! Skate rentals are also free. Preregister.
10. Mochi Tsuki Festival
Date and time: Saturday, Jan. 10, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Join the Japanese American Community at Woodward Middle School on Bainbridge Island as they ring in the new year the traditional way, at a celebratory Mochi Tsuki, where rice is cooked over an open fire and mochi (or rice cake) is pounded by hand using wooden mallets.
11. Skagit Eagle Viewing and Guided Walks
Date and time: Saturday–Sunday, through Feb. 15
Use those eagle eyes to spot majestic flyers during the Skagit Eagle Festival. Visit the Bald Eagle Interpretive Center at Howard Miller County Park in Rockport, Wash., then join a free guided nature walk at 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. during weekends this month and continue on through Feb. 15.
12. Magic Monday
Date and time: Monday, Jan. 12, 7–8 p.m.
Do you have magic buffs at home? Bring them to this family-friendly magic show at Ravenna’s Third Place Books on the second Monday of the month. Witness feats of wonder, mystery and the bizarre.
13. Tacoma Creates - Fused Together Workshop
Date and time: Tuesday, Jan. 13, 5–6:30 p.m.
Join Hilltop Artists at the Tacoma Moore Branch Library and create your own fused glass tile which will be incorporated into a collaborative art project designed to bring awareness to local marine life and preserving Puget Sound waters. Ages 8 and older.
14. Story Time at Farrel-McWhirter Park
Date and time: Wednesdays through March 4, 12:30–1:30 p.m.
Come dressed for the weather and join a fun outdoor-themed story time at Farrel-McWhirter Park every Wednesday. Follow along to stories, rhymes and music in the barn.
15. Museum of Flight Free First Thursday Moved to 1/15 in January
Date and Time: Thursday, Jan. 15, 5–9 p.m.
The Museum of Flight has moved its Free First Thursday to Jan. 15 this month because of the new year holiday. Pop by for your last chance to see the popular MiG-21 Project exhibit, which closes Jan. 26, for free.
16. Kid Program Kits from Craftopia
Date and time: Fridays, Jan. 9, 16 and 30
Bring your crafty kid to any Tacoma Public Library branch on select Fridays to pick up a kit with supplies for an art project to take and make at home. In January, kits include snowflake suncatchers, fingerprint trees and snow owls. While supplies last.
17. Kidstock!
Date and time: Saturday, Jan. 17, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Dance to Kindie faves Recess Monkey, join a puppet-making workshop, learn tap and traditional Indian dance moves and more at Kidstock!, the free, full-day arts celebration especially for families with kids of all ages at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. Preregister.
18. Leavenworth Winter Karneval
Date and time: Saturday–Sunday, Jan. 3–25
Head out of town to Leavenworth, our region’s own Bavarian village, during January weekends for special seasonal entertainment all month long. Think fire dancers, live ice carving and fireworks amongst the still-sparkling lit-up streets.
19. Martin Luther King Jr. Day at Wilburton Hill Park
Date and time: Monday, Jan. 19, 9 a.m.–noon
Roll up your sleeves and make it a day of service on this MLK holiday. Families can volunteer to help restore Wilburton Park in Bellevue, planting trees and removing invasive plants. Don’t forget to preregister!
20. Bingo Night at Pioneer Hall
Date and time: Thursday, Jan. 22, 6–8 p.m.
Take a break from screens and instead head to Pioneer Hall in Madison Park for Bingo night with the crew! This fun event takes place monthly, and all ages are welcome.
21. Family Movie Nights at Sunset Hill Community Hall
Date and time: Friday, Jan. 23, 6–8 p.m.
Make it a movie night with the family! Sunset Hill Community Hall hosts a monthly movie on the big screen appropriate for kids with free popcorn and drinks.
22. Edible Books Festival
Date and time: Saturday, Jan. 24, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Literary fans, submit an entry or come to peruse the creative and delicious sights of your favorite book titles interpreted as edible treats. Either way, this event will surely whet your appetite for reading! Head to the Third Place Commons at Lake Forest Park Towne Center.
23. Seattle Kraken Pregame at the Armory
Date and time: Jan. 19 and 25
Got Kraken fever but maybe not the funds to buy tickets for the whole crew? Enjoy pregame activities at the Seattle Center Armory like ball hockey and face painting starting two hours before puck drop, then watch the game on the big screen with other fans.
24. Fledglings Science Lab
Date and time: Thursdays, Jan. 15–Feb. 5, 11 a.m.–noon
Budding ornithologists ages 2–5 years old are invited to dive into the world of birds at the Birds Connect headquarters in Seattle, learning about a different feature of our feathered friends each week through games, crafts, stories and more. No registration required, but space is limited.
25. Hay Barn Drop-In Toddler Play
Date and time: Fridays, 9:30–11 a.m.
Calling all toddlers! Head to the Big Red Barn at Farrel-McWhirter Farm in Redmond and have a blast playing in the giant straw pit, making new friends and burning some pre-nap energy. Preregister.
More free activities for Seattle-area families: |
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in February 2024, and was most recently updated on Dec. 29, 2025, to include 25 new, exciting free things to do in Seattle in January for families by ParentMap’s calendar editor, Julie Dodobara. Event dates, times and locations were cross-checked and verified by our editor.
