Weekender: Family Fun Ideas for Seattle, the Eastside and South Sound

It's a three-day weekend (of sorts) this weekend; who knew? As I mentioned last week, time has little meaning these days. But I am looking forward to a little extra break from homeschool battles, and some working folks may get a break, too. In addition to the ideas below, may I recommend getting outside with your crew? And even though we're all consumed with the pandemic, it's well worth pausing to honor the sacrifice of service members who've lost their lives, and that of their families who suffered so much. Our deepest thanks from all of us at ParentMap.

7 ideas for family fun this weekend and beyond

1. Get lost in the beauty of Pacific Northwest Ballet's 2018 production of "Swan Lake," showing online for a short time (Friday–Wednesday).
2. Explore found sound — making music from unexpected sources — and join a free family jam over Zoom with Jamtown John (Saturday).
3. It's a new twist on Folklife, Seattle's signature Memorial Day weekend festival: Tune in for live-streamed performances and dance workshops, plus access family entertainment and crafts for families (Saturday–Monday).
4. Honor our country's fallen service members by thinking about their sacrifice; a drive-by memorial and virtual ceremonies will help (Sunday–Monday).
5. Will you write a letter to lonely Stella the turkey or sweet pig named Heart? Help Pasado's animals by becoming a pen pal (ongoing).
6. Make like summer on the holiday and try some new twists on burgers on the grill or homemade warm-weather treats with your crew (Monday).
7. Plan ahead for next week and set your kids up for a free chess workshop with ParentMap and NM Elliott Neff, founder of Chess4Life (Thursday, May 28).

More any-time fun ideas:

• Play in the street
• Frolic at a nearby state park
• Fly a kite
• Get going on a garden
• Hear some clucks, gather some eggs?

We've converted our family fun calendar to feature great virtual events to fill your days with fun and educational stuff. Some events are at a specific time; some can be accessed at any time, so you're sure to find something to suit your mood and schedule.