Indoor Pay to Play Options for Babies & Toddlers in Seattle

Zoomazium – the zoo is already a great place to visit with kids but the Zoomazium at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo has an amazing indoor play area for rainy days. It has a baby/toddler area with toys drums, climbing areas, mirrors and lots of other great toys of little ones. Right next to it is a large rockery climbing area for bigger kids with a slide. It also offers an art and discovery area and a stage where the zoo offers daily creature features (where kids learn about different animals in person) as well as puppet shows. They hold daily dance parties as well handing out shakers and playing music encouraging children to dance and play. (per visit fee or annual membership). http://www.zoo.org/zoomazium

Seattle Children’s Museum – Wonderful, Wonderful, Wonderful!!! This place has been a life saver to us with a toddler. For one low yearly membership fee, you can attend mommy and me classes here 5 days a week, story time in an incredible fairytale like setting 3 days a week, incredible cultural exhibits, traveling exhibits, an entire grocery store where little ones can fill their shopping carts with all sorts of good and even check out (scan items) and use a credit card machine. There is also a wonderful stage area where children's can dress up and perform and small rooms dedicated to different countries of the world. The have an entire play area that is just for toddlers that includes climbing apparatuses and a long water play center - as well as smocks to keep your little ones dry. One of my favorite things is the art room. there are several stations where your children can paint and all the art supplies in the world to do everything from clay art to drawing. The museum is open 7 days a week giving working parents a great place to take their kids on the weekend. I can't recommend this place strongly enough. It takes several visits before you see everything this place has to offer! (per visit fee or annual membership). http://thechildrensmuseum.org/

Pacific Science Center - Great place to visit for Children of all Ages. They offer a HUGE toddler play area (600 square feet or more), floors and floors of educational and fun stations for older children, real animated dinosaurs, a planetarium (with special 15 minute shows for the under 3 crowd) a butterfly house where you are emerged in a wonderland of rare and beautiful butterflies in a tropical setting and an IMAX theater. I didn't go here for a considerable time because I was concerned it was better suited for older children. While it is, in fact, perfect for the 5-14 crowd it also has many wonderful options for the under 5 crowd. If you live in Seattle, consider the membership so you can visit as much as you want. We find that memberships at places like this, the zoo and the children's museum more than pay for themselves in a matter of months (per visit fee or annual membership). http://www.pacsci.org/

Seattle Art Museum – you might not think that an art museum is the best place to take a baby/toddler but the Seattle Art Museum stands out with play rooms on different floors where children can read, build structures, or explore many of the toys they have for sale downstairs in the museum shop (per visit fee or annual membership). http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/learn/youthfamily/default.asp

Seattle Community Centers – from Greenlake to Queen Anne, Seattle Community Centers offer a variety of play rooms for infants and toddlers as well as an open gym/play time a few days a week. ($2 a visit). http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks/centers.asp

Twirl Café – we are very excited that there will be a new play children’s play space opening up in our own Queen Anne this summer! From what we understand it will offer an open gym and classes. In addition, the play area will include a tree-house structure and upper classroom for active lay. http://mytwirl.blogspot.com/2010/07/twirl-press-release-july-8th-2010.html

Soundbridge (Seattle Symphony) - the Seattle Symphony offer Soundbridge where children can partake in musical storytelling, an instrument petting zoo, weekly play dates, learn about music and even conduct! Admission is free the first Monday of the month and after noon on Fridays. http://www.seattlesymphony.org/soundbridge/about/

Seattle Aquarium - this small aquarium is located on the Seattle Waterfront. There is a children's play area, a touching tank and various stations where children can do art projects. In the past it has also offered playgroups. http://www.seattleaquarium.org/netcommunity/page.aspx?pid=183

KidsQuest Children’s Museum – it never fails to amaze me the amount of imagination and magic that goes into children’s museums. Like the Seattle Children’s Museum, this counterpart across the lake offers an amazing setting for imagination and play for little ones. With tons for babies and older to climb and explore, admission on the first Friday of the month is FREE!!!! http://www.kidsquestmuseum.org/

Tot Spot Cafe - This pay-to-play Woodinville play cafe offers a cozy home-like ambience along with staff couches for parents and plenty of toys for babies and little kids. For the cover charge they also provide and extra set of eyes (through staffers) watching over little ones as they play. http://www.totspotcafe.com/

Orange Blossom Society - another pay to play cafe, this time located inside a house in Redmond. They have lots of toys for the kids along with pastries, coffee and Wi-Fi for the adults. They also offer classes for kids in thing like yoga, art, movement, gardening, sign language and more! However, only the art and movement classes are for the under 3 crowd. http://www.orangeblossomsociety.com/class-descriptions.html

Dizzy's Bus Stop - branching out from the Tumblebus, Dizzy is now offer a new drop in play facility in Bellevue.  The cost is $7 for any child crawling and older and it's open Monday through Friday.  http://www.dizzybus.com/