Longer days and warming temps are putting a real spring in our step! All the amazing flowers are the colorful sprinkles on top of the season. Amid Easter, Passover and Earth Day activities, the aforementioned flowers and some expert insight on teens, your April is positively blooming with fabulous family fun. Go forth in spring splendor, friends!
- Get hoppin’ on Easter fun by visiting Thomasson Family Farm’s Bunny Patch. Book a visit for a low-drama kids’ egg hunt, farm and playground activities, and the chance to visit the resident critters. Optional Easter Bunny photos will be available, too. The Bunny Patch is open March 29–April 2 and April 5–8. $10–$14; ages 2 and younger free.
- Pierce County’s lovely Daffodil Festival launches us into a month filled with gorgeous blooms. The four Daffodil Parades, with floats, marching bands and Daffodil Princesses, progress through four communities, all on Saturday, April 1. Join the fun at 10:15 a.m. in Tacoma; 12:45 p.m. in Puyallup; 2:30 p.m. in Sumner; and 5 p.m. in Orting. Free.
- Speaking of April flowers, scoot north to the Skagit Valley to marvel at the gorgeous fields of tulips alive with color. Some new players have entered the tulip scene, and some places will even allow families to bring their furry friends along. Mother Nature determines the blooming schedule, but the festival runs April 1–30.
- Can you have too many flowers surrounding you? Decidedly no. Wander among the cherry blossoms on the University of Washington’s Seattle campus. Head to the Quad and perchance a gust of spring wind will create a snowfall of pale pink petals around you — early April is typically your best bet on timing.
- Just follow the preschoolers to experience this nirvana of the tot set. Yep, the “Paw Patrol” crew sails into town for a grand pirate adventure, with live shows taking place at two local venues. Join Ryder, Chase, Marshall and Skye on their quest to save the day; shows are staged Tuesday–Wednesday, April 4–5, at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, and Saturday–Sunday, April 8–9, at the Tacoma Dome.
- Seattle Children’s Theatre puts its modern spin on the beloved classic “The Wizard of Oz.” A band of new friends sticks together to overcome challenges and support each other in pursuit of their dreams. This kid-friendly version of the tale runs 60 minutes and is recommended for ages 5 and older. April 4–May 21. Tiered ticket pricing starts at $15.
- Celebrate Passover in sweet, sweet style by savoring a six-pack of delightful Passover-themed cupcakes. These beauties are from the local cupcake whizzes at Trophy Cupcakes and are available for order April 5–15. Passover cupcakes are free of flour, grains, leavening agents and nuts, though they’re not officially kosher.
- All aboard for free mini train rides around the park! April 8 and 22 (Saturdays) are the first two dates of the season for Kitsap Live Steamers mini train rides, welcoming railroad fans of all ages to fun train rides at Port Orchard’s South Kitsap Regional Park. Rides continue the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, plus some holidays, through October.
- Everything’s coming up flowers in April! Visit Seattle Center for the annual Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival and partake in food, demos and performances that showcase Japanese and Japanese American cultural traditions. Friday–Sunday, April 14–16. Free.
- Families that love getting a jump on summer fair fun and those that prefer a chill fair experience know that the Washington State Spring Fair is a sure winner. Mark your calendar for two spring weekends of tasty fair food, farm animals and rides, plus awesome entertainment, including DockDogs, racing pigs, Motorsport Mayhem and The Hip Hop Juggler. Fair dates this year are April 13–16 and 20–23. Tickets $10–$15 per person; ages 5 and younger enter free; rides and select shows extra. Pro tip: All youths ages 18 and younger enter free on Thursdays, April 13 and 20.
- Reserve an hour to join ParentMap to discover the habits of highly effective adolescents with teen whisperers Laura Kastner, Ph.D., and Christine Carter, Ph.D. In our next ParentEd Talks event, these two experts will share science-backed tools and tips for helping teens find motivation. Register and join us Tuesday, April 18 at 2 p.m.
- Celebrate Earth Day out in the wild! Free-entrance days to our state and national parks on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, make it easy to gather your crew and head for the hills, the beach, the trees. Our state has so much nature to experience!
- Dive headlong into pond life, um, figuratively speaking, of course. Join a park naturalist at marvelous Camp Long to discover all of the fascinating critters that live in and around an urban pond, and learn how to protect them. Saturday, April 22, 9–11 a.m. Preregister for this nature activity designed for kids and their caregivers, $10.
- Earth Day is the perfect day to attend the South Sound Sustainability Expo and gather ideas on living green, plus get hands-on ideas and watch demos for helping our planet. Bring outgrown clothing for the free clothing swap and old electronics to be recycled! Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., at University of Washington Tacoma. Free; donations are welcomed.
- Kelsey Creek Farm is such a gem, you don’t need a special occasion to visit. But you will want to turn up to watch the resident sheep get their annual spring haircut at the family-favorite sheep-shearing event. It’s on Saturday, April 29, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Free; no registration required.
