July 23, 2024 | Activities

The Ultimate Summer Guide to Kid-Friendly Fun in Tukwila

We’re about halfway through summer break, and if you’re like most parents or care providers, you might be scrambling to find new and exciting ways to keep the kids entertained during the summer school break. 

Tukwila has got you covered. From staying cool inside to soaking up the sun, we’ve curated the ultimate list of summer activities and events that will keep young and old kids happy and your sanity intact. Whether your kids are water lovers, gamers, outdoor adventurers, music lovers, or bookworms, Tukwila has something for everyone. So, let’s keep summer rolling and create more unforgettable memories.

Activities for when you need a break from the sun

  1. Seattle Chocolate Factory Tour — Kids can experience their own Charlie and the Chocolate Factory moment! But don’t worry, there are no chocolate rivers, garbage chutes, magic chewing gum, or shrinking machines to worry about here. Instead, learn about the history and origins of chocolate, get a look inside the factory, and sample delicious chocolate creations. Tours available Monday – Saturday at 10:00am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm. Book your tour here. 
  2. The Museum of Flight — Stay cool in the AC and explore the wonders of the Museum of Flight. There’s so much to see you’ll want to keep coming back! Consider becoming a member. Open daily 10:00am – 5:00pm. Check out the latest events and exhibits on their website. 
  3. Tukwila Pool — Take to the water and leave the sunscreen stress at home! Tukwila’s indoor pool has daily family swim times for kids to practice swimming and have fun in the water. For the gung-ho swimmers, consider signing your kid up for the Mako Sharks Swim Club — a recreational swim team for ages 6-17. Visit their website for more information.
  4. Jump, Fly, Race — Stay active indoors! Visit a giant indoor trampoline park at Sky Zone, experience new heights and indoor skydiving at iFLY, and take to the indoor race tracks at Sykart. These activities are sure to thrill and put a smile on your kid’s face.
  5. Gaming in Tukwila — Tukwila offers a variety of locations to engage families and friends in a little friendly competition. Explore the arcade and bowling alleys at  Round 1 and Bowlero, experience virtual reality gameplay at Dimension XR, or dive into a new dimension and build community at Legacy Gaming — complete with a dedicated Kid Zone for young gamers!
  6. AMC Southcenter — Put up your feet, relax in AC, munch on some popcorn, and enjoy a classic summer pastime — going to the movies! Notable current and upcoming kids movies include Despicable Me 4, Inside Out 2, The Secret Life of Pets, Migration, and more! AMC also offers a Summer Movie Camp program, where you can score family-favorite flicks for just $3 a ticket. More details here.

Activities for getting outside 

  1. Tukwila Family Fun Center — No list of kids activity recommendations is complete without the Family Fun Center. They’ve got it all — choose from mini golf, go-karts, bumper boats, and batting cages. And when you need a break from the sun, head on over to the indoor arcade, grab your friends for a round of laser tag, or set up your young ones in the Kidopolis Playland. Young kids, big kids, and adult kids will all find a good time here. Open daily at 11:00am. More details here.
  2. Tukwila Concerts in the Park Series — Tukwila’s free concert in the park series kicks off this month! Grab some lawn chairs, pack some snacks, and enjoy fun, inclusive, and interactive music for children and adults. Free outdoor concerts at Joseph Foster Memorial Park will start at 5:30pm on 7/24, 7/31, 8/7, and 8/14, and feature different local artists. Food trucks will also be available! View more details on the artist lineup here. 
  3. Tukwila Village Farmers Market — Get to the source. Talk with the farmers and see the beautiful food they produce. Build an appreciation for fresh, locally-grown food at a young age by picking out fruits and vegetables for the week. Visit our blog for more on the Tukwila Village Farmers Market. The market occurs every Wednesday from 4:00-7:00pm at Tukwila Village.
  4. Tukwila Community Center Spray Park — This outdoor water park is free to everyone and full of water fun, with fountains and spray features. Nearby picnic tables and a grassy seating area make it the perfect place to spend the whole afternoon. Basketball courts and a skate park are right around the corner if that’s more your kid’s style. The Spray Park is open daily from 10:00am – 8:00pm.
  5. Tukwila Park Tours — Join Green Tukwila on a tour of our local parks. Explore Tukwila’s public parks and learn about the site’s history and the plants and trees that make it special. Plus you’ll get to meet some cool people while you’re at it!  The next tour will take place on August 23 from 10:00 – 11:30am. Visit this link for more dates and info!
  6. Volunteer with Green Tukwila — The perfect activity to do with older kids. Teach them about community stewardship and have fun while doing it! Opportunities include a Kayak cleanup, where participants will float down the Duwamish removing surface debris. View and register for upcoming volunteer events here. 

As you can see, Tukwila is bursting with fantastic summer activities that are sure to keep your kids entertained and active all summer long. Whether you’re looking to cool off indoors or bask in the sunshine, there’s no shortage of options to create lasting memories with your young ones.

For more inspiration, visit our Activities and Events pages. Make sure you also follow us on socials to stay up to date on the latest city happenings — you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn! 

July 23, 2024 |

Volunteer With Green Tukwila

Looking for a way to get outside this fall and provide a helping hand? Check out the amazing volunteer and education opportunities put on by the Green Tukwila Partnership. 

October Events: 

    • October 8: Planting at Riverton Park — Join local neighbor and forest Steward Debbie for an afternoon impacting the environment. Invasive English ivy and Himalayan blackberry threaten Riverton Park’s large trees, which are essential habitats for large raptors and wildlife. We aim to reestablish a healthy urban forest bordering the community park. 
    • October 10: Planting at Cottonwood Corner — Join local Forest Steward Heidi Watters for Planting Season. Crews have worked all year, clearing and mulching to make room for new plants and trees. Heidi will show you everything you need to know about planting a forest next to a creek.
    • October 19: Duwamish Alive — Spend the day planting with Friends of the Hill, volunteer Forest Stewards, and keep Duwamish Hill Preserve healthy and sustainable. Join us and hundreds of volunteers at multiple sites, for a day of working in the Duwamish Watershed.
    • October 27: Planting & Mulching Water Bearers — This event is being led by two movers and shakers in the environmental movement in South King County. Sarah Kavage, a local artist, and Daniel Collins from Nicoterra. Bring your questions about public art, weaving natural materials, plants, trees, and the health of the watershed.
    • October 31: Boo-tiful Habitat Planting — Celebrate Halloween by planting with EarthCorps and the City of Tukwila as we work to improve the Duwamish River near the Tukwila Community Center (costumes encouraged!).

November Events: 

    • November 2: Help Heal Codiga Park — Join EarthCorps and the City of Tukwila as we continue to work in the Codiga Park natural area on the Duwamish River. The shoreline of the river, however, remained dominated by invasive Himalayan blackberry and Japanese knotweed.
    • November 12: Planting at Riverton Park — Join local neighbor and forest Steward Debbie for an afternoon impacting the environment. Invasive English ivy and Himalayan blackberry threaten Riverton Park’s large trees, which are essential habitats for large raptors and wildlife. We aim to reestablish a healthy urban forest bordering the community park. 
    • November 16: Green Tukwila Day — Let’s come together for high fives, laughs, and some old fashion restoration! This event will focus on environmental education around healthy forests and rivers. Dig in and help plant an understory bush or shrub that will become a safe place for urban wildlife. Many hands make light work; join us for a day of fun!
    • November 22: A Walk in the Park — Come see the fall leaves in a park filled with Big Leaf Maples. Join Green Tukwila staff member Olena Perry for a walk in the park. Learn about nature, identify native plants, and discuss the importance of urban forests. Take away ideas for how everyone can support wildlife, native habitats, and our watershed in their own homes.

Sign up for these events here! 

October 27, 2023 |

Green Tukwila at Duwamish Hill Preserve

Duwamish Hill Preserve is one of the most beautiful wild spaces in all of Tukwila.

Why, you ask? Because of people like you!

Green Tukwila volunteers regularly come together to help maintain the park by planting new vegetation and removing invasive species.

It’s a great way to meet new people and learn more about how to keep our forests and waterways healthy. Join us on November 18 for another work party. No experience is required.

Check out the fun we had when we were there last!

October 10, 2023 |

Salmon Homecoming Work Party

One of the best ways to build and strengthen community is by strengthening and protecting our watershed.

Join Duwamish Alive for a very special Salmon Homecoming event this October 21st welcoming back all 5 local salmon species to the Green-Duwamish Watershed.

Volunteers can help clean up the river in a number of exciting ways, including by kayak, shoreline patrols, salmon habitat restoration, and forest revitalization efforts. No experience is required!

September 5, 2023 |

Scavenger Hunt at Duwamish Hill

It’s finally fall, and you know what that means—it’s time for scavenger hunts!

Explore the always amazing Duwamish Hill as you hunt with friends and family through Tukwila’s favorite wooded area on Saturday, September 23.

Children and adults alike will be able to see the Puget Sound Salish Cultural Garden and dig into some treats from Mighty-O’s Donuts!

September 5, 2023 |

Tree Giveaway

Love the way the trees look this time of year? Well, take one home with you! The Tukwila Tree Giveaway is back for the second year.

In partnership with King Conservation District, the City of Tukwila is giving away up to two free trees to all Tukwila residents* and businesses.

This isn’t a one-tree-fits-all affair. Choose from 14 different species. All you have to do is submit an application before September 15th and show up at Hazelnut Park on October 7th.

*all trees must be planted on private property in Tukwila.

April 11, 2023 | green tukwila, volunteer

Celebrate Earth Month in Tukwila!

Happy Earth Month, Tukwila! Our beautiful city is home to over 150 acres of open space, including 20 parks and 12 miles of multi-use trails. This month, we’re highlighting our Green Tukwila Partnership and showcasing the many ways you can get involved in protecting Tukwila’s open spaces. The more people that lend a hand, the easier it is to create a healthy ecosystem in which both wildlife and the Tukwila community can thrive.

In 2016, Tukwila became an official “Green City” after the city council adopted a 20-year Green Tukwila Partnership Stewardship Plan led by Forterra. Together with Forterra, EarthCorps, Duwamish Alive Coalition, Dirt Corps, King County Parks, and the Tukwila community, the partnership works to restore and maintain 138 acres of Tukwila’s urban forest. 

For Earth Month, we sat down with Tukwila Parks & Recreation’s Olena Perry to talk about the importance of the Green Tukwila Partnership and the impact it’s had on Tukwila’s urban forest and community.

Experience Tukwila: How much progress has Green Tukwila made in the preservation of Tukwila Parks and Wildlife since the Green Tukwila 20-Year Stewardship Plan started?

Olena Perry: Walk through one of the restoration sites — Tukwila Park, Green River Trail by Bicentennial Park, Crystal Springs Park, Cottonwood Corner and Duwamish Hill Preserve — to see the impact. As the program installs a diverse pallet of plants and trees, and removes invasive plants like English Ivy and Himalayan Blackberry, we will see the return of wildlife and a balanced ecosystem. We measure the success of the partnership by carefully tracking the square feet of noxious weeds removed and the number of native shrubs, groundcovers, and trees planted. 

ET: What makes Tukwila’s landscape special in the broader Duwamish watershed?

OP: Tukwila landscape is unique for many reasons; we have a wide variety of habitats that lend themselves to various native plants and wildlife, from upland forests and riparian zones to grasslands. Healthy green spaces work as filter systems, cleaning stormwater, and airborne pollutants. Tukwila’s impact on the Duwamish River directly affects Orca, salmon, and marine life in Elliot Bay.

ET: Where would you like to see Green Tukwila go in the future? Any exciting new things on the horizon? 

OP: Lots of excitement for Green Tukwila; the partnership is growing. Every year we see more and more volunteers and stewards join the conversation and the work. We have launched environmental programming with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, Partner in Employment is returning with their Green Jobs program, Dirt Corps is starting a large project at Crystal Springs Park, and the Service Board has returned for another year of stewardship at Duwamish Hill Preserve. The work is essential, and the community is strong; Green Tukwila is growing and making significant yearly impacts. 

ET: What’s Tukwila Parks’ message to people during Earth Month? 

OP: Earth Day is a time of reflection, to think about our impact on this precious planet and what you can do to support a healthy tomorrow. Get involved in Green Tukwila’s events, learn about your local environment, and make an impact! www.Tukwilwa.gov/earthmonth

Interested in answering Olena’s call to action and getting involved with Green Tukwila? Check out these upcoming Earth Month events: 

Experience Tukwila regularly highlights Green Tukwila work parties, so keep an eye out on our events page and social media to catch future volunteer opportunities!

April 7, 2023 |

Wildlife Wednesday: Urban Bird Watching

Sure you’ve looked at a bird, but have you ever watched a bird? If the answer is no, or yes but I want to learn more about watching, then you’re in the right place. In this free workshop you’ll learn how to identify birds, find out more about the species near you, and gather helpful resources to start your birding journey! 

Join Green Tukwila for their latest installment of Wildlife Wednesday! Hosted by Kelsey Hansen of the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife, this Urban Bird-Watching Workshop is IN-PERSON ONLY.

Learn all about our local feathered friends and show off your new skills to your friends and family. Sign up now.

April 7, 2023 |

Cottonwood Corner Work Party and Picnic

Invasive plant species Himalayan blackberry, English ivy, and Morning Glory are overrunning Cottonwood Corner.

Forest Steward, Heidi Watters needs your help to prevent their spread and restore the forest back to its natural state.

Join a group of volunteers for this mid-week work party. All tools, materials and training will be provided at the beginning of the day. No prior experience required!

April 7, 2023 |

Celebrate Earth Month Restoring Riverton Park

English Ivy is growing aggressively throughout Riverton Park, choking out native plants and trees, putting the ecological balance at risk.

Help a group of volunteers weed out these invasive pants and restore the park to its natural state.

All tools, materials and training will be provided at the beginning of the work party. No prior experience required!