Edmonds Kind of Play: Late summer and fall activities, plus that back-to-school vibe
Turns out my house went into the Bob Ross “No Mistakes. “Only Happy Accidents” poster phase in our late summer mood management program. It’s a program that also includes random but audible realizations that summer is almost over, ongoing bickering over the end of summer homework, and a million filled lists and calendars. So it’s no real surprise that a bit of relief comes from a $5.99 poster of Bob Ross with “happy little trees” and his signature hair and beard, even if the latter looks blurry. – like poster makers have the red exclamation point I get when I try to print something from Costco at too low a resolution.
While doing some positive self talk, let’s share some late summer camps at the Frances Anderson Center in Edmonds, I found out that all of the remaining summer camps were full. The silver lining of this is that with a full Edmonds day camp, hopefully there will be more ages and day camp options next year. In addition, the couple of non-school day camps for the school year still have places available.
On Friday, October 12, campers ages 7-11 can register for Owls Of Edmonds Day Camp. This Discovery Program event will teach kids “about the seven species of owls that call Edmonds home and campers can even ‘dissect an owl pellet to find out what this predator ate’. On Wednesday, November 23, the day before Thanksgiving, campers of the same age can attend Furry Friends Day Camp. Campers will study how the mammals that live in our area have adapted to survive in our local parks. They’ll examine hides and skulls, learn to search and identify tracks, and take a walk through a local park to see what animals they can find. For more information and to register, you can visit RecZone.org.
While on a solo trip to Target today, I picked up a weighted plush toy for someone who could use it to get comfortable while paying attention or trying to sit up while a prolonged period (without screen). I was pretty excited to find it because these kinds of items can get pretty expensive and I’ve wanted to try one at home for a while. On my way to the section to find it, I passed a busy school supply section in the back corner, which will be Halloween costumes before you know it, and I felt proud of my decision to buy most articles online, target yeah. The benefit of ordering from their website is that I was able to have my student research most of the items and help cross the list without being completely overstimulated in the store by the lights, the crowds and being (easily ) talked to a million other more or less necessary items. Since I have one of the Target debit cards, shipping was free and they had 99% of what I was looking for, including unlined cards. For the high school student, I know not to buy too much in advance because the program has been the best source of information on school supplies so far. I also know I’m in the dark when it comes to composition notebooks, so hopefully we’re doing well. I don’t know what took me so long to get into this kind of school supply shopping now that no one here thinks it’s fun.
One thing to look forward to this fall in Edmonds is the Main Street Commons Community Center, which per @VisitEdmonds promises pizza and “games (arcades, horseshoe bar and family rollerblading),” among other things. The center is on the corner of 6th and Main Downtown and will be set up in a warehouse style and house Molly Moon pizza, bakery and ice cream. I’m so excited for any families who can head there after football at the Frances Anderson Center or for those who want to get together for an easy meal or treat. I would have loved this option as a mother of young children and I’m thrilled for parents who can use it and for children who spend money in their pockets as well. For more information, you can visit MainStreetCommons.us.
If you’re out of ideas for kids’ entertainment, I keep getting social media ads for Outschool. Outschool is a virtual classroom for ages 3-18 and can be an option for homeschooling or camps. We enrolled my tween in a photography class last year and it was pretty good. Students came from all over, with the most distant living in Australia. The ads that caught my eye this week were a class for 8-13 year olds who wanted to learn how to do designer fashion sketches and draw characters (hello Barbie Fashion Plates) and another that was about axolotls, an amphibian popular who is really having his 15 minutes right now. While researching the class I saw advertised for, I found a few options on different age ranges for an axolotl class. For more information, you can visit Outschool.com.
The seemingly opposite option for entertainment is heading to the Evergreen State Fair before it closes on September 5. We’ve posted a comprehensive guide to “Everything You Need To Know About Evergreen State Fair 2022” that covers event dates, times, cost, and highlights, including free activities once you’re inside. . We certainly had our share of fun at this fair and I love the car races that take place there. Most days in the forecast ahead seem fair, although I know there are plenty of food and drink options to keep you refreshed if you’re there. For more information, you can consult our guide or visit EvergreenFair.org.
— By Jennifer Marx
Jen Marx, a mother of two boys in Edmonds, is always on the lookout for a fun place to take the kids that tires them out enough to go to bed on time.
