February 2006

Classes for Kids

Preschool

Nature Alphabet: Hands-on discovery, crafts and nature walks. Ages 3 to 6 with adult. 10:30-11:30am Feb. 7 (A is for Apple) and 1:30-2:30pm Feb. 21 (B is for Beaver). $6; registration required. Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S Tyler St., next to Cheney Stadium, Tacoma. 253-591-6439. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Olé! Passport to Play Spanish Explorations: Preschoolers, with adult. 9:30-11am Fridays, except first Fridays. $5 per family, plus admission ($5 adults and children 1 and older). Children’s Museum of Tacoma, 936 Broadway, Tacoma. 253-627-6031. www.childrensmuseumoftacoma.org.

Homeschool

Budding Scientists: Explore nature through games, walks and crafts. Ages 5 to 7. 10-11:30am first and third Wednesdays. Topic for Feb. 1 is Mammal Mania. Feb. 15 is Bird Brained. $7. Registration required. Call for location. 253-565-9278. www.tahomaaudubon.org.

Beginning Science at the Nature Center: Topic is Amazing Animal Adaptations. Ages 8 to 10, 1-3pm Feb. 9. $10. Classes fill quickly, registration required. Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S Tyler St., Tacoma. 253-591-6439. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Intermediate Science at the Nature Center: Topic is All About Animals. Ages 10 to 12, 1-3pm Feb. 16. $10. Classes fill quickly, registration required. Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S Tyler St., Tacoma. 253-591-6439. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Advanced Homeschool Science: Topic is Zoology. Ages 12 to 15. 1-3pm Feb. 23. $12. Registration required. Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S Tyler St., Tacoma. 253-591-6439. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Pay-as-you-can Homeschool Vacations: Have fun and learn too, at the end of the Lewis and Clark trail. Learn about cranberry growing, oyster harvesting, whale watching, shipwrecks and more. Located on the Long Beach Peninsula. Email NWHomeschool@aol.com for specifics and available weeks.

Art Classes: Ages 6 and older. Call for times. $5 to $10 per week. Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center, Western Washington Fairgrounds, Puyallup. 253-445-9175. www.fredoldfieldcenter.org.

History Lab: Become a detective and solve a history mystery! Ten student minimum, grades four and higher. $5. Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. 253-798-5884. www.historylab.org.

Homeschool Cub Scout Pack and Boy Scout Troop: Designed for homeschooled boys in Pierce County, activities can be incorporated into homeschool curriculum. Pack 5575 ages 6 to 10, 253-539-3868; Troop 675 ages 11 to 17, 253-875-0192 or 253-826-2688.

Maplebrook Farm: Learn about processing wool, milking goats and making cheese. All ages. $25 per four-week session. Maplebrook Farm, near Gig Harbor. 253-857-7429. http://hometown.aol.com/sheriemcm/Maplebrookfarmhome.html.

YMCA: Homeschool P.E. and swimming. All ages. Tacoma, 253-564-9622; Lakewood, 253-584-9622; Puyallup, 253-841-9622. Olympia (Briggs), 360-753-6576, Olympia (Downtown), 360-357-6009.

Snoqualmie School Train: Make reservations now to ride the rails into the past on May 9, 10 and 11. 12:30pm excursions will be geared toward homeschool students. Activities include locomotive cab tours, railway communications, and a 40-minute steam train excursion. $5 per student, with one teacher per group admitted free. Payment required by April 21. Snoqualmie Valley Railroad, 38625 SE King St., Snoqualmie. 425-888-3030, ext. 204 or email jessie@trainmuseum.org.

After School and Weekends

Nursing Information Sessions: Learn about careers in nursing and how to prepare for nursing school. Teens. 2-3:30pm Feb. 8 and 22. FREE. Tacoma Community College Main Campus, Bldg. 17, 6501 S 19th St., Tacoma. 253-460-4374. www.tacomacc.edu/events/events.asp.

Mid Winter Break Camps: Camps include Nature Explorers, Science Lab and Tribal Art. Ages 3 to 5 and 6 to 8. Various times, Feb. 20 to 24. Call for cost. Hands On Children’s Museum, 11th and Capitol Way, Olympia. 360-956-0818. www.hocm.org.

Nature Journals: Learn to keep a nature journal. Ages 12 and up. 9am-3pm Feb. 11. $25. Adrianna Hess Audubon Center, 2917 Morrison Road, University Place. 253-565-6102. www.tahomaaudubon.org.

Nature Games: Get wild in nature and play games. Today’s theme is Living Wild. Ages 7 to 11. 3:30-4:30pm Feb. 2. $6. Pre-registration required. Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S Tyler St., Tacoma. 253-591-6439. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Crafty Critters: Participants work alone or with others to produce craft projects to take home. Today’s craft is Animal Masks. Ages 7 to 11. 3:30-4:30pm Feb. 28. $6. Pre-registration required. Tacoma Nature Center, 1919 S Tyler St., Tacoma. 253-591-6439. www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Parks and Recreation Centers

Recreation centers offer a variety of classes, camps and day camps. Call or visit Web sites for schedules.

Fircrest Recreation: 253-565-8177.
Lacey Parks and Recreation: 360-491-0857. www.ci.lacey.wa.us.
Lakewood Parks and Recreation: 253-589-2489. www.ci.lakewood.wa.us.
Metro Parks Tacoma: 253-305-1015. www.metroparkstacoma.org.
Olympia Parks, Arts and Recreation: 360-753-8380. www.ci.olympia.wa.us/par/.
Pierce County Parks and Recreation: 253-798-4176. www.piercecountywa.org/parks.
Peninsula Parks in Gig Harbor: 253-858-5524. www.piercecountywa.org/parks.
Puyallup Parks and Recreation: 253-841-5457. www.cityofpuyallup.org.
Thurston County Parks and Recreation: 360-786-5595. www.thurston-parks.org.
Tumwater Parks and Recreation: 360-754-4160. www.ci.tumwater.wa.us.

Deadline Details
Submission deadline is the 20th of the month, about six weeks prior to publication. Next deadline is Feb. 20 for April events. Please e-mail information, including date, time, cost and ages to PugetSoundParent@aol.com. All submissions are run on a space available basis.

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