In late-July, our family made the move from Hercules, CA to Lakewood, WA. The months of August and September are now behind us, and October is coming to an end. Where have the days gone? Since moving out to Washington, we've made attempts to explore in and around our new town. In this October Issue: Living in Pierce County, Washington, we share our first-hand experiences of life so far in Lakewood, Washington.
Living in Pierce County, Washington with kids
Weather in Pierce County the fall
While parts of California are battling fires and power outages in the month of October, Washington State is going through a seasonal change from summer to fall. The foliage surrounding Lakewood are exciting the senses as green leaves change to various shades of red, yellow, orange and brown; and sidewalks are filled with fallen leaves.
Earlier in the month, the weather was unpredictable. One morning, the sun will pierce through the clouds and shine through the window shades giving light to a nice sunny day. Other mornings, the sounds of water trickling down the pipes leaves you in a somber state of mind. But, regardless of what kind of morning you wake to, temperatures have ranged from low 20s in the morning to at most high 50s in the afternoon.
Things to do with kids in Pierce County
Defy Tacoma
The last Friday of September, we decided to take our boys to Defy Tacoma as a reward for their efforts and hard work they've been putting into school (SG was rewarded Top Cat of his class for the month of September).
With unpredictable weather, Defy Tacoma is a great indoor alternative to playing outside. It's an indoor trampoline park similar to Rockin' Jump or Sky High in California, but offers more than just places to jump, play dodgeball and basketball. They offer an obstacle course similar to what you'd find on Ninja Warrior, a trapeze area where LG loved to swing, and a parkour course- which was SG's favorite (he was definitely sore the next day).
Cost: $32 for 1 hour tickets + required grip socks (the best grip socks I've seen so far at trampoline parks!)
Point Defiance Park
Point Defiance Park is located at the northernmost point of Tacoma. It is home to woodland trails, gardens, waterfront views, a zoo and an aquarium.
The first weekend of October, we took our boys and our pup, Jojo, to Owen Beach to get out and explore. Surprisingly, we were not the only family out on the beach that day. While the weather was a bit cool, there were kids dressed in fall/rain attire still playing on the rocky shores of Owen Beach. LG was not afraid to take his shoes and socks off, roll up his pants, and dip his feet, while Jojo swam in the waters to retrieve a stick he would toss.
Cost: Free
Oktoberfest
University Place is Lakewood's northern neighbor that hosted their first-ever Oktoberfest on the second Friday of the month. This event marked the beginning to the fall events in and around the area.
This was officially the first community-wide event we attended here in Washington. Read more about our experience here.
Cost: $37 ($31 for dinner @ MOD Pizza, $6 for local kettle corn)
Truck and Tractor Day
Lakewood is home to Fort Steilacoom Park, the largest park in the city that provides its active community a place to host local cross-country meets, soccer league games and family-friendly events throughout the year.
On the second weekend of the month, the City of Lakewood hosts a free Truck and Tractor Day where children can climb aboard and sit in the drivers seat of different trucks, tractors, buses and military vehicles.
Our boys enjoyed running around the park on a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt (getting stamps from Halloween characters all around the park). We stood in line at the pumpkin patch hoping to get a stamp, and realized we were also in line to pick a free family pumpkin. Once the boys got their last stamp, they exchanged their sheet for a prize (Cat in the Hat type of hat). We then stood in line to try the pumpkin sling shot, which was set up just like an Angry Bird game, but instead of pigs, pumpkins were used to shoot towards targets. Adults in front of us were trying to launch pumpkins as far as they could, while high school volunteers wheeled wheel-barrows out to retrieve pumpkins to reuse. We ended our day on a hay ride around Lake Waughop. It was definitely an afternoon well spent for the entire family!
Cost: Free to attend (bonus: 1 free pumpkin for family)
Fall Safety Day
West Pierce Fire & Rescue hosts an annual Fall Safety Day on the third weekend in October. The fire station is transformed into a family-friendly Halloween-themed station lined with informational booths about safety and various activities for families.
LP was eager to do something outside of the house, so we went. We didn't know what to expect, but upon arriving, we were greeted with Halloween decor, a fire truck and volunteers passing out candy. As we entered the firehouse, we were given a loot bag to collect safety information pamphlets, candy, stickers, pencils, fruit snacks, coloring pages, popcorn, and a trick-or-treat first aid kit. We then proceeded to the activities outdoors. LP was shy to try anything at first, but he ended up fishing for a small skateboard toy, hopping into the firetruck for a photo op, spraying a fake fire with an actual fire hose (his favorite), and picking out his very own pumpkin.
Cost: Free to attend (bonus: a free pumpkin)
Halloween
What a great way to end the month!
It's a bit different here in Washington because the boys' school doesn't allow costumes to be worn at school and they do not have a Halloween parade. However, to end their week, they will be having class parties to celebrate the season of fall.
LP is excited for Halloween and can't wait to dress up in one of his many costumes to go trick-or-treating tonight. SG, on the other hand, has grown out of dressing for the occasion–– so he's our official door greeter and will be handing out candy.
We wish everyone a safe and fun Halloween! And, we look forward to sharing more of our experiences with you in our next issue of Living in Pierce County.
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