Looking to explore something new this weekend? Check out our list of family friendly activities based throughout the Seattle metro area!

1. Tulip Festival. Get lost in a field of flowers; daffodils are already in full bloom, and the tulips are next! With wide swaths in bloom, there’s plenty of space for you and your child to indulge your senses.
2. Seattle Men's and Women's Chorus. This free event takes place this Saturday, April 1. Featuring familiar tunes, children and adults alike are encouraged to move their bodies and sing along.
3. Ice Cream Cruise. All are welcome abroad the ice cream cruises departing from South Lake Union this Sunday. Lasting 45 minutes, families can experience the accessibility of the water from the comfort of the heated cabin.

 
Know of other goings-on? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook!

Modes of communication consistently evolve, with technology serving as a catalyst. New assistive technology is focusing on ways to facilitate communication for people who are non-verbal or have difficulties expressing themselves verbally. Whether reading brain waves or offering quick expression sharing options, tech ventures are a driving force behind innovative ways to democratize communication.

Happy World Reading Day! While every day should be a reading day, today we get to celebrate the amazing invention of the story. Books are such an incredible tool when it comes to children’s success, development, and creativity. Books have enabled children all around the world to engage one another in a common language. They teach us how to be good people. Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree teaches the importance of sharing and appreciating your loved ones (and has been translated into more than 30 languages). Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax shows us the value of taking care of the world around you. Crockett Johnsons’ Harold and the Purple Crayon is a perfect illustration of just how far your imagination can take you.

We’re all about celebrating people in their entirety, which is why we were excited to see the hashtag #DisabledAndCute being embraced by people with disabilities on Twitter. Eschewing the notion that their disabilities make them less-than able-bodied people, #DisabledAndCute began as a way of celebrating all bodies. The hashtag was created by Keah Brown, a young woman who lives with cerebral palsy. As she explained to Teen Vogue, it’s commonly held that people with disabilities inherently hate their bodies or are in some way disappointed in them. Brown claims that #DisabledAndCute is proof that this is not true.

“My disability is not all that I am, but it is a big part of who I am. I will never not be disabled, and so to [conceal] that part of me would be ridiculous,” Brown told Cosmo.
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Not only does #DisabledAndCute encourage body positivity, it embraces an unapologetic call for visibility. The hashtag is a step in the right direction, down a path where people with disabilities aren’t making a statement just for celebrating themselves. Regardless, #DisabledAndCute is a great way to share your story within the context of a conversation that celebrates all that you have to offer.