JBLM hosts annual Kids’ Fest April 24

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – The annual JBLM Kids’ Fest is Saturday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Cowan Stadium on JBLM Lewis Main, as well as the MWR Fest Tent, Child and Youth Services Field, and Freedom Park Areas.

Kids’ Fest is an annual April event at JBLM to coincide with The Month of the Military Child. The event lets the JBLM community show its support for military children and get creative at the same time.

Kids’ Fest was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19. At Saturday’s event, COVID-19 mitigation will be followed, including hand-sanitation stations, masks and physical distancing.

Here’s what’s planned for Kids’ Fest:

Sports — Football and baseball skills competitions, obstacle course, basketball shooting, mini golf

Games — Ring toss, fishing game, pick a duck, corn hole, can toss, milk bottle throw, topple a can, duck game and more. There will also be a Super Smash Bros. competition in the MWR Fest

Crafts and activities — Balloon education, bubbles with recycling materials, balance butterfly and pinwheels, coloring books, temporary tattoos, preparedness guides, crafts, photo booth and more

Free bowling at Bowl Arena Lanes 1–7 p.m. Lanes available each hour. Families must call 253-967-4661 and make reservations ahead of time.

Children’s Museum at JBLM Ribbon Cutting

JBLM and Greentrike will open the new Children’s Museum at JBLM at 10 a.m. April 24.

The Children’s Museum at JBLM, converted the base’s old skating rink into a satellite facility of Children’s Museum of Tacoma, the first of its kind on a military installation.

The Children’s Museum at JBLM is the result of a partnership between Greentrike, whose programs include the Children’s Museum of Tacoma and Play to Learn Pierce County, and the JBLM Child and Youth Programs. The museum will serve the children of military families with an emphasis on early learners and those experiencing special needs. See more information below.

– JBLM Public Affairs

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Greentrike, home of Children’s Museum of Tacoma, and JBLM open first-of-its-kind children’s museum on a military installation

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA – Greentrike executives and Joint Base Lewis-McChord leaders will open the new Children’s Museum at JBLM at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 24.

The Children’s Museum at JBLM, which broke ground in November 2018, converted the base’s old skating rink into a satellite facility of the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, the first of its kind on a military installation.

The Children’s Museum at JBLM is the result of a partnership between Greentrike, whose programs include the Children’s Museum of Tacoma and Play to Learn Pierce County, and the JBLM Child and Youth Programs. The museum will serve the children of military families with an emphasis on early learners and those experiencing special needs. At a recent visit to the facility the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, noted, “What a beautiful gift this is to the children here. The partnership with the Children’s Museum of Tacoma shows what can happen when communities both inside and outside the gates come together to support military families.”

The Children’s Museum at JBLM is situated on Lewis Main adjacent to the JBLM splash park, skate park and the bowling alley.

The museum features multiple playscapes, including a water area, and art studio, and a climber. All playscapes are designed with an emphasis on STEAM activities for children 12 and under, inspiring creativity and imaginative play.

JBLM has about 40,000 service members and about 63,000 family members. About 5,100 military families live on JBLM, and about 1,500 of the on-base families have children ages six and under.

This project is part of the Greentrike’s More than a Museum Campaign, to broaden its reach beyond the walls of its Tacoma-based museum and engage children and families throughout Pierce County in playful explorations together.

Tanya Durand, Greentrike executive director said, “We are so excited to come alongside our longtime partners and make this museum a joyful, playful place for families living on Joint Base Lewis-McChord.”

After seven years of collaboration and building renovations to bring this project to its opening, JBLM Garrison Commander Col. Skye Duncan said, “We are incredibly thrilled to reach this day. We have thousands of kids with their families at JBLM, and there’s no better place to create the first on-base children’s museum than Joint Base Lewis-McChord.”

The Children’s Museum at JBLM is made possible in partnership with The Boeing Company, Bamford Foundation, The Norcliffe Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Joint Base Lewis-McChord Command, and MWR.

Boeing and its employees provided a combined $1.5 million to support the development and launch of the museum. “Military families deserve spaces like this to connect with each other, to explore new ideas and to inspire dreams,” said Bill McSherry, Vice President, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Government Operations. “Boeing is deeply committed to supporting our military families and communities. This includes employee hiring and retention efforts as well as investing in innovative partnerships like this first ever children’s museum on a military base.”

For more information about the Children’s Museum at JBLM, visit www.playJBLM.org

About Greentrike: Greentrike honors children and youth, and champions play. A nonprofit committed to access for the community it serves, Greentrike models quality environments, interactions, and advances child centered communities. Greentrike manages and facilitates the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Play to Learn Pierce County, Preschool Powered by Play, Greentrike Cares Kits, and the Children’s Museum at JBLM.

– Greentrike Media Relations