Playdate Family Expo to combine fun, learning

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Parents and children alike -- but especially parents -- won't want to miss the Playdate Family Expo on Saturday.

Co-sponsored by the Yakima Herald-Republic's Playdate Magazine and Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center, the event brings more than 60 vendors and exhibitors to the Yakima Convention Center. Exhibits will highlight things like children's dental care, the value of saving and ways to recycle.

In other words, it's a way to trick your kids into learning by making it kind of fun. While that concept isn't exactly new, the idea of bringing so many family-oriented exhibits together under one roof hadn't been done here before, said Robin Salts-Beckett, the Herald-Republic's product development manager.

"There really is nothing like that, that encompasses fun and learning for families," she said.

For instance, your children might not be too keen on learning about dental care. But that may change when they learn that a visit to the expo's Apple Valley Dental booth enters them to win a Nintendo Wii, Salts-Beckett said.

"We wanted to make it not just about fun and not just about learning," she said. "Learning can be fun."

The expo runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Yakima Convention Center, 10 N. Eighth St., and is $5 for adults, $1 for children 3 and older and free for children under 3. The admission price covers most of the activities and entertainment. Food, espresso drinks and other items will be available for purchase.