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Our recommendations for the top stops this weekend include Galleria Dallas for the grand reopening of their new rainforest-themed Play Place, and the Mesquite Rodeo Center for a Texas sized country music festival.
Kids Gone Wild at Galleria Dallas
Be one of the first to play in the Galleria’s new rainforest-themed Play Place from 10am–4pm at its grand reopening featuring a special edition of Showtime Saturday with clowns Monday and Slappy of Slappy’s Playhouse, insects from the Texas Discovery Gardens and animals from the Dallas Zoo (that’s from 11am–noon). The remodeled play area has new climbing features, seating areas and interactive elements for toddlers.
Real. Texas. Festival.
More than 25 bands and entertainers including headliner Pat Green are heading to the Mesquite Rodeo Center for the two-day festival tonight and tomorrow. Watch live indoor rodeo at 7:30pm tonight and tomorrow, let the kids jump on the trampoline and take a round on the pony rides in the Kid Korral, then choose your favorite rides and games at the carnival. Tickets are free for kids 12 and younger and $20 for adults or $15 with a canned food donation.
International Book Fair
Book lovers unite at Central Library in Dallas from noon–5pm on Saturday for the free eighth annual book fair featuring more than 30 local authors, performances and workshops for kids and adults. Make a bookmark by weaving found materials into rug canvas with educators from the Dallas Museum of Art and shake your hips at the Zumba fitness party. The C-SPAN Bus will be parked outside. Step inside their multi-media learning center to see how the nonprofit cable network coordinates all of its programming and resources. For more information and a detailed schedule, visit dallasinternationalbookfair.com or call 214/670-7809.
Doctor Miracle
The Dallas Opera’s favorite doctor is returning to the Winspear Opera House for another house call. Watch him dupe the mayor – all in the name of winning his daughter’s heart – in this comedic, one-act opera for children at 10:30am and 2pm, and enjoy activities in the lobby at 12:30pm. Tickets are only $5.
Are your kids ready to sit through an opera? Check out the Dallas Opera’s family guide for tips and recommended ages.
For more family-friendly events every day, visit the calendar at dfwchild.com/showcalendar.asp.
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Winnie the Pooh, Ariel, a little girl named Strawberry and your favorite characters from Dr. Seuss’ stories will all be on stage this weekend around DFW in the form of enthusiastic young theater students. Choose one (or hey, how much time do you have?) to take the kids and relive your favorite stories for a magical evening out.
Freckleface Strawberry the Musical
Academy Award-nominated actress, natural redhead and admitted freckle face Julianne Moore published this children’s book about 7-year-old Strawberry in 2007. The story based on her own childhood experiences landed Off-Broadway and now you can see it performed locally this weekend only by Creative Arts Theatre & School in Arlington. Tickets for performances at 7:30pm Friday, 2:30pm and 7:30pm Saturday, and 2:30pm Sunday are $15 for adults and $12 for children.
Winnie the Pooh Jr.
You know what it’s like to crave something sweet, and once again Winnie the Pooh and his steadfast friends Tigger, Piglet, Rabbit and Owl are on a hunt through the Hundred Acre Wood to temporarily satisfy the bear’s sweet tooth. See the kids of Texas Creative Arts Academy in Coppell on stage at 7pm Friday–Saturday and 2pm Sunday. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for children.
Seussical Jr.
A children’s bookshelf filled only with Dr. Seuss’ many titles and his savory truisms are enough to keep kids entranced long after childhood. See your Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz and the little boy, Jojo from Dr. Seuss’ stories in a musical that combines them all into one story line. Seussical Jr. opens at Casa Mañana Theatre in Fort Worth this Friday and runs through May 12. See the show’s first performance at 7pm for tickets starting at $18.
The Little Mermaid, Jr.
True, Ariel disobeyed her father, made a deal with an evil sea witch, and absconded on a dangerous mission, but we still love her for it. (Just don’t tell the kids to do the same.) Prince of Peace Catholic School in Plano will present a student performance of The Little Mermaid, Jr., adapted from Disney’s 2008 Broadway production, at 7pm Friday and Saturday. Get tickets at the door for $8 for adults and $4 for kids ages 3 and older.
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Bubbles of Love Day
Parental alienation – when one parents interferes with their child’s relationship with the other parent – can send shock waves through a family, so the North Texas Chapter of the Parental Alienation Awareness Organization USA is helping to bring families together for a special day at The Shops of Southlake from 11am–2pm. In a free program, kids are invited to blow bubbles (to symbolize free-flowing love) in the Bubble Zone, and to enjoy face painting, balloon animals and magic tricks with live bunnies by Pookie the Clown. Adults can join in the bubble blowing and meet parental alienation expert and author Dr. Richard Warshak.
UNT Parenting Conference
The University of North Texas in Denton, known for its summertime Grandparents University, is hosting the 20th annual International Parent Education Conference Thursday and Friday for educators, counselors and parents. Experts will discuss challenges and support for rural custodial grandparents, infants attachment, how fathers influence their daughters’ spiritual development and other parenting topics. See a list of conference fees here.
Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
According to the Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day Foundation, more than 37 million kids and adults are expected to head to workplaces on Thursday for the 20th annual, nationwide event. Kids ages 8 and older will not merely shadow their parents but join discussions and complete activities to learn about what a parent or mentor does during the day and to talk about the children’s own career aspirations. Preparations for this day begin months in advance, but you can still check out the online activity guides to enjoy fun and knowledge-building exercises. For more information, call 800/676-7780 or the organizer closest to you.
For more family-friendly events every day, visit the calendar at dfwchild.com/showcalendar.asp.
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Be it bluebonnets, pecan trees, jalapeños or our flag – ok, especially our flag – we Texans are pretty proud of our state symbols. (Did you know our official dog breed is the Blue Lacy?) Bookmarks at NorthPark Center in Dallas will be celebrating the state bird of Texas and its signature song in the free program Birds Call Back, held at NorthCourt. Starting at 10:30am, singer, performer and storyteller Rochelle Rabouin will be teaching the kids about the mockingbird’s ability to “mock” other forest creatures and will read from her book Bird Talk.
For more family-friendly events every day, visit the calendar at dfwchild.com/showcalendar.asp.
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Seeds have long been the subject of many great metaphors. “Plant the seeds.” “Reap what you sow.” Good things can grow from nutrient-rich soil, water and sunlight – and nothing else helps to make those lessons clearer to kids than with tangible seeds. On Tuesday the educators at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden will be hosting Little Sprouts, a seed-centric, one-on-one program for parents and their children ages 18 months–3 years. Join other young learners from 1–1:45pm in the Children’s Vegetable Garden, and dare we say, plant the seed for your child’s curiosity about the natural world. The program is free to attend and no registration is required.
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I hope you’ve cleared your schedule because this weekend is full to the brim of festivals and events you don’t want to miss out on: celebrate Japanese and Scottish heritage, see bluebonnets and redbuds galore, join the buzzing in Dallas for an all-age bike swarm, and check out the best opportunity add to (or start) your personal record collection.
Record Store Day
Saturday is Record Store Day, which means a great opportunity to introduce your kids to the music you love. Find a record story nearest to you by visiting recordstoreday.com and punching in your zip code, and check out the site’s list of new releases. For handy info on the go, download the free Record Store Day app on your iPhone or Android phone. Some participating stores are having special festivities including Good Records on Lower Greenville in Dallas with live music all day from 7am through midnight.
Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival
Yes, you can find bluebonnets in the DFW area, but not like in Ennis, the official bluebonnet city of Texas, with 40 miles of trails open all month and a charming, small-town festival this Saturday–Sunday to celebrate the yearly visitors (both you and the bluebonnets). Enjoy kids activities, listen to live music and pick up a free trail map to navigate your own driving tour through the best viewing spots.
Denton Redbud Festival
Likewise, Denton is the official Redbud Capital of Texas and will celebrate Arbor Day with its annual festival on Saturday. Join Keep Denton Beautiful for the TRASHion Fashion Runway Show, live music, a vendor fair and festival foods at the Denton Civic Center. SCRAP Denton will lead a creative reuse workshop for $10, and kids can let loose inside the Kid Zone with a bounce house, face painting and environmental education activities.
Scarborough Renaissance Festival
Scottish Highland Games are headed to Waxahachie this weekend. The kids can compete in the mini-Highland Games and dress up for the children’s Celtic costume contest. Watch performances by the Shandon School of Irish Dance, and then step back to see fierce men and women throw Braemar stones and toss cabers (i.e. huge phone poles).
Saturday is Deaf Awareness Day, and all 21 entertainment stages at the festival will have interpreters for the hearing impaired.
Spring Festival in the Japanese Garden
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden will be celebrating the Year of the Snake with taiko drummers, dance group performances, swordsmanship demonstrations and vendors set up across the seven-acre garden Saturday–Sunday. Listen to Japanese stories, feed the koi fish for one quarter per handful of pellets, and both kids and adults can dress up in kimonos.
DADA Bike Swarm
Unite with art lovers and bike enthusiasts of all ages at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center for the Bike Friendly Oak Cliff’s Bike Swarm, a free event on Saturday as part of the Dallas Art Dealers Association’s Spring Gallery Walk through the Design District.
For more family-friendly events every day, visit the calendar at dfwchild.com/showcalendar.asp.
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Real. Texas. Festival.
