Texas isn’t known for rain so it seems silly to come up with a rainy day list of activities to with your children, and yet this year the state was awash with soaker storms over Memorial Day weekend and during the fall hurricane season.
So rain isn’t Texas’ challenge, although it’s not a state with perfect weather. Residents spend much of the summer indoors because of the heat and in the past couple of years, the Lone Star State has experienced uncommon winter weather.
So think of this list as time you can spend with your family having fun away from the outside elements. Post this on your fridge or in the folder labeled, What To Do For Fun.
Jump For Fun
Indoor trampoline parks are all the rage. They are popping up all over the country and the Dallas-Fort Worth area is no different. The trampoline parks have several activities and each are a bit different. Most offer individual trampolines, a dodge ball court, a foam ball pit and basket ball court.
Jumpstreet in Dallas also has a mechanical bull, while Flight Deck in Fort Worth has several separate rooms isolated with nets.
Urban Air Trampoline Park in Southlake has a special area for children under 7 and on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon the trampoline park is reserved for toddlers and preschoolers.
Enjoy the Show
Introduce your children to the theater. Most children start singing early, although it doesn’t mean they are destined for a life on the stage. Children love live performances whether it be a puppet, magic show or live performance.
The Dallas Children’s Theater has five plays scheduled to run through the end of the year including a Halloween and two Christmas shows. The plays are appropriate for children aged 4 and older, although the Halloween show is recommended for pre-teens and older.
Casa Manana runs Broadway plays and children’s shows. Two plays are schedule to run through Dec. 31: Junie B. Jones and Frosty the Snowman. School House Rock Live starts a two-week run in February.
Explore the World
Children are curious – about everything. They find joy is playing with pots and pans and Tupperware. So it’s not surprising they wonder about life and nature and want to find answers. There are many resources available for families.
The Fort Worth Museum on Science & History is a great place to explore the wonders of the world. The Omni Theater has an IMAX screen and the second floor is home to the Noble Planetarium and the Cattle Raisers Museum. A section on the first floor is dedicated to a children’s area.
Teach your child about the state’s natural resources. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science in Dallas has 11 permanent exhibit halls including the Moody Family Children’s Museum and the Lamar Hunt Family Sports Hall. The modern museum has an engineering and innovation section along with a hall dedicated to energy, gems and minerals.
These aren’t activities you’ll do all the time, but it’s nice to have a list of places to go when the weather turns sour and the kids are going batty because they are cooped up in the house.