We generally associate Spring Break with college students' week-long hiatus from spring semester studies. However, thousands of school children are also on vacation, and their families may want to engage in fun activities and avoid the college crowd. Luckily, Dallas, Texas has several family-oriented Spring Break outposts. If you consider the annual week-off is only about one month away, now is the time to start make your family's Spring Break plans.
ARLINGTON
The University of Arlington's Planetarium shows movies for $2 every Wednesday & Friday at 5:30pm and Saturday at 2:30pm. During Spring Break week, the movie will be Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. See the March schedule of $2 movies here, or read more on the Planetarium at UTA's website.
Theatre Coppell presents the Princess and the Pea by the Dallas Puppet Theater at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday at 157 Moore Road. $5. 972-745-7719.
The Dallas Museum of Art is hosting a Spring Break Adventure. Kids will create art and curate an exhibition. On the last day of camp, parents and friends will be invited to view the exhibitions. All supplies will be provided. Kids are divided into age groups; 6-8 and 9-12. Camp will be held March 6-10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and March 13-17 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $150 per week. Check out www.dallasmuseumofart.org or call 214-922-1822 for further details.
The Kimbell Art Museum is having a Spring Break Art Camp on March 14-17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Kids ages 6-12 will do self portraits, still lifes, and landscapes with a focus on the famous painter Gaugin. A light snack will be provided each day. Cost is $125. Check out www.kimbellart.org for further information.
The Science Place is holding a Spring Science Workshop for aspiring doctors, chemists, veterinarians, and mad scientists. Each day will cover a different theme including anatomy, botany, space, animals, and inventions. For ages 4-12, cost is $45 per day and includes take-home and follow-up activities. Go to www.scienceplace.org/workshops or call 214-428-5555 x 8 to make reservations.
The dreaded "Spring Forward" (hardest time change for kids, let me tell you) is during Spring Break (March 14 at 2 a.m., to be exact). Well, here's a way to turn back that clock – by visiting Dallas Heritage Village's Spring Fling. Costumed, living history interpreters will be on hand to show your family how kids had fun before TV and video games. See all the details at their website: http://www.oldcitypark.org on the Spring Fling event detail page.
The Trinity River Audubon Center, located on 120 acres just 8 minutes from downtown Dallas, opened in October 2008 and has been adding great family programs since then. The land, formerly an illegal dump site, has been reclaimed by the City of Dallas and beautifully demonstrates how a municipal liability can be transformed into a major asset for people of all ages to enjoy. There are hands-on exhibits, 4 miles of nature viewing trails, a Children's Discovery Garden, and many educational programs. Admission is free on the third Thursday of every month (which just so happens to be in Spring Break this month!), and they are doing a special session on Giant Spiders at 7pm that evening. See more at their website: http://www.trinityriveraudubon.org.
Dallas Blooms, the largest floral exhibit in the South, opens on March 6, and will be at its peak during Spring Break. If you've never seen the Dallas Arboretum at its showiest, you should make a point to bring the family out. There are lots of open areas for the kids to play, so don't think stuffy formal gardens. They even have Mommy & Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesday Dallas Blooms activities. You can get Buy 1 Get 1 Free Tuesdays coupons at any Capital One Bank branch, a $1 off admission coupon at any Tom Thumb, or click here to print a Buy 1 Get 1 Free Wednesdays coupon or a Senior Citizens $7.50 admission on Thursdays coupon.
Who knew there were so many opportunities coming up to see a puppet show? Well, uh, we did. Here are four in the DFW area showing during Spring Break: Dallas Children's Theatre is showing Hansel & Gretel. Slappy's Puppet Playhouse (in the Dallas Galleria) is showing Beauty & the Beast.
DENTON
The Denton Organic Society will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Senior Center, 509 N. Bell Ave. Jay Mertz will talk about "Minerals, Soils and Building Compost." Free. 940-382-8551.
DUNCANVILLE
Spring break sports camps for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade will be Monday through Friday at Bob Knight's Fieldhouse, 1700 S. Main St. $165. 972-283-6111.
FORT WORTH
Amphibian Stage Productions presents La Llorona through March 28 at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, 1300 Gendy St. $15-$25. 817-923-3012. www.fwcac.com.
The Fort Worth Stockyards are all about the Cowboy Way. During Spring Break week, they are offering special events on Wed, Thurs, and Fri (March 17, 18, 19). A petting zoo will be open from 11:30 – 3:00 and the CowCamp will run from 1:30 – 2:30pm. And, of course, the daily cattle drive will be held at 4:00 pm. More info at the Stockyards Station website.
Ft. Worth Zoo for an Animal Extravaganza on Tuesday, March 16 at 1:00pm and a Mad Science Demonstration on Thursday, March 18 at 1:00pm.
Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch in Pilot Point (north west of Frisco) will have 'Open to the Public" days on March 17 – 20 (they are normally only open on the weekends to keep operating costs down). Sharkarosa has a wide variety of wildlife, including camels, kangaroos, lemurs, and other unique creatures. In-Sync Exotics in Wylie, which rescues and shelters exotic cats, has tours on Saturdays and Sundays between 11am – 6pm.
GLEN ROSE
Dinosaur Valley State Park, the park features models of a 70-foot Apatosaurus and a 45-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex, as well as the Paluxy River, preserved dinosaur tracks and more.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, This 1,700-acre wildlife center, is dedicated to preserving and protecting endangered and threatened species. Visitors can view over 1,000 animals from their own car or on guided tours.
The Grand Prairie AirHogs will host an all-day St. Patrick's On-Sale Party to open the first day of individual-game ticket sales. The event will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday at QuikTrip Park. 972-504-9383. www.airhogsbaseball.com.
The Warmack Branch Library will hold an organizational meeting for its new writers' workshop from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday. The library is at 760 Bardin Road. 972-237-5772.
The Soroptimist Women in History luncheon will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Ruthe Jackson Center, 3113 Carrier Parkway. $25 each or $200 for a table of eight. 972-262-2014, ext. 11.
A teen job fair will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Charley Taylor Recreation Center, 601 E. Grand Prairie Road. For ages 15 to 18. 972-264-6890.
Runway Theatre presents To Kill a Mockingbird at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. Sundays through March 28 at 215 N. Dooley St. 817-488-4842. www.runwaytheatre.com.
The Astrological Society of North Texas will meet at 1 p.m. today at Stacy's Furniture, 1900 S. Main St. in Grapevine. Richland Hills astrologer and author Donna Henson will talk about "Horary's Answers to Life's Questions." www.asntx.com.
Everyone's favorite engine, Thomas the Tank Engine, will be in town on the weekends of March 5-6-7 and March 12-13-14 to delight young train enthusiasts. Day Out With Thomas™ offers an opportunity for children and their grownups to take a 25 minute ride with Thomas the Tank Engine™ and to have their picture taken with Sir Topham Hatt™, the Superintendent of the Railroad. Every event includes Thomas & Friends™ storytelling, a viewing station for Thomas & Friends videos, temporary tattoos, and an Imagination Station. We even have a coupon code for $2 off your tickets to this event on MomsTalk – click here to see the details.
Running the entire Spring Break week (March 15 – March 21), the Spring Fling Train is a round trip from Grapevine to the Ft. Worth Stockyards which will take you through parts of DFW you may have never seen. Plus, the train is sure to get robbed along the way. See the Grapevine Community Calendar (link here) for all the details.
HIGHLAND VILLAGE
The Highland Village Senior All-Star group will meet for games, a potluck lunch and elections at 9:30 p.m. Thursday at Highland Shores Community Center, 1 Community Center Drive. 469-446-2858.
HURST
The Artisan Center Theater presents Disney's Sleeping Beauty through April 24 at 404 E. Pipeline Road. $5. 817-284-1200. www.artisanct.com.
The Irving Arts Center is producing The Stinky Cheese Man on March 17, two performances only.
Canadian Tenors to perform at Arts Center. The Entertainment Series of Irving presents a concert by the Canadian Tenors at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Carpenter Performance Hall at the Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. Tickets are $31. Call 972-252-2787 or visit www.irvingartscenter.com.
Lewisville will offer spring break camps for children 7 to 11 from Monday through Friday. Call the Herring Recreation Center at 972-219-3560.
Lewisville-based Barn Cats Inc., an all-volunteer animal welfare nonprofit group, offers cats as pest control. The sterilized, feral cats work best in a barn or similar setting to take care of rodent problems. Free but donations are requested. 972-315-2875. www.barncats.org.
MANSFIELD
Mansfield Activity Center is one of our personal faves; they are having a Spring Break Kids Zone Camp all week.
Plano Public Libraries are having several events at different library locations, including movies, video games, and other activities. You can see the full calendar here.
THE COLONY
The Colony Public Library will hold a puppet workshop at 1 p.m. Wednesday. The library is at 6800 Main St. 972-625-1900.
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