Hello moms! I'm wondering what you mothers do with your children during the week and/or weekend? I have a 6 year old first grader who loves watching TV and playing video games. We often take these things away as punishment tactics. (Sad, I know!) We've never been an outdoorsie kind of family but I'd like to start doing things with him to rear him away from the TV all together. Now you must first take in mind that my child is not your average 6 yr old who likes to color, jump and skip. He's a very "grown-up" six year old. It's my own fault I suppose. He's the only child and grandchild on my husbands side therefore he's learned how to be an adult before learning how to be a kid, and okay, I guess I've sort of started seeing and treating him like a small adult too. Now I long for the precious memories of childhood with my lil boy before he grows up too fast.
Please leave me suggestions on things I can do with him in or around the Dallas area. I'm not opposed to driving a distance for a weekend event either. Remember, we don't have much experience with this so please leave a suggested list of supplies, prices, times and any other important details that us first-timers would not be aware of! You are all awesome, thanks in advance for the input!
Have you been to the Dallas Arboretum? I have three kids, including a 6 year old boy, and they all love to explore this place. Take a picnic lunch with you.
We just got through going to a place called Going Bonkers in Lewisville. It was so much fun! It is an indoor play area that is made of nets and super fast slides and bridges. There is a seperate game playing area too, but htat cost extra money. The food is good there too. It cost $5 to play all day or 1/2 price on Wed. if wearing your pj's! http://www.goingbonkers.com/
We live in south metro area and two close indoor play areas we like are Doogoland and Abbeys playtown. http://www.abbeysplaytown.com/ Two great indoor play areas. Doogland has kids classes they offer too and is a hands on learning place as well as play. Abbey's is just play and lots of it! They have 2 bounce houses, pretend play areas and just loads of fun. Both places cost $5 to play all day and have discounts if you buy 10 at one time and stuff.
One thing we abolutely think is the best deal in the whole metroplex is Six Flags season passes! Seems like a lot of money upfront, but if you can pay for it, it is so worth it and you so get your money's worth out of it. It pays for itselft on the second visit. There are so many rides there for little kids. I have a 4 year old and she rides about 15 or more of the rides there. It is her favorite place to go! They are opening on March 6th and we love going early in nice weather before the hot summer hits. It is $59 for a pass. We actually pay $89 for a combo pass that is to Hurricane Harbor water park too. Just $30 more and you can go the water park allllll summer long! My 4 yr is not the biggest swimmer, but loves to float down the lazy river or ride waves in the wave pool.
Another inexpensive place we love to go is to ride the Fort Worth Miniature Train. Forest Park Miniature Railroad. http://www.fpmt.us/ It is so fun! It cost $2 to ride and is about a 30 minutes ride. We love to take a picnie and eat at the fabulous park after we ride the train.
Also in that same area is the Fort Worth Zoo. http://www.fortworthzoo.com/ It is very nice and they have a train inside the zoo too! We like the Fort Worth Zoo so much more than Dallas Zoo. It is just prettier and more green and nice.
The Fort Worth Botanical Gardens are there too. This is just like the Dallas Arboretum. So nice there. http://www.fwbg.org/
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has a fabulous museum for kids. Very hands on and so much fun for them. http://www.fwmuseum.org/
At the same museum is the Omni Theater! We love going there. If you've never seen an Omni movie you need too! Our 4 yr old loves them! You really feel like you are flying so hold on! Don't pick out a show like Sharks or something that would be too real or scary for a 6 yr old. We love the Omni! The Noble Planetarium is there too. Very cool.
We also enjoyed going to the Fort Worth Stcokyards. Fun to watch the Longhorn cattle drive. They also have a huge walk through maze there. It was expenisve, $8 I think, but my 4 yr old loved it and still talking about it! It is called the Cowtown Cattle Pen Maze.
http://www.fortworth.com/01visitors/0108justkids/010812th...
We also enjoy going to the Parks Mall in Arlington. We eat at the food courth, then ride the big carousel! It cost $2 to ride once or $5 unlimitted. She likes to play in the free play area by the skating rink too. She alwyas finds kids to play with there.
We like eating and playing in the indoor play area at Chick-fil-A too!
That is all I can think of for now, if I think of more things, I'll post them.
Have fun!
How about the area museums? There are the ones that have lots for kids, such as the Museum of Nature and Science, but even the others, like the Dallas Museum of Art, typically have some areas with activities geared towards kids. Most kids like animals, too, so there is the Zoo and the Aquarium at Fair Park and the Dallas World Aquarium downtown. The Friday quide section in the Dallas Morning News always has a few pages devoted to local activities for kids and it has ideas for all types of interests--sports, theater, nature, etc. Good luck!
Although not outside, you could take him to one of those indoor play facilities with the humongous inflatable slides, etc. My girls love it and I see children of all ages there. I also play on these with the girls so I spend time interacting with them and have a blast myself. Good luck.
I agree with the Arboretum, they have a large fountain kids can play in once the weather gets warm, so bring an extra set of clothes & they allow any outside food & drink, so definitely bring snacks/food. Check their site b/c the do a lot of mommy/kid days with petting zoos or other special events.
The Dallas World aquarium or the Dallas zoo (not at the same place). The aquarium is great for rainy days b/c it is indoors (but seems like it isn't).
The children's museum and nature and science museum at Fair Park, also houses an IMAX theater.
The DMA, Nasher and Crow museums all do children's events on the first saturday of the month - check out "Target First Saturdays". They also do fun things on Thursday evenings that he might enjoy.
White Rock lake has lots of great parks around it, we pick a new one to check out each week.
Buy a kite, go to the lake & learn to fly it (that was last weeks project for us)
Bookmarks in Northpark is a great library for children, also has special storytimes, etc..
Half-price books has a great children's area & lots of great art/reading materials.
There is a new butterfly garden at Fair Park, I haven't made it there yet but it is on my list.
Riding the Dart train (to anywhere)
Once it gets warm there are splash/spray parks and rec centers with public pools that are good (i know of once in Lake Highlands area, but I'm sure there are others).
Also - I saw that someone mentioned indoor play areas - other than fast food areas, I'd love to know where these are??? I need more ideas for indoor time in the afternoon, almost all of my ideas involve nice weather...i'm looking forward to sunny days!!
Take him bowling or putt-putt. When the weather gets nicer try some of the large wooden playgrounds like Kid's Kingdom. Take him for a walk on a nature trail. They have a great one at the Heard Museum in McKinney. Go to the Science Place (if he enjoys it, get a membership and go often). Ride the DART train to Downtown Dallas and the West End. Stop at City Place and ride all the elevators and escalators. Go to the World Aquarium and the Zoo, if he likes trains, go to Fort Worth and ride the Tarantula train. We like the Fort Worth Zoo and the Science Museum in Fort Worth. Take a friend with him, especially if that kid is more active and playful.
In March and April, their is a wonderful renaissance type Fair in Troop, Texas near Tyler called Four Winds Faire www.fourwindsfaire.com. It is much cheaper, smaller and more kid friendly that Scarborough Fair. They have knights in full armor that joust and other Medieval activities every weekend. We have gone for several years and my two boys love it!
Since he is an only chilld, then you really need to cultivate friends for him to spend time with. My boys tend to be couch potatoes also and are not very athletic, but when they have friends over, they are much more likely to play outside. We have a trampoline in our backyard and it has been the best investment we ever made. When we first got it my kids were 3 and 7. They jumped on the trampoline EVERY day - rain or shine, sleet or snow. After a few years, they stopped jumping every day, but when they have friends over, that is the first thing they do!
What about board games?
How about getting to know a child or 2 in your neighborhood for him to play with? I used to think my kids weren't very out-doorsy -- then we moved to a new neighborhood where they got to know a couple of the neighborhood kids. Now they beg to be outside all the time. They play man hunt (basically hide-n-seek), four square, etc, they ride their bikes and scooters, and sometimes they go inside a neighbors house or the neighbor's kids come over and they play board games or do legos or play dough or just "hang out" together
You have gotten great suggestions for activities. We too are not outdoorsy folks but rather inclined to focus on the arts instead. It can be difficult to find good resources but you have gotten some great suggestions. I am actually responding for another reason. My child has a similar position in our family as your son does in yours; LOVES TV- Video Games, is an only child/grandchild, more interaction with adults than children, etc. I am compelled to offer you this unsolicited advice because I know how difficult it can be to institute a change but have experienced the big payoff which makes it worth while. It is about the TV. Once school began there was a near constant battle in our morning routine to get dressed and out the door. After school another skirmish would take place once again around the TV. After far too long we finally came up with a brilliant plan that has been working like a charm. No TV on weekdays. Oddly enough, after the first week (and lots of whining inside the no whine zone!) our child began to find other activities - like you and I did when we were growing up and there was no Cartoon Network. You will be amazed at what options suddenly open up. I promise. // We have relaxed it a bit to include some special viewing like State of the Union Presidential address, some Olympic events. What I have enjoyed the most is time with my child not predicated on or truncated by the time a particular show will air. Give him the opportunity to discover what else there already exists and you will be delighted.
Dallas Rocks - Rock Climbing, Take a hike at White Rock Lake,Cycling at White Rock Lake, Run together, Get a Wii - Great Fun and an active video game
