Any Places/things to Do This Long Weekend, with Small Kids 5&3Yrs Old?

There is the Dallas Children's Museum, Planet Pizza (in Plano). You can eat pizza (or not) and take your kids on the indoor rides. There is a very nice playground in Highland Village off of 407/Justin Rd. and Briar Hill Rd (just a little down Briar Hill Rd). It is huge, made out of wood - I think it's called Kid's Castle. We're taking our kids there today. We're also going to Planet Pizza later this afternoon. By reading what other people wrote, I really want to try this Frank Buck Zoo a couple of them were talking about. It seems great! There is also Kart Trax (go-Karting)in Lewisville. It just opened. My 4 year old rides by himself. Your 3 year old can ride with you or your husband. Glen Rose, TX (I think about a 2 hour drive) has some dinosaur exhibit that I have been wanting to try. Also in Glen Rose is a Safari. You stay in your car and drive and watch the animals - giraffes, rhynos, etc. I really want to go, but I have to admit, it scares me. The animals get very close to your car (I think).

If you always want to know what is going on, pick up a copy of a local magazine called Suburban Parent. It says what's going on in Flower Mound, Lewisville, Coppell, Highland Village, and other close areas. You can find it at any Kroger, and it's free. Adventure Kids Playcare, pediatrician offices, and daycare centers usually carry this magazine, too. It is great. They have an "on the go" section, which says what's going on for the month. Go get your copy of it for September and fill your calendar with things to do!

I am actually from Gainesville, and the Frank Buck Zoo is fun. Very heavily shaded over the playground area, the zoo is great, and the train is so much fun and only a dollar for a ride around the park. I have been wanting to go to this indoor place in Plano called Amazing Jakes Food and Fun...I don't know if you have ever been there but it is huge with tons of stuff to do and it's INDOORS:). They have a website www.amazingjakes.com to check out. Hope you have fun this Labor Day weekend!

Since you got a lot of ideas for Dallas, Fort Worth has a great Zoo, Cowgirl Museum and also a Science Museum. Go to www.fortworth.com and click on family/entertainment or museums/culture for a listing of lots of places on this side of DFW.

Since it will probably be hot, the best park with lots of shade is Central Park in Lewsiville (I think if you Google that you will end up with the address). We like the area water parks like the Community Activity Center in Flower Mound or the Roanoke Community Pool. If you don't mind driving a bit, we like to drive to is the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville (about 45 minutes)--it has a big park in the shade, a little train and a nice zoo for little kids. For indoor activities we frequent Peter Piper Pizza and Going Bonkers by Vista Ridge Mall.

Have fun!

Oh, I just thought of one more place, we also like to go to Movie Studio Grill. The kids love that and they have kids movies often as matinees.

Here are some great websites for resources on stuff to do around town:

www.northtexaskids.com (also a great magazine - big & colorful - you pick up at the same places as Suburban Parent)
www.mom2momdfw.com
www.gocitykids.com

www.aroundtownkids.com (for events in Frisco, Allen, McKinney & Plano)

I'm not sure if you are wanting to stay in the FM area, if so take your kids to Going Bonkers. It's behind the Dillard's off of MacArthur at Vista Ridge Mall. You could also go bowling at Main Event.

Two other thoughts are going to Fair Park and going to the Science Place and the aquarium or going to downtown Dallas and going to the Dallas World Aquarium.