Where to Take 3 Yr Olds to Have Fun in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area

Fort Worth Zoo (right now they have the Dinosaurs Alive exhibit...great if your 3 yo loves dinos!)

Fort Worth Museum of Science and HIstory (great play area!)

Let's Jump or Leapin Lizards (bounce house places, we prefer Let's Jump)

Paradise Pond (bounce house, playscape, doll and car play areas,dress up all for $1)

Glenview Baptist Treehouse (indoor play ground)

Dallas Science Museum (terrific children's museum!!)

Botanical Gardens - go to the play area for a great picnic (Free)

Parks- we have tons and tons of wonderful parks around here...google the rec center in your area (free)

N E Mall- toddler play area (Free)

Ridgemar Mall - FABULOUS toddler play area (free)

Keller Pointe - small water park, great for wee ones,

Haltom City Spray Park (free)

NRH2O (bigger water park, great for a family day!)

Library - story times

My #1 recommendation would be Legoland at Grapevine Mills mall. There are only 2 in the USA and the most amazing time for all ages.There's also a Rainforest Cafe across the hall.

If you happen to go to the Fort Worth Zoo (your 3 year old will LOVE it), head to the back area early to feed the parakeets. It's $1 a stick, but so much fun for the kids.

Also, there's a train ride (pint-sized train) you'll see on the left right before the zoo. It's $3 per person for an hour and let me say my 2 1/2 year old asks every day to ride it. Great fun for a small price!

If you're making a day of Fort Worth, then head down to the Stockyards...they do a daily cattle drive through the streets that all the kids LOVE!!! There's a website for more info.

Have a great time!!!

Ha! I grew up in Branson and concur with all the suggestions below, but since you come from the land of water and lakes, skip NRH2O (kind of like White Water which you can do any day and it is a little out of the way for FW).
But hit the FW Zoo, the Botanic gardens(which has the new BRIT center) and FW Museum of Science and History (very hands on!).
Have fun!

the list is limitless. There are so many options. I wont repeat, though I fully agree with the answers youve gotten.
I didnt see 6flags- they have a lot of rides for littles.
There are free splash parks you can go to.
You can tour Dallas Cowboys Stadium.
Grapevine has a lot of free kid friendly festivals, depending on when you come. Nash farm in Grapevine is fun - you get to climb on a tractor and feed animals. Great Wolfe Lodge is great but expensive.

There is a new place in Plano called Jumpstreet. Its a trampoline park, if you go during the week its less than $5 for them to jump in the 7&under Earthquake zone. It is my new favorite place to take my 2 year old. :)

The Fort Worth Zoo it Fabulous...!!!! There used to be Thomas the train in Grapevine - google it (I was there last year). Also in Grapevine right around the corner is a really fun neighborhood park with a huge geodome if your 3 yr old is into climbing. Also the auqarium looked fun - we didn't make it to that but we will next trip.