Best Things to Do with Kids in Dallas

Dallas has so many family-friendly activities that deciding where to go first can become overwhelming. You've come to the right place because here are the best things to do with kids this year. Keep reading to see your next family adventure. 

Grapevine Mills Mall 

Grapevine Mills is a climate-controlled mall located off HWY 121 and Grapevine Mills Parkway, two miles north of DFW International Airport. With over a hundred stores, there are many things to do with the family at the Grapevine Mills mall. Walk into the spring and summer seasons with funky, unique, classic clothing and accessories at Grapevine Mills Mall. Get these items from famous outlets such as Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Forever 21, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store, NIKE Clearance Store, H&M, and Neiman Marcus Last Call.  

And if you are looking for places to dine, many family-friendly restaurants are available, including the Rainforest Café, Chilli's, Subway, Chipotle, and Panda Express. 

Grapevine Mills mall also boasts leading family attractions. Examples include The Escape Game, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth, Peppa Pig World of Play and SEA LIFE Aquarium. 

One attraction soon coming to Grapevine Mills Mall is Meow Wolf, an out-of-this-world exhibit that will transport children of all ages into a magical world. Audiences can expect to see secret passages, a mystery that needs solving, unique clues, and overall unique art displays. Grapevine Mills Mall is a must-visit for families passing through or living in Dallas. 

LEGOLAND Discover Center Dallas/Fort Worth

 

Your kid may be close to exploding with glee as they step into LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth. With so much to explore in every corner, LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a kid's Nirvana. 

The best part is that this paradise is easily accessible to every child. That's right, it is also wheelchair accessible. You might ask, so what's inside? Well, there's the MINILAND, an interactive city built with over one million LEGO® bricks. The children will marvel at the sight of airships swooping and buildings glistening. MINILAND looks even more beautiful when it goes from day to night. 

A chariot will be ready to take the kids on a quest to rescue a princess in Kingdom Quest. Just a heads up, a few trolls might be lurking around, so be prepared to zap them. The adventure continues at Merlin's Apprentice Ride, where your feet determine whether you have what it takes to become his mentee. 

You don't want to miss the LEGO® Race VR Experience, where the kids participate in a virtual race to see how fast they can drive their LEGO®-built vehicles. Afterward, head on to the 4D Cinema for eye-popping fun. Watch the lovable LEGO® characters take on a new adventure in The LEGO® Movie™ 4D A New Adventure and high-speed racing in the LEGO® City: Report for Duty™. 

LEGO® city could use a hero, so you might want to hurry before the crooks get away with stolen gold in the Forest Ranger Pursuit attraction. If you thought that was exciting, wait until you walk to the Build & Test zone, where you build your brick car and race it against other visitors' cars down the ramps. 

Heartlake City offers another chance to put your creativity to the test by building LEGO® models and adding them to the city's display. You'll come across five best friends, so don't forget to bring out your camera to snap a few pictures with the kids. 

Ensure you bring the kids' bathing suits because more fun awaits at the water playground in Pirate Beach. There's a lot to do, including going on a treasure hunt to reach the treasure inside the LEGO® pirate vessel. 

Now that you know the fun awaits, you might be wondering how to plan your visit. It's straightforward. Three gate pass options are available, standard, annual, and combo visits. The standard tickets cover a one-time visit to LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Yearly passes are an excellent way to ensure your kids can access LEGOLAND Discovery Center throughout the year. 

There are several options to choose from, each with different perks. For instance, the Sunday through Friday annual pass offers a discount for loved ones whenever they visit with you, offers for LEGO® products, and access to special events. An annual gate pass covering all the days of the week has even better perks, including uninterrupted admission during operating hours and discounts for the birthday party package. 

Combination tickets are the holy grail of LEGOLAND Discovery Center tickets. Imagine getting the keys to access not one but three attractions. What's more, there is no need to rush to cover these attractions at a go. Instead, select any day within the fourteen days of your visit to LEGOLAND Discovery Center to check out the SEA LIFE Aquarium and Peppa Pig World of lay. 

We also recommend looking into our birthday party packages. Throw a one-of-a-kind party for your munchkin and invite close friends to celebrate it with them. Offerings include tasty pizza and drinks, personalized LEGO® models, and a special visit from LEGO® friends. We also have the premium birthday and the value birthday package. A LEGOLAND Discovery Center birthday party is one we hope every child gets to experience. 

Schools can also take advantage of the group offerings and plan a trip for young students. Explore LEGOLAND Discovery Center school packages that include education workshops to improve kids' understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). 

While LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth is geared towards creating a 'fun-tastic' experience for the kids, we sometimes host events for adults who still cherish LEGO® and wish to relive their childhood. 

Peppa Pig World of Play 

It's almost impossible to contain your kids' excitement whenever Peppa Pig comes on TV, and it's not surprising why. The show centers on an intelligent four-year-old pig who loves adventure. Furthermore, Peppa Pig does things your munchkin loves, from jumping in muddy puddles to taking family trips. 

Also, if you have sat down to watch Peppa Pig with your kids, you would agree that this piggy's worldview is similar to yours. Not to mention the good habits and lessons your kids may learn from Peppa Pig, such as being courteous, following a school routine, and living in the moment. 

Taking your kids to Peppa Pig World of Play is a great way to spend an afternoon. The 14 play areas offer an immersive experience and help create 'oinktastic' memories. Start by taking the kids to meet Peppa Pig for a snorty hug and selfies. 

Peppa Pig's House offers a glimpse into piggy's everyday life. The kids can make sandwiches in the kitchen and gobble them up while watching TV. The muddy puddles play area always gets the kids giggling and snorting. 

The kids will enjoy hopping more muddy puddles and exploring tunnels in Rebecca Rabbit's Adventure section. Next, take the children up to the 'oinktastic' Treehouse for an expansive view of Peppa Pig's world before sliding down and hopping on a trike for a nice clean and polish. 

Your kids know how seriously Miss Rabbit takes her weekly shopping, so you might want to rush to the store with her before taking Madame Gazelle's School Bus Trip in the afternoon. Don't forget to drop the kids at Grandpa Pig's Train to visit Grandma Pig's garden. Other areas to explore with the kids include the theater, George's Dinosaur Discovery, and George's Fort. 

Take advantage of the combo tickets at LEGOLAND Discovery Center to enjoy discounts for you and your little ones. 

SEA LIFE Aquarium 

Are you on a Dallas vacay? The sea creatures are closer than you think. Bring the kids to this underwater world for an educational and fun experience. 

Marvel at SEA LIFE Grapevine’s Stingray Bay Exhibit. However, you will want to keep your hands far as these creatures are known for their teeth that are strong enough to crash crabs and oysters. The 13-foot Albino Python at the Rainforest Adventure Exhibit is a must-see. 

Learn about the work that goes into protecting and rescuing sea turtles in the Sea Turtle Rescue Center. Watch sea turtles, sharks, and other sea creatures glide above you as you walk the 360-degree ocean tunnel. Do you remember that bit about bringing the ocean to you? Well, the interactive rockpools in this aquarium have anemones and sea stars, which are perfectly safe for dipping your finger. 

Enjoy more interactive experiences by taking the kids on Behind-the-Scenes Tours to see how the staff at SEA LIFE take care of the five thousand sea creatures in the aquarium, including their feeding times. 

Enjoy admission discounts by purchasing a triple combo ticket from the LEGOLAND Discovery Center website, which caters to three attractions, i.e., SEA LIFE Aquarium, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth, and Peppa Pig World of Play. 

Reunion Tower 

The Reunion Tower is one of Dallas' famous landmarks that offers visitors a 360-degree view of the city's skyline. At the top is an observation deck, the Geo-deck, which provides an immersive experience thanks to the HD telescope and interactive displays from 470 feet up. Discover museums, parks, and famous attractions from this eye-catching ball. 

Besides the Geo-deck, various family-oriented activities take place. This year, for instance, a family magic show will take place featuring clean comedy and close-up tricks. Goliath Gaming day allows families to complete activity sheets and make fun crafts. Overcome your fear of critters by watching the huggable show, which brings exciting animals to life. 

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens 

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens offers highly-rated children's education programs geared towards building a connection with nature and encouraging environmental stewardship through classes and garden-related tours. 

If you are a teacher, the Arboretum offers four field trip programs perfect for your third to sixth-grade students. The first one, the Children's Adventure Garden learning Galleries, is a program involving the exploration of habitats through a tree trek. Here, the kids will learn to understand the woodland ecosystem. And explore the importance of trees in providing shelter and as a food source. This program also entails lessons on the life cycle of organisms. Topics to explore include the importance of decomposers, the pollination process, and the different life cycle stages. 

Little Sprouts is a puppet theater in the Children's Adventure Garden learning Galleries that features songs and educational tales. Little Sprouts also offers two adventure programs focusing on the butterfly's life cycle and the squirrel's changing habitat needs based on the weather conditions. 

The kids can learn more about monarch butterflies in the Monarch Waystation and their role in pollination. Other lessons from this gallery program include the Incredible Edible, which focuses on healthy eating and teaches students about good urban farming practices. The Texas Native Woodlands explore the health of the Texas waterway. The Earth Cycles program examines the forces that affect our planet. Kids will learn about earthquakes, erosion, and the weather cycle. The Earth from Space program focuses on the connections between weather seasons and worlds. In comparison, Dynamic Earth teaches kids about the movement of tectonic plates. 

Your students will learn about patterns and shapes in the kaleidoscope program and about the different energy sources in the Pure Energy program. The Omniglobe takes the students on a planetary voyage, helping them discover the unique characteristics of each planet. Students will also explore the oceans, including hurricanes and weather patterns. 

School field trips also involve the Classroom Lab Field Trip Programs, ideal for third- to sixth-grade students. Your students will explore the Disappearing Act, an investigation of how the hypothetical extinction of wolves would affect the ecosystem. Also part of this lab program is the Garden Design Challenge, where students design plants ideal for landscaping. Students will then investigate the unique traits of arthropods and processes that lead to geological change, like deposition and weathering. 

Nature's Work of Art is part of the field trip program, and it explores the skills used by the Arboretum staff and nature's features, including texture and color. Finally, your students will learn about succulents and how they adapt to changing ecosystems. 

Parents may wish to enroll kids in Afterschool programs, perfect for 3rd to 5th-grade students. The Plants for Survival program examines plants' role in food chains, specifically how organisms rely on them. The unit on Butterflies, Bees, and Blossom looks at insects' body parts, life cycles, and basic needs. Your child will also learn the relationship between pollinators and flowers. 

The Diversity of Life gives your kids a deeper understanding of the ecosystem, including the different types of organisms, from producers to decomposers. The Eco-Quest, on the other hand, investigates the sun as an energy source. The program also looks at the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy sources. 

The Arboretum offers other out-of-school programs for young learners, with some running throughout the year while others are seasonal. For instance, you may wish to bring your child to the "Mommy and Me Mondays" and "tiny Tot Tuesdays" in Autumn for activities like petting zoos and face painting. The Arboretum hosts Family Fun Fridays during summer. 

The Arboretum also includes a family STEM activity called walkSTEM, a self-guided tour of the Dallas Arboretum. This activity consists of four stops. The first one is the All-American Vegetable Trial Garden. You and the kids can explore the edible plant types, attempting to determine the planting season and the variety of plants growing in the trial garden. 

Next is the Johnsson Color Garden. The goal is to investigate pollinators' habits, for instance, whether they visit a specific flower type the most. If yes, what characteristics could be attracting this pollinator? 

The third stop is the Woman's Garden, where you will examine the tiles and photos of coins inside a fountain. Karen's Gazebo is the final stop. Look out for repeating designs and patterns and the shapes they form. 

Besides education programs, the 66-acre Arboretum features several family-friendly gardens. The Nancy Clements Seay Magnolia Glade has breath-taking water features, including a waterway and lily pond, perfect for family picnics. Lay Family Garden is another popular spot featuring perennials and the lay Grotto, including a koi pond and waterfall. The presence of flora and fauna makes it enjoyable all year. The kids can also interact with the koi fish. 

Explore LEGOLAND Discovery Center and Nearby Dallas Attractions This Year 

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas/Fort Worth is a fantastic attraction for school trips and family visits. Plan a holiday or a brick-built birthday party this year. We recommend the combo tickets for a chance to explore the other two Grapevine attractions. To buy the combination tickets, visit here.