Remember Valentines’ Day before children? Back then your biggest worry was sending or receiving flowers, getting restaurant reservations and what to wear. Enter kids, now what does Valentine’s Day look like? The great thing about children, they can bring a different element of fun and excitement to holidays. We hope our list helps in your family friendly planning for Valentines.
WiseMommies Top 10 off the Beaten Path Fun & Creative Ideas for Family-Friendly Valentines Weekend
1) Magic Time Machine or Benihana: Enjoy a Valentine’s dinner the whole family will enjoy with storybook characters or food made right in front of you. Both restaurants offer kid friendly menus and entertainment as well as adult beverages. Interested in a heart shaped pizza? Papa Murphy’s will do this. You can also check your local Pizza Hut or Picasso’s Pizza to see if they are making heart shaped pizzas.
2) LOVEly Crafts: We’ve mentioned some of these places before for their fun and free craft projects, but especially for Valentines, they have made these events even more memorable.
A) Home Depot: Free; Saturday, February 6, time varies per store. Children learn how to build a heart box, reservation requested.
B) Pottery Barn: Free; February 6th-14th. Share the love this Valentine by making a special card for a loved one and one that will be delivered to a child in need. Also, for every creation shared on Instagram, pottery barn will donate to the Bright Horizons Foundation which helps brighten the lives of children experiencing homelessness.
C) Michaels: Children 3 and up make a Cupid’s Arrow Valentine,February 6th, or Valentine Dream Catcher,February 13th. $2 per child. Enjoy making a craft with your child in 30 minutes or less.
3) Harbor Lights: $25-$30 per adult, depending on the time of your cruise, $20 per child, various times & days. Fifty-seven foot heated and air conditioned power boat on Lake Ray Hubbard. Don’t let the cold or kids prevent you from sailing off into the sunset. Sail away via this experience because there is an open-air deck but also an enclosed main deck with floor-to-ceiling glass for all around great views. Dance floor in the middle of the boat allows your kiddos to let loose with a free-style while you and your significant other dance to your own beat. You can BYOB, wine, and food on board for the cruise or enjoy dinner before at a nearby restaurant such as Dodie’s or Three Sheets.
4) M-Line McKinney Avenue Transit Authority: Free, anytime. Take a step back into the past while in the present. Hop on and off the trolley and just enjoy being in the moment sitting, observing, and talking with your family through Uptown and Downtown Dallas. Additionally, print a downtown map. Let your kids pick some places of interest, circle on map, and hop off the trolley across from the Dallas Museum of Art and explore.
5) Wee Symphony: $10 per person, February 10, 4-5pm, at 7831 Park Ln, Dallas, TX 75225. For more information or to sign up, click here. Your child will have an opportunity to share love through their talent or pure love of music to the residents of this senior living center. Mommy Manders, a musical outreach teacher helps Wee Volunteers with conducting and preforming their wee symphony. Our WiseMommies children have attended many of the wonderful camps by Mommy Manders. This is sure to be a lovely event for all!
6) Trinity River Audubon Center: Adults $6, Children (ages 3-12) $3, open Tuesday-Sunday. Pack a picnic and spend the day in nature. The Trinity River Audubon Center offers five miles of nature viewing trails, a wonderful enclosed Children’s Discover Garden (including a HUGE sand pit) and educational exhibits. There is a beautiful picnic area that overlooks the Trinity River. February 11, 2016, 7-9pm, register for the popular “Owl Prowl” and enjoy a family night out adventure sure to have a hoot of a time. Maybe have a picnic dinner beforehand! During the day, why not go to the Dallas Zoo. $5 Penguin days until February 29th. So you only have to pay $5 a person for admission, and they have Lego Brick Art up now until April 10.
7) Coyote Drive-In: Adults $8.00, Children (Ages 4-10) $6.00, Open Daily. When was the last time you went to a drive-in movie? Head over to Ft. Worth and enjoy the Coyote Drive-In with a delicious menu featuring pizza, “canteen classic” menu, traditional movie theater fare and a large selection of beer and wine. Be adventurous and make it a day adventure (or stay the night) and have lunch at Joe T. Garcia’s, enjoy Sundance Square, and the Stockyards (currently the rodeo is happening).
8) Family Game Night: Free. When was the last time you just indulged in your kids and let them pick out whatever they wanted to eat? Why not have a night in (or out depending on what they want to eat) and let them choose what to eat then have a fun family game night. Here are game suggestions for various ages. If you have children of various ages, let the older ones help the younger ones, or just let everyone decide different rules for the games and have fun with it!
9)Dallas Arts District: Klyde Warren Park, DMA, Crow Collection of Asian Art:
Klyde Warren Park: Hearts in the Park: Free and Open Daily. We just love this 5.2 acre urban park right in the middle of Dallas. On Valentines Day why not spend the day walking and enjoying this park.
Huge Family Fun event,3-6 pm, Saturday 13, 2016 at Klyde Warren Park:
Photo Booth: Show off how you stay healthy with Cigna’s photo booth! There will be a dry erase Polaroid frame where people can write how they plan to stay healthy in 2016.
Caricature Drawings: Sit back, relax and enjoy a good laugh with caricature drawings brought to you by CBS 11. Valentine’s Day Crafts: Get creative and make your own flapper headbands, hats, mustaches and more. Dance Lessons and Live Music: Learn the Charleston, the Cake Walk, the Black Bottom, and Flea Hop while the Spenser Liszt Band and the Disciples play tunes from the era.
Smooch a Pooch: Puppy “kissing booth,” adoptions, photo opportunities and more, hosted White Rock Dog Rescue. Wellness Activities Sponsored by Cigna: Test your wellness knowledge with Cigna’s activities including Plinko and an Activity Wheel.
6:30-9 pm: Movie Night“The Great Gatsby” Screening:Snuggle up with your sweetheart for a special showing of “The Great Gatsby” (2013) on the Great Lawn under the stars.
Bring a picnic blanket, balls, and lots of energy as you enjoy the outdoors and the people watching. There are two great restaurants at the park to eat at: Savor and Relish(with a walk up order window) or order from one of the many food trucks. Days, times and food trucks change daily. Here is the parks food truck schedule.
Also check out the DMA, Dallas Museum of Art, for fun activities, children can make a craft or enjoy the play areas. This museum is free!
Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St, Dallas, Texas 75201, Saturday, February 13, 11am-7pm, This event looks really amazing!!!Click here to see all event details and times.
10) Cooking Classes:
There are several options in DFW for cooking classes for couples, kids, and families. At Cozymeal, families can design and plan a private family cooking event. My family just adores Williams Sonoma. As a matter of fact, my son took a Valentine’s Baking Class there this month.
Other Ideas for February Family-Friendly Ideas in DFW:
1) Monster Jam. Saturday, February 13, 2016,7pm at AT & T Stadium. Last year I took my son to Monster Jam and was surprised at how much fun I had. Click here to read that review and pick up some tips!
What fun activities does your family do for Valentine’s Day? Do you have any traditions? If you try any of the suggestions above we would love to hear what you thought.
3 thoughts on “Top 10 Valentine’s Family-Friendly and Fun Ideas in Dallas”