Looking for things to do with kids in DFW? The Dallas Fort Worth metroplex has just about every activity you could want, which makes it such a fun place for your next all day adventure in Dallas with kids!
Be sure to also check out these 5 Awesome DFW Staycation Ideas with Kids.
Rather than being cooped up in the house, take the kids to explore DFW and all the exciting events and places that our cities have to offer! No matter their age, kids are bound to have fun at these top things to do with kids in Dallas Fort Worth:
Top 30 Things To Do With Kids In Dallas Fort Worth This Year
These are the best things to do and places to go with kids in DFW!
Perot Museum of Nature and Science – Dallas
The Perot Museum is located right in the heart of Dallas. While you are there you can race a T. rex, challenge friends in robot competitions, explore the astonishing links between dinosaurs and modern-day birds, and even experience a simulated earthquake.
Everything from dinosaurs to DNA to diamonds are packed into five levels of hands-on discovery and adventure. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is fun for children (and grown-ups) of all ages!
Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX, (214) 428-5555, perotmuseum.org
Dallas World Aquarium – Dallas
If you haven’t stopped at The Dallas World Aquarium yet, then you have got to see this place for yourself!
The exhibit starts in the rainforest and you will work your way through to the marine life. This area has a 40 ft. glass tunnel with sharks circling overhead.
Next you will move to the South African Rainforest area that is completed with birds, pink flamingos and so much more. At the Dallas World Aquarium your kids have the opportunity to learn so much.
Dallas World Aquarium, 1801 N Griffin St, Dallas, TX, (214) 720-2224, dwazoo.com
LEGOLAND Discovery Center – Grapevine
Do your kids love LEGOS? If so, they will have a blast at the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, TX. The discovery center has 12 great attractions. It is filled with family fun, 3 rides, 10 LEGO build and play zones and a 4D cinema. They even have an Adult Night, so you and your friends (kids at heart) can go – how fun!
Legoland Discovery Center, 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX, (469) 444-3050, dallasfw.legolanddiscoverycenter.com
National Videogame Museum – Frisco
This is a place that you will not have to convince your kids to go to! The National Videogame Museum is nestled in the Frisco Discovery Center in Frisco, TX. This museum is filled with blasts from the past, so you may even see a few of your favorite games.
You and your kids will even have the opportunity to play as many games as possible. Videogames are meant to be played and that is what the National Videogame Museum is all about!
National Videogame Museum, 8004 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX, (972) 668-8400, nvmusa.org
Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark – Grand Prairie
Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark is DFW’s newest waterpark! This massive indoor waterpark is 80,000 sq ft. filled with slides, pools, rides, lazy rivers and more. No matter how hot it gets this summer in Texas, you can stay cool all day while riding down slides and splishing and splashing in the wave pool! They have fun events all summer long that will easily fill up your calendar!
Epic Water Indoor Waterpark, 2970 Epic Place, Grand Prairie, TX, (972) 337-3131, https://epicwatersgp.com/
Heritage Farmstead Museum
Heritage Farmstead Museum (HFM) is the premiere living history site interpreting the Texas black-land prairie region in north-Texas. An American Association of Museums accredited institution, the HFM strives to offer a step into the past for people of many ages, interests and backgrounds. Heritage Farmstead Museum is also a popular Dallas area wedding venue.
Heritage Farmstead Museum, 1900 W 15th St, Plano, TX, (972) 881-0140, heritagefarmstead.org
Dallas Zoo
Dallas Zoo is a 106-acre zoo located 3 miles south of downtown Dallas, Texas, in Marsalis Park. Established in 1888, it is the oldest and largest zoological park in Texas and is managed by the non-profit Dallas Zoological Society. It is home to over 2,000 animals representing 406 species. Your kids are going to love going to the Dallas Zoo!
Dallas Zoo, 650 S R L Thornton Fwy, Dallas, TX, dallaszoo.com
Dallas Arboretum
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a 66-acre botanical garden located at 8525 Garland Road in East Dallas, Dallas, Texas, on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake.
The Dallas Arboretum puts on several family-friendly events during the year which is why we added this to our list of things to do with kids in DFW.
Check out these family-friendly events we’ve covered in the past:
Dallas Arboretum Children’s Garden
Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Rd, Dallas, TX, dallasarboretum.org
Heard Museum – McKinney
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience, restore and preserve our priceless environment.
They offer a wide variety of educational programs and events for the public. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll visit when they have dinosaurs…because why not?
Heard Museum of Natural Science and Wildlife Preserve, 1 Nature Pl, McKinney, TX, (972) 562-5566, heardmuseum.org
Frontiers of Flight Museum
Frontiers of Flight Museum is an aerospace museum located in Dallas, Texas and founded in November 1988 by William E. Cooper, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Jan Collmer.
This museum is one of the coolest and most unique things to do with kids in Dallas Fort Worth!
- Over 30 aircraft and space vehicles, several of which were built in the North Texas area
- 13 Galleries and Exhibits, from the Early Flyers to Space Flight and growing
- Over 35,000 historical artifacts
Frontiers of Flight Museum, 6911 Lemmon Ave, Dallas, TX, flightmuseum.com
Crayola Experience – Plano
Do you know a budding artist? Well, located inside The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, TX is Crayola Experience.
Enjoy a family fun day at Crayola Experience in Plano, Texas! A perfect place for creativity, fun and family. Visit the Plano Crayola Experience today!
Crayola Experience, 6121 W Park Blvd Suite A100, Plano, TX, (469) 642-2901, crayolaexperience.com/plano
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park – Dallas
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park has been designed with kids in mind. With eye-level, interactive zones and exhibits, everyone can enjoy and learn something new about our aquatic friends from around the world.
Birthday parties, summer camps, and night programs are also available in addition to the every day fun of the aquarium!
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, 1462 1st Ave, Dallas, TX, (469) 554-7340, childrensaquariumfairpark.com
Hawaiian Falls – DFW
Hawaiian Falls Waterparks, your one source for family fun in Texas. Summer camps, company picnics, private cabanas, group events and birthday parties are all the rage at this fun water park with several locations right here in DFW.
Escape the heat at this cool thing to do with kids in DFW!
SAVE on admission when you get a POGO Pass.
A POGO Pass gets you into this kid-friendly place, plus 24 more places all for ONE low price. Save $10 when you use promo code METROPLEX at checkout. (we’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you!)
CLICK HERE to take $10 off a POGO Pass, use promo code METROPLEX.
Hawaiian Falls, multiple DFW locations, hfalls.com
Great Wolf Lodge – Grapevine
Stay and play at Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine! This Dallas, TX resort offers recently renovated suites, indoor water park fun, and dry-land adventures for the entire family.
Great Wolf Lodge features kid-friendly activities throughout the year, cabanas, a range of dining options, an adult-friendly wine down service, and more all under one roof.
Your stay includes access to the 80,000-sq. ft. water park, kept comfy at 84-degrees year-round.
Great Wolf Lodge, 100 Great Wolf Dr, Grapevine, TX, (800) 693-9653, greatwolf.com/grapevine
Play Street Museum – DFW
Play Street Museum has been named one of USA Today’s top 10 awesome museums for families to explore in the Dallas area! Get your kids exploring at this awesome place in DFW to take your littlest ones!
Play Street Museum, multiple DFW locations, playstreetmuseum.com/dallas
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
How cool is this?! Located inside Will Rogers Memorial Center, The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is located in Fort Worth, Texas.
Established in 1975, it is dedicated to honoring women of the American West who have displayed extraordinary courage and pioneering fortitude
National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, 1720 Gendy St, Fort Worth, TX,
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Did you know you can see how our money is made right here in DFW? The Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Fort Worth offers a public Tour and Visitor Center and is such a great place to learn about U.S. currency!
Visitors can see where billions of dollars are printed from an enclosed walkway, which is suspended above the production floor! Over half of the nation’s currency order is produced in Fort Worth.
Located in the visitor center is the Moneyfactory Gift Shop where the public can purchase souvenir items including uncut currency sheets and other specialty currency products. Restrooms and vending machines are available.
The Fort Worth Tour and Visitor Center is closed on Mondays, weekends, federal holidays, and as an efficiency measure, is also closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing, 9000 Blue Mound Rd, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 231-4000, moneyfactory.gov/fortworthtxtours.html
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is located in the city’s Cultural District. It was opened in 1945 as the Fort Worth Children’s Museum and moved to its current location in 1954. In 1968, the museum adopted its current name.
Dedicated to lifelong learning and anchored by their rich collections, the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is an educational and one of the most interesting things to do with kids in Dallas Fort Worth.
Kids of all ages will enjoy learning about the stories of Texas and the Southwest.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 255-9300, fwmuseum.org
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! – Grand Prairie
Have the experience of a lifetime and explore Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium in Grand Prairie and see all the strange oddities and people the world has to offer!
Strike a pose with your favorite celebs in the Louis Tussauds Palace Of Wax, get lost in the mirror maze, shoot zombies in a 7D Moving Theater, and dodge lasers in the Impossible Laser Race!
Ripley’s is such a thrilling thing to do in DFW!
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, 601 E Palace Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX, (972) 263-2391, ripleys.com/grandprairi
Sci-Tech Discovery Center – Frisco
Bright ideas! That’s what Sci-Tech Discovery Center is all about!
By providing hands-on discovery experiences in the essential areas of science, math and technology to kids of all ages and backgrounds, Sci-Tech Discovery Center seeks to spark a life-long interest and help equip DFW’s children with these advanced skills.
Sci-Tech Discovery Center, 8004 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX, (972) 546-3050, mindstretchingfun.org
Forest Park Miniature Train Railroad – Fort Worth
Forest Park Miniature Railroad is a family attraction with roots stretching back to the 1950s. Located at Fort Worth’s Trinity Park and TCU/Zoo area, The Forest Park Miniature Railroad offers a five-mile round-trip train ride around the area.
The train is open year round, however, their schedule varies by season and weather. Be sure to check the hours and admission page for a updated operation schedule.
Forest Park Miniature Train Railroad, 1700 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 336-3328, forestparktrains.com
Fort Worth Zoo
Now, some say this may be the best zoo in DFW…and well you’re going to have to visit both and find out for yourself! Adventure awaits at the Fort Worth Zoo. Explore wildlife firsthand at one of many interactive exhibits, from giraffes to stingrays.
A POGO Pass gets you into this kid-friendly place, plus 24 more places all for ONE low price. Save $10 when you use promo code METROPLEX at checkout. (we’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you!)
CLICK HERE to take $10 off a POGO Pass, use promo code METROPLEX.
Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX, fortworthzoo.org
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center – Glen Rose
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center located just outside Glen Rose, TX (1 hour west of Fort Worth) is dedicated to the conservation of species in peril, conducting scientific research, training of professionals, responsible management of natural resources and public education.
Fossil Rim provides a diversity of compelling learning experiences that inspire positive change in the way people think, feel and act towards nature.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, 2299 Co Rd 2008, Glen Rose, TX, fossilrim.org
Noble Planetarium – Fort Worth
Located inside the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History is Noble Planetarium. Get ready to awaken your child’s imagination with the wonders of science with an out-of-this-world things to do with kids near DFW.
Noble Planetarium, 1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 255-9300, fwmuseum.org/exhibit/noble-planetarium
Monnig Meteorite Gallery
Another out-of-this-world experience awaits kids at the Monnig Meteorite Gallery, they can experience pieces of the Solar System up close and explore the mysteries of meteorites!
The Gallery is located on the TCU campus in the Sid Richardson Science Building at the corner of West Bowie Street and Cockrell Street.
Monday through Friday mornings are reserved for groups of 10 or more that have made a previous appointment to visit the gallery. For more information please see Educational Outreach. Admission is always FREE.
Monnig Meteorite Gallery, 2950 W Bowie St, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 257-6277, monnigmuseum.tcu.edu
Burger’s Lake – Fort Worth
Located in Fort Worth, Texas are the areas bluest waters and sandiest beaches at Burger’s Lake! Burger’s Lake offers summer fun for everyone.
Burger’s Lake is a 30-acre park featuring a one-acre spring-fed lake for swimming. Spend an entire day with your kids with:
- Two sandy beaches for sunning; wonderful big trees for shade
- A complete staff of certified lifeguards
- Over 300 picnic tables
- Six diving boards, a 20-foot slide and 25-foot trapeze
- Charcoal grills for cooking
- Plus much, much more!!!
Burger’s Lake, 1200 Meandering Road, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 737-3414, burgerslake.com
George W. Bush Presidential Center
The Bush Center is home to the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, which is operated by the National Archives and Records Administration, and the George W. Bush Institute, the nonpartisan, public policy arm of the Bush Center.
The Bush Center is located on the campus of SMU in Dallas, Texas, and also includes a 15-acre park, a full-service restaurant, Café 43, and a museum store.
The museum houses the archives of the George W. Bush presidency, 43,000 gifts, and a replica Oval Office.
George W. Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University, 2943 SMU Boulevard, Dallas, TX, (214) 200-4300, bushcenter.org
Dallas Heritage Museum
Located in historic Old City Park, Dallas Heritage Museum uses its collections of historic buildings and furnishings, representing the period 1840-1910, to sponsor research, publications, and exhibits, and to present educational programs and special events for diverse audiences of children, families, and adults.
Dallas Heritage Village and the land on which it sits has a long and rich connection with Dallas history. Site of many firsts, this piece of land became Dallas’ first city park in 1876. The city’s first zoo was located here. Browder Springs, which now flows underground, was the first water supply with a wooden water main carrying water to the young city.
Kids will love learning about Dallas history in an interactive things to do with kids in DFW.
Dallas Heritage Museum, 1515 S Harwood St, Dallas, TX, (214) 421-5141, dallasheritagevillage.org
Log Cabin Village – Fort Worth
Log Cabin Village is a living history museum owned and operated by the City of Fort Worth. The Village is devoted to the preservation of Texas heritage.
Escape the present and experience the past… right in the heart of Fort Worth. Very low and reasonable admission cost.
Log Cabin Village, 2100 Log Cabin Village Ln, Fort Worth, TX, (817) 392-5881, logcabinvillage.org
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve – Plano
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve is a little oasis tucked in between the Dallas North Tollway and the Sam Rayburn Tollway. Once inside this scenic, 200 acre park full of trees, trails, and creeks, you forget that you are only minutes from the hustle of Plano, Texas.
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, 6701 W Parker Rd, Plano, TX, (972) 941-7250
Top 30 Things To Do With Kids In Dallas Fort Worth This Year
There’s so many things to do with kids in DFW! Experience your next adventure when you visit these places in Dallas Fort Worth.
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