181 Things to Do with Kids in Dallas-Fort Worth

Everything really is bigger in the Lone Star State—and that includes kid-friendly things to do. We’ve compiled a Texas-sized checklist that includes all the must-dos for your growing brood—all within a day’s drive of Dallas-Fort Worth. (Want to know what our local readers love to go most? Check out our annual Best for Families winners.)

And for specific events coming up at these and more local destinations, search our curated calendar for the best things to do with kids in the Dallas and Fort Worth area each weekend and every day of the week.

* Editor’s Picks 

TEXAS CULTURE

You’re not a true Texan (sorry) ’til you’ve been here and done this:

1. Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth*
2. GeO-Deck at Reunion Tower, Dallas*
3. Mesquite Arena, Mesquite
4. National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, Fort Worth
5. National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame, Fort Worth
6. The Star District, Frisco
7. Ruth Paine House Museum, Irving
8. Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, Dallas
9. Southfork Ranch, Parker
10. Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Fort Worth
11. West End Historic District, Dallas
12. Western Currency Facility of the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Fort Worth

RELATED: 10 Authentic Texas Experiences

SCIENCE SPOTS

Places to bring out their inner Einstein:

13. Perot Museum of Nature and Science, Dallas*
14. Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth*
15. Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, Grand Prairie
16. Sci-Tech Discovery Center, Frisco

RELATED: Our Favorite Kid-Friendly Museums

COOL TRANSPORTATION

Get your ticket to ride (so Mom can sit down for a change):

17. Grapevine Vintage Railroad, Grapevine*
18. DART, Dallas area
19. Museum of the American Railroad and TrainTopia, Frisco*
20. Forest Park Miniature Railroad, Fort Worth
21. Interurban Railway Museum, Plano
22. McKinney Avenue Trolley, Dallas
23. Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth
24. Trinity Railway Express, Dallas-Fort Worth

RELATED: Train Rides Around Texas

AVIATION MUSEUMS

Where dreams take flight:

25. Henry B. Tippie National Aviation Education Center, Dallas
26. C.R. Smith Museum, Fort Worth
27. Founders Plaza Plane Observation Park, DFW International Airport
28. Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas*
29. Vintage Flying Museum, Fort Worth

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

Observe, meet and, in some cases, even touch exotic and domestic animals at these major zoos, safari parks and local petting farms:

30. Dallas Zoo, Dallas*
31. Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth*
32. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose
33. Frank Buck Zoo, Gainesville
34. In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center, Wylie*
35. International Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Rhome
36. Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch, Pilot Point

RELATED: A Guide to Zoos in Dallas-Fort Worth

AQUARIUMS & FISHING

For more fun things to do with kids in Dallas and Fort Worth, take a peek over the surface:

37. Bass Pro Shops, Grapevine and Garland
38. Cabela’s, Allen and Fort Worth
39. Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park, Dallas*
40. Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas*
41. SEA LIFE Aquarium, Grapevine*
43. Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, Athens

RELATED: Kid-Friendly Fishing Spots

ASTRONOMY CENTERS

Indulge in a cavity-free milky way:

44. Noble Planetarium at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth*
45. Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery, Fort Worth
46. UNT Sky Theater, Denton
47. UTA Planetarium, Arlington

RELATED: Where to Stargaze around Dallas

LAKES & WATER DESTINATIONS

Places to sport an extra layer of SPF:

48. Bahama Beach, Dallas
49. Burger’s Lake, Fort Worth
50. Eagle Mountain Lake, Fort Worth
51. Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, Grand Prairie*
52. Fort Worth Water Gardens, Fort Worth*
53. Gondola Adventures, Irving
54. Great Wolf Lodge, Grapevine
55. Hawaiian Falls, Garland, Mansfield, Roanoke and The Colony
56. Keller Pointe, Keller
57. WorldSprings, The Colony
58. Lake Arlington, Arlington
59. Lake Benbrook, Fort Worth
60. Lake Grapevine, Grapevine
61. Lake Joe Pool, Cedar Hill
62. Lake Granbury, Granbury
63. Lake Lewisville, Lewisville
64. Lake Mineral Wells, Mineral Wells
65. Lake Ray Hubbard, Rowlett
66. Lake Ray Roberts, Pilot Point
67. Lake Worth, Fort Worth
68. NRH2O Family Water Park, North Richland Hills*
69. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, Arlington
70. Trinity River Kayak Co., Coppell
71. Wet Zone, Rowlett
72. White Rock Lake, Dallas*

RELATED: Free Splash Pads & Play Fountains in Dallas-Fort Worth

ICE SKATING

Mittens in summer? Only at these icy escapes:

73. Galleria Ice Skating Center, Dallas*
74. Allen Community Ice Rink, Allen*
75. Children’s Health StarCenters, Euless, Farmers Branch, Frisco, McKinney and Plano
76. ICE at The Parks, Arlington

AMUSEMENT PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS

Because they’re sure to nap afterward:

77. Adventure Landing, Dallas
78. Alley Cats Entertainment Center, Arlington
79. Bolder Adventure Park, Grand Prairie
80. Bowlmor Dallas, Addison
81. Canyons Climbing Gym, Frisco
82. Celebration Station, Mesquite
83. Cowtown Cattlepen Maze, Fort Worth
84. Dyno-Rock Climbing Center, Arlington
85. Katy Trail, Dallas
86. Lone Star Fencing Center, Dallas
87. Lone Star Park, Grand Prairie
89. Main Event, Fort Worth, Frisco, Lewisville, Grapevine and Plano
90. Medieval Times, Dallas*
91. Pilot Knoll Hiking Trail, Highland Village
92. Topgolf, Allen, Dallas, Fort Worth and The Colony
93. Trinity Trail, Fort Worth
94. Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington*
95. Strikz, Frisco
96. Summit Climbing Gym, Dallas, Carrollton, Denton and Grapevine
97. Urban Trampoline Park, multiple locations

RELATED: Rock Climbing Gyms in Dallas-Fort Worth

PRO SPORTS

Where family-friendly sports and mayhem collide:

98. American Airlines Center/Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars, Dallas*
99. AT&T Stadium/Dallas Cowboys, Arlington*
100. Dr Pepper Ballpark/RoughRiders, Frisco*
101. Globe Life Field/Texas Rangers, Arlington*
102. Toyota Stadium/FC Dallas Soccer, Frisco*

FARMS & PETTING ZOOS

For cuddle things to do and see in Dallas and Fort Worth, don’t miss these adorable petting zoos and local farms:

103. Cathy’s Critters, Princeton
104. Animal Connection at Fritz Park, Irving
105. Latte Da Dairy, Flower Mound
106. Nash Farm, Grapevine*
107. Preston Trail Farms, Gunter
108. Trinity River Farm, Fort Worth

PICK-YOUR-OWN FARMS

Kids are expert pickers … of fruit, that is.

109. 3 Vines Vineyard, Ponder
110. Blase Family Farm, Rockwall*
111. Gnismer Farms, Arlington
112. Henrietta Creek Orchard, Roanoke

RELATED: Pick-Your-Own Fruit & Veggie Farms in Dallas-Fort Worth

HORSEBACK RIDING

Yeehaw fun found here:

113. Benbrook Stables, Benbrook
114. Dallas Polo Club, Red Oak
115. Hillcrest Farm, Argyle
116. Marshall Creek Ranch, Southlake
117. Fort Worth Stockyards Stables*
118. North Texas Equestrian Center, Wylie
119. Prestonwood Polo & Country Club, Oak Point*
120. River Ranch at Texas Horse Park, Dallas
121. Windmill Stables of Spring Park, Richardson

ART MUSEUMS

For mini Monets in training:

122. Amon Carter Museum of American Art, Fort Worth*
123. Arlington Museum of Art, Arlington
124. ArtCentre of Plano, Plano
125. Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas*
126. Dallas Museum of Art, Dallas*
127. Irving Arts Center, Irving
128. Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth*
129. Meadows Museum at SMU, Dallas*
130. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Fort Worth*
131. Nasher Sculpture Center, Dallas*

HISTORICAL SITES

Round-trip ticket back in time:

132. Chestnut Square Historic Village, McKinney
133. Dallas Firefighters Museum, Dallas
134. Old City Park (formerly Dallas Heritage Village), Dallas*
135. Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Dallas
136. George W. Bush Presidential Center, Dallas*
137. Heritage Farmstead Museum, Plano*
138. International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame, Arlington
139. Museum of International Cultures, Dallas
140. Log Cabin Village, Fort Worth*
141. Farmers Branch Historical Park, Farmers Branch
142. National Videogame Museum, Frisco
143. Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, Fort Worth

RELATED: Family-Friendly Historical Places to Visit in Texas

NATURE & OUTDOORS

It’s OK to get a little bit dirty…

144. Klyde Warren Park, Dallas*
145. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, Dallas*
146. Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Plano
147. Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve, Southlake
148. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth
149. Cedar Ridge Preserve, Dallas
150. Connemara Meadow Preserve, Allen
151. Dinosaur Valley State Park, Glen Rose
152. Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center, Cedar Hill
153. Elm Fork Nature Preserve, Carrollton
154. Fort Worth Botanic Garden, Fort Worth*
155. Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, Fort Worth
156. Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, McKinney*
157. River Legacy Nature Center, Arlington*
158. Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden at Dallas Arboretum, Dallas*
159. Texas Discovery Gardens, Dallas*
160. Trinity Forest Adventure Park, Dallas
161. Trinity River Audubon Center, Dallas

RELATED: Kid-Friendly Restaurants in Dallas-Fort Worth

MUSIC & THEATER

Shakespeare never saw so many:

162. Artisan Center Theater, Hurst (on stage at other locations while its theater is temporarily closed)
163. AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas
164. Bass Performance Hall, Fort Worth
165. Casa Mañana, Fort Worth*
166. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts, Richardson
167. Dallas Children’s Theater, Dallas*
168. Broadway Dallas, Dallas
169. Palace Theatre, Grapevine
170. Hip Pocket Theatre, White Settlement
171. Kids Who Care, Fort Worth
172. McKinney Performing Arts Center, McKinney
173. Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas
174. North Texas Performing Arts, Fairview, Frisco, Dallas, Plano and Southlake*
175. Pocket Sandwich Theatre, Carrollton
176. Showtime Saturdays at Galleria Dallas, Dallas*
177. Theatre Arlington, Arlington
178. Texas Trust CU Theatre, Grand Prairie
179. Teatro Dallas, Dallas
180. WaterTower Theatre, Addison
181. Upright Theatre Co., Euless

---

The Bottom Line

This article will continue to update with up-to-date information periodically.

---

Top photo of Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden courtesy of Dallas Arboretum