Art&Seek Jr. is one mom‘s quest to find activities to end the seemingly endless chorus of the “I’m Bored Blues” while having fun herself. Impossible you say? Check back on Tuesdays for kid-friendly events that are fun for adults, too.

Spring in Texas can mean a lot of things: wildflowers, graduations, baby birds … the dreaded spring cleaning ritual. But for me, nothing says spring like an outdoor festival. They’re great reminders to get outside and enjoy the glorious springtime weather before the beastly blast of summer heat sets in. And they also provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy some quality bonding time with the tot-lettes.

Spring is winding down, but there are a bumper crop of festivals this weekend, celebrating everything from wildflowers to man’s best friend. Here are a just few from the Art&Seek Jr. basket for you and the tinies to pick from.

For those of you wanting to take in the flora and fauna of springtime, the Wildflower! Arts & Music Festival in Richardson is just the ticket. Besides the impressive lineup of music for the adults, there’s also a festival “Kidz Korner,” where kids can hang out and enjoy entertainment geared just for them. Highlights include a karaoke stage, a rock wall and SpringFree trampoline for the energetic, and a live butterfly habitat for all those Fancy Nancys out there.

Butterflies, painted and real, can be found at Wildflower! Photo: Wildflower! Richardson’s Arts and Music Festival

The wide open space along the Trinity River makes the perfect backdrop for the the Trinity River Wind Festival on Saturday. You can bring one of your own kites to fly or watch one of the many spectacular show or stunt kites. Kids can also take part in a wildflower planting,  see an outreach show from the Dallas Zoo, and watch Japanese kite makers at work.

If soaring up in the clouds is your idea of a good time, then you’re going to love Warbirds Over Addison at Cavanaugh Flight Museum. The kids can see vintage WWII, Korean War and Vietnam-era airplanes take to the skies; a Sherman tank demonstration; and an aerial dog fight between a Japanese Zero and a P-40 Warhawk. If that isn’t exciting enough, for a little extra dough you can take a ride in one of the Warbirds.

You can meet a mermaid at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival. Photo Therese Powell

How about a trip back in time? Round up your princesses and knights and head out to Waxahachie for the 33rd annual Scarborough Renaissance Festival. If you’ve got kids who still believe the people walking around in the costumes are really kings, queens, pirates and fairies, then this can be especially fun. We had a  memorable encounter with Queen Margaret, who made Rose a princess. The “man-powered” wooden rides are great, as are the exchanges with the salty dog operators. New this year is a Mermaid Lagoon, where the wee ones can meet a mermaid and touch her tail. They have a language of their own, so unless you speak mermaid you’re out of luck in the conversation department.

Lastly, a festival especially for Fido. Don’t Forget to Feed Me is hosting Happy Tails, an ice cream social for dogs on Saturday from 2 to 4 at the Pavilion at Trinity Park in Fort Worth. You and your special four-legged friend can enjoy games, contests and, of course, ice cream. And you can feel good about it, too, because 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit Don’t Forget to Feed Me, an organization that provides pet food to those who are economically disadvantaged.

There you have it. So get out there and celebrate spring, already!

Therese Powell is an Art&Seek calendar coordinator and KERA-TV producer. She spends most of her free time seeking out adventures for her 7-year-old daughter, Rose. Tell us about your quirky kid adventures by leaving a comment. Or e-mail Therese at [email protected]