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. 

Did you hear the starting pistol that went off on October 1? Parents everywhere recognize that date as the official start of the “kid holiday season.” Unlike the regular (adult) holiday season, which begins roughly around November 1, the kid holiday season jumps the gun by a whole month and has a much more frenzied pace. From now until about 3 p.m. on December 25, it’s a crazy, frantic, non-stop mad dash of festivals, parties, school pageants, parades, science fairs, sporting events, and multiple family get-togethers. And much like a race, you’re absolutely and completely drained when it’s all over.

Yep. It’s not even the middle of October and your family calendar is probably already bursting at the seams with stuff you can’t get out of.  Suffice to say, until the end of the year you’re going to have to be much more selective with the bounty of seasonal activities that have suddenly popped up.

With that in mind, here are a passel of out-of-the-ordinary events that will not only help to get into the spirit of the season, but also ease you into the marathon ahead. You have to pace yourself, you know.

Don’t worry he doesn’t bite…much. (photo: LakeCities Ballet Theatre)

1. Kiss summer good-bye and welcome fall with open arms this Saturday by celebrating International Observe the Moon Night at The Planetarium at UT Arlington. In case you were wondering, International Observe the Moon Night (or InOMN, for short) is an annual event that is dedicated to encouraging people to ‘look up’ and take notice of our nearest celestial neighbor, the moon. They’ll have a telescope available at the planetarium from 6 – 7 p.m. so you and kids can have a look at the Man in the Moon  And speaking of moon men,  Ken Murphy, the president of the Moon Society, will also be there to answer your burning moon questions–like, what, exactly, is a Harvest Moon?

2. If you thought ballet was all Sugar Plum Fairies and dancing snowflakes, think again. LakeCities Ballet Theatres’ production of Le Ballet de Dracula is the classic story of the famous vampire told with with dancing gypsies, bats, vampire brides and Dracula himself. It will definitely put you in the Halloween spirit. Of course the Prince of Darkness isn’t for everyone, and smaller children should probably sit this one out, but older kids will be wowed by the special events and amazing choreography. In short, this show does for Halloween what The Nutcracker did for Christmas. The are are only three performances this weekend at the MCL Grand in Lewisville, so get your tickets now to see this soon-to-be holiday classic.

Trick-or-treat with the dinosaurs at Halloween at the Heard (photo Therese Powell

3. Kids in grades 4-8 can prepare for the Zombie invasion this Saturday morning at Plano Public Library’s Zombie-Palooza.  Tykes can make zombie treats, fake wounds, and create their own anti-zombie catapult. It’s free, and where else are you going to learn to make treats made out of zombies?

No doubt about it, it’s festival time in North Texas. For the next few weeks there will be a bumper crop of family-friendly fall festivals to choose from. Here are a couple you’re going to want to carve out time.

4. Coming up this weekend is River Legacy Living Science Center’s After Dark at the Park . In addition to all the standard fall festivals’ offerings of bounce houses, face painting, animal encounters and hay rides, you and the kiddos can also take a (semi) scary walk through the woods on the Viridian Haunted Trail. A word of caution, even though the walk through the woods is  only “mildly” scary, it’s probably best for kids 8 and older.

5. Along the same vein is Halloween at the Heard on Oct. 19. Tot-lettes can tick-or-treat through a wooded trail where they encounter animatronic dinosaurs. Speaking from experience, it’s a pleasant walk and not at all scary while it’s still light out, but after dark the “boo” factor definitely jumps a few notches.

Happy fall and happy planning!

Check in next week for our guide to pumpkin patches in North Texas.

Therese Powell is an Art&Seek calendar coordinator and KERA-TV producer. She spends most of her free time seeking out adventures for her 8-year-old daughter, Rose. Tell us about your ideas for kid adventures by leaving a comment. Or e-mail Therese at [email protected].