Category Archives: Spring Events with Kids

Fun Ways to Celebrate Earth Day 2016 with Kids in Lubbock

Earth Day 2016 – Friday April 22nd

Earth Day is always a great chance to get our kids in the spirit of being green and saving green!… helping them make the connection that their world really does affect our world …. and that every day is truly Earth Day! Lubbock offers many events and activities that can be a fun way to celebrate and educate!

1. Shop the Annual Plant Sale at the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum.
Saturday 4/16 from 9am-3pm the Arboretum at 41st & University will be buzzing with fun, plants & rain barrel kits to select, and a Kids Zone for young gardeners with races, snacks and garden activities! The Native Plant Society will be there selling water-wise plants and the Lubbock Master Gardeners will also be there to help and answer questions. Great earth-friendly items for our homes at great prices with proceeds going to organizations that help make our earth better!

2. Pack a snack and take a FREE Citibus ride.
On Earth day, Friday April 22nd, Citibus celebrates by offering FREE rides! So grab the kids, and a picnic and ride the bus to a favorite location. See their website for routes.

3. Plant flowers at Hodges Community Center.
On Earth day, Friday April 22nd from 3-5pm, take the kids by Hodges for some good, clean, dirty fun helping plant beautiful flowers! The perfect Earth Day event!

4. Plan to attend the next Second Saturday event at the Arboretum .
A great, free monthly event at the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum that features speakers and info centered on earth-friendly practices.

5. Checkout the South Plains Water Expo.
From 11am – 3:00pm on Saturday 4/23, the entire family will enjoy learning about our most valuable resource at the 2016 Water Conservation Exposition at Frenship High School. Fun activities for kids and free educational clinics are highlighted. This year features a performance by Kevin Barnes, the “Green Magican.” The annual event is sponsored by The City of Wolfforth & The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service with assistance from High Plains Water District and LubbockForKids.com.

6. Visit the Texas Children in Nature website.
This wonderful resource provided by the Texas Partnership for Children in Nature features sources and links for family nature activities around Lubbock and the State. Also see their link to the Nature Rocks! Caprock site sponsored by the Lubbock Lake Landmark - which is also a great place to visit around Earth Day!

7. Visit the South Plains Wildlife Rehab Center.
Baby bird season is in full swing so a trip to the Wildlife Rehab center at 95th & Indiana is especially fun and always informative! Open Hours are during daylight hours 365 days a year so you can drop by anytime. They have a wonderful Junior Volunteer program for kids age 12 – 17 too.

8. Take a tour of the South Plains Food Bank Farm & learn about G.R.U.B.
To see a real working example of ecology in action, call to schedule a tour of the 5-acre Carolyn Lanier Youth Farm at 76th & Ave. B. It’s a facility that includes an urban sustainable farm & learning center under the GRUB program (Growing Recruits for Urban Business) of the South Plains Food Bank.

9. Visit the Wind Museum and the Bayer Museum of Agriculture.
The Wind Museum & American Wind Power Center (17th & Canyon Lakes Dr.) and the nearby Bayer Museum of Agriculture are both great trips for our kids to remind them of our history and dependence on water sources and agriculture – especially impactful during our times of drought!

Do you have local Earth Day traditions or events that you share with your kids? Share them with us here or on our Facebook Page!

Updated 4/15/2016

Top 10 Spring Outings & Events for Kids & Families in Lubbock

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Spring in West Texas is here and other than the occasional dusting, we truly have the very best weather in the country! Crisp mornings, warm afternoons and amazing sunsets grace the Lubbock area: The perfect setting to grab the family and soak in the sunshine at some of the local spring events. Here are our Top 10 Spring Events… plus a few more… just to start! There are way-more than 10, so please see our bustin-at-the-seams calendar for more! Did we miss a favorite for your family? Share it with us here!

Butterflies Alive! at The Science Spectrum: through June 12th.
There’s no better way to welcome springtime than introducing our kids to hundreds of beautiful butterflies! The Science Spectrum’s exhibit Butterflies Alive! gives us all a unique opportunity to get up close and personal with these exquisite creatures. Exhibit only: $5/child & $6/adult. To make the experience complete, catch the accompanying movie in the OMNI Theatre: “Flight of the Butterflies.” Movie only: $6.50/child & $8/adult. Group & Member discounts available.

The Lubbock Arts Festival at the Civic Center: Fri through Sun. April 15th – 17th.
It wouldn’t be springtime in Lubbock without the Lubbock Arts Festival… enriching our community and inspiring our kids for 37 years! In addition to artists from all areas of the country, the festival features the “Run For the Arts” fun run Saturday morning, children’s area with writing and art competitions specifically to light the creative fires for our youngest Lubbockites! Also find a presentation by Hank the Cowdog author John R. Erickson this year on Sunday… free with Arts Festival admission! Event Admission: $2 for Children under 12, $4 for adults.

Kidsfish @ Maxey Park: Sat. April 15th.
Bring a fishing pole, a chair, and the kids… ready to have fun! All free!

Quailapalooza! Junior Rough Riders Spring Corral @ the National Ranching Heritage Center. Sat. April 23rd from 1-3pm. Limited Space Available. Children ages 5-12 are invited to spend an afternoon seeing and studying Northern Bobwhite Quail with scientists from TTU’s Department of Natural Resources, Quail Tech Alliance and Quail Forever. Only $5 or free for Ranching Heritage Association members.

Quailapalooza at the National Ranching Heritage Center. Photo by John Weast.

South Plains Water Conservation Expo. Sat. April 23rd.
Frenship High School from 11am-3pm. FREE. The 3rd Annual Water Expo will be a fun-filled day for everyone in the family. Kevin Barnes, the nationally reknowned “Green Magician” is this year’s featured guest in addition to a fun kids “Water Conservation Cruise” passport activity that will take them on a journey to various fun crafts, stories and activities for extra prizes. Adults will enjoy the exhibits & helpful sessions with information on how we can all make a difference to impact our water resources. Food Trucks, selfies with Walter Drop, Water Wisdom High Jinks with Literacy Lubbock, an appearance by Biscuit the Dog from Barnes & Noble and more…

Duck Derby & Family Fun Fest: Sat. April 30th.
Destined to be an annual not-to-miss fundraising event (proceeds benefit Lubbock Legal Aid)! Kids love to see the ducks launch and “race” with lots of activities for the family to enjoy! Buddy Holly Park from 11am-4pm.

Safety City Birthday Party & Spring Festival: Sat. April 30th.
Safety City is turning 23 this year with a spring festival to celebrate their birthday. For all ages. FREE.

Lemonade Day: Sat. May 14th.
Lubbock Lemonade Day gives our kids the chance to be a part of a community program that they see supported and promoted all over town. Invaluable experience for them and a fun event… even if they just decide to buy some lemonade from another child’s stand on May 14th!

Sun ‘n Fun Grand Opening Celebration: Sat. May 28th.
Plan to celebrate the opening of the new YWCA Sun n’ Fun complex over Memorial Day weekend. You know your kids will love the new splashpad… and tons more! Click here for more info on all the great programs available at the J.T. & Margaret Talkington YWCA at Sun ‘N Fun… most are registering now.

Night Hikes at the Lubbock Lake Landmark: monthly starting in March.
Enjoy the beauty of our famous West Texas sunsets at twilight! Take advantage of the free monthly Night Hikes at the LLL. Take a picnic, your walking shoes (trails are paved so it’s perfect for strollers!), and your water bottle. 2016 dates include:
Sat. 3/19. 7:30pm.
Sat. 4/16: 7:45pm.
Sat. 5/21: 8:15pm.
Sat. 6/18: 8:30pm.
Sat. 7/16: 8:30pm.
Sat. 8/20: 8:00pm.
Sat. 9/17: 7:15pm.

Updated 4/14/2016

Easter Week Hunt Guide 2016

Community Easter Egg Hunts

Community Heath Center of Lubbock Easter Egg Hunt. Friday March 25th, 2-4pm. Chapman Health Clinic (2301 Cedar Ave.). FREE. Games from 2-3pm and an Easter Hunt at 3:30pm.
Annual Easter Egg Hunt with Texas Tech Tennis. Friday March 25th, 5pm at the Lady Raiders’ match vs. Northwestern! FREE admission.
Easter Egg Scramble and Spring Fair @ Buffalo Springs Lake. Saturday March 26th. Kids 11 and under are FREE until 2pm. Hunt begins at 2pm by age group. Spring Fair is open til 4pm.
Easter Egg Hunt hosted by the 34th St. Merchants Association @ Toms Tree Place (34th & Slide). Saturday March 26th, 11am-noon. FREE.
The Annual Bodyworks Easter Egg Hunt. FREE and open to the public. At 4th St. location. Easter Sunday, March 27th @ 2pm (prompt!).

EGGstravaganzas at area churches

These aren’t your everyday, old fashioned church Easter Egg Hunts! These are EXTRAVAGANZAs!… all free, and many include a fair-like atmosphere with bounce houses, door prizes, trains, or music.

Cornerstone Bible Church Good Friday Party & Egg Hunt. Friday March 25th, 5:30-8pm. Face painting, a bounce house, bracelet-making, craft booths, a kid-friendly movie and door prizes for children.
FCN First Church of the Nazarene. Easter Egg Adventure. Saturday March 26th, 9am-noon.
St. Luke’s Southwest Campus. Easter Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza. Saturday March 26th, 2:30-4pm.
Indiana Ave. Baptist Church. Community Easter Egg Hunt. Saturday March 26th, 10am-noon.
The Worship Center Easter Egg Hunt and Celebration @ Laura Bush Middle School. Saturday March 26th, 11:00am-1:00pm.
Wolfforth UMC Egg Hunt Easter Fest 2016. Saturday March 26th 11am-12noon.
Victory Life Church. Easter Eggstravaganza. Saturday March 26th, 1-2pm.

Be sure to check with your neighborhood church too… even if they are not organizing a big event, many are offering church-wide Easter hunts and programs open to all guests!

Selfies with the Easter Bunny

Better catch him Saturday… he’s got a really busy schedule Sunday!

South Plains Mall. Through Saturday at 10pm.
Kingsgate Center at BC Women’s & Children’s Wear. Saturday 3/26. 1-4pm.
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the Abilene Zoo (If you happen to be in Abilene or are ready for a short road trip!). Saturday 3/26. 9am & 10:30am.

Do you know of other area Easter events? Share them with us here!

Playlist to Rock Mom's Day around the Hub

Moms who like to Play

Of course, one of the most playful places in town is Joyland! And on Mother’s Day, moms ride free with a paying child from 2 PM – 8 PM. Fun! Buffalo Springs Lake is also launching their first “Float-In” Movie event the Friday of Mother’s Day weekend on May 8th - you can pull up on your boat, float on an inner tube, or sit in the grass, and watch a family movie together to kick off the weekend.

Moms who like to Learn

The great thing about educational events with kids… they’re also fun… even for moms! The Science Spectrum is a local treasure and if you haven’t had a chance to take in the exhibits and the pirates, then it’s the perfect time! Regular rates apply. They are also featuring a special pirate event Saturday 5/9 called the “Pirate School! Swashbuckling Show” at 1:30pm & 3:30pm. $3/child & $4/adult.

The 2015 Wolfforth Water Conservation Exposition also takes place Saturday at Frenship High School from 10:30am-4pm where everyone can learn more about about water conservation and enjoy fun activities for the kids too! The Texas Tech Museum on Saturday offers the popular Dino Day event from 1-4pm… free and fun and a great learning experience! And of course, a stroll through the Windmill Museum, Silent Wings Museum, Lubbock Lake Landmark, or the Bayer Museum of Agriculture always offers a great day together and they are all open Mother’s Day Weekend.

Moms who like the Theatre and Musicals

There’s a “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” treat for Mom (and her kids!) Mother’s Day weekend this year: Moonlight Musical’s performance of Mary Poppins! Shows are Thursday May 7 through Sunday May 10 at the Civic Center Theatre.

And on Mother’s Day, another musical treat… the Lubbock Alamo Drafthouse has a special Broadway Brunch featuring of The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews at 3pm Sunday.

Moms who are Foodies

There are several nice Mother’s Day Brunches & deals being offered locally:
The Overton Hotel is presenting their popular Mother’s Day Brunch.
At Beef ‘O’ Brady’s moms eat FREE on Mother’s Day with a purchase of equal/greater value.
And perfect for moms with little ones ages 3-7, it’s a special Moms and Muffins “A Mother’s Day Event” at Hodges Community Center on Saturday 5/9 from 9-11am. And perfect for the entire family, there is and Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social at Maxey Community Center 9-11am Saturday benefiting the Girl Scouts.

Moms who are Artsy

There are several paint-your-own pottery/craft places that are featuring mom & child pieces through the month. The Mud Room has their Kid’s Day Saturday 5/9 where kids receive 15% off, Clay Café is featuring mom prints, Painting with a Twist is having a 1pm Mom & Teen “Gratitude” painting session on Saturday before Mother’s Day, and Art & Company is having a class on Saturday. Whether creating a surprise for Mom or with Mom, there are several chances to create priceless, precious works of art and some memories!

Moms who are Health Conscious

There is a great Child Safety fair this weekend…. making it the perfect outing for moms who love to stay up on all the latest for healthy families… and have fun with the kids! The community-wide Healthy Summer Festival @ Safety City (46th & Ave. U) is Saturday 5/9 from 10am-1pm featuring tons of activities for the family including free children’s immunizations (bring shot records), car seat safety checks, bike rodeo, carnival games, entertainment, free health screenings, free fitness classes, demonstrations, dog agility and door prizes.

Moms who like Nature

The Second Annual Scales, Tails & Trails G.O. (Get Outside) event at the Lubbock Lake Landmark is the perfect family activity for the mom who enjoys learning about and experiencing the beauty of our West Texas home. It’s a FREE outdoor education event for all ages Sat. 5/9 from 10am-2pm that features freebies and fun activities including a scavenger hunt, fish prints, live animals and face painting. The Lubbock Memorial Arboretum is also holding their Second Saturday event 5/9 at 10am where moms and kids can learn more about gardening in West Texas – “Gardening in Small Spaces” is the theme Mother’s Day weekend.

Moms who like to Run

Saturday 5/9, Frenship High School is having their Second Annual Frenship Spirit Fun Run 5K from 8:30-11am starting at Tiger Stadium/People’s Bank Stadium Parking Lot. Proceeds benefit the Frenship PTSA.

Moms who like to Pitch-in for a Good Cause

Saturday 5/9, is Lubbock Lemonade Day. Moms and little entrepreneurs will be able to spend some nice quality time together, pitching-in together making their own family business for the day! Saturday is also the 2nd Annual Duck Derby & Family Fun Fest sponsored by the Legal Aid Society at Buddy Holly Recreation Area. Fun Fest is 11am-4pm and the Ducks drop at 2pm. Prizes include great family packages including a Carnival Cruise and Schlitterbahn and Texas Ranger tickets.

So many ways to enjoy Mother’s Day – fast & slow! See our Calendar for more ideas on how to make Mom’s weekend rock!

Do you know of any other Mother’s Day deals or freebies? How do you celebrate Mother’s Day? Add your favorites and other Mother’s Day events here and share with us!