From a sweet "sundae" funday featuring a DIY ice cream bar to a super-cool mural project that changes weekly, get the family up and 'em for these fun Valley events for the whole gang during the weekend of August 24-26.
Friday:
Tween/Teen Night at AZ Air Time
From 8 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, all tweens and teens, ages 12 and up, are invited to AZ Air Time trampoline park in Scottsdale to enjoy exciting dodgeball tournaments, dancing contests, and jumping on the indoor trampolines and into foam pits. This supervised nighttime play is perfect for parents who are looking for a safe, indoor place for their older kids to spend time on the weekend evenings. Cost is $15 for three hours.
A Mirror Maze: Numbers in Nature at the Arizona Science Center
Want to give your kids a treat while expanding their knowledge? Well, the Arizona Science Center has a limited-time exhibit perfect for you (only through Sept. 4). Guests will have the opportunity to explore a seemingly infinite repeating pattern of mirrors in this exhibition created by the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry (MSI). So, be sure to grab your favorite selfie stick and prepare for many twists and turns around dead ends. Oh! And maze explorers will ultimately discover a small secret room with bonus puzzles, imagery and artifacts.
Make-A-Mega-Mess with FOAM
Get ready for a new PopX experience at Children’s Museum of Phoenix: Make-A-Mega-Mess with FOAM! Let loose and get as messy as you'd like; the folks at the museum will take care of clean-up (pack an extra set of clothes for the little ones). All guests must purchase general admission tickets to enter. #GetMessy through Nov. 18. Click here for tickets.
Saturday:
Cool Summer Nights at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Beat the Arizona heat and enjoy a family-friendly outing during our popular Cool Summer Nights at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson from 5 to 10 p.m. The desert comes alive at night as nocturnal animals awake. Bats perform aerial acrobatics in pursuit of dinner, beavers splash around in their pond, and scorpions glow green under black light. Bring your flashlight and explore, experience a live animal encounter, or participate in special nightly activities.
Summer Mural Project at Desert Ridge Marketplace
Desert Ridge Marketplace is transforming into a living public art gallery through Labor Day. Each week, a new artist will have their turn to paint a unique public mural, which will be on display for one week. Art styles and themes will vary dramatically throughout the summer.
Book-Inspired Kid’s Menus at Southern Rail
Southern Rail offers a one-of-a-kind kid's menu incorporating the dishes into some of the most beloved children's books (it is located next-door to Changing Hands Bookstore in Phoenix, after all). The restaurant rotates 15 to 20 different books so that each kid will have something new to read each time. The unique kids menu is also available at Southern Rail’s sister restaurant, Beckett’s Table.
Pangaea Land of the Dinos at OdySea in the Desert not only offers plenty for kids of all ages to see and do, but it provides an educational look at prehistoric times in a way kids have likely only seen in books and movies. Time at Land of the Dinos starts with a walk through the colorful, lifelike habitats that are filled with 50 robotic dinosaurs, as well as bugs, birds and more, which move and make noise. A helpful tour guide teaches guests about each dinosaur along the way. (Kids adore the giant T-Rex!)
Sunday:
Sundae Funday at Desert Ridge Marketplace
Stop by Desert Ridge Marketplace’s The District from 5 to 7 p.m. for Sundae Funday. Indulge in customized sweet treats from the DIY ice cream sundae bar, where kids and adults can create their very own Cold Stone Creamery ice cream masterpiece for free from a variety of flavors and toppings. Plus, enjoy live entertainment, dancing, giveaways, lawn games and more for a laid back day of family fun. The first 100 Sundae Funday attendees will receive a free take-home ice cream gift to remember this super sweet day. (Limit one per person. While supplies last.)
Last Chance to See “Newsies” by Valley Youth Theatre
As the first show of their 30th season, Valley Youth Theatre presents the musical, Newsies, through August 26, on Center Stage at the Herberger Theater Center. Tickets for Newsies range from $16.50 to $35.50 and can be purchased via telephone at 602.252.8497 or online, for an additional fee, at HerbergerTheater.org.
Dino Explorer at the Legoland Discovery Center Arizona
Do you have a dino-loving dude or dudette in the house? Well, treat them to a day they will never forget at the Legoland Discovery Center Arizona. This exhibit features a wide variety of dino-themed activities and hands-on learning. You will also have the chance to build your own Tyrannosaurus Rex--or any other dinosaur. And before you leave, you will have the opportunity to take a photo with the huge lego T-Rex.
