April Activities for Kids and Families in Austin
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It's time for Enriched Family's April roundup of kid and family activities happening in the Austin area. As usual, this list is not exhaustive, but includes a sampling of events that caught my eye that I wanted to highlight. Additional good sources for activity lists are included at the end of the post.
(Please note, the following is provided for informational purposes only; the information is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge, but there may be omissions, errors or mistakes, and no guarantees are made.)
Free Easter Egg Festival
Event: Easter Egg Festival
Details: First United Methodist Church will host its annual Easter Egg Festival. Join us on the Capitol lawn for face painting, crafts, games, preschool egg hunts, and elementary school egg roll races! A visit from the Easter Bunny is a special tradition. Breakfast tacos, hot dogs, and sausage will be available for sale. This event is free and open to the public. Please bring your friends and non-perishable food donations for Caritas of Austin.
When: Saturday, March 31, 2018, 9:30-11:00am
Where: Texas State Capitol Grounds at Colorado and 12th Street
*Can't get enough bunnies and Easter egg hunts? Check out Do512 Family's list of family Easter events in Austin.
Camp and School Open Houses
Open House: Camp Doublecreek Open House
Details: Check out Camp Doublecreek for your summer camp needs. Camp Doublecreek features horseback riding, all kinds of sports, miniature golf, baby animals, arts and crafts, archery, tennis, tumbling, a playscape, and many other games and activities for children ages 4-14.
When: Saturdays in April - April 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th from 10am-12pm
Where: Camp Doublecreek campus in Round Rock, 800 Double Creek Dr, Round Rock
*Received the Austin Family Magazine 2017 Readers' Poll Favorites Award for “Overall Fun” in camps category
Open House: Lake Hills Montessori Open House
Details: Give your child the gift of Montessori! Join Lake Hills Montessori, a private Montessori school for children ages 2-6 (preschool through kindergarten), at an open house. Visit our campus where you and your child can explore our classrooms and discover the benefits of Montessori. $200 enrollment fee waived if you enroll your child at an Open House!
When: Saturday, 4/7/2018, 9am-12pm, & Saturday, 4/21/2018, 9am-12pm
Where: Lake Hills Montessori, 600 N. Cuernavaca Dr., Austin, TX 78733
Free Educational/Cultural Activities
Event: Baby Strokes - Infant / Child Massage Baby Massage Demonstration
Details: Come learn how a simple touch can benefit your baby! Melanie Wattles of Baby Strokes - Infant Child Massage will be answering your questions and demonstrating the power of baby massage.
When: Saturday, April 7, 2018, 12-2pm
Where: Pottery Barn Kids Austin at the Arboretum, 10000 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78759
Event: Girlstart's STEM Studio and Mini-Planitarium Starry Nights Program
Details: Girlstart’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Studio and Mini-Planetarium is a unique space for families to explore astronomy! Starry Nights are held the 1st Thursday of every month (except January, June, July, and August), with each month featuring a new astronomy experience and related hands-on activities. Everyone is welcome (all ages); RSVP is recommended, however it is not required. Free. Thursday, April 5th event will feature lunar shows.
When: Thursday, April 5, 2018, from 5:30-7pm
Where: Girlstart STEM Center (1400 W Anderson Ln.)
Event: HONK!TX A free festival of community street bands
Details: HONK!TX is a nonprofit, community-driven festival that brings street and brass bands from around the country to perform for free in the public spaces of Austin, Texas. Mobile and unamplified, HONK! bands transform everyday locations into spontaneous stages, dissolving the line between crowd and performers and inviting everyone to celebrate the joys of music and community. A range of genres will be represented: New Orleans second-line brass, European Klezmer and Balkan, Brazilian, West African and more. HONK! is a celebration of community, collaboration and creative expression. Join the revelry! Free, three day, family-friendly festival.
When: Friday, April 6th-Sunday, April 8th. Check out the schedule here.
Where: Friday is in the evening at Mueller Lake Park, Saturday is during the day in the Hyde Park area near Spiderhouse Cafe and Sunday culminates with a band revue at Pan Am Park. Addresses here.
Event: Lake Travis SpringFest
Details: The Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce will bring SpringFest back to the Hill Country Galleria. Presented by St. David’s Emergency Center, SpringFest is a full day community festival filled with shopping, food, music, and fun for the whole family. SpringFest kicks off with unique shopping, a KidZone the size of a football field, kiddo performances, and LIVE music in the new Central Plaza area. Stroll through 95+ local and regional artisan vendor booths for an experience that is only found in South Lake Travis. Everyone is welcome, and admission and parking are free! Bring the kiddos; they will have hours of fun playing in the KidZone with loads of rides and attractions. While SpringFest is a free event, you may purchase tickets for KidZone attractions and rides. Purchase an all day pass in advance for $15 and save $5. Tickets and all day passes for attractions will also be available onsite - $20 for 1 child, $15 for 2, and $10 for 3.
When: Saturday, April 28th, 2018, 11am-7pm
Where: Southwest Austin, Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave, TX 78738
Event: Senior Living Truth Series
Details: Westbank Libraries is partnering with Austin Senior Resource Alliance to present a year-long series of candid conversations with local experts focusing on the specific concerns faced by senior adults and their families. Join in on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 10:30am at Laura’s Library to be part of the conversation. The Tuesday, April 24th talk will focus on “The Truth About Paying for Senior Living."
When: Tuesday, April 24th, 2018, 10:30am-12:00pm (and the fourth Tuesday of each month, from 10:30am-12pm)
Where: Laura Bush Community Library, 9411 Bee Caves Rd, Austin
Event: Spanish Demo Class
Details: Toybrary Austin is hosting a free Spanish demo class provided by Mi Casa Es Tu Casa. Mi Casa Es Tu Casa will provide a fun, 35 minute music demo class for children 0-5 and their parents to introduce and reinforce Spanish. Toybrary Austin is a toy lending library for children ages 6 months to 5 years old.
When: Tuesday, April 3, 2018 from 10:30am-12:00pm
Where: Toybrary Austin, 2001 Justin Lane, Austin, 78757
Cost: While Mi Casa Es Tu Casa will not charge for the demo class, the Toybrary will charge a reduced entrance fee of $5 for the event.
Mama Support Events
Event: Bonding With Baby: Attachment Workshop for New Moms and Moms-to-Be
Details: Hosted by Ilyse Kennedy, LMFT-Associate, LPC-Intern. This workshop is about attachment, the bond that forms between a baby and caregiver and is the basis for the child getting their needs met; needs include physical and emotional. Despite what we may be told, or kept in the dark about, secure attachment does not always happen naturally. Our attachment styles are typically learned from the type of attachment we experienced growing up. Even in growing up with a secure attachment style, other things may get in the way of attaching securely with baby such as perinatal mood disorders and other circumstances surrounding a stressful birthing experience. In this workshop you will:
Learn what attachment is and why it is so important for developing your baby's brain and nervous system (in simple terms for all mamas to understand).
Learn your own attachment style and what that means for building attachment with your newborn.
Recognize how to best form an attachment bond with your newborn--even through the challenging first few months of motherhood.
Learn what factors may get in the way of building a secure attachment and how to keep the attachment bond strong.
Meet and have an open conversation with other new mothers about hopes, fears, and challenges in bonding with baby during the first year.
Stationary babies welcome! Free, register here.
When: Saturday, April 7 at 10am-12:30pm
Where: Twin Oaks Branch, Austin Public Library, 1800 South 5th Street, Austin, Texas 78704
Event: Hustle and Flow Back to Work Breast-feeding Class
Details: Hosted by It's More Than Milk Lactation Services. Wondering how to make breastfeeding work with work? Taught by Naya Weber, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, who has been a working and breastfeeding mom, Hustle & Flow aims to prepare lactating parents for their return to work after bonding/maternity leave. Topics covered include basic pumping, milk storage, starting bottles, making plans with your employer, and more. A basic understanding of breastfeeding (through experience or from a prenatal breastfeeding class) is strongly recommended prior to taking this class. There will be plenty of time for questions. Class includes text and email support as you prepare to return to work. Breastfed lap babies are welcome. On-site childcare is available for children over 6 months. Class size is limited to 10 seats to ensure participants are fully comfortable with the information and their back to work plan.
When: Saturday, April 14 at 10am-12pm
Where: The Hive Austin, 10415 Old Manchaca Rd, Austin, Texas 78748
Cost: $35. Tickets here.
Event: Mother's Tea - South Austin
Details: Hosted by Vibrant Life Chiropractic & Coaching - Austin. It takes a village to raise a family. We all hear that repeated so frequently, but so few of us have actually found our own mothering community. This event aims to help every mother on their journey. One of the main goals for Vibrant Life is to foster a sense of community for mothers and mothers to-be in Austin. Mother's Tea is an informal event meant to bring together mamas in the area from all backgrounds and walks of life. We will have a selection of teas to choose from as well as light snacks. This group will be facilitated by professional Postpartum Doula, Kristen Lucas Postpartum Doula however, there will not be any formal discussion topic, just an icebreaker question and budding friendship. Kiddos under 5 years old are always welcome, but due to limited space and the nature of the event, please leave older siblings with a trusted caregiver. This event is free and open to the public. Free parking is located beside the building (Hill Country Wellness Center).
When: Wednesday, April 25 at 10am. This is a repeating event, occuring the last Wednesday of every month at 10am.
Where: Vibrant Life Chiropractic & Coaching, 9300 W Highway 290 Building A, Austin, Texas 78736
Event: The Women's Empowerment Conference
Details: The annual Women's Empowerment Conference (WE Con) is presented every spring by the Women's Community Center of Central Texas. A full day of workshops and panels on empowerment, skill building, social justice, wellness, and more...Program here.
When: Saturday, April 21, 2018, 9am-5pm
Where: Austin Community College Eastview, 3401 Webberville Road, Austin, Texas 78702
Cost: $25 regular; $15 student. Register here. Admission is free for teens (12-18); email info@womenctx.org if you're a teen (12-18) who would like to attend the teen workshops.
Museum Exhibits
Exhibit: Beyond Bollywood - Indian Americans Shape the Nation
Details: Traveling Exhibition. Explore the heritage, daily experience, and numerous, diverse contributions that Indian immigrants and Indian Americans have made in shaping the United States. Enjoy complementary docent and educational programming throughout the exhibition period provided by South Asian Austin Moms.
Beyond Bollywood: Indian Americans Shape the Nation was created by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Museums and Cultural Programs Division, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute. The exhibition is presented in partnership between City of Austin’s Asian American Resource Center (AARC) and South Asian Austin Moms (SAAM).
Museum/Location: Asian American Resource Center, Ballroom, 8401 Cameron Road, Austin
When: On display through April 8th, 2018 (open M, Tu, F, Sat, 9am-5pm; W and Th, 9am-9pm)
Admission: Free
Exhibit: Neill-Cochran House Museum Sunday Funday & History Lab
Details: Every first Sunday of the month from September through May (except New Year’s Day 2018), the Neill-Cochran House Museum opens its doors to feature free, hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, self-paced tours, and (weather permitting) lawn games with space to picnic in the shade. The theme of the Sunday Funday & History Lab on Sunday, April 1st is "Using the Telegraph and the Radio." You text, don’t you? Before and even after the telephone, the telegraph (a form of text messaging) was the way most people communicated quickly over long distances. Come learn how that worked!
Museum/Location: Neill-Cochran House Museum, 2310 San Gabriel St, Austin, TX 78705
When: Sunday, April 1, 2018, 1-4pm
Admission: Free
Exhibit: Where I Belong
Details: Mixed-race families open their doors to share lived experiences of Asian American Pacific Islander youth in Austin. This photography exhibit is co-curated by Lizzie Chen and the Asian American Resource Center.
Museum/Location: Asian American Resource Center, Ballroom, 8401 Cameron Road, Austin
When: On display through June 29th (open M, Tu, F, Sat, 9am-5pm; W and Th, 9am-9pm)
Admission: Free
*If you and your family enjoy exploring Austin's many fantastic museums, check out Do512 Family's list of free times to visit Austin museums.
Theatre and other Performances
Show: Goodnight Moon
Details: Zach Theatre, Theatre for Families, presents this production of the classic story. Step into the Great Green Room as one of the most iconic children’s books of all time is brought to life. In this lively musical, Bunny’s room magically comes alive with stunning puppetry, tap dancing bears, and even a trip through the night sky with a constellation light show. Age recommendation three and up.
When: Weekends March 2 through May 27, 2018
Where: Zach Theatre, 202 South Lamar Blvd, Austin
Tickets: $18 for youth; $24 full price
Show: Mr Johnny's Kids' Club Music Hour
Details: A "come to life" storytime on the stage. Sing, dance, jump, and shout with Johnny, Sharon, Nick, Amber & the HOPSTERS. Enjoy shakers, streamers, scarves, rhythm sticks, bubbles, stuffed animals, balloons, and weekly themes. Come early for juice, granola, coffee, muffins and more in the lobby. Seating is limited. Please reserve tickets in advance here.
When: Sundays at 10am, April 3rd - May 8th
Where: Austin Scottish Rite Theater, 207 W 18th St., Austin
Tickets: $1/person
Show: Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote - Children's Theater at Austin Scottish Rite Theater
Details: From the original book by Duncan Tonatiuh, adapted for the stage by Susan Gayle Todd. Pancho Rabbit meets danger at every stage of his journey to find his missing Papá, but the greatest danger of all is his untrustworthy guide. Kids will be inspired by this resonant and powerful story. Live music and imaginative scenes fill the Scottish Rite Theater stage. Recommended for K-5th grades.
When: April 7-29, 2018, at various times
Where: Austin Scottish Rite Theater, 207 W 18th St., Austin
Tickets: Adults ($12); children ages 2-12 ($8)
Also, check out these sites for lists of community activities for kids and families in the Austin area:
http://austinkidsdirectory.com/events/all/
Happy exploring Austin's many offerings with your families! Please feel free to send us local kid and family events to: hello[at]enrichedfamily.com.
Esha/Enriched Family
Enriched Family is dedicated to providing parents with the information, tools, and systems they need to organize their families and thrive. I help parents with a wide variety of practical, comprehensive family supports, including:
Home organizing services to assist families in organizing their stuff
Helping parents develop systems to better organize their family life
Such as support with meal planning, household scheduling, family routines, individual and family goal planning, setting up back-to-work plans for parents returning to work after maternity and/or paternity leave, and so on
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Including children’s camps, enrichment activities, private schools, college comparisons, early intervention services, family health and wellness resources, you name it…
Helping families with practical logistical challenges like moving/relocation coordination services or home repair coordination services
Need to research painting or handyman services for your house, but just can’t seem to find the time to do it? I’ll do the research, obtain quotes, and even meet the workers at your home!
Enriched Family is here to support you. I offer a free, 20-minute initial phone consultation to all new clients to discuss matching your needs and priorities with my services. In addition, I am also extending a 15% discount to all new clients through May 2018.