The BEST Pumpkin Farms in DFW

These are not your average pumpkin farms.

It's fall in North Texas, and the EA Crew takes this time of year very seriously. We love all things spooky and pumpkin-y and basically just all of it.

So this list of Pumpkin Farms isn't just a list of fields full of pumpkins-for-purchase, although I have nothing against those spots! They are perfect for last-minute pictures and pumpkins for carving and just general inexpensive fun. 

But if you want a pumpkin farm that is a destination, a place where you can enjoy all that screams fall: hayrides, apple cider, pumpkins and more, well, this is the list for you!

It's pumpkin farm time!

Best pumpkin farms for fall in Dallas/Fort Worth

🎃 Shadow Creek Pumpkin Farm
📍 Midlothian
💰 $12/person

🎃 Mainstay Farm 
📍Cleburne
💰 $24/person

🎃 Hall's Pumpkin Farm 
📍Grapevine
💰$15/adults, $10/kids

🎃 Yesterland Farm 
📍Canton
💰 $22 in advance/ $28 at the gate

🎃 Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch 
📍Flower Mound
💰$5/weekdays, $10 weekends

🎃 Lonestar Family Farm
📍Stephenville
💰 $16.50/person

🎃 Country Critters Farm 
📍 Alvarado
💰 $12/person

🎃 The Patch at Crossover Farm
📍 Rhome
💰 Hayride + Smores- $20/4 people

Where is your favorite pumpkin farm in DFW?

Best Indoor Play Areas for Kids in the Fort Worth Area

When my kids were little, all I wanted was a fun indoor play area that wasn't attached to a fast food place and that require me to constantly open my wallet to buy more tokens or play time. I wanted some place for my little kids to play without being trampled by big kids. I wanted a spot where I could sit and drink coffee and chat with friends while my little roamed and explored.

Best indoor play areas in the Fort Worth area!

Sadly for me, all of these awesome play areas started popping up after my kids were of school age. These are the wonderful spots that offer Wi-Fi and a spot to sip coffee and toys and play areas that are safe for kiddos younger than seven or eight. While we still don't have any of these types of places in Arlington, I certainly hope that there is someone in the area working out what it would take to open a Play Street Museum or similar facility in Arlington. I'm just glad that these areas finally exist in the western half of DFW- because I spent a LOT of time trucking my trio to Dallas when they were little in search of play spaces for littles.

Having too much fun at KidMania in Fort Worth!

These are the very best indoor play areas for younger kids in the Arlington & Fort Worth area! 🎠 Kid Mania Fort Worth 💴 $9 for kids, infants are free 📍 Fort Worth (Alliance area) (This play area is pictured) 🎠 Play Studio 💴 $10 per kid 📍 Fort Worth (Riverside area) 🎠 Play Street Museum Ft. Worth 💴 $12 per child 📍 Fort Worth (Ridglea area) 🎠 Recess Time Indoor Playground 💴 $14.50 per kid, includes socks 📍 Burleson 🎠 Celebration Party and Event Center 💴 $7 per child 📍 Keller 🎠 FamilyTime Mansfield 💴 $14 per kid 📍 Mansfield 🎠 The Family Playhouse Tx 💴 $10 per kid 📍 Fort Worth (Ridgmar Mall)

🎠 Kiddleton 💴 $7.50 weekdays/ $10 weekend 📍 Fort Worth (Hulen Mall) 🎠 Cheeky Monkeys Fort Worth 💴 $12.99/2 hours (weekdays) 📍Fort Worth (Alliance area) 🎠 Luv 2 Play 💴 $14 📍 Grapevine

🎠 Peek N Play 💴 $13 📍 Grapevine

Many of these spots will require kids to play in socks- don't forget yours or you may have to buy some on-site!

Don't forget snacks! Some places have designated eating areas. Our favorite was always Pirate's Booty.

Bring a water bottle and coffee if that's your jam. If your kids are a little older, consider your laptop if you're a work-from-home parent. Log some hours while the kids play!

If you want to know my absolute faves on this list... I love PlayStudio for kids younger than six, and they have a great outdoor space, as well. KidMania would be the top pick for my girls- this spot is great up until about age 12. We haven't been to several newer spots on this list, but Kiddleton looks absolutely amazing!

What is your favorite kids' play area in the Fort Worth area?

EA Roundup: Our Favorite Kids' Activities in the Arlington Area!

Now that we are almost a full month into the school year, it might be time to start thinking about kids' activities. Do you have a soccer player at home? Or maybe a gymnast? Perhaps your child wants to pursue art or music or scouting. We are fortunate to live in area where the list of activities in which you can enroll your child is virtually endless!

While you're here, click over to my article for Zulily, about all the classic board games you should own to play with your kids on weekends or on family nights spent bonding over board games from yesteryear!

No matter what interests your child has, there is truly something for everyone available in the greater Arlington area. While I won't pretend that we have personally tried out every place on this list (although, to be honest, we've tried a great many of these spots!), I will tell you that these spots all come recommended by friends and family.

Best Sports, Clubs and Activities for Kids in the Arlington Area

If you have an aspiring gymnast or dancer...

United Performing Arts Center will encourage your tiny dancer to learn tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical and more as a fun way to express themselves. This Park Row spot is a favorite with local parents. 

There are lots of great dance studios in Arlington, Texas, for your tiny dancer!

Stars Gymnastics Arlington is a great spot for your dancer if they want to learn tumbling, as well. Stars will teach your child acro-dance, which will combine dancing and tumbling for your tiny dancer. 

Spirals Gymnastics in Kennedale and Mansfield will bring out the inner Simone Biles in your child. Your kiddo will get to learn bars, beam, vault and floor exercise at both of these area locations. 

Ice at the Parks will help your child get comfortable on ice! Whether your child wants to pursue ice hockey or figure skating, this is a great spot to start! 

If your child wants to pursue the arts...

Theatre Arlington can help your child gain confidence on stage and learn what it takes to become an actor.

KidCreate Mansfield will help your child hone their artistic skills with painting and craft classes.

Destiny Voice + Music Studio has a variety of musicians on hand who provide guitar lessons, piano lessons, voice coaching and more. My middle daughter loves lessons here (I take credit for exactly zero percent of her musical talent. Her guitar skills skipped a generation as they passed from my dad to my daughter). 

Learning the basics of playing the guitar- inspired by her days of listening to Dave Matthews Band with her dad!

If your child wants to pursue athletic endeavors...

MARSwim will have your child in the water year-round. You can start with lessons at UTA (or several other area locations) when your child is four, and then they can progress to swim team when they are ready. Swim meets are optional but oh-so-fun!

I love going to swim meets and cheering on my favorite middle girl. 

i9 Sports offers a variety of athletics for your high-energy kiddo. Whether your child wants to pursue baseball, soccer, football or other sports, i9 likely offers a great team-sport experience for your child.

The Arlington Tennis Center will help your child learn the coordination and skills it takes to be successful on the court. Don't forget to follow Arlington Tennis Association on Facebook to learn about all the fun, free lessons they host for kids at the ATC! 

Viridian Sailing Club will help your child learn to sail right here in Arlington! They don't appear to offer regular weekly lessons, just summer camps... But keep your eye out, just in case! 

How fun would sailing lessons be?

Action Skatepark in Grand Prairie is a great spot for your child to learn to skateboard. My youngest just started lessons here and loves every second- even when she falls (hard) and ends lessons dripping in sweat. She (almost) never complains! 

If your child wants to learn new skills...

Code Ninjas Mansfield offers a number of computer programming classes and courses to help your child learn to code and so much more. 

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts offers kids a variety of ways to get involved in the local community. Kids will earn badges and learn skills that will help them throughout their lives. 

Girl Scouts is so much more than just selling cookies... Although we love doing that, too!

4-H introduces kids to the world of livestock. Kids will learn ways to serve their community through this organization. 

La Puerta Spanish Center offers Spanish instruction for kids interesting in learning a new language.

Arlington Chess Club will have your child thinking critically and mastering a new, challenging game in no time! (I admit- I have no idea how to play chess. Maybe I should join the adult club?...)

What activities will you be signing your kids up for this fall? 

A New Reading Adventure: The Cities of Adventure Series by Rishi Piparaiya

I love to travel. And I love to read. 

So when I discovered the Cities of Adventure series by Rishi Piparaiya, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a few books! 

Books about travel have such a special place in my heart because I think they help you visualize places you maybe haven't personally experienced. I admit, one of my favorite things about Dan Brown's books (Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code) is reading about Robert Langdon racing through some of my favorite cities in Europe, uncovering secrets. I've been to the Vatican before, but Angels & Demons made me want to race back to Rome and rediscover some of the areas Dan Brown discusses in the novel with the information the book provided. I love when reading and real life intersect!

A new reading adventure: exciting stories for young readers

The Cities of Adventure Books by Rishi Piparaiya. 

These new adventure books, available on Amazon, are that intersection of travel and adventure for kids. My middle daughter, my most avid reader of my three, sped through these great chapter books, embarking on a city-wide adventure in three major metropolitan areas around the world. 

The Race to Phar Lap's Saddle follows kids Neil and Tara through this exciting Australian City as the kids find themselves on mission to recover a stolen artifact. The book includes a kid-friendly map of the city, as well as travel tips, some differences between American English and Australian English and lots of cool facts about the land down under.

Cities of Adventure: The Race to Phar Lap's Saddle.

Framed in Hollywood tells the tale of a famed and framed Hollywood actress. Sally Sinclair is a well-known actress who is accused of committing a crime on the set of her latest film. Is she guilty? Or innocent? The books incorporates some of my favorite spots in Los Angeles- Rodeo Drive, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sunset Boulevard. You can also learn cool facts about the US and some of your favorite celebrities in the back of this fun book. 

Cities of Adventure: Framed in Hollywood

The Secret of the Snallygaster takes place in our nation's capitol, Washington D.C. Tara and Neil, the tale's star brother and sister duo, are on vacation in DC when a long-hidden family secret is revealed. The secret turns their vacation on its head, and the duo race to save a mysterious and magical creature, the snallygaster. We loved reading the tidbits about America in the back of the book and my middle daughter is mapping out all of the places she wants to go visit in Washington thanks to this book. 

There is already a fourth book out about New York City that we haven't read yet, called The Men from B.A.G.E.L. These books are all available on Amazon for $12.99. I am not an Amazon affiliate, so I don't stand to gain anything if you purchase through the links I've provided. There are more books coming in this series about cities all over the world. What a fun way to expose your kids to new cities and cultures and foster their love of reading!

Showing off a city map in a Cities of Adventure book from Amazon.

I did receive these books for free in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

  

Kids & National/State Parks: Best Trips in Texas and Beyond, Y'all!

A few years ago, a friend told me about the National Parks Pass for kids. Any fourth grader in the US can apply for and receive a free National Parks Pass, good for an entire year. Even better, this pass is good for the fourth grader and their family! This year, because of Covid, fifth graders can get one, too! We have ours, and, although we haven't used it yet this year, we used one two years ago when my oldest was in fourth grade. It got us into the Grand Canyon free, saving us $50. Score! 

Visiting Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona with kids is so fun and educational!

If you don't have your National Parks Pass yet, go here. 

Don't miss out on your FREE National Parks Pass if you have a fourth or fifth grader during the 2021-2022 school year.

I just did an article for Zulily with my Bucket List of National Parks I want to visit with the girls in the next few years- check that out here!

If you are looking to get out and about with your kids this year, consider snagging your free pass (if you have a fourth or fifth grader at home) and hitting the road! Here are some great National Parks you can visit that are within reasonable driving distance of Dallas/Fort Worth.

Visiting the National Parks in Texas

If you want to use your National Parks Pass for a Texas adventure, you have two options:

Big Bend National Park in Alpine, Texas 

Big Bend National Park is located in Alpine, Texas, about seven and a half hours from Arlington by car. Big Bend is in the southwest corner of the state, just across the border from Mexico. This park is the only destination you need for vacation as there is so much to do there! Not sure where to start? Here is what visitors to Big Bend recommend over and over again:

- Learn about the area's history at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit

- Soak in the hot springs at the Rio Grande Village area

- Hike the Santa Elena Canyon

- Canoe along the Rio Grande

- Enjoy the nighttime sky at this designated National Dark Sky Park

Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Salt Flat, Texas

Guadalupe Mountain National Park is located in Salt Flat, Texas, just east of El Paso and not far from the Texas/Mexico or Texas/New Mexico border. This state park is about seven hours from Arlington by car. Located near Carlsbad Caverns State Park, this spot is for nature lovers. Here are some of the favorite activities as reported by visitors:

- Behold El Captain, an icon made from limestone and the most visible point in Texas at just more than 8,000 feet

- Hike Devil's Hall Trail from Pine Springs

- Explore the Frijole Ranch History Museum

- Visit the Salt Basin Dunes

The Best National Parks Nearby Texas

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (New Mexico)

Located about seven hours from Arlington, this national park, just over the border in New Mexico offers plenty for visitors to do. Spend time in the Big Room, a large limestone chamber that is the 5th largest in North America and the 28th largest in the world. Cool!

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas 

Only four and a half hours from Arlington, Hot Springs National Park is a fun spot for guests of all ages. Visit ancient thermal springs, explore the hiking trails and partake the historic Bath Houses right in the heart of Hot Springs.

Posing in front of Hot Springs National Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. 

The Best Texas State Parks

Texas is home to a whopping 80 state parks. Amazing! That means there is a lot of beautiful land in this great state to explore and enjoy. 

Although there is not an annual discount or free pass to Texas State Parks like there is to the National Parks, you can find more information on yearly passes here. 

A stunning view of Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas. 

Five Texas Parks to Explore with Kids

Palo Duro Canyon

Palo Duro Canyon, located about five and a half hours from Arlington near Amarillo, is home to the second largest canyon in the country. During the summer, you can enjoy an outdoor musical at the park. Year-round you can hike, camp, explore and more. 

Caddo Lake State Park

This East Texas park is less than three hours from Arlington on the Texas/Louisiana border. Water lovers will enjoy fishing (no license required!) in the lakes... But keep your eyes out for alligators!

Caprock Canyons State Park

Oh give me a home, where the... bison roam! This Amarillo-area state park, located about four and a half hours from Arlington, offers plenty for nature lovers. Enjoy stunning bluffs, roaming bison and miles and miles of winding trails. 

Monahans Sandhills State Park

Have you ever been sand surfing? If not, you need to check out the Monahans Sandhills! Located about five hours from Arlington (just west of Midland/Odessa), Monahans Sandhills is for adventure-lovers. Rent sand disks and try your hand at surfing down the sand hills. Just don't forget your water- it gets super hot at this park!

Colorado Bend State Park

There is so much to do at this Bend, Texas, state park, it's hard to know where to start! Colorado Bend State Park is located less than 200 miles from Arlington (a little over three hours by car) near Lampasas, Texas. Home to Gorman Falls, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Texas, this park is perfect for a weekend getaway from DFW. 

Exploring with kids is always an adventure!

- 

Kids & Creativity: How to Tie Dye!

The fact that tie dye is back and all the rage these days makes my heart happy. I lived for tie dye in the 90s, wearing it (and making it!) as often as I could. We had a store in my hometown mall called The Funky Monkey where you could buy just about anything in tie dye (with or without the Grateful Dead bear as the centerpiece), and I spent more than my fair share of my allowance there!

My middle daughter got a couple of tie dye kits for her birthday this year and couldn't wait to try them out. She was constantly begging to run to the store and buy a few white t-shirts to tie dye and make her own. I just did an article for Zulily with tons of great tie dye crafts, so I had a couple of tricks up my sleeve for sure! 

There are lots of fun tie dye techniques you can try these days. We started with a basic spiral tie dye. 

Tie dye t-shirt, designed by this cute kiddo! 

How to Tie Dye: The Basics

Creating a traditional tie dye shirt is actually really easy and fun! Your kids can easily do it themselves with a little guidance from you.

I like to purchase tie-dye kits because they really come with everything you need. Zulily usually has a few good ones for sale. But you can absolutely buy everything separately for inexpensive, too!

Materials needed:

White t-shirts, bandanas, socks, etc., all prewashed. No need to dry!

A white t-shirt ready to be tie-dyed! We got this one at Walmart for $3ish. 

Tie dye in whatever colors you want to use.

Rubber bands.

Plastic gloves.

Plastic sandwich bags. 

Step by step tie dye instructions:

Make sure your items are prewashed so they don't shrink. No need to dry them, you want the fabric wet to tie dye. If your items are already dry, wet them. You don't want them soaked and dripping, just damp.

Lay the garment flat and find the center. I found it helpful, when I was learning to tie dye, to use a pencil to mark the center of the item and wind. 

Twist the item from the center until it is in a circle or pie shape. 

This t-shirt is ready for tie dye!

Rubber band the item to make it hold its shape. Use lots of rubber bands or only a few. Rubber bands should go all the way around the circular item and create "slices" in the fabric, like a piece of pizza or a pie. 

Using tie dye in whichever pattern you wish, starting dying the slices different colors, making sure to cover the fabric front and back with tie. We wear plastic gloves for this step so our hands don't get to messy. We do this step out on the grass or our back sidewalk. 

Getting her tie-dye on! Outside. Because tie dye is fun but oh-so-messy! 

Once you have dyed all the "slices" of fabric, the item needs to dry. We place the shirts we make in plastic sandwich bags and let them sit overnight.

After the dye has set for 24 hours, remove the item from the bag and remove the rubber bands and discard. 

Wash and dry your t-shirt as normal and voila! You have a fun tie dye creation all your own!

If you are a visual learned like I am, this is a great tutorial to help you visualize the above steps. 

My youngest's tie dye creation, before it went through the washing machine! 

Tie Dye Extras: More fun tie dye projects to try!

Now that the girls and I have mastered basic tie dye, we are ready to branch out. Here are a few more tie-dye projects we are looking forward to tackling in the next few weeks!

Ice Tie Dye- Honestly, these t-shirts and socks look so cool! I can't believe that they were designed simply with a pile of ice and powdered dye color. This is even less messy than traditional tie dye, which is a total bonus in my opinion. I see a bunch of tie-dye socks on my girls' feet come fall...

Bleach Tie Dye- This is another easy(ish) tie dye trick the girls can't wait to try. Just grab a darker colored cotton shirt and let the kids make a pattern using bleach and rubber bands. Even better- this one technique is super inexpensive and doesn't require many ingredients. Plus you can always use the bleach for laundry or cleaning so it won't go to waste after you're finished crafting with it. 

Galaxy Tie Dye- I had no idea that galaxy tie dye shirts were as easy to create as they look on this tutorial! I would have guessed that the unique pattern created by galaxy tie dye took a lot more than a few spray bottles of bleach and dye color and a twisted t-shirt! I'm excited to give this one a try!

Sharpie Tie Dye- Talk about easy and (virtually) mess-free! Sharpie tie dye is the perfect craft for a play date because it is fun and unique but not as messy as traditional tie dye. Kids of all ages can have fun creating their own mini masterpieces with fabric and Sharpies in all different colors.

What fun tie dye creations have you made lately! I'd love to you to share instruction or photos in the comments! 

Toddler Formula from Growth Spurt Nutrition: Review & Giveaway!

Sometimes I get serious baby envy.

I mean, there are so many incredible products out there on the baby market in the years since I've had babies. From wagons that are strollers to breast pumps that are hands free to adorable, easy-to-use swaddles, the baby market is full of products that totally make me want another baby.

Don't worry, I'm not going to announce that I'm pregnant. Ever again. My husband reminds me all the freaking time that the baby ship sailed long ago for us. Our baby is almost eight, and the baby days sometimes seem so long ago that I could cry!

But I'm not writing this article to reminisce... I'm writing this article to tell you guys about an amazing product that I would have used with my babies when they were actually babies: Goat's Milk Premium Toddler Formula from Growth Spurt.

This sweet tot wishes her sippy was filled with Goat Milk Toddler Formula from Growth Spurt!

Growth Spurt Toddler Formula: Premium Toddler Nutrition

My girls each stopped nursing around 12 months and started on whole milk. I never loved giving them whole milk- there is so much controversial advice out there about cow's milk. My oldest never much cared for milk. She went from nursing to water with a few kids nutritional shakes added in for good measure. My middle daughter loved soy milk. She preferred that to cow's milk. My youngest, well, to be honest, I can't remember what she drank. Blame it on Mom Brain I guess. 

But I would have loved to have the option of a toddler formula using goat's milk when I had tots around the house. Recommended for toddlers ages 12-36 months, Growth Spurt is full of all the stuff you want your toddler to have and none of the stuff you don't. It's first ingredient is full cream goat milk powder, not any of the less-than-desirable ingredients this article says most toddler products are filled with. Let me tell you all the ways that this stuff rocks:

Goat Milk Toddler Formula from Growth Spurt!

Growth Spurt Toddler Formula with Goat Milk

• Non-GMO verified
• Features DHA & ARA for brain and eye development
• Has prebiotics and probiotics for digestive health
• Filled with more than 20 vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins A, C, D, E and Calcium
• No Maltodextrin or corn syrup
• Has a protein composition closer to breast milk

As if all of these aren't great reasons to give Growth Spurt a try, it is also made with full cream goat milk powder, so it actually tastes (and smells) good! My middle daughter drank formula for a short time when she quit nursing and the smell of it still haunts my dreams... No icky smell with this formula! If your kiddos have a sensitivity to cow's milk, this formula might be more gentle on their tummies. 

Does my toddler need formula? Can I just feed them milk?

Many will recommend that, after your toddler is 12 months old, you switch them to cow's milk. However, goat's milk can be a great alternative because, according to Dr. Sears, it is actually more similar to human milk than cow's milk is. If your child doesn't like whole cow's milk, this can be a great alternative! Always consult with your child's doctor before changing your child's diet. 

Have you tried goat's milk with your toddler? Did they like it?

Being a toddler is exhausting. Proper nutrition is key! 

Want to win a can of formula to try with your toddler? Head over to my Instagram to win- www.instagram.com/everythingarlingtontx 

*I was paid to write this article. All thoughts and feelings are my own*