11 family-friendly things to do during Spring Break
Spring Break can sneak up on families. Suddenly, the kids are off from school and they're looking for something to do. This week, with classes out in Miami-Dade and Broward, South Florida is serving up shows, fairs and activities perfect for any age. Here are our top picks:
ALL WEEK LONG
Be There! Miami-Dade County Youth Fair
The ultimate day full of family fun offers almost 100 rides for both little ones and thrillseekers (check out the Screamer, Meltdown and Climb-N-Challenge), 50 games of skill, live shows and music, and delicious fair food such as the infamous giant turkey leg, caramel apples and elephant ears.
Details: Gates open at noon all week at Tamiami Park, Coral Way and Southwest 107th Avenue, Miami; www.fairexpo.com; $6 opening day, $10 online afterward, $14 at the gate, free for seniors, military personnel and kids 5 and under.
Young At Art Museum: Magic & Mayhem: The Art Of Iconic Toys
Your toy-loving tots will flip over this new exhibit that explores and showcases the cultural impact of iconic toys and the passion for collecting them, including two of the most popular brands over the past decade, “Transformers” and “My Little Pony.”
Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, running through May 29, at the Young At Art Museum, 751 SW 121st Ave., Davie; 954-424-0085 or www.youngatartmuseum.org; $14; $12 for Broward County residents, seniors and children over age 1; and $11 for military members and their immediate families.
Brain Power! Mindbender Mansion
Kids will have a blast thinking outside the box at this eclectic exhibit full of puzzles, brainteasers and interactive challenges guaranteed to test the brain power and problem-solving skills of even the most experienced puzzlers. Adults and children alike will enjoy exercising their minds as they try to master each of the 40 individual brain teasers and the five group activities.
Details: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday, running through May 1, at the Museum of Discovery and Science, 401 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-467-6637 or www.mods.org; $14, $12 kids 2-12.
THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY
Disney On Ice: Frozen
Finally! The most beloved Disney movie in recent years gets the icy treatment, as “Frozen” comes to the BB&T Center for four days, bringing all your favorite characters including the sisters Elsa and Anna, Kristoff and his reindeer Sven and, of course, the lovable snowman Olaf, who loves warm hugs. Plus, sing along to those great songs — “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” “Love is an Open Door,” “In Summer,” “Fixer Upper” and the Oscar- and Grammy-winning “Let It Go.”
Details: 7 p.m. Thursday; 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday; and 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; at the BB&T Center, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; Ticketmaster; $15-$143.
THURSDAY, MARCH 24
Sea Movies At PAMM: Splash
New event series will show sea-themed films on the fourth Thursday of every month. This time around, it’s the 1984 romantic comedy classic “Splash,” starring Tom Hanks as a young man who falls in love with a mermaid (Daryl Hannah).
Details: 7 p.m. Thursday at the Pérez Art Museum Miami, 1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 305-375-3000 or www.pamm.org; free with museum admission, $16, $12 seniors, students and children 7-18.
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Kids’ Happy Hour: Funtastic Fridays
Enjoy a DJ, face-painting, games and bounce houses and see why Local 10 (WPLG) viewers ranked this event No. 8 on their “Top 10 Places to Take the Kids in South Florida” list. Bring a blanket and stick around for the charming 2014 British-French comedy “Paddington,” about an intelligent, previously unknown species of bear, who is searching for a family while being hunted by a sadistic museum taxidermist played by Nicole Kidman. Film is from 8-10 p.m., weather permitting.
Details: 5-8 p.m. Friday at Arts Park at Young Circle, Hollywood Boulevard and US 1, Hollywood; 954-921-3500 or www.visithollywoodfl.org; free.
Blue Starlite Drive-In: The Neverending Story
New location on Old Cutler Road features a family film night with the 1984 fantasy classic “The NeverEnding Story,” about a boy who reads a magical book that describes the world of Fantasia slowly being devoured by a force called “The Nothing.”
Details: 7:45 p.m. Friday at Blue Starlite Drive-In, 7271 SW 168th St., Palmetto Bay; www.miamiurbandrivein.com; $5-$55.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
Feeling Medieval? Florida Renaissance Festival
Get ready for the seventh and final weekly Ren-Fest chapter of the year, with the theme of “Carnivale Masquerade,” during which lords, ladies and little ones can unleash their inhibitions behind the anonymity of masks, historical costumes and intriguing disguises. In between, enjoy more than 100 costumed performers, 10 stages with continuous entertainment and 20 stage acts from around the world.
Details: 10 a.m.-sunset Saturday and Sunday at Quiet Waters Park, 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach; wwwren-fest.com; $21, $9 kids 6-11, free for 5 and under.
Family Musical: Legally Blonde Jr.
Broadway hit adapted from the charming 2001 movie starring Reese Witherspoon as a spunky law student who faces endless prejudice as a blond hits the local stage, bringing the self-empowering lesson to impressionable young minds that books and looks aren’t mutually exclusive.
Details: 4 p.m. Saturday, running through April 9, at the Showtime Performing Arts Theatre, 503 SE Mizner Blvd., Royal Palm Plaza, Boca Raton; www.showtimeboca.com; $14, $10 kids under 12.
SUNDAY, MARCH 27
Miami Children’s Museum: Spring Fling
Celebrate the sunshine and learn how to paint springtime flowers with Georgia O’Keeffe flair; enjoy a puppet show with Peter Rabbit, then say hello to some of the cutest bunnies in town; get basketfuls of candy during Egg Hunts happening between noon and 3 p.m., then make amends with an equally delicious but healthy cooking session.
Details: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday at Miami Children’s Museum, 980 MacArthur Cswy., Watson Island, Miami; www.miamichildrensmuseum.org; $18, $14 for Florida residents, free for kids under 12 months.
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens: Art in the Park With Marie
Swedish pre-school teacher Marie Kolbert, who came to the U.S. on a soccer scholarship, helps kick-start your little ones’ creativity with this free program out on the lawn under the shade of the banyan tree. Art supplies included.
Details: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, 2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach; 305-673-7256 or www.mbgarden.org; free.
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This story was originally published March 21, 2016 at 4:29 PM with the headline "11 family-friendly things to do during Spring Break."