Elizabeth Smith

3 weeks ago | dfwchild.com | Elizabeth Smith |Words Elizabeth Smith

Fritz’s Adventure—a brand-new climbing park spanning more than 100,000 square feet—opens at the Grandscape entertainment complex in The Colony on April 2. The original Fritz’s is in Branson, Missouri, so for this second-ever location, the family-owned company went even bigger to build this “year-round base camp” for explorers of all ages. Fritz’s has got ziplines, ropes courses, slides and tunnels, and a “fall-proof” space for your littlest kids, too.

3 weeks ago | dfwchild.com | Elizabeth Smith |Words Josh Farnsworth |Josh Farnsworth |Mary Dunn

With a glossed-over expression, the zombies stared into the bright oblivion. The only sounds were mild grunting as they bumped into walls without diverting their gaze. Was this some dystopian near future? Nah. It was the waiting room for an appointment I had a few weeks ago where adults and children alike focused all their respective energy on the phone that glowed before them. And yes, not one, but two individuals walked into walls, barely ever breaking their gaze in the process.

3 weeks ago | dfwchild.com | Elizabeth Smith

The colors, the creativity, the sensory experiences—there is so much for children to soak in at an art museum. But also, the priceless works, the quiet galleries, the potential for meltdowns. It all might be a little anxiety-inducing for parents. But Amanda Blake has a message for moms and dads: “Please come,” she says of spaces like the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, where her team works to create a welcoming environment and experiences for even the littlest visitors.

3 weeks ago | dfwchild.com | Elizabeth Smith

“Let me show you my spreadsheet.” That’s how the email from Kelli Nori, a Global Tech account manager and mom of two from McKinney began. Last summer, Nori’s oldest child had just aged out of the preschool program where she used to spend the days during the summer while her parents were at work. After finishing kindergarten, her parents needed to find somewhere different for her to go during the day. That’s how the summer child care spreadsheet began.

3 weeks ago | dfwchild.com | Elizabeth Smith

“Why is my 4-year-old suddenly biting his nails and how can I make him stop?” For answers in this Sound Advice column, we reached out to Dr. Kaylee Davis-Bordovsky, pediatric psychiatrist at Children’s Health and assistant professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Kaylee Davis-Bordovsky, MD: We have all been there—that familiar sound and sight of someone (or ourselves) biting their nails.