Enriched Family’s July 2021 Austin Activities List

Hi friends! I hope you have been enjoying the gradual reopening and normalization of life (to whatever degree possible). It has been so lovely to get together with friends again. As my girls are not old enough to be vaccinated, we are still keeping our circle fairly small when in public and focusing on masked indoor activities or smaller outdoor activities. Whatever approach your family is taking this summer, Enriched Family’s July Activities List will be helpful in planning some fun adventures and enrichment for the whole family. Check out the July 4th section below!

Enriched Family Austin Summer Camp Guide (2021): Sports Camps

Austin parents… are you looking for summer camp options? While many camps have filled up, there are still some good options. This is the final post in a series of Enriched Family Austin-Area Camp Guides. The first guide focused on arts-based camps, including visual art, creative writing, dance, drama/theater, film, and music. The second guide focused on Nature, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math), and Coding camps. This post is focused on Sports Camps, including baseball, softball, basketball, climbing, golf, gymnastics, horseback riding, martial arts, multi-sport, and soccer camps (specifically for advanced female players).

Enriched Family’s Austin Spring Break 2021 Camp Roundup

Spring Break 2021 is less than two weeks away! After everything we have been through with the snowpocalypse and ongoing infrastructure & supply issues in Texas, on top of the pandemic, Spring Break very well may have sneaked up on you. In an effort to make your life easier, I have compiled a list of camps offering sessions the week of March 15-19. While the list is not exhaustive, it provides a variety of options. I focused on including camps located in different areas in or near Austin, with a variety of price points. I have included both full-day camps, as well as half-day camps, and drop-in care. In addition, I have paid special attention to including care options for little ones as well as older children.

Please be advised that you will have to make the best decision for your family in terms of whether a particular camp or care option meets your family’s desired degree of COVID precautions. I have included COVID information for each care option, as available, so you can make an informed decision. In addition, I have included both online and in-person camps on a variety of topics, as well as some outdoor camps.

If you ever need help exploring the best camps for your kids, please reach out. Enriched Family offers custom camp research, schedule planning, and can even register your kiddos for camp! I’m happy to help you figure out Spring Break, Summer Break, or the whole year of school break camps for your children! Let me be your extra set of qualified hands.

Enriched Family February 2021 Austin Activities List

Hey Austin Families! We made it to February. Whew, January was a l-o-n-g month. With nicer weather, I am sure we are all wanting to get out of the house and enjoy some sunshine with our kiddos. At the same time, we are still at Stage 5 in Austin-Travis County and Travis County residents are currently considered to be at “extremely high risk” of contracting COVID. Given this, for the time being, I will continue to emphasize family activities that can be done virtually or socially-distanced/outdoors in Austin for these monthly posts. As usual, I have focused on educational, cultural, and fun activities that are both free and fee-based so that you can choose the best fit for your family. Enjoy a geocaching challenge; engage in a wide variety of STEM events and activities (check out a virtual Girlstart Starry Night or participate in UT Girl Day or the UT-Austin Texas Science Festival virtually); participate in a virtual workshop or book club addressing racial equity; celebrate Black History Month online with the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center’s Black History Month Kid’s Day; enjoy a virtual concert, storytime, or play; or explore outdoor fun at Dreamland, Sweet Eats Fruit Farm, or the Wildflower Center. In the highlighted resource section, I have included additional ideas for celebrating Black History Month with your children.

Enriched Family January 2021 Austin Activities List

Hi friends! Never have I been so happy to say Happy New Year! As I write this, Austin-Travis County is currently at Stage 5 (the highest level) for Covid-19 community risk. The more that we can stay home, the better for our loved ones and community. Given this, I have rounded up a list of family activities that can be done virtually or socially-distanced/outdoors in Austin this month. I have focused on educational, cultural, and fun activities that are both free and fee-based so that you can choose the best fit for your family. Resources are listed by date order in each section, as applicable. While the list is relatively short given everything that is happening in our community, I hope it helps you and your kiddos find some connection and inspiration in these crazy times. In the highlighted resource section, I have also included some creative, virtual bonding ideas that you could facilitate for your kids.

Enriched Family December 2020 Austin Activities List

Hi friends! I’ve missed curating the Enriched Family monthly activities lists for you. COVID realities put a stop to my blogging for the past few months, but I am happy to be back at it. Obviously the holidays are different this year, but there are still many Austin holiday traditions and December events to enjoy. I have rounded up a post on at-home, online, or socially-distanced/outdoor activities for you and your kiddos (please refer to the event websites for complete COVID-19 safety information).

As always, I have focused on a variety of educational, cultural, and fun activities that are both free (though there are not as many as in years past) and fee-based so that you can choose the best fit for your family. Resources are listed by date order in each section, as applicable. As always, this list is not exhaustive, but includes a sampling of events and activities that caught my eye that I wanted to highlight. Additional good sources for activity lists are included at the end of the post.

I have also included a section with some winter camp ideas (both virtual and in-person), organized by area of Austin. Finally, if you are looking for ways to give back to our community this holiday season, check out the highlighted resource below: local charitable giving guides.

Enriched Family’s August Activities List: At Home, Online, or Socially-Distanced

Hi, Austin parents! The end of the summer and the back-to-school transition is certainly going to be different this year. I have some information and resources coming your way to help with the school transition…keep your eyes on the blog! In the meantime, if you are looking for one last summer hurrah or some general family fun or new ways to entertain the kiddos, I have rounded up a post on at home, online, or socially-distanced/outdoor activities and resources in the Austin area for August. I haven’t done a monthly blog post on kids’ and family activities in Austin since COVID given the uncertainty of everything, as well as the need to quarantine. Like most of you, I have come to accept that there does not seem to be an end to this anytime soon, so I wanted to give y’all some safe family and kid activity options, as well as some parenting resources. As always, I have focused on a variety of educational, cultural, and fun activities that are both free and fee-based so that you can choose the best fit for your family. Resources are listed by date order in each section, as applicable.

Enriched Family Austin-Area Summer Camp Roundup 2020

Summer camps 2020?! To help you in this decision-making calculus, Enriched Family created this blog post rounding up a list of Austin-area camps. The roundup includes online camps, in-person camps (both indoor and outdoor), overnight camps, free or reduced cost camps, and other childcare options. For each category, I will highlight the safety and hygiene measures each camp is stating they will follow, as well as CDC guidance about reopening camps and child care locations. My goal is to provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for your unique family circumstances.

Enriched Family Austin Spring Break 2020 Camp Roundup

Yep. Spring Break 2020 is just three weeks away! In an effort to make your life easier, I have compiled a list of camps offering sessions the week of March 16-20. While the list is not exhaustive, it provides quite a variety of options. I have focused in particular on including camps located in different areas in or near Austin, with a variety of price points. I have included both full-day camps as well as half-day camps and workshops. In addition, I have paid special attention to including camp options for little ones as well.

If you ever need help exploring the best camps for your kids, give Enriched Family a call. Enriched Family offers custom camp research, schedule planning, and can even register your kiddos for camp! I’m happy to help you figure out Spring Break, Summer Break, or the whole year of school break camps for your children! Let me be your other set of hands.

If you ever need help exploring the best camps for your kids, give Enriched Family a call. Enriched Family offers custom camp research, schedule planning, and can even register your kiddos for camp! I’m happy to help you figure out Spring Break, Summer Break, or the whole year of school break camps for your children!

Enriched Family January 2020 Austin Activities List

Strolling into the new year like….

Happy 2020 y’all! I hope you and your family enjoyed lots of fun and connection over the holiday break thus far. If the kids are driving you and each other crazy, that’s okay too. We've definitely had both in our house. If you are looking for some family activities in Austin in January, Enriched Family's January 2020 Activities List has you covered! As always, our monthly roundup of kids’ and family activities focuses on educational, cultural, and artistic delights in our community, with a special emphasis on both free and fee-based events. So get out there and have a little more fun family exploration before the kids go back to school!

Free events this month include lots of hands-on, family art activities at a variety of locations around town, including Creative Action, Dougherty Arts Center, Laguna Gloria, and UMLAUF Sculpture Garden. Your child can also attend a hip-hop dance workshop for kids at the George Washington Carver Museum or explore the Bullock Museum on HEB Free First Sunday (theme: Stylish) or enjoy a Vietnamese New Year Celebration (Tết Festival). There are also a number of family-friendly ways to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and serve the greater Austin community by volunteering on MLK Day. Fee-based activity options include a variety of craft and sewing workshops for kids and adults at Beehive Craft Studio; ice skating on the Whole Foods rooftop rink; a parent-child movement and music class at Creative Action (pay as you can); infant massage classes offered by Baby Strokes; family-friendly events at The Hive; and a variety of fun activities at Toybrary Austin. Finally, enjoy a kid-friendly museum opening or performance at a number of venues around town…

Enriched Family December Austin Activities List

Austin during the holidays does not disappoint — the list of free holiday activities this month is quite extensive. Check out the wide variety of holiday events at local libraries around Austin; support local artisans and enjoy the Cherrywood Art Fair; listen to holiday-themed concerts put on by the Austin Symphony Orchestra; celebrate Christmas Family Night in Round Rock; be sure not to miss the Community First! Village of Lights & Advent Market; partake in the 25th annual Holiday Stroll in downtown Austin; enjoy a Winter Wonderland Community Festival; or participate in a variety of Hanukkah events.

Fee-based holiday events include the Trail of Lights (there are also free nights on 12/10-12/12 and 12/15-12/18); Ballet Austin’s The Nutcracker, Breakfast with the Grinch!; CultureMap’s Rooftop Ice Skating Rink at Whole Foods Market; Luminations at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center; a jazz tap Nutcracker — Of Mice & Music; screenings of The Muppet Christmas Carol @ The Bullock Museum; Thinkery Gingerbread Workshops; or catch a performance of The Christmas Carol, Holiday Heroes, or The Santaland Diaries…

Finally, if you are looking for ways to give back to our community this holiday season, check out this month’s highlighted resource: local charitable giving guides…

November 2019 Kids and Family Activities in Austin

We finally have cooler weather in Austin! Bundle up and get out there and enjoy our lovely city without sweating for a change. The list of free educational/cultural activities this month is quite varied and exciting. Check out Alt Ed Austin’s Festival of Learning; volunteer as a family at Generation SERVE’s annual event, Austin Families Give Back; participate in Children in Nature’s Workshop; enjoy the East Side Studio Tour with a family friendly event at Creative Action Community Art Sunday; visit the Artisans’ Market at Laura’s Library; explore astronomy with Starry Nights at Girlstart; support Austin’s young entrepreneurs at the Start-Up Kid’s Club Market; and enjoy Thinkery’s Community Night. There is free fun for everyone! Fee-based events include the Thinkery’s Gingerbread 1K Run; a night of coding at My Coding Place; Homeschool Day at the Science Mill; the We Are Girls Conference; and a variety of theatre and museum offerings. As always, this list is not exhaustive, but includes a sampling of events and activities that caught my eye that I wanted to highlight. Additional good sources for activity lists are included at the end of the post.

Finally, if you are having sleep challenges in your family, take a look at this month’s highlighted resource - the free, virtual summit: Better Sleep for Kids. I will absolutely be watching!

Enriched Family's September 2019 Austin Family Activities List

Hi friends! We are swinging into fall, even though it still feels like summer in Austin! Now that we've had a little time to ease into the new school year, you may be looking for some fun, family activities to do in Austin this month....Check out Enriched Family's roundup of kids and family activities…

Today, Labor Day, is Free Day of Yoga, at participating locations all across Austin. Take your family and enjoy some flow. Or participate in a Scavenger Hunt at the Science Mill. There are lots of fun, free activities this month. Be sure not to miss Austin Museum Day (free admission to participating Austin museums all day); plus a number of additional free museum family days at specific museums throughout the month (UMLAUF, Thinkery, Bullock Museum, et cetera); Austin Symphonic Band’s Fall Concert in the Park; Creative Action’s Community Art Sunday; Girlstart’s Starry Nights; the Mother Earth Day Festival; Sábados en Familia: Cultural Fun for Families, and quite a few free, family movie nights around town. Wonderful fee-based activities include Pioneer Farms’ Fall Homeschool Day, Zach Theatre performances of Jungalbook, and an Art Barn ATX Kids Night Out. And so much more! I hope you have fun planning and exploring with Enriched Family’s September Activities List! Please share the list with your friends.

Enriched Family’s August 2019 Austin Family Activities List

Hi friends! We are nearing the end of summer, but still have a couple of weeks left to pack in some fun activities. Hope you enjoy Enriched Family’s August Activities List and use it to plan some exciting family adventures before we shift back into school mode. And don’t worry, I’ll have information and resources coming your way soon for the school transition…keep your eyes on the blog!

Boredom Busters: Summer Engagement Ideas for Kids - Part II

Last summer I did a blog post on Boredom Busters to give parents some additional summer engagement ideas for their kids. As it was well received, I thought I would do a Part II this summer. Entering the tail end of July, I have definitely started to hear more of a chorus of: “Mom, I’m bored.” And when my kids are bored, they tend to get cranky and more prone to poor choices and behaviors. To help support them and my mental sanity, I made a new list of Boredom Busters. Below is the list of ideas I created for my family; I hope it is helpful to yours as well. As always, take what seems like it will work for your unique family, modify as needed, and forget the rest. While most of these ideas require some degree of parental involvement, many of the steps can be done independently once you set your kids up for the activity.

Enriched Family’s July 2019 Austin Family Activities List

Hi friends! Hope you have eased into the summer and have enjoyed some lazy days with popsicles, reading, and water fun. As always, I hope you find Enriched Family’s July Activities List helpful and use it to plan some exciting family adventures! First, check out the highlighted resource - Brightly - a great tool to help you find engaging books for all interests/ages and keep your kids reading all summer long! This month, free activities in Austin include the Austin Symphony Children’s Day Art Park at the Austin Central Library and the Symphony’s free Concerts in the Park; you could learn Bollywood Dance at Rhythm on Stage at the Long Center; take your 5th-8th grader to the Institute of Transportation Engineers STEM Activity Day; enjoy an outdoor musical at the Zilker Theater (Little Mermaid) or check out a movie in the park; explore The Thinkery on Community Night! or participate in UMLAUF Sculpture Family Day. For a small fee, you can check out the Woodland Faerie Trail at Zilker Botanical Gardens. This is a real treat, especially for younger children. There are also some wonderful fee-based film festivals, some family art programs at the Blanton Art Museum (free with museum admission), as well as a number of children’s theater performances. And so much more!

Enriched Family’s June 2019 Austin Family Activities List

Hi friends! Hope the end of the school year came to a happy close for you and yours. I am so excited about the summer schedule being more chill. I am also looking forward to some fun in the sun and family explorations in Austin. Hope you enjoy Enriched Family’s June 2019 Activities list and use it to plan some exciting family adventures!

Enriched Family’s May 2019 Austin Family Activities List

Hi, friends! How is it already May?! There are lots of interesting and educational events to look forward to this month. First, check out the highlighted resource below - a free, online Positive Parenting conference! In addition, as we are nearing summer break, I have included a couple of camp open houses. As always, this month’s list includes lots of free activities: Movies in the Park, the Festival For Good, numerous events at the Asian American Resource Center in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a Cinco de Mayo Community Fiesta, a Youth Arts Fest, a Family App Development Workshop, a South Austin Family Fun Day, a Teen Summit, UMLAUF Sculpture Family Day, and the Violet Crown Festival. There are also a variety of fee-based educational, cultural, and artistic opportunities to enjoy with your families. Have fun planning and exploring with Enriched Family’s May 2019 Activities List! Please consider sharing it with your friends.

Enriched Family Austin Summer Camp Special Feature (2019): Day, Overnight, and Specialty Camps

This is the fourth and final post in a series Enriched Family does annually on summer camps in the Austin area. Previous posts focused on science, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)/STEAM (STEM + art), and coding camps, as well as arts camps, including visual art, creative writing, dance, drama/theater, film, music, and arts combinations for all ages, and sports camps, including baseball, basketball, climbing, golf, gymnastics, horseback riding, martial arts, multi-sport, and soccer camps. Check them out if you missed them! This week's post focuses on day camps, some specialty camps, and overnight camps. When I think of day camps, I think of a "classic" camp experience - all around fun, incorporating different structured activities, as well as lots of outdoor activities, and plenty of unstructured time for fun - the camps included in this post were selected based on their fit with this camp definition. Overnight camps included meet the day camp definition and have the added benefit of being sleep away camps. Specialty camps focus on a particular area or support specific groups of kids (girls’ empowerment, for example, or camps that focus specifically on programming for children with disabilities).

Enriched Family Austin Summer Camp Special Feature (2019): Sports Camps

This is the third in a series of posts Enriched Family does annually on summer camps in the Austin area. Previous posts focused on science, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)/STEAM (STEM + art), and coding camps, as well as arts camps, including visual art, creative writing, dance, drama/theater, film, music, and arts combinations for all ages. Check them out if you missed them! This week's post focuses on a variety of sports camps, including baseball, basketball, climbing, golf, gymnastics, horseback riding, martial arts, multi-sport, and soccer camps. The next and final installment in this series will focus on all-around day camps and overnight camps. Watch the Enriched Family blog!

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