Art&Seek Jr. is one mom‘s quest to find activities to end the seemingly endless chorus of the “I’m Bored Blues” while having fun herself.  Impossible you say? Check back on Tuesdays for kid-friendly events that are fun for adults, too.

Car trips are the perfect time to ponder all sorts of puzzling questions with your kids. I learned this last weekend while on our yearly Easter pilgrimage to my brother’s farm in Brenham.

Normally when a child asks a nonsensical question, like, why don’t cats eat cantaloupe, for instance, you can just whip out the the old iPhone and let Google find the answer. But tooling along I45 at 75 mph with a string of big rigs on your tail, Googling is out of the question. You have to forgo the “correct” answer and go old school by voicing your queries aloud to each other and then batting possible answers back and forth. It can make for an interesting and highly entertaining  conversation. Rose and I explored such vexing questions as: Why do your fingers get wrinkled when you take a bath? Why don’t fish have eyelashes? And my favorite, how does the weatherman REALLY know there’s an 80 percent chance of rain next weekend? Where do these numbers come from? The best we could come up with was, the data he looks at must make him really, really confident. 

It’s looking as if the weather people are really, really confident again this weekend, because the likelihood of rain is way up close to 90%. Sure, that means outside activities are probably out, but there’s still a whole lot going on. Check out this week’s picks for rainy day adventures.

An unlikely friendship is explored in ‘Balloonacy’ at the Dallas Children’s Theater. photo: DCT

What better way to celebrate the rain than singing along with a splashy stage adaptation of the beloved film? That’s right, you and the kiddos can laugh at the stormy clouds above at Artisan Center Theater’s presentation of Singin’ In the Rain. The teeny tinies might have to sit this one out, but older kids will love the catchy musical numbers, and, of course, the singing and dancing in the rain.

For the littlest theater goers there’s Balloonacy at the Dallas Children’s Theater. The play tells the tale of a lonely old man who is set in his solitary ways until a red balloon blows through his window and insists on becoming his friend. The show is sweet, inventive and packed with physical comedy. Perfect for kids 3 and up.

How about an introduction to opera? Join The Dallas Opera this Saturday at the Winspear Opera House for a performance of The Billy Goats Gruff. The production puts a spin on the classic children’s story by reinforcing a strong anti-bullying message, the importance of kindness and attending school regularly. Tickets are only $5–a real bargain for the super-posh Winspear, and better still, there’s not need to worry about brushing up on your Italian because it’s sung in English.

It’s all about magical mischief with Sonu Varkey. Photo: Sonu Varkey

If you’re in the mood for something magical head on out to the MCL Grand in Lewisville this Saturday for some Enchanted Antics by Sonu Varkey. Sonu is a deception specialist, whose goal is full audience participation in his magic show. So don’t think for a minute  you’re going to just back and watch. Come early and visit the vendors in the atrium, including balloon artists, face painters, and more. Thanks to a generous benefactor the show is free. All you have to do is register.

Rainy days are the perfect time to explore your favorite museum. And what better time than the present to check out the crazy cool Perot Museum? It’s 5 1/2 levels of science fun. While you’re there don’t miss the International Exhibition of Sherlock Holmes currently on display. Junior Sleuths are given a case notebook (mini-detectives ages 4-7 have their own notebooks) and are tasked with solving a case using crime-solving methods like footprint examination, splatter patterns, and more. It can take a while to do all of the case work, and of course these things can’t be rushed, so be sure to schedule enough time to get all the way through the exhibition. But wait, Junior Detectives! Before you buy those tickets, sign up for this week’s Big Deal for a chance to see it free.

Therese Powell is an Art&Seek calendar coordinator and KERA-TV producer. She spends most of her free time seeking out adventures for her 9-year-old daughter, Rose. Tell us about your quirky kid adventures by leaving a comment. Or e-mail Therese at tpowell@kera.org.