Best playgrounds in the Fort Worth area

This trio of tots had a swingin' good time at Sunrise Creative Playground in Arlington. (Photo by Ron Ennis, Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

My kids and I searched high and low for the best playgrounds in the Fort Worth area. We needed lots of room to romp, shade, restrooms, seating and a toddler-friendly play zone. We found a half-dozen hidden treasures throughout Tarrant County. Our faves are listed below. What are yours? (Maybe we’ll meet you there for a playdate!)

OUR FAVES:

1. J.W. Dunlop Sports Center (Sunrise Creative Playground), 1500 N.W. Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington

• Why we like it: It has nearly everything we look for in a playground: It’s large and shady, and little ones can play safely on the big-kid stuff; the screened-in play structure prevents falls from high up.  Plus, there’s a deep, roomy sandbox in the Tot Lot. NOTE: Watch out for cobwebs underneath the play structure.

2. Trinity Park, 2401 University Drive, Fort Worth

• Why we like it: Lots of slides, tunnels, swings, things to climb on and into. The play area is massive and really shady. NOTE: Check out the duck pond, which you’ll find if you follow the winding road through the park. And definitely take a ride on the miniature train, which takes a 5-mile trip throughout the park. (Check www.fpmt.us for times and ticket prices.)

3. Glenview Baptist Church’s indoor playscape, 4805 N.E. Loop 820, Fort Worth (near Haltom City)

• Why we like it: The three-story treehouse has five slides, one of which is the tallest spiral slide in Texas. Mazes throughout the treehouse lead to various levels of fun and adventure. There’s a “Romper Room” for crawlers and new walkers. Plus, it’s indoors and there’s no admission fee. (See www.glenviewchurch.org for hours; click on “Ministries,” then “Preschool & Children’s Ministry”)

4. Johnson Road Park, 640 Johnson Road, Keller

• Why we like it: The castlelike play structure has bridges and towers all around. There’s also a sandbox, a climbing wall, several sets of swings and a ship-shaped playhouse; the play area is huge and offers  great spots to play hide-and-seek. And the “Tot Lot” has baby swings, slides, lower-to-the-ground monkey bars and a padded surface.

5. Chisholm Park, 2200 Norwood Drive, Hurst

• Why we like it: Plenty of room to run and lots to do here, with a couple of play areas; six slides, several climbing walls, a handful of swings and a tot spot. Plus there’s something for nearly everyone: fishing, swimming, jogging trails and more. NOTE: Plenty of shade over the park itself but none over the playground.

6. Town Park, 500 N. Main St., Mansfield

• Why we like it: Two play areas, which are partially padded, offer plenty of room to roam; five slides, swings, jungle gyms made of ropes, climbing wall, lily pads, paddlewheel; tot spot; spinning monkey bars were fun  (for moms and dads, too)!

While the kids are away, Mommy and Daddy will play…

Been a long time since hubby and I have been kid-free. All four kids are out of town, doing their thing. The oldest has pretty much moved out, and the younger three are with grandma in another state. What to do, what to do?

1. Pray that grandma doesn’t demand that you pick up kids early because of their bad behavior.
2. Sleep late, like waaay past 7 a.m.
3. Eat at restaurants that don’t have a kid’s menu.
4. Watch movies that aren’t rated G or PG.
5. Um, well, you know…
6. Use the bathroom without a little person begging to come in to see what you’re doing.
7. Take long, uninterrupted bubble baths.
8. Paint over crayon stains on the wall and enjoy “like-new” look for a few days.
   
9. Stay up late to read favorite blogs and to update yours.
   
10. Call kids everyday to say that you miss them like crazy.

Baby Loves Disco boogies into Dallas

This tyke liked the mike at Purgatory Dallas, which hosted the premiere of Baby Loves Disco. (Photo by Karen Fish)

It’s not often that I get invited to a bash at a hip dance club.
With four kids at home and my 40th birthday looming, I hadn’t partied like it’s 1999 since, well, 1999.
So I was understandably giddy when I got the invitation by email. But there was a catch: I had to bring my kids.
Say WHAAAAT?
No matter. I loaded my 2-, 5- and 7-year-old daughters into the car and made a beeline to Purgatory, a tri-level club near Dallas’ Deep Ellum, which was hosting the area premiere of Baby Loves Disco.
A Saturday afternoon dance party for children 6 months to 7 years of age, Baby Loves Disco is like a birthday party on steroids: There are hundreds of people milling about; a real DJ spinning ’70s and ’80s tunes; egg shakers, scarves and hula hoops to get the kiddos moving; and bubbles, balloons, books, toys, tents and TVs tuned to Nickelodeon.
If you’re too pooped to party, the chill-out zone has comfy couches, pillows and quiet games.
There are healthful snacks to munch on, including fresh fruit, cereal bars, hummus, organic raisins and juice. (The cash bar is open for non-driving adults.)
Vendors are also on site offering a variety of free services, from face painting to crafts to massages for kids and grown-ups.

And, yes, there are diaper-changing stations and places to park your stroller.

Read the rest of the story here.

The Dallas premiere of Baby Loves Disco attracted more than 300 guests, including Dallas mom Lori Gutierrez, above, and her 1-year-old daughter Chloe. (Photo courtesy of Lori Gutierrez)

Read the 3 Little Divas’ review here.

If only kids came with a set of instructions…

Raise your hand if you, too, are the parents of picky eaters, tantrum-throwers, back-talkers and kids who worry about death, divorce and world events.

Just Tell Me What to Say, by Betsy Brown Braun

But if Grandma’s advice fails, try Betsy Brown Braun’s. A child development specialist and mother of triplets, Braun has been counseling families for 37 years on the above topics and more.

Now, in Just Tell Me What To Say: Sensible Tips and Scripts for Perplexed Parents, she offers advice that may raise eyebrows among old-school moms and dads. For instance:

Do not demand eye contact from a child, Braun says. (He actually can hear you. Plus, the “look into my eyes” demand takes focus and may detract from the message you are trying to send.)

Don’t force children to share. (It might lead to resentment and cause them to hold on more tightly to the object.)

And implement a no-tattling rule, unless there’s an emergency. (Respond to regular snitching with a casual, “Oh,” and nothing else.)

THE VERDICT: If kids came with an instruction manual, it would be Just Tell Me What To Say. Deemed “the parenting guru” by The New York Times, Braun covers a lot of ground in 222 pages. Thankfully, she doesn’t come off as preachy here, just a wise mom who knows her stuff.

WHERE TO GET IT: Just Tell Me What to Say: Sensible Tips and Scripts for Perplexed Parents, by Betsy Brown Braun (Collins, $15.95), available wherever books are sold.

SURF’S UP: www.justtellmewhattosay.com

This review was originally published in various McClatchy publications and Web sites. Send product review requests to felicia@themombeat.com.

5 signs you’re a bored stay-at-home mom

1. You’ve washed, dried and folded every item of clothing in the house – even the Build-A-Bear’s couture.
2. Your husband asks if you need some fresh air because, once again, you have regaled him with tales about who’s doing what on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and Ning.
3. You’re more excited about Pee Wee cheer practice than your daughters are, because you finally get to wear those cute little capris you found on sale at Target, rather than your knock-around-the-house sweats.
4. You’ve changed hairstyles several times today – not yours, but Barbie’s.
5. You’re actually considering having another baby, but only because your four children – the youngest of whom is potty-training and the oldest of whom is training for his driver’s permit – don’t keep you busy enough.

You might be a mom if …

1. You, too, snack on Goldfish crackers – not because you ran out of your favorite munchies, but because you actually like them.

2. You continue to watch Blue’s Clues – even when your children have left the room to go do something else.

3. You get separation anxiety, like, a year or two before your firstborn heads off to kindergarten.

4. Your ring tone is the theme to SpongeBob or some other kid show.

5. You can’t enjoy date night with your hubby until you’ve checked in with the babysitter.

6. You listen to Radio Disney when you’re alone in the car.

7. You wake up in the morning singing the theme to the PBS show SuperWhy.

8. You debate with other moms about which Wonder Pet is the cutest.

9. You secretly wish they made Barbie or Bratz clothes for grown-ups.

10. You still check in on your kids while they’re sleeping – even if they’re 18.

11. Add your own “You might be a mom if…”

Hollywood’s calling…

My 2-year-old is on her way to becoming Hollywood’s next “scream queen.” I’m sure of it.

I have NEVER, in my seven years of raising children, heard any child scream like that. (I’ll post an audio clip soon, so you can hear for yourself.)

It’s like she reaches from deep within her soul to channel her inner Janet Leigh (you know, the lady from the original “Psycho” film.)

She screams when she doesn’t get her way, such as the time I said “No candy” as we were in the checkout line at Kroger.

Even the cashier said, “Wow!” about her wailing.

She also screams when she’s happy, such as the time we went to Baby Loves Disco in Dallas.

Yeah, other kids were screaming like crazy, but my child topped them all.

Do you think your child can give mine a run for her money? Let’s discuss — quietly, of course.

Welcome to Felicia’s blog…

Although the title says “Felicia’s blog,” it’s really not so much about her, but about the little people who call her “Mommy … Mommy … MOM-MEEEEEE” umpteen times a day. Happy reading!