If your children need structured fun on Saturdays, upcoming Boredom Buster events at Discovery Place downtown offer ways to get them active and engaged.
This Saturday starting at 1 p.m., the Texarkana Museums System offers Boredom Buster: Discovery Land Game Show, an afternoon of Disney-themed games for youngsters ages 4 or 5 on up.
"It's a series of games that we're going to do that will involve different age groups," said Velvet Hall Cool, the TMS board president. Games include trivia and matching with prizes given to various winners.
Sign up at Eventbrite.com for this particular event. Tickets are $7 for the public, $5 for members. Boredom Buster events are the planned TMS activities for children on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of the month.
"It's something a little more structured. There's some kids that need an activity to encourage them to get out and do things," Cool said. They aim to rotate among craft, art and science activities. In addition to Boredom Busters, the TMS strives to hold occasional children's events at the other TMS properties.
Boredom Busters started out and soon became so popular that the TMS decided to offer them three times a month at Discovery Place. This past weekend's Boredom Buster, Candy Land Game Boards, drew about 150 people, the board president said.
February brings three more Boredom Busters, each starting at 2 p.m. on Saturdays: Royal Palace Party on Feb. 10, Valentine Bunnies on Feb. 17 and Kinetic Sand on Feb. 24.
Think of the Royal Palace Party as a princess party, but it's open to boys and girls. Playing dress up is part of the fun, as are doing makeup and hair, playing games and holding a tea party and stage presentation.
"We have a pretty extensive collection of costumes," Cool said.
For Valentine Bunnies, kids will create paper bunnies for Valentine's Day, while Kinetic Sand day will get kids in kinetic sandboxes to play. "We'll go over what makes kinetic sand different from regular sand," Cool said.
Many of these Boredom Busters won't be more than the price of regular Discovery Place admission at $5. Makeover packages at the Royal Palace Party include a makeover with a professional stylist, three photos by photographers, VIP tea party, games and entry into the makeover contest, so prices are higher at $45.
In other Discovery Place news, the museum signage is now down but look for it to reappear in about three or four weeks. A combination of a grant and loan through Main Street made new signage possible at Discovery Place. White Sign Co. is making the new sign.
Also, the TMS is planning for a follow-up Tinkerfest to be held at Discovery Place this spring.
"We are working on plans for our second annual Tinkerfest, which will be in May, because our first Tinkerfest was a huge success," Cool said.
(More info: 903-793-4831 or TexarkanaMuseums.org.)