Today in FORT WORTH: Aug. 14

See some beautiful works of art by 50 African-American artists from the late 1800s to the early 20th century at The Harmon and Harriet Kelley Collection of African-American Art: Works on Paper. The exhibit will be on display from 10am-5pm today (and every Tue-Wed and Fri-Sat; 10am-8pm every Thu; and 12-5pm every Sun through Aug. 23) at Fort Worth's Amon Carter Museum. Free.

Today in DALLAS: Aug. 14

Hear some classic children's stories — and enjoy some time outdoors — with Jack Knows Tasty Books at 10:30am today at Plano's Heritage Farmstead Museum. Jack, the museum's very own Boer goat, will be on hand to offer up fun stories on the grounds. Don't forget to bring a picnic lunch to nosh on after storytime! Free.

Rock On!

Parents, remember those rock concerts of days past, and the cool screen T-shirts from your favorite bands? Now, your kiddos can live out the same trends with special rock culture-inspired clothes, made just for them!

Hip on Sunset, created by two Dallas area moms Amy Stecklein and Jennifer Wallace, features tattoo-inspired sleepwear and tees for boys and girls. All items are made with screen-printed designs on soft, 100-percent cotton fabric. The front of each top features a punchy design, like a guitar, and a matching phrase (such as, “Someday I’ll have my own rock show”) on the back.

Up your kid’s trend-factor and let them unleash their inner rock star in these hip pieces. Find Hip on Sunset online; pajamas sell for $40 and tees for $38.

—Mari Park

Mommies and Mojitos!

Sign up for a mojito-making class at La Duni Latin Kitchen sponsored by Bacardi Rums — a perfect excuse to gather your girlfriends for a night on the town. The class will be held from 6:30-7:30pm on Thursday August 27 at the NorthPark Center La Duni location.

Participants will learn three methods of classic mojito making: shaken, muddled and fired, all while enjoying delectable treats from the La Duni Kitchen.

Reservations are required — and recommended, as the class is sure to fill up quick! Register by calling 214/987-2260 and paying a registration fee of $17. On site registration will be availible (barring that the event doesn't sell out prior to the class) starting at 6pm for $22.

La Duni Latin Kitchen is located on Level One in NorthPark Center, below the AMC NorthPark 15 Theaters. (Address is: 8687 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1516, Dallas.)

Photo courtesy of La Duni.

—Gretchen

Get Moving!

A quote from Jeff Galloway, an Olympic long-distance runner and marathoner who now coaches hundreds of get-fit clinics for runners and walkers:

"There is a principle of lazy physics at work here: A body on the couch wants to stay on the couch. But once a body is in motion it wants to stay in motion."

How true is that? Yesterday, during one of our many lunch excursions, my co-bloggers and I talked a bit about this statement. For me personally, it's much easier to workout 4-5 times a week (varying in intensity) than fitting in two high-intensity workouts per week. Are your muscles going to be sore? Yes. Are you going to want to eat the entire contents of your pantry? Probably. But, it feels pretty good to be in motion. What's even better: You'll nix restless sleep and the unsettled anxiety that can come with a stagnant routine.

Galloway offers up thousands of workout tips on his Web site — check it out; you'll find that it's really not that impossible to add 30 minutes of "motion" activity to your day. (And, yes, chasing the kids around the house does count!) Or, visit Jeff's Dallas-based running group site here and see how you can train with newbie and experienced runners for a 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon.

—Gretchen

Today in NORTH TEXAS: Aug. 13

Ready for some kid-fueled fun? Head to Preschool Playtime from 9:30am-12pm today (and every Thursday) at the Grapevine Community Activities Center. Children ages 3-5 will go wild with balls, toys, a parachute and more. Parents must stay in the gym with their kids. $1 per child.

Today in FORT WORTH: Aug. 13

Remember the old Disney movie The Aristocats? (You know the one — with the cute little kittens and glamorous momma cat Duchess!) The sweet movie will come to life on stage with Disney's The Aristocats at 10am today (and 10am every Saturday and 4:30pm every Tuesday through Sept. 12) at Hurst's Artisan Center Theater. The musical show is appropriate for kids of all ages. $5.

Today in DALLAS: Aug. 13

Little gymnastics fans will flip for the USA Gymnastics Visa Championships starting at 9am today and Friday and 11am Saturday at the Dallas Convention Center and the American Airlines Center. The country's best gymnasts will be out in full force to compete in rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and more. Single event tickets start at $15.

Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?

School is coming up, and that means one more stressful thing for parents: helping with your child’s homework. Sure, with the younger ones, it can be a breeze. But helping your fifth or sixth grader? It can leave you baffled and scratching your head.

Avoid that humiliation and impress your kids with help from Homework for Grown-ups: Everything You Learned at School and Promptly Forgot, by E. Foley and B. Coates. It covers 10 different school topics, including geography and even recess. Brush up on your understanding of noun-verb agreement and mathematics, or learn more about Greek Philosophy and religions. The lessons are light and easy to read, and tests at the end of each chapter ensure you retain your (somewhat) newfound knowledge.

This is sure to be a book you’ll keep handy at all times. Get your copy of Homework for Grown-ups at Barnes & Noble for $15.99.

— Mari Park

Today in NORTH TEXAS: Aug. 12

Families in Corinth, Hickory Creek, Lake Dallas and Shady Shores will flock to Storytime and Craft at 10:30am today at the Lake Cities Library. Preschoolers will be treated to a fun story and will make a craft to take home. Talk about a perfect morning! Free.

Today in FORT WORTH: Aug. 12

Make a memory your children will cherish with a trip to see Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey's Over the Top starting at 7:30pm today at the Fort Worth Convention Center. After a run in Dallas, the circus will delight Tarrant County kids through Aug. 16. The show includes tigers, elephants, clowns and aerialists — all the stuff of circus dreams come true! Tickets start at $15.

Today in DALLAS: Aug. 12

Spend a hot afternoon hearing cool books at Summer Storytime With Arturo at 1pm today at the Dallas Museum of Art. A museum staff member will read a story from the museum's children's library in the galleries. After the storytime, make sure you check out the museum's beautiful collection! $10 adults; $7 seniors; children younger than 13 free.

A Creative Addition to Storytime

Illustrated children’s books discovered on weekly family library visits were one of my earliest artistic influences. I loved creative illustrations then, and today is no different – which is why Bugs in a Blanket by Beatrice Alemagna immediately stuck out to me as a must-read!

The book is chock-full of fantastic illustrations (done in a mix of textiles, appliqué and collage) depicting a colony of bugs living in a blanket. Far from creepy, each bug has a cute and quirky personality all its own. When the bugs meet for the first time, they immediately notice how different they are from one another. Bugs in a Blanket teaches kids to tolerate the differences of others – and, if your kids have an artistic bent, may inspire them to create fun, collage illustrations of their own!

Bugs in a Blanket is available on the Phaidon Press Web site.

—Mary Dunn

Today in NORTH TEXAS: Aug. 11

Beat the heat by catching Movies and Munchies at 3:30pm today at Denton's South Branch Library. Kids will see the family-friendly movie Race to Witch Mountain about two supernatural siblings on a quest to save the Earth. Children younger than 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Free.

Today in FORT WORTH: Aug. 11

Enjoy a purrr-fect afternoon with a performance of Disney's The Aristocats at 4:30pm today at Hurst's Artisan Center Theater. This kid-friendly musical follows Duchess the ritzy kitty and her cute aristokittens as they escape the evil schemes of Edgar the butler. $5.

Today in DALLAS: Aug. 11

Little train buffs (you know, the ones who have seen every Thomas the Tank Engine video 14 times) will love All Aboard, a tour and storytime all about trains, at 10:30am today. Kids will get a closeup look at a restored railway car and will learn how train travel operates! Call ahead to make reservations (required). Free.

Advice for Getting Baby to Sleep

Are you and your partner struggling to get your baby (birth to 12 months) to sleep through the night or for at least a couple of hours?

Share your story — and get some free advice along the way — by participating in an upcoming feature story for the Fall/Winter edition of DallasChild Baby magazine (a sister publication to DallasChild).

Two families will be chosen to implement tips and advice given from area sleep experts; the couples will work with an editor to tell their story of successes and failures in getting their baby to sleep.

Please send your name, phone number, e-mail address and a brief description of your family (and your family's sleep situation) to: gsparling@dallaschild.com. Thanks!

— Gretchen Sparling

Milkshake It Up!

I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that the music playing in your car is far from the music you rocked out to in earlier days. You can sing your little darlings’ songs and jingles by heart and hear them over and over again in your head, but you miss the days of air guitar and ‘80s hair bands (just a little).

For all you music lovers with kiddos, we've found just what you need! Milkshake, the groundbreaking independent children's recording group, brings you family-friendly music with an edgy, upbeat sound that both kids and parents will love! The group’s new CD, Great Day, hits stores Aug. 25, but you can find previous award-winning CDs, DVD and music videos online and in stores now.

Milkshake originated with two musicians and a love for kids. Founding members Lisa Mathews and Mike Gehl saw a need for a different style of kids’ music. As parents themselves, they vowed to "grow" their music right along with their own young children. They have done just that, producing hits that transcend age and appeal to both younger and older kids alike ... not to mention you, Mom and Dad. With an attempt to avoid "dumbing down" their lyrics, Milkshake sings from both the parents’ point of view and the kids’ too. Mathews and Gehl touch on self-esteem, goals, friendship, inclusion, family and material desires - things that really matter to kids! You'll rock out with your family to tunes that are energetic, colorful, meaningful and just good clean fun! And rest assured — they'll be songs you won't mind getting stuck in your head.

For more information, visit www.milkshakemusic.com and look for the band at this year's Austin Kiddie Limits in October.

Want to hear Milkshake’s new CD before it hits stores? We've got TWO copies of Great Day and want to give them to YOU! Winning is easy - simply register on our blog to receive e-mail updates, get five friends to register to receive them as well and one could be yours! E-mail me at promotions@dallaschild.com to confirm registration. Good luck!

-Jenny

Baby's Kicks

Here’s an option that will keep your baby’s feet gently covered while they toddle around.

Moks, by scandeez, are soft leather shoes for babies. Made of supple new leather with reclaimed leather soles, the shoe fits snugly on your baby’s foot thanks to the elastic on the top, guaranteeing it will stay put. But the best part, in my opinion, is the adorable cutout on the soles. From frogs to elephants to cherries, scandeez offers a variety of designs, perfect to match with any outfit.

Not only would they make great baby shower gifts, they’re so cute you’ll want to grab a couple pairs to cover your baby’s tootsies.

Moks are available online, and sell for $30 a pair.

— Mari Park

Today in NORTH TEXAS: Aug. 10

Grab your diaper bag and check out Baby and Me Storytime at 11am today at the Coppell Public Library. Once you get your admission ticket at the Information Desk, you'll be treated to songs, stories, rhymes and more - all designed to make your baby go gaga! Free.