TOP THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS THIS WEEKEND: MARCH 9-11

Take advantage of your weekends and plan something fun for the whole family to enjoy! Explore somewhere different, take a class or enjoy a local festival. Here’s our top picks for what to do and where to go this weekend!

FRIDAY

A THOUSAND CRANES (THEATRE)
Friday, March 9 / 10:00am – 2:00pm
@ Wild Swan Theatre, Ann Arbor
This very beautiful and moving play tells the touching story of a young Japanese girl’s experience after the bombing of Hiroshima and how children from all over Japan began to fold paper cranes to help Sadako get well.

BABES & BRUSHES: 18months – 3years
Friday, March 9 / 11:00am – 3:00pm
@ Little Big World, Ferndale
An enriching story time paired with a canvas to be created by you and your babe. While the canvas dries your babe will be able to experience a one of a kind play area that is focused on imaginative play.

DROP-IN WORKSHOP: PAMPHLET STITCH BOOKS
Friday, March 9 / 6:00pm – 9:00pm
@ Detroit Institute of Arts
Head to the DIA and use an assortment of decorative papers to make a book bound with a traditional form of stitching.

PRE-SCHOOL STORY TIME

Farmington Community Library @ 10:30pm – 11:30am
Detroit Public Library @ 10:30am – 12:00pm

SATURDAY

LUMBERJACK .5 PANCAKE RUN
Saturday, March 10 / 9:30am – 11:00am
@ Outdoor Adventure Center
Enjoy a live chainsaw carving, diving into a pile of pancakes covered in pure Michigan maple syrup and walking a fashion runway to show off your unique lumberjack style.

CRITTERS UP CLOSE
Saturday, March 10 / 10:00am – 4:00pm
@ Ann Arbor Hands on Museum
Get up close and personal with some of your favorite critters from the natural world, thanks to our friends at Leslie Science & Nature Center!

JUNIOR NATURALIST CLUB
Saturday, March 10 / 10:00am – 11:30am
@ Farmington Hills Nature Center
Kids will get to touch, smell, hear, taste and see many aspects of the natural world. Dress your child for the weather and exploring outdoors.

BRAIN DAY
Saturday, March 10 / 10:00am – 5:00pm
@ Michigan Science Center
Hosted by neuroscientists from Wayne State University and University of Detroit Mercy, Brain Day features activities, displays, and crafts to help you learn about your amazing brain!

ROYAL OAK ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
Saturday, March 10 / 10:00am – 11:00am
@ Downtown Royal Oak
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Washington Avenue, moving south from the Middle School to 4th street. The parade will start promptly at 10:00 am on Saturday, March 10th.

MI KIDS COMIC CON
Saturday, March 10 / 11:00am – 3:00pm
@ Skateland West Family Fun Center, Westland
MI Kids Con encourages literacy through reading comic books and playing board games. Enjoy a day of fun and activities and meet some of your favorite Heroes, Villains, and Princesses!

FERNDALE GAME DAY
Saturday, March 10 / 1:00pm – 6:00pm
@ Ferndale Public Library
2nd Saturday of each month, come learn new games and play old favorites. All ages welcome Children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.

FAMILY ACTIVITIES SERIES
Saturday, March 10 / 1:00pm – 4:00pm
@ Charles H Wright Museum
Enjoy The Wright Museum with this FREE Saturday activity series for the whole family. Whether art, music, dance, acting, or more, you and your children are sure to have a great time!

REGIE AT THE LIBRARY
Saturday, March 10 / 2:00pm – 4:00pm
@ Detroit Public Library
Please welcome, for his first ever performance at the Detroit Public Library, our broccoli hero, Regie! Regie is coming for a live, in-person show to read his stories, play games, and try a tasty snack with his friends.

PUPPET SHOW: PETER AND THE WOLF
Saturday, March 10 / 2:00pm – 3:30pm
@ Detroit Institute of Arts
Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf has enchanted audiences since its premier in 1936 and follows a boy on his adventures to capture a wolf.

VELVETEEN RABBIT MUSICAL
Saturday, March 10 / 2:30pm – 4:00pm
@ Northville Marquis Theatre
Hop on in to the Marquis Theatre and enjoy the musical version of Velveteen Rabbit, a classic tale of how toys become real.

FAMILY NIGHT OUT
Saturday, March 10 / 5:00pm – 7:45pm
@ Troy Community Center
An inexpensive and fun night out for families! Spend quality time together and enjoy basketball, swimming, parachutes, inflatable castle and more. Open to residents & non-residents.

MONSTER JAM
Saturday, March 10 / 7:00pm – 10:00pm
@ Ford Field, Detroit
Monster Jam® is the world’s largest and most famous monster truck tour featuring the biggest names in monster trucks including Grave Digger®, Max-D®, Monster Mutt®, El Toro Loco®, Captain’s Curse® and Blue Thunder®.

PARENTS NIGHT OUT
Saturday, March 10 / 7:00pm – 10:00pm
@ Troy Gymnastics
Kids can tumble, jump & play while their parents are away! Shop, dine, or catch a movie while your child is supervised in a safe environment and meeting new friends!

SUNDAY

SENSORY FRIENDLY SUNDAY
Sunday, March 11 / 10:00am – 12:00pm
@ Arab American National Museum
Join the Arab American National Museum for a FREE sensory-friendly experience designed for families affected by autism and other sensory-processing challenges.

NATURE STORYTIME: AGES 1-5
Sunday, March 11 / 10:00am – 11:00am
@ Leslie Science & Nature Center
Nature Storytime has many opportunities for you and your little one to explore and appreciate the outdoors, such as live animal visits, hikes, stories, and hands-on activities.

SPRING FORWARD
Sunday, March 11 / 11:00am – 3:00pm
@ Belle Isle Nature Center
The event features the opportunity to hear from keepers who care for the amphibians and learn about amphibian conservation, and includes frog mask making, leapfrog games and storytelling.

TROY RESTAURANT WEEK
Sunday, March 11 – Friday, March 16
@ Various Troy Restaurants
Choose from seasonal fixed menus at 20 fabulous restaurants in Troy, Michigan. It’s a great time to try someplace NEW or to visit an old favorite to see what wonderful items they have cooked up for this special week.

MAPLE FESTIVAL
Sunday, March 11 / 12:00pm – 4:00pm
@ Cranbrook Institute of Science
In addition to maple-themed snacks, guests are invited to learn about the science of maple syrup production, listen to the story of sugaring in Colonial North America and taste the pure sweetness of homemade maple candy.

MAPLE SUGARING BRUNCH
Sunday, March 11 / 12:00pm – 3:00pm
@ Orchard Lake Schools
Guests will see a historical sap to syrup demonstration, learn about the other benefits of maple trees and enjoy warm pancakes topped with local maple syrup.

PATRICK’S DAY PARADE
Sunday, March 11 / 12:30pm – 2:00pm
@ Corktown, Detroit
Thousands of families and friends with high Irish Spirits will bundle up for the cold for the Parade, which follows along Michigan Avenue through the area known as Corktown.

FREE SECOND SUNDAY
Sunday, March 11 / 1:00pm – 5:00pm
@ Charles H Wright Museum
Bring your family and friends to experience the wonder of The Wright Museum with free admission every second Sunday of the month courtesy of the DTE Energy Foundation! Enjoy the many exhibitions on display as well as engaging programming for the entire family.

FAMILY FUNDAY FILMS: WAITING FOR SUPERMAN
Sunday, March 4 / 1:30pm – 3:00pm
@ Detroit Public Library
The Detroit Public Library’s Main Library Popular & Film Department is now offering free family friendly films! They will have a new film each week for the entire family to enjoy.

PUPPET SHOW: PETER AND THE WOLF
Sunday, March 11 / 2:00pm – 3:30pm
@ Detroit Institute of Arts
Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf has enchanted audiences since its premier in 1936 and follows a boy on his adventures to capture a wolf.

MEET THE AUTHOR: ‘BENSON’S ADVENTURES IN MICHIGAN
Sunday, March 11 / 2:00pm – 3:30pm
@ Outdoor Adventure Center
This presentation will inspire students, parents and educators to start DREAMING BIG! The authors will share their writing journey, as well as engage students in a writing activity with a life-size postcard.

ROYAL TEA PARTY
Sunday, March 11 / 4:30pm – 6:00pm
@ Tea Party Castle, Shelby Township
Join us for a Royal Tea Party~a magical Celebration open to the public! Your Princess will dress in a royal gown complete with tiara and up-do. Princes or pirates complete their look with cape and crown or bandana, eye patch & hand hook!

For MORE EVENTS happening this weekend, please check out our full EVENT CALENDAR!

Photo Credit: Ann Arbor Hands on Museum

About Kerry Doman

Kerry Doman is the founder and CEO of LittleGuide Detroit and After 5 Detroit. She has lived downtown Detroit for 10+ years and still calls the city home with her husband and son. As a relatively new mom, she’s excited to explore downtown with her family and hopes you’ll enjoy doing the same!