Activities & Events
Many of these activities and events are free or modestly priced.
Note: Youth organizations like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H, etc, are listed on our Community links page.
For dance and gymnastics studios, toddler gyms, and other businesses, please consult the Yellow Pages.
Drop-In Activities
- Be sure to check the extensive family events calendar on Carolina Parent's website and in their free monthly magazine (available at many locations around the Triangle).
- Barnes & Noble at New Hope Commons Shopping Center (15/501 at Mt Moriah Rd, Durham) has story time on most Tuesday mornings at 10am and Saturdays at 11am.
- Barnes & Noble at Southpoint Mall has preschool story times with varied themes plus a craft, Friday 10:30am and again at 7pm.
- Border's Books on 15/501 at Sage Rd (next to Lowe's, on the way to Chapel Hill) has story time with varied themes, arts & crafts, and refreshments on Wednesday mornings at 10am.
- Michaels, ACMoore, Home Depot, and Lowes (among others) offer inexpensive crafts classes for children. See the phone book for store locations and offerings near you.
- Little River Community Center offers many programs for kids.
- Durham County Library offers story times and a variety of other children's programs (including performers!) at all branches.
Music
- Kindermusik classes are geared to narrow age ranges, i.e. baby, toddler, preschooler. Family classes are being introduced. Local instructors: DMC member Catherine Szuch (919-371-2360), Julia Cobley (919-467-4398), Kim Wright (919-260-7379), Catherine Alderman (919-317-1197), and several others. Also offered at Joyful Noise Studio.
- Music Together
classes are targeted to baby through age 5; great if you have a baby and an older toddler and don't want to take individual classes. Local instructors:
Suzanne McDonald (919-969-7928)
or Larissa Oryshkevich (919-682-5459).
Also now in Durham, Jammin' Baby - Musikgarten is similar to Kindermusik. Local instructors: DMC member Amy Witherow (919-620-1896), and Aviva Enoch in Chapel Hill (919-932-1426).
- Salsa Babies and Salsa Tots are Latin dance classes for parent and children ages (6-wks and up). Coming Soon: Salsa Kids! Spice up your child’s birthday party with Salsa Tots. Contact Susana Ramsey at susanar(atnospam)salsababies.com or 919.730.1854
- Group piano lessons are offered by several teachers and studios, including Melody Makers Studio in Hillsborough, Jan's Piano Studio in Durham, and Willa Carlton (919-471-4974).
- Joyful Noise Studio in Durham (South Square area) offers all sorts of music lessons.
- Music teacher referrals are available through the Durham Music Teachers Association and Chapel Hill Music Teachers Association.
Classes
- YMCA of the Triangle has several branches; Downtown Durham, Lakewood, and A.E. Finley (not far from Brier Creek) are convenient to many of us. Check out their child care, swimming lessons, and after-school programs.
- Durham Parks & Recreation offers pools, parks, trails, after- school activities, intersession programs and classes for all ages.
- The ArtsCenter in Carrboro presents classes for all ages, in theater, dance, and visual arts. Also concerts and other performances. Excellent programs.
- Museum of Life & Science offers fun science-themed classes, daily activities, and summer day camps too.
- Duke Gardens offers classes for children. (Great classes for adults too!)
Events
- Festival for the Eno, Eno River State Park, weekend of July 4. Music, poetry, crafts fair, giant sand sculpture, and tons of kids' activities. Very cool T-shirts too.
- Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival(s) of Music & Dance, 20 minutes west of Chapel Hill. Weekend festivals in April and October with music, dance, crafts, and workshops; lots of games and activities for kids. Check out their "other happenings" page too.
- North Carolina State Fair needs no introduction. Ten days in October, at the fairgrounds in Raleigh. Nightly fireworks!
- Hayti Heritage Center (say HAY-ty) in Durham celebrates African-American culture and arts with performances and events throughout the year. One of their events is...
- Bull Durham Blues Festival: weekend celebration of the blues — and of Durham's history as an important center of Carolina and Piedmont blues. Kids under 12 free with an adult.
- Artsplosure Spring Festival, Raleigh's Moore Square Park area, third weekend in May. Free festival with arts & crafts vendors, art exhibitions, two music stages plus street musicians, and hands-on art activities for kids.
- Lazy Daze, 4th Saturday in August, put on by the Town of Cary. Arts & crafts fair and local entertainers.
- American Dance Festival: premier summer celebration of creativity in modern dance. Six weeks of performances, intensive workshops, and a School of dance. Held at Duke University.
- Taste of Durham Festival: international celebration with food, music and entertainment. Brightleaf Square area of Durham; last Saturday in May.
- First Night Raleigh: alcohol-free New Year's Eve celebration. An afternoon Children's Celebration gets the kids in on the fun before bedtime. Evening performances in several venues.
- More events listed on Southern Festivals' website...
- Apple Chill Street Fair in Chapel Hill is no longer being held.