5 Reasons to Love the DFW Family Expo

Editor’s note: for 2017 the door price for the Expo is $6. The advance ticket price remains $5.

As a parent of two young boys, I am always looking for fun things to take them to, that won’t bore me to tears and require a second mortgage. Last year I went to the DFW Family Expo and the question I always get is, “Is it worth it?” I can’t blame people. Given the choice between walking on hot coals while listening to mix-tape of nails on a chalkboard and Paula Abdul’s greatest hits for a week, or a drama-filled day trip with my kids, I’d say hand me the headphones. What parent wants to set themselves up for a day of failure with their children? However, The DFW Family Expo is a family destination that will suit every parent’s needs. Here are five reasons why:

1: Bounce Houses = Sleep– First rule of nap-time is: You do not talk about nap-time. Second rule of of nap-time is: You do not talk about nap-time. Don’t talk. Let your kids bounce themselves silly and enjoy the blissful quiet.

2: Answers and Ideas– What parent has not said, “Summer is coming up. What should I do with the kids?” Along with all of the family friendly activities there are vendors there with all kinds of products and activities that are geared towards families. Listen to the ones that interest you and take the free swag from the ones who don’t. Win/Win.

3: I’ll take, “Things that Cost $5,” Alex– Seriously, what can you do for $5, get a no-so footlong? With bounce houses, indoor trampolines, a petting zoo, princess tea parties, sports games, the Disco Dance Dome, face painters, balloon artists, a crawler/toddler area, character appearances, live performances, and more, the amount of activities at the DFW Family Expo vs the Lincoln spent is hard to beat.

4: Giving Back– All proceeds of this event go towards the Ronald McDonald House Charities which focus on helping families in need. Instead of funding the electric bill of an anamatronic mouse, why not put your family fun dollar somewhere useful?

5: Childhood Adventure- Let’s be honest, any time you are packing young kids to go to an event is an ordeal. I get it, I want to be ordeal-less as well, but check out this picture below that I took at last year’s DFW Family Expo. In the center you’ll see my sons and I with a pack of stormtroopers, but keep going to the left you will see an epic photobomb by some kid I’ve never met in my life. My wife managed to capture the pure and unadulterated joy of a child. You may not think a sith lord is something to freak out about, but kids do.

It can be a huge pain to go outside of our parental comfort zones to try something new, but events like the DFW Family Expo are an opportunity for our kids to have a day full of fun and the chance for us parents to witness the world of wonder again through the eyes of our children. Isn’t that why we had them? At the very least, your kid might triumphantly photobomb some poor sap’s picture and give him something to talk about for years to come.