Fairies & Gnomes, Santa Photos for Kids & Pets, Little Aviators & Other Things to Do with Family This Week 11/12

There’s lots of fun to be had this week from history, art, and storytimes to Thanksgiving crafts, dinosaurs and tree lightings.

Survival Basics
Reedy Creek Nature Preserve

Survival skills can be both fun and enlightening. Learn how to build a fire, make a shelter, purify water, make rope and signal for rescue. Spend the day out of school learning to survive.

Fairy Houses and Gnome Huts
McDowell Nature Preserve

Collect sticks, pebbles, bark, leaves and other naturally found items from the forest to build a whimsical fairy or gnome house. Pre-registration required.

Pet Photos with Santa
Carolina Place Mall

Bring cats and dogs to take pictures with Santa and make their wishes. Best to make reservations.

Photos with Santa
SouthPark Mall

Families and friends can come by Center Court to capture holiday memories with Santa. There’s a fast pass available.

Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s
Bass Pro Shops

Monday, November 12 (through December 24)

Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s offers guests a free photo with Santa. Families can reserve a virtual spot inline while playing games and making crafts.

Toddler Time Tuesday
Discovery Place Kids – Huntersville

Toddlers and a caregiver can enjoy sensory, art, movement and music activities designed around the season. Develop social skills through shared readings and interactive lessons.

Dakota and Friends
ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center

Meet and interact with Dakota, pet a baby T-Rex or maybe watch an egg being hatched. Participate in ‘Reading, Writing and Roaring’  where kids can read aloud to dinosaurs, then take a ride.

Birding Walk
Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden

Stroll down Meadowood Walk and Persimmon Trail to scout for seasonal birds, observe nesting patterns and establish a basis for bird counts. Bring binoculars if you own a pair.

Thanksgiving Beginner Buddies Preschool Program
Rescue Ranch

Classes involve a story, craft, songs, exploration stations, and time with live animal ambassadors.

Young Explorers: Turkey Tales
Latta Nature Center

Discover nature with your little one through stories, crafts, and activities centered on a new topic each week.

Little Aviators
Carolina’s Aviation Museum

Join the Carolina’s Aviation Museum  for an engaging hour of exploring aviation through stories, crafts and hands-on experiences that are STEM-focused and aligned with NC Pre-K curriculum standards.

Friendsgiving Story Time and Craft
SAS Cupcakes

Thursday, November 15, 10:30 a.m.

Kids read a special story about thankfulness, frost cupcakes and create a Thanksgiving craft to take home.

Girls Read
Cornelius Library

This month we will read “Ranger in Time: Hurricane Katrina Rescue” by Kate Messner. New members are always welcome.

Peppa Pig Live!
Ovens Auditorium

Peppa Pig Live! is an action-packed live show featuring your favorite characters as life-size puppets and costume characters.

Community School of the Arts
ASC Culture Blocks and CM Library

Friday, November 16, 2:30 p.m.

Community School of the Arts provides a visual arts activity and there is live music performed throughout the workshop. These two-hour workshop experiences are intended for families and appropriate for all ages.

Concord Tree Lighting and Art Walk
The Galleries of the Cabarrus Arts Council

The event features live music, children’s activities, visits with Santa, artist demonstrations and activities throughout downtown Concord. At 8:30pm, see the tree lighting and fireworks.

Breakfast with Santa at Northlake Mall
Northlake Mall

Santa will join the first 200 MallStars Kids Club members for a yummy breakfast, fun games, entertainment and of course, time with Santa. Membership to Northlake Mall’s MallStars Kids Club is free and open to children 10-years old and younger.

A Day in the Life: Healthy Eating and Sports Science
Discovery Place Science

Join staff from Atrium Health to learn about healthy eating habits, sleep, nutrition and mental health and explore how sports medicine intersects with wellness.

Santa Paws in the Park
Robbins Park

Bring your dogs and enjoy photos with Santa, shop for unique dog gifts, and participate in a brief guided hike in Robbins Park.

The LEGO Challenge: Party Time
Myers Park Library

Learn mathematical concepts of sorting, building, and geometry while developing problem solving and critical thinking skills. Register online.

Santa’s Arrival Parade and Tree Lighting
Birkdale Village

Saturday, November 17, 3:00 p.m.

A parade to celebrate Santa’s arrival, live entertainment, a tree lighting, vendors, Ace and TJ from 96.1, and more.

Holiday Magic at Rea Farms
Rea Farms

See the lighting of the Rea Farms tree, get a free photo with Mr and Mrs. Claus, Pet Night with Sir Purr sponsored by Banfield, visit with characters from Frozen, a cookie decorating contest sponsored by Flour Power and hot cocoa provided by The Links. Shop for gifts from Rea Farms Shops at Stocking Stuffer Lane, and enjoy carriage rides, train rides, face painting, carolers and more.

Blakeney Tree Lighting and Santa Arrival
Blakeney Shopping Centers

Saturday, November 17, 5:30 p.m.

Blakeney Shopping Center is kicking off the holiday season with the annual Santa Arrival and Tree Lighting Ceremony. Santa Claus will sit for photos at his workshop following the official tree lighting ceremony. The evening will be full of holiday activities including arts and crafts, visits from holiday characters, music by The Matt Stratford Band and more.

Bilingual Stories and Music
Mint Museum Randolph

Criss Cross Mangosauce will present a Spanish/English story time with music, plays and stories. All families interested in raising bilingual and globally-minded children are welcome.

Passport to the Queen City: Early Tech Day
The Charlotte Museum of History

As part of the Charlotte Museum of History’s Passport to the Queen City program, learn about the technologies of the people who called the Carolina Backcountry home during Colonial times. The afternoon will include hands-on crafts and demonstrations of textile-making, chemistry of cooking, construction techniques and technologies used for hunting and daily living.

Stories in the Woods
UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens

Visit the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens for picture books and literacy activities revolving around “Seeds!” Meet at the picnic tables in the Susie Harwood Garden, and bring a blanket. Parking options on the weekends include any unmarked parking space on campus. The closest large lot is Lot 5. Follow the gravel path towards the greenhouse.

WinterFest
Carowinds

Carowinds comes alive with holiday spirit during WinterFest. Friends and family are treated to a holiday celebration as the park magically transforms into a winter wonderland – full of enchantment, cheer and classic family fun.

Speedway Christmas
Charlotte Motor Speedway

Sunday, November 18 (through December 31), 6:00 p.m.

One of the world’s most spectacular Christmas light displays will illuminate one of the world’s most remarkable sporting venues for the ninth annual Speedway Christmas drive-through light show. New this year is a 50-foot Ferris wheel in the infield village area.

Fall Family Amazing Race
Levine Jewish Community Center

Sunday, November 18, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Form your own team and come out for some family-friendly competition with obstacle courses, fitness stations, and field games.

*All images sourced from Facebook/ websites of events listed or free sources.

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Bek Mitchell-Kidd
Bek Mitchell-Kidd
Bek is an Australian native who has lived in the Lake Norman area for more than a decade.