This week, we’re doing the same, except for your kiddos. These are books that are guaranteed to capture imaginations, expand worldviews, keep screentime to a minimum, and maybe even teach a little! We’ve divided this list into age groups, and these choices should be available at your local, independent bookseller and your local library!

AGES 3-5

• Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal
• Mouse’s Wood written and illustrated by Alice Melvin
• The Dino Door by Josh Funk, illustrated by Renée Kurilla
• Dad by Christian Robinson (GREAT for a Father’s Day gift!)
• Bear for a Day written and illustrated by Corey R. Tabor
• Kindergarten Gets Ready by Naomi Danis, illustrated by Pete Oswald
• Otter’s New Neighbors written and illustrated Li Xingming, translated by Shan Chen
• The Bookshop by Hiba Noor Khan, illustrated by Julian Ariza
• Just a Shell… or Is It? By Becca McMurdie, illustrated by Paola Escobar

AGES 6-8

• My Big Book of Texas: All That’s Great About the Lone Star State written and illustrated by C.S. Jennings
• What If? Tell a New Story Every Time by Tom Schamp
• Ottonline Goes to School by Chris Riddell
• I Told a Little Lie written and illustrated by Judith Henderson
• When I’m a Moshom by David A. Robertson, illustrated by Corrie Hill
• Seahorse Is Furious and There’s Nothing You Can Do About It written and illustrated by Morag Hood
• A Room with a View by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Thais Mesquita

AGES 9-12

• Cotton and the Shadow of Memory Creek by Carolyn Christian
• The Filoli Fiasco by Advik Arun
• The Marsh Fellows by Anna-Laura Sullivan
• A Wish with Wings by Sarah Guillory
• Dante N. Ferno: Camp Catastrophe by Brian Gordon
• Camp Big Top by Alexandra Diaz
• Berserkers by M. A. Larson
• The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell

TEENS and YA

• Behind Five Willows by June Hur
• In the Country I Love by Alaa Al-Barkawi
• Gentlest of Things by Sarah Underwood
• Forlorn Harbor by Jim Doran
• Below by Jason Chabot
• Murphy’s Law for Teens: Modern Life Principles and Lessons by Emily Carter
• This Is How I Look When I’m Ignoring You by M. T. Raiser
• Beyond the Mirage by Vella Karman
• Rogue Spells by Melinda Kucsera
• A Garden of Dragons by C. Lynmore

The post Tanglewood Moms’ Summer Reading for Kids and Teens 2026 first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

My boys and I do our best to make the most of our time together, but I know those teen years are looming over our heads. Until that time, however, my boys and I can be found out seeking adventures. I try to look at the world around us through their eyes and find things they will not only enjoy, but that will create lifelong memories for them. Looking at Fort Worth from a child’s perspective provides such a unique outlook on the city we love.  

My eight-year-old, Hayes, may tell you that the only form of entertainment in Fort Worth is at Main Event; however, when pushed a little outside of his arcade game-infested comfort zone, he has found a few local favorite spots that we all can enjoy all while getting some much-needed fresh air and a break from the dreaded screens. Favorite spots on Hayes’ list include camping and hiking, Texas Nature Traders at the Fort Worth Zoo, the Saltgrass Steakhouse patio, bowling, and his favorite candy store.  

The camping spot of Hayes’ dreams is hands down Mineral Wells State Park. Only a 45-minute drive from Fort Worth, this state park has everything you need for a perfect weekend away. From star gazing parties at night, to a lake for kayaking and fishing, to the absolute best hiking trails, you won’t hear your kids ask for an electronic device all weekend. Cooking over a fire and roasting marshmallows while the deer walk straight up to your kids and allow them to hand feed them is hard for Mario and Minecraft to top. The hiking trails full of massive, yet climbable, rocks are always a hit. Hayes will race any kid to the top of the rocks and win every time. I’m pretty sure he’s part monkey! 

Nature Traders at the Fort Worth Zoo is an interactive program that encourages kids to explore nature and the world around them. Kids can bring in any item they found in nature and learn what it is, where it came from, and then trade it in for points which they can then spend on any of the other collected items. Treasures Hayes has come home with include a cow pelvis (yep, it’s huge, and it’s in my house), antlers, obsidian pieces, and unique shells. 

For parents and kids alike, the Saltgrass Steakhouse patio is a hidden gem. Kids can feed the ducks day-old bread right from their patio table! Last on his list, but definitely the most important place in Fort Worth to Hayes is the candy store. I was told I couldn’t complete this article without mentioning his favorite place for a treat, Pop N Cream. Located in Montgomery Plaza this popcorn, candy, and ice cream store has everything a sugaraholic could desire. The old school candy selection and colorful jars are a win for any kid, big or small! 

My ten-year-old, Carter, would survive on a diet of pizza if I would let him. Top on his list are pizza places, Airfield Falls, Fort Worth Nature Center, fishing at Eagle Mountain Lake, and his number one love, baseball. When narrowing down his top pizza spots, he was able to trim the list to four.  Partons Pizza, Fireside Pies, Mama’s Pizza, and the new Zoli’s made the cut. Each spot totally different but all have their place depending on the occasion. For a fancy mother-son date night, Fireside Pies is the place. Need a place for a pizza party with the team after a big game? Mama’s Pizza is the way to go. Old school night out with buddies is best at Parton Pizza. If it’s a beautiful day and you need a place for the kids to run around and play, the newly opened Zoli’s Pizza off Hulen is perfect and is attached to the Cow Tipping Creamery. Win-win.   

Of course, there is more to life for Carter than pizza. Airfield Falls is one of our favorite spots in the Fort. A short hike down the trail, and you will find yourself at a picturesque waterfall that the kids can run and play in, skip rocks on, and splash around in if it is warm enough. No one can skip a rock better than Carter, and he could spend hours here doing just that. 

Hiking at the Fort Worth Nature Center is another great way to spend a Saturday. With trails all over and trees to climb, both of my boys can happily spend a day here. The Trinity Trails are also a great way to spend a pretty day. There is an entrance to the trails just down the street from our house which we walk to often. Just a twenty-minute walk from our house, and we can be on the patio at Bar Taco or HG Supply. Both restaurants are dog- and kid-friendly. Speaking of patios, the patio at Augie’s Sunset Café on a nice day followed by fishing on Eagle Mountain Lake never disappoints either boy.   

If the weather isn’t cooperating, and we don’t have a baseball game or practice to get to, a favorite of my boys is old school bowling at Cowtown Bowling. You can’t go wrong with the classics, and this bowling alley is about as classic as it gets and is perfect for some family fun. 

Lastly, I would be failing you all if I didn’t include TCU football, baseball, and basketball games on their list of fun things to do! As Fort Worth locals, supporting the Frogs is a must, and there is no way to have a bad time at a TCU game. 

This, ladies and gentlemen, is Fort Worth in a nutshell from my boys’ perspective. Get outside and take in all the beauty and adventures this town has to offer and soak up every second with your kids while you can.  

Angela Weaver (seen here with her co-authors) is a native Texan, raised in Keller, but she got to Fort Worth as soon as she could. At 17, she joined the Marine Corps and served four years active duty. After her military service ended, she went to work for a hedge fund and then a whiskey distillery, both in Fort Worth. Her most important role started in 2009 when she became a mom. She lives with her two boys in Fort Worth and spends as much time as possible on fun adventures with them. She loves to spend her time outdoors getting the full Boy Mom experience, even if that means being covered in dirt, catching fish, or shooting BB guns. She loves the sense of community she has found in Fort Worth and can’t wait share that with our readers.

The post Discovering Fort Worth Through a Child’s Eye first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

I kept looking for the chic, minimalist, and modern section, but I was surrounded by monkeys, nautical motifs, and floral prints in bright colors that had nothing to do with the design of my home. I knew what I wanted for our nursery, and it was nowhere in that store.

I learned very quickly that chic, minimalist, and modern in the baby industry amounted to big bucks and a lot of online shopping. I will never forget my husband’s face when I showed him the stroller that I had to have all the way from Australia, along with a price tag that totaled more than everything we had bought for the entire nursery. I am thankful that he laughed in my face. That reality check, that parenthood is taking care of actual children who care nothing about design or cost, kept me humble.

photo credit: Connie Meinhardt Lifestyle Photography

Years later and three kids in, my favorite spaces in our home are my children’s, which is to say all of them. There is not a room in our house where my children are uninvited or where I have not curated a special place for them. When I grew tired of fighting the colorful toys and animal motifs that clashed with my design aesthetic, I chose to regroup and realign my vision for our home and my sanity.

I have wrestled with what inspires my design. I have realized that my greatest joy in designing is centered around how we gather with our family and our friends. Our home serves as an anchor for how we engage with our world. It is the place where we retire to relax and rethink our strategies. It is the place where we invite others to do the same. I wanted the design of our home to inform how we gather together. Here, then, is what I have learned while designing our home.

photo credit: Connie Meinhardt Lifestyle Photography

Declutter

I have hit some extremely low points in parenting as it relates to my home and how it looks. At the root of so many of my mental breakdowns was the reality that our kids have too much stuff. Half of the battle is just having a place to put everything. You can be the most organized person in the whole world, but if you have more stuff than storage space, your house will quickly start to look like an episode of “Hoarders.” Any seasoned parent knows that when you get rid of your kids’ stuff, you had better do it when they are not conscious or not at home. We did what any experienced parent would do: waited until they were asleep and got to work. For weeks, we feigned our way through house-wide search parties looking for Iron-Man and Rainbow-Dash. Eventually, most toys were forgotten, and our lesson was that less is certainly more when it comes to toys.

photo credit: Connie Meinhardt Lifestyle Photography

Be selective

The act of decluttering our toys brought a few things to my attention. The toys that we kept were the open-ended, creative toys. The simple blocks, dollhouses, marble runs, magnetic blocks, dress-up clothes, lightbox, and kitchen set entertain my kids for hours. When they use these toys for their play, their imaginations are engaged and stretched. Interestingly, these toys are eye-catching. Displayed on shelves and in open storage, these toys are bright and beautiful, and they inspire my kids’ daily play. I did not mind (much) when these toys are strewn across the floor. It was one of those rare win-win situations.

photo credit: Connie Meinhardt Lifestyle Photography

Celebrate play

When you have kids, it can be hard to craft a home that fits your style personality and theirs. For me, the solution is found in the fact that I am profoundly inspired by their work of play. I was reminded of this when I spent an entire telling my kids to clean up their rooms in a very loud voice, only to discover that they would start to clean, find something inspiring, and engage in full-on creative play. Frustrated, I asked my daughter why they had not cleaned up. She looked up at me and said, “But Mom, we just need to play.” This statement could not be truer. As parents, acknowledging, accepting, celebrating, and even emulating this playful behavior can really go a long way when you need a sanity check.

photo credit: Connie Meinhardt Lifestyle Photography

A few years ago, I was asked by a popular blog what my advice is for “making a home”. My reply was simple. Make your home YOURS. Unapologetically. To which I now add, let your children inspire your design.

Danika Franks is an extroverted introvert, and super chatty conversationalist that loves to move right past the superficial into a meaningful and vulnerable conversation expeditiously (brace yourself). Danika finished the 23rd grade and landed a career as an emergency medicine physician. She recently transitioned into an administrative role within medical education. Her career interests include physician well-being and resilience as well as physician coaching. Danika’s left and right brain are in constant competition as her inner- scientist/clinician competes with her inner-interior designer. In addition to her own spaces, you will frequently find her collaborating with friends and sometimes complete strangers (on a Target run) in designing their spaces. She is exploring a way to appease both sides of her brain by looking at how intentional interior design can improve both the medical training learning environment and the patient experience in hospitals and clinics. Danika lives with her husband, Chauncey, and three munchkins, Eli, Eden, and Elle. Somehow, despite being seasoned parents, Chauncey and Danika recently agreed to get two English bulldog puppies, Ferdinand and Bleu.

The post Design vs. Kids first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Now that the kids have been out of school a few weeks, they’ve probably already exhausted every creative idea you thoughtfully composed on your summer break ‘to do’ list. Don’t panic, allow us to give a helping hand. Here are a few fun suggestions you and your family will love to beat both the heat and the boredom this summer.

Food for the Soul

You know you’ve been meaning to get your child some music lessons for years. Now that school’s out there’s no better time to give it a try. Creative Soul Music School offers lessons, private and in groups for all age groups and levels of musical ability. Instruction in various instruments and voice are available as well as a summer music camp where kids can play in an actual band, learn to write original songs, and create music videos.

Just Food

One thing’s for certain in the summer, you will provide a never-ending succession of meals and snacks all break long. Why not teach the kiddos to put together a meal or two themselves? Central Market is known for their great cooking school and many of their classes are appropriate for children as young as 13. They also dedicate several days in the summer to a “Kids’ Camp” for ages 7-13. Another great option is Young Chefs Academy where your child can sign up for individual cooking classes or cooking camp geared towards kids 7-14.

A Short Drive Away

The drive’s worth it when you’ve got someplace this cool to go. Dallas’ SPARK is a fully immersive creative environment tailored for 2^nd-12^th graders. Here art and science collide to teach and encourage kiddos to think and play outside the box. Check their calendar for specific workshop information or just show up and play! Plano’s brand new Crayola Experience is great for a younger children with 22 interactive and creative attractions to explore. Learn how crayons are made, create your own color, make beautiful wax artwork and star in your own crayon page to name a few. Another Dallas favorite that you probably already knew about is the phenomenal Perot Museum of Nature and Science. Visit all five floors of hands-on, interactive and educational activities and games. This season’s special exhibition is called Ultimate Dinosaurs and it features rarely seen specimens and cutting-edge technology that will have you thinking you’ve stepped into a prehistoric era.

Craft

I’m not talking about the kind of crafting that makes you want to scream and tear your hair out in frustration but the kind that’s fun and meaningful and completely spelled out in detail for you. The Art Pantry has been a favorite of mine for process art for some time. Download for free off the website ‘9 Days of Easy Art Prompts’ that require no parent direction, or give Megan’s (founder) Family Canvas Challenge a try. If you still are apprehensive about crafting at home, or you just want to get out of the house and bond with other desperate parents (ha) the Kimbell Art Museum has numerous options including the Kids Drop-In Studio, Children’s Workshop, and Kimbell Summer Camps. Go online and check these programs out!

Get Reading

There are so many great places in Fort Worth to listen to a great story. Monkey and Dog Books is a quaint little bookstore which is opening in a new location on West 7^th Street on August 1^st. They do story times and have all sorts of fun things to do, so follow them on Facebook to find out what’s happening! Today’s library is very different from the quiet, musty-smelling place you hung out in as a kid.  Pick up a summer catalogue at The Fort Worth Public Library which lists a calendar of events for every branch in the city. You’ll find not only traditional read alouds, but also music and movement story times, lessons in robotics, and stop motion animation, family movie nights, and bilingual musical puppet shows to name a few of the offerings.

Just Some Other Cool Stuff to Know About

Most of us spend at least a couple of those hot summer days at the movie theatre. Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse may be perfect for your family. Enjoy ten weeks of family films for only $1 per movie ticket. Ridgmar 13 and XD is participating in this program, see the schedule available online for days and movie titles. Another fun activity to try this summer is Ephemera Terrariums where you can plant your own green oasis. This is a great one to do in groups and it requires no reservations. If you really need to burn off some energy and you can handle being outside for 90 minutes, try MetroDemic. Download this scavenger hunt game on your smart phone and follow the map to save the city from a crippling epidemic. The game will take you around downtown within a 3-block radius of Sundance Square. You can play at any time of day, and when you’re done, hop in the fountains to cool off!

Don’t let the heat melt away your sanity this summer. Keep the kids content and stay cool at the same time by giving one or all these refreshing ideas a try. Whatever you and your family do on your summer break, we hope you have a terrific time.

This article originally appeared in Spanish in the July/August issue of Madeworthy.

Christy Ortiz is a Fort Worth native, and is proud to say so. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UT Arlington in Interdisciplinary Studies. She taught for FWISD for eight busy years before switching gears to stay home with her two small children. Her hobbies are interior decorating for friends, photography, and flying kites with her kids. Her South American roots and love for the Spanish language and Latin cultures add to the diverse voices of our group.

The post 13 COOL Summer Activities first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.