We’re looking ahead to next month with our list of family-friendly events. Did we miss something? Email nvillalpando@statesman.com.
Events
“Ben Hur Shrine Circus.” Kick off the circus’ arrival with an elephant brunch noon Jan. 13. . Watch the elephants eat, see the clowns and more. Free. Then see the circus.7:30 p.m. Jan. 13-14, 11 a.m. Jan. 14 and 16, 3 p.m. Jan. 14, 1:30 p.m. Jan. 15, 5:30 p.m. Jan. 15 and 4 p.m. Jan. 16. , $9-$35. H-E-B Center 2100 Avenue of the Stars. hebcenter.com.
Child Passenger Safety Car Seat Check Event. Get your car seats checked. Free. 9 a.m. Jan. 3. Dove Springs Recreation Center, 5801 Ainez Drive. 9 a.m. Jan. 9. CommUnity Care Clinic, 1210 W. Braker Lane. 9 a.m. Jan. 19, Gus Garcia Recreation Center, 1201 E. Rundberg Lane. austintexas.gov.
Theater
“Mutt-cracker (Sweet).” Circus Chickendog does “The Nutcracker” with rescue dogs. $25 adults $15 children. 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 1-3, and 6-8. Vortex, 2307 Manor Road. vortexrep.org.
“Disney’s The Little Mermaid.” The story of Ariel comes to the stage in this musical. $19-$30. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 6-7, 13-14, 2 p.m. Jan. 8, Jan. 15. Palace Theatre, 810 S. Austin Ave., Georgetown. georgetownpalace.com.
“Charlotte’s Web.” Aerial artists Sky Candy bring the spider to life. 11 a.m. Jan. 7, Jan. 14, and 2 p.m. Jan. 7-9, Jan. 14-15, $16-$21. Zach Theatre’s Kleberg Theatre, 1421 W. Riverside Drive. zachtheatre.org.
“Call of the Wild.” Theater Heroes brings Jack London’s story comes to life using projected illustrations as part of the Paramount Discovery series. $18. 2 p.m. Jan. 14-15 and 7 p.m. Jan. 14. Stateside at the Paramount, 719 Congress Ave. austintheatre.org.
“Odd Squad Live.” The PBS Kids show comes to the stage and Ms. O needs you to help solve the mystery. 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Jan. 15. $15-$32. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive. thelongcenter.org
“The Thing in Grandma’s Closet.” Pollyanna Theater presents this story of two siblings finding something mysterious in their grandmother’s closet. Best for third- to fifth-graders. 2 p.m. Jan. 28-29, Feb. 4-5. $10.50-$13.50. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive. thelongcenter.org
Music
African Children’s Choir. Hear this choir from Uganda. 7 p.m. Jan. 4. Free. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive. thelongcenter.org
“Pokémon Symphonic Evolutions.” Hear the music of Pokémon cartoons and video games in symphony form. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7. $29-$89. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive. thelongcenter.org
Museums
Bullock Museum. Little Texans. Drop in and play for ages 2 to 5. 10 a.m. Jan. 12. Science Thursdays. Hands-on activities from Central Texas Discover Engineering including boat races. 10 a.m. Jan. 19. Story time. For ages 2 to 5. Learn about the new year. 10 a.m. Jan. 26. Bullock Museum, 1800 N. Congress Ave. thestoryoftexas.com
Neill-Cochran House Museum. Sunday Funday: Hot air balloons and gliders. Create your own flying machine. 1-4 p.m. Jan. 8. Free. Neill-Cochran House, 2310 San Gabriel St. nchmuseum.org
Thinkery. Early Learner’s Workshops: “A Snowy Day.” Play with “snow.” 9:45 a.m. Jan. 2 (1 year olds); 10:45 a.m. Jan. 2 (2 year olds); and 11:45 a.m. Jan. 2 (3 year olds). $20. “Things that Glow.” Investigate things that glow in the dark. 9:45 a.m. Jan. 16 (1 year olds); 10:45 a.m. Jan. 16 (2 year olds); and 11:45 a.m. Jan. 16 (3 year olds). $20. Little Thinkers Club: Art Start: Discovering Color, Lines and Shapes. 9:45 a.m. Wednesdays for 1-year-olds, 10:45 a.m. Wednesdays for 2-year-olds through Jan. 25. $20 per class. Tinkering Tots: Let’s Create a Soundscape. 9:45 a.m. Fridays for 2-year-olds; 10:45 a.m. Fridays for 3-year-olds through Jan. 27. $20 a class. Baby Bloomers for kids infant to 3. Study light this month. 9 a.m. Jan. 7, 9, 14, 21, 23, 28 and 30. Special guests throughout the month. $5. Petri Dish Art. For ages 4 and up. 11:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. or 3:15 p.m. Jan. 7-8, Jan. 21-23. $8. Plush Pillows. Sew a pillow. For ages 8 and up. 11:15 a.m. Jan. 14-16, Jan. 28-29. $8. Digital Bling. For ages 8 and up. Sew a creation with bling. 1:15 p.m. or 3:15 p.m. Jan. 14-16, Jan. 28-29. $8. Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. thinkeryaustin.org
Contemporary Austin. Families Create! Hoop Around. Make art using circular fabric dyeing technique. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 14. Free. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th St. thecontemporaryaustin.org
Hill Country Science Mill. Snowy Day. The outdoor Science & Art Park at the Mill will be transformed into a winter wonderland. Launch snowballs with the catapult, build a snowman, play an ice xylophone. Bring your mittens. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 14. Hill Country Science Mill, 101 S. Lady Bird Lane, Johnson City. sciencemill.org.
Zilker Botanical Garden. Winter Faerie Tea Party. Dress in your fairy gear and learn about fairies as well as make fairy crafts. $16. 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Jan. 15. Faerie Luminaries. Create glass luminaries for fairies. $16. 11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Jan. 22. Zilker Botanical Garden: Auditorium, 2220 Barton Springs Road. zilkergarden.org.
Wildflower Center. Sprouts. Hands-on preschool program. 10 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Nature Play Hour. Play in the Family Garden. 11 a.m. Saturdays. Freaky Friday. See what creatures live in the Wildflower Center gardens. 7-9 p.m. Jan. 13. $10-$15. The Amazing Family Race. See if you’re up for the challenge. 1-3 p.m. Jan. 14. $15 per family. Winter Tree Fest. Celebrate trees and climb one in the arboretum. There will be s’mores. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Jan. 28. Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave. wildflower.org.
Movies
PBS Kids at the Alamo. “Ready! Jet! Go!” Watch episodes of this PBS Kids show. $1-$3 donation. 10 a.m. Jan. 14 and Jan. 15. Slaughter Lane Alamo Drafthouse. drafthouse.com
Books
BookPeople events. Alexandra Bracken and Susan Dennard read “Wayfarer” and “Windwitch.” 2 p.m. Jan. 8. Chandler Baker, Kim Liggett, Neal Shusterman read and sign “Teen Hyde,” “The Last Harvest: and “Scythe.” 7 p.m. Jan. 13. Pascal Simon, Bake Austin Kids. 2 p.m. Jan. 21. Cynthia Levinson reads “The Youngest Marcher.” 2 p.m. Jan. 28. Kat Kronenberg reads “Dream Big,” 4 p.m. Jan. 29. Story times. Let it Snow. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 3. Milly McSilly. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 4. I’m in the Mood for Story time. 11:30 a.m. Jan. 7. A Very Knightly Story time. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 10. Ms. Staci. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 11. Tea Time for Story time. 11:30 a.m. Jan. 14. Armstrong Community Music School. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 17. Tiny Tails to You Petting Zoo. 10:30 am. Jan. 18. Color Me Crazy. 11:30 a.m. Jan. 21. Imagination Station. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 24. Preposterous Puppet Show Players. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 25. Paramount Theatre. 11:30 a.m. Jan. 28. All the Little Things. 10:30 a.m. Jan. 31. BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar Blvd. bookpeople.com
Barnes & Noble Events: Lego Skyline London and Chicago building event. 7 p.m. Jan. 5, all stores. 11 a.m. Saturday story times at all locations: “Clifford’s Good Deeds,” (with sign-language interpretation, Sunset Valley), Jan. 7; “How do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets?” Jan. 14; “Nanette’s Baguette,” (with sign-language interpretation, Sunset Valley), Jan. 21; “I’ll Never Let You Go,” Jan. 28.
At the library
“Sew Happy.” 5 p.m. Jan. 3, Manchaca Road Branch.
The Contemporary Austin Presents: Preschool Art Hour. 11 a.m. Jan. 5, Hampton Branch; 11 a.m. Jan. 6, North Village Branch.
Crafternoon, 3 p.m. Jan. 5, Carver Branch; 3:30 p.m. Jan. 9, Manchaca Road Branch; 4 p.m. Jan. 12, Twin Oaks Branch; 3:30 p.m. Jan. 17, Howson Branch; 4 p.m. Jan. 17, Cepeda Branch; 4 p.m. Jan. 24, Windsor Park Branch.
Music & Movement. 11 a.m. Jan. 6, Milwood Branch, 11:30 a.m. Jan. 11, Manchaca Road Branch; 11 a.m. Jan. 12, Jan. 19 and Jan. 26 Howson Branch.
Saturday Family Movie: “Kubo and the Two Strings.” 2 p.m. Jan. 7, Windsor Park Branch.
Austin Ukestra Ukelele Group. 1 p.m. Jan. 8, Recycled Reads Bookstore.
Pajama Storytime. 6 p.m. Jan. 9, Jan. 23 and Jan. 30, Carver Branch; 6 p.m. Jan. 11, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25, Windsor Park Branch; 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12, Jan. 19 and Jan. 26, Manchaca Road Branch; 6 p.m. Jan. 26, Cepeda Branch.
Art Smart: Sand Art Painting. 6:30 p.m. Jan. 10, Willie Mae Kirk Branch. Sculpey Clay, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 17, Willie Mae Kirk Branch; Bring Your T-Shirt/Print Your Design, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 24, Willie Mae Kirk Branch; Cherry Blossom Painting, 6:30 p.m. Jan. 30.
Family Movie Night: “Finding Dory.” 6:30 p.m. Jan. 10, Twin Oaks Branch; TBD, 5:30 p.m. Jan. 25, Carver Branch.
Teen Book Club “First Test,” 6:30 p.m. Jan. 12, Howson Branch; “Six of Crows,” 7 p.m. Jan. 12, Yarborough Branch; “Boys Don’t Knit,” 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Spicewood Springs Branch.
Bow Wow Reading Dog. 3:30 p.m. Jan. 18 and Jan. 25 Twin Oaks Branch.
Family Craft Night. 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18, Howson Branch.
Mother Daughter Book Club “Inside Out & Back Again,” 6 p.m. Jan. 18, Hampton Branch.
NBTween Book Club, “Some Kind of Courage,” 6 p.m. Jan. 18, Yarborough Branch; “Wild Robot,” 6 p.m. Jan. 19, Twin Oaks Branch; “Courage for Beginners,” 6 p.m. Jan. 25, Spicewood Springs Branch.
T(w)ween STEAM Lab, for ages 7 and up. 3 p.m. Jan. 19, Carver Branch.
Friday Movie Matinee, “The Goonies,” 2 p.m. Jan. 20, Old Quarry Branch.
Juntos Online Scavenger Hunt. 1 p.m. Jan. 21, Ruiz Branch.
Mommy, Daddy & Me Book Club, “Rosa,” by Nikki Giovanni. 11:30 a.m. Jan. 21, Carver Museum.
Daddy and Me Story time, 6 p.m. Jan. 23, Hampton Branch.
Harry Potter Party. 2 p.m. Jan. 28, Howson Branch.