There are a lot of terrific blogs in the Atlanta area that offer ideas for things to do with your kids. I’ve mentioned Atlanta with Kid as one that I like. I also like Field Trips with Sue and a new local blog called Forsyth County for Families.
These blogs have something else in common… they are all written by moms, and I’m not a mom. Mom’s like places such as the Center for Puppetry Arts. There’s a time and place for puppets I suppose. But as Father’s Day nears, I thought I would offer up some cool and manly dad things to do with your kids.
The Gun Range
You’ve gotta love the feel of holding cold steel in your hands and squeezing off a few rounds. Celebrate the Second Amendment and go shooting with the kids! I suggest American Classic Marksman in Norcross. Kids need to be at least 12 years old and have a LOT of adult supervision. In all seriousness, children need to learn to respect guns and how to handle them.
Paintball
If shooting holes in paper targets gets boring, try paintball! At least you can shoot other people here without killing them. It sometimes stings a little though.
I first tried paintball in high school. You’d be surprised how intense the experience really is. I gained new respect for soldiers after an afternoon of being a make pretend GI Joe.
Paintball Atlanta would be a great place to check out. Their field is located in South Forsyth not far from McFarland and GA-400. You can rent all the equipment necessary on-site. Kids need to be age 11 or older.
Peachtree Dekalb Airport Playground
Okay, this article isn’t all about guns. Plus, my kids are too young to participate in that stuff anyway. Here’s an idea for younger kids. Airplanes! See lots of them surprisingly close up. That’s the PDK airport playground. By playground standards, it isn’t that impressive. But it’s the location! You’re literally in the shadow of the control tower and right on the fence. You’re close enough to get occasional blasts of propwash as the planes start up. If your kid is even remotely interested in aviation, you’d ought to check this place out.
Andretti Indoor Karting
Boogity, boogity, boogity, let’s go racing boys! I had low expectations going into Andretti. Go karts sound so lame, but I assure you, these are not. You’re low to the ground on a tight course with a pretty powerful engine behind you. It really is a lot of fun. Plus they have a dad’s race free deal on Father’s Day!
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Gun ranges and paintball sissy-fields are lame. This weekend, my sons and I will be real men bounding in Afghanistan while hunting for OBL. We might have to make it a long weekend.
Should we bring sunscreen?
I like to take the kids to the Wills Park Equestrian Center in Alpharetta when there is a horse show or barrel racing competition. They have a ball and it’s free.
Cool idea, Jim. Something I haven’t considered. My daughter loves horses.