Welcome to the North Texas Mensa Children's Page for the North Texas Mensa Gifted Children's Program!  This page was created in 2006 by Betty Jane Ferguson and she updates it.  It is a work to be expanded as we go along.  We put up resources first because we knew they would be of immediate use to parents, grandparents, and gifted children.  Please send any comments or questions about the site to Betty Jane at bookies@gte.net. (I was NTM Gifted Children's Coordinator for about six years and now serve on the National Gifted Children's Committee.)

The 2008 North Texas Mensa Gifted Children's Coordinator is Bill Rock.  Please contact him at 

rock.pile@computer.org.with any questions you might have about the NTM Gifted Children's Program or questions about your child.

The North Texas Mensa Gifted Children's Program is for children who are Mensa members, children and grandchildren of Mensa members, and other gifted children in the North Texas area who might benefit from the Gifted Children's Program.  We provide an opportunity for gifted children to meet and do things with other gifted children and to be supported by older Mensa members who also were once gifted children themselves. We also offer support to their parents and grandparents.  We provide interesting activities (usually at no cost) for the children to do together and with their parents. The children range in age from 3 to 18.  We have activities for both all the children together and also for separate age groups, such as the teens, the tweens, and the youngest, as events are suggested.  Children suggest what they would like to do and we help them make it happen. Admittedly we sometimes throw in our activities as well. NTM Children have redesigned this website, started a local Teen SIG, helped to start a National Teen SIG for American Mensa, served on the NTM Election Committee, served on the NTM Board of Directors, worked the KERA public television fundraiser, submitted poetry to the website, had many good times, and found many new friends, both young and old in North Texas Mensa.  I have watched as these friendships continued on after high school.  If you want to know more, please contact Bill.--bj  

People often ask what kind of events they can do with their children.  In our group children 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult.  This way the parent gets to spend time with the child, and they also get to meet and talk to other parents of gifted children.  Teens at times like to be with everybody (they do relate to what the younger children are going through), but, then again, they also like to do things just with other teenagers.  Until the teens are sixteen and can drive themselves they still very much need their parents' support to come to events.  Sometimes the teens do activities within the Gifted Children's Program, with everyone or just with other teens.  At other times, they have the ability to participate in Teen SIG, both locally and nationally.  Our GCC will assist them,  if requested, and encourage them in this endeavor.  There are other local Teen SIGs around the country, and many of the teens get together and program what they want to do in their local groups and at Regional Gatherings and at the national Annual Gathering, held in a different city each year.  If you are just starting up a group or have had one for a long time, do not be discouraged:  an event might have just two children or it might have a lot more.  If only one child comes, the whole event is worth it and you have made a difference in a child's life,.in my humble opinion. Also you will never forget many things the children teach you like they taught me:  the 4 or 5-year old who pointed at the map of India and astounded the guide at the Trammel Crow Asian Art Museum, saying  "It looks a lot like Texas!" and the 5-year old who could not be torn away from the shrimp giving birth to almost imperceptible baby shrimp that no one else noticed, but that he wanted everyone in the Dallas Aquarium to see.  You might never join NTM, but I'm putting up this list and I recommend you seek out the other fun opportunities to do with your children in the resource section.  I also remember a family I had never met who emailed me, wanting to tell me about the wonderful summer they spent together because of something they had read that I had recommended and they just thought I would like to know and to thank me.  No, thank you for making my summer! --bj
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NTM Children's events:

Dec 25th 8 AM to noon, 
Holiday delivery for Meals on Wheels Christmas meal delivery to shut ins is all-volunteers.  We have 2 routes reserved right now; wife and I are both experienced MOW drivers, join in the event if you would like, or take a route of your own.  Location: VNA center at 1440 Mockingbird and across the Metroplex.   Contact me and we’ll work out the details.

Saturday, Nov 14 1PM  Gifted Children Games/Parents meeting.  Come talk about what you want out of the GC program.  There have been people wanting to form sub groups (9 year olds...) this is a chance exchange info with others.  Games for the children (or bring your favorites), swings/park/exploring across the street.    At the home of Bill and Ellen Rock, 701 Victorian  Dr, Allen (Mapsco 560K)

Saturday, Oct 17 10 AM
 White Rock Lake Artists’ Studio Tour    Meet at the entrance of the Bathhouse Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Dr. Dallas (mapsco 37H).   See some of the over 30 home studios open for tours around the lake.   Painting, sculpture, ceramics, metalworking and more.   www.dallasartsrevue.com/WhiteRock for more details.

Saturday, October 24 2009, 9:00am - 3:00pm

Saturday 19 Sept 10 AM - 1:00 PM  TBD  Contact Bill Rock rock.pile@computer.org

Saturday 15 Aug 10 AM GC go to the Farmer's Market.  Come see what's in season, taste locally grown food from the Dallas area; things you can't get at the grocery store.  1010 S. Pearl Expressway, mapsco 45-Q/R.  We'll meet in front of the resource building in the SE corner of the market.  See http://www.dallascityhall.com/convention_center/farmers_market.html for more details.

 Saturday, Apr 11, 10 AM:  GC visit the Dallas Arboretum 8525 Garland Road

Dallas, Texas 75218 (mapsco 37-U).  Last weekend for Dallas Blooms –Southwest’s largest floral display.  Special events--Petting zoo, music, more.  $9.50 adults,, $6 3-12, $5 parking.  See www.dallasarboretum.org

Sunday, May 17, noon:  GC visit the Cavanaugh Flight Museum 4572 Claire Chennault

Addison, TX 75001 (mapsco 4-U).  See over 3 dozen different aircraft, From a Pitts and a Cub to a Mustang, MiG, Phantom and a “Thud.”  It’s “Warbirds over Addison” weekend, so there will be lots of flightline activity.  Historical displays, vintage vehicles and a great gift shop.  $8 adults, $4 6-12.  See http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com

June 19-20-21 Gifted Children Camping/Digging for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park outside of Murfreesboro AR. Enjoy camping, hunt for diamonds in the mine area (you find it, you keep it), play at the water park.  Camping $19/night, diamond hunting $7, $4 6-12.  More information at   http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/ .  If the campsite is full, please let me know as there are several options available in the area. Be sure to RSVP for this event so we can coordinate

Sunday, Mar 29, 4-6 PM  GC games afternoon and parent discussion at the Krishnan’s, 5729 Misted Breeze Dr, Plano (Mapsco 655H). Get together to play some games; bring your favorites or try some new ones.  Kitty $0
Saturday, Feb 28, 5-6 PM:  The Dallas Regional Science Fair public show of projects.  See the winners and the rest, interesting ways of studying the world around us.  In Centennial Hall, 1001 Washington Street, (Fair Park), Dallas, mapsco 46K; free.

Saturday, Feb 22, noon:  GC explore the Trinity River Audubon Center, a new 120 acre urban forest and ecology education center, including hiking, bird watching and a children's discovery garden.  $6/adults, $3/3-12.  6500 S Loop 12, (west of intersection of S. Buckner and US 175): mapsco 57Z.

Thursday, Jan 15, 6 PM:  GC visit the Dallas Museum of Art 1717 N Harwood (mapsco 45-K).  It’s free admission night.  See the King Tut exhibit (extra charge) or the Eliasson exhibit, get a docent led tour of the galleries at 7 PM, or do your own thing.  See dallasmuseumofart.org for details.

 

Sunday Dec 14  2PM GC Craft party  Stop by and make a holiday item, or whatever inspires you.  Various media (fabric, ribbon, wood, paper, glass copper, steel) Kitty $0.  Home of Bill and Ellen Rock, 701 Victorian  Dr, Allen (Mapsco 560K)

Saturday Nov 8  9AM GC Tour the Dallas Morning News Printing Plant  See the DMN printed.  3900 W Plano Parkway, Plano.  (Mapsco 6B) Tell the gate guard you are with Mensa Gifted Children.  Ages 10 and up, wear closed-toe shoes; plenty of walking.  Picnic afterwards at Longhorn Park

Sunday, Oct 26 2 PM.  GC Pumpkin Carving Make a gory gored gourd.  Bring a pumpkin and we’ll have various carving tools and other “extras.”  Carve a conventional Jack O’Lantern or try something more extreme.  Meet at Ridgewood Park Pavilion, Trammel Dr and Fisher Rd, Dallas (Mapsco 36H).  

Saturday, Oct 18 11 AM   White Rock Lake Artists’ Studio Tour   Meet at the Bathhouse Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Dr. Dallas  (Mapsco 37H).  See some of the over 30 home studios open for tours around  the Lake.  Painting, sculpture, ceramics, metalworking and more.  www.dallasartsrevue.com/WhiteRock for more details

Also on the 18th, the Mensa New Members Party invites Gifted Children to arrive at 7 PM, 30 minutes before the rest of the party starts, to greet other Gifted Children, play games, and plan activities. 

If you’re interested… Orson Scott Card (author of Ender's Game) will be at Denton’s Guyer High School Gymnasium on Saturday, October 18th at 4:00 pm to talk about his book, and a book signing will follow. The event is free to the public.  This is part of what looks like a neat program called Denton Reads  http://dentonreads.unt.edu/events.htm

If you’re interested… Saturday Oct 27  (9AM-3PM) at the UTD activity center, Dallas BEST robotics Game Day (Mapsco 6R).  HS teams compete with student-built robots in this year’s game Just Plane Crazy.  Free.  See http://www.dallas-best.org/ for details.  I will be a volunteer at the event.


Past Events (recommended for families to do on their own as well):

Picking fresh blueberries at Blueberry Hill Farm in Edom TX .  U-pick blueberries. Wear closed toe shoes, loose clothing and bring a hat.    Located on FM 314 South of Edom, 19 miles east of Canton.  Take I-20 East to exit 540 go right 12 miles to downtown Edom (stay on 314)—the farm is 1/4 mile up hill on right.  More details on the web site is www.blueberryhillfarms.com/

Sunday, 21 Sep 2 PM.  GC pedal the Chisholm Trail in Plano. This is an easy, tree-lined creekside trail in central Plano.  All the main streets have underpasses.  Meet at the On The Border parking lot, 1505 N Central (half block west of central on 15^th St; Mapsco 658V)

Saturday 09 Aug 3-5 PM  GC games afternoon and parent meeting at the Krishan's.  Get together to play some games; bring your favorites or try some new ones.  Parent meeting to talk about GC resources, events, and what you want from the GC program.  Kitty $0

Friday 01 Aug 11:30 AM GC tour the GM Assembly plant in Arlington,  2525 E Abram St. Arlington, TX 76010 (west side of Hwy 360 and Abrams).  Watch the assembly of new 2009 SUVs from start to finish in this modern high-tech facility.  Afterwards, those that can stay are invited over to nearby Helen Wessler Park for a hot dog lunch. 

T.I.N.D.O.M.O. rises again! (Things I’d Never Do On My Own!)  Meet at Flagpole Hill.  Just North of Northwest Highway at Doran Circle. (MAPSCO 27-Y)  What more appropriate for the revival of T.I.N.D.O.M.O. than kites rising on the evening (okay late afternoon) breeze.  Bring kites and picnic fare and join us in the enjoyment of a early summer afternoon.  Park in the lot by the flagpole and look for us on the hillside to your west.. Never know how crowded the park will be, so if we’re not obvious, look for a guy in an Indiana Jones hat. [We also do events that are for all NTM and sound like fun, like this one--bj.]

Create your own artwork at Paint Yer Pottery Pick a piece of greenware from the wide assortment they have, paint it with provided paints and brushes, and they fire it for you, or do something different and make a mosaic.   17194 Preston Rd, Suite 109 Dallas, [NE corner Preston and Campbell, between Kroger and Hallmark] (mapsco 5P).

Attend Eclectic Book Club (all NTM) where once a quarter, the pick is definitely for everybody.

Those that are going to see Prince Caspian Wednesday with the Movie SIG, be sure to RSVP to the phone number on the pass (and arrive early).  [This is something we really enjoy.  We have members who are in the Dallas Movie Prescreeners group who keep a lookout for free passes for movies the children might enjoy.  About 19 of us went to see March of the Penguins.  (This was made possible when the NTM Movie SIG asked members of the group to stand in 100 degree heat to get tickets that they turned around to the children so they could all go together with their families.  The Dallas Movie PreScreeners are a yahoo group that knows virtually all prescreenings in the Dallas area. We even encouraged a Disney screening to be held on Saturday morning when the children were more available.)  A group went to see Madagascar. Some teens went to see Batman Revisited.

Saturday the 17th we'll be going to the Wildflower Festival in Richardson.  Music, light shows, Kid’s corner with butterfly garden, art contest, petting zoo, and rock climbing.   $15 Adults, $5 3-12.  Galatyn Parkway and US 75, (mapsco 7R) www.wildflowerfestival.net. Please RSVP so we can coordinate meeting there.

Dallas Heritage Museum. Living history museum portraying North Texas life from 1840 to 1910, including a working Civil War-era farmstead. (think Williamsburg).

Visit the Dallas Zoo  621 E Clarendon (mapsco 54H) $8.75 Adults, $5.75 (3-11), parking $5 or ride the DART to the door.  It’s all happening at the Zoo.  Great children’s area, Wilds of Africa, monorail ride, lots more.  Let’s go enjoy the return of 70 degrees to Dallas.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing in Ft. Worth.

GC visit Highland Village Kid Kastle–Swings, slides, “spiderwebs,” forts, xylophone, this park has it all. 210 Briarhill Blvd, Highland Village (mapsco 549P). 

Children's play date at Amy and Roger's house. This is a chance to meet and greet other gifted children/ parents and plan activities. There will be an activity or two and time for free play. Please RSVP.

Gifted Children Hike and Bike at the Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, 6701 Parker Road, Plano (Mapsco 655E).  We'll start on the paved trail, end up at the Fort Arbor pavilion where the adventuresome can hike a bit while others start the charcoal for hot dogs and other grillables.  

Gifted Children Clean Up--help with the regular second Saturday Spruce Up at White Rock Lake. Meet at the For the Love of the Lake office, Buckner Blvd and Garland Road (Casa Linda Plaza).  We'll get snacks and supplies between 8 and 9, then head out to a section of shoreline.

Gifted Children’s Star Gazing at the University of North Texas Observatory in Denton.  We’ll meet at 6:00 at South Lakes Park in Denton for a picnic dinner and exploring the large wood Eureka Playground. Then we’ll travel to the observatory a little before dusk (starts at 8:00pm) to use their high powered telescopes. Bring dinner and drinks for your family.  To get to the park: Take I-35E north to Denton. Take the Teasley Exit and go left (west) on Teasley. Turn right on Hobson. South Lakes park and the Eureka Playground will be on your right after a short distance.  For directions to the observatory: skytheater.unt.edu/RUACdirections.jpg


GC (and others)  Discuss Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at the home of Bill and Ellen Rock.in Allen (mapsco 560 K).  As part of the Mensa Book Club, we’ll discuss the book 7, the series, play HP games (bring any you have), and even try Quiddich.  [Bill, who also does BEST Robotic Competitions for mainly high school students in his spare time, actually built a Quiddich game out of PVC pipe.  We did this event twice and it was very popular.  I actually got to fly as the top of me seems to be faster than the rest of me, but only for a minute.  What fun!  And Bill's wife , Ellen even designed and sewed tiny Harry Potter bags filled with, what else?  jelly beans, and then there were all the fantastic treats, and the great conversations, and the fun..  I do hope we can do it all again this year.  I learned that gifted children can become series readers really fast, reading everything by a particular author they like, and not just with the Harry Potter books, either.  Bill and Ellen's three teenage daughters: Kate, Eileen, and Joanna taught me that and I'm thankful to them.

White Rock Lake Artists’ Studio Tour   Meet at the Bathhouse Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Dr. Dallas.  See some of the over 30 home studios open for tours around  the Lake.  Painting, sculpture, ceramics, metalworking and more.  www.dallasartsrevue.com/WhiteRockfor more details.  We've done this tour for years.  The artists look forward to seeing us and refer to the children as " the children who talk to adults."  The first year we did this, we all stopped at 6:00 to go home and change for the New Members Party.  All of us were late to the party because after we had said our goodbyes and left, everyone went on seeing more artists' studios and among us had see every one of the 30 homes.

If you’re interested…Oct 20 [remember this is an old event, but Bill and his family have been doing it for years and has shared it with all the GCP children as well--bj] at Town East Mall  from 10-3 and  Oct 27  (9-3) at the UTD activity center, Dallas BEST robotics Demo day and Game Day, respectively.  HS teams compete with student-built robots in this year’s game 2021: A Robot Odyssey.  See http://www.dallas-best.org/ for details.  I will be a volunteer at these events.

Chess at the Library Come pawn-der the meaning of life as seen through chess, or just play for the fun of it.  At  the Allen Public Library, 300 N Allen Drive in (surprise) Allen.  Meet on the second floor in Group Study room C.

GC Christmas light viewing  Meet at the SE corner of Lookout Dr and Jupiter in Garland, and we’ll head to the Spring Park neighborhood.  It’s ooh and aaah time again, so let’s take a leisurely drive through some neighborhoods and see if we can find the true meaning of “Snoopy’s Dog House.”  If you run late, call the cell,

Gifted Children (and others)  play Frisbee Disc Golf at Bethany Lakes Park in Allen (mapsco 560 L).  Come out and try your wrist at this new (relatively) Disc course.  The course has fewer water hazards (but more duck hazards) than the course NTM has gone to in the past.

Gifted Children at the New Members PartyThere will be a table and some games to enjoy at the NMP.  See the M-Aura for details. [This is always a great event for the kids.  We announce that all the children of NTM will be honored at the beginning of the party.  We have NTM Newcomer Parties every 6 months.  The new members come and the old members come  to meet them and to see old friends.  It's usually when the most NTMers get together, and sometimes this means over 200 people in a nice., large comfortable house and filling up the backyard too.  The GCC hunts up all the children and parents and introduces everybody to everybody and fields a thousand questions and encourages everyone to come to the next event and give contact information for followup emails (we put out our own newsletter for the GCP).  Then what happens is usually the teens stake out an area for themselves and the younger children do the same or stay with their parents.  The GCC visits every group, usually lingering with the parents and the younger ones.  Such fun.  The first time we did this, 12 kids showed up scattered between the age of 4  and 17.  Everyone thought they would only stay a short time and go home.  Instead, at eleven o'clock p.m., all of them were out on the front liawn enjoying red light - green light, chase, and just being kids.  I really don't think it matters where they go or what they do, the children bring the magic.  And they have learned a lot more about who they are and that they are not alone.--bj)

So that is what Bill has been doing for the last year of so as GCC.

I'm give you more of our events later--like what happened when all the kids asked to fly airplanes!

The links below are provided as informational resources and in no way indicate an endorsement of or any particular parnership with any organization.  American Mensa is not responsible for the content of any of the linked Web sites; this includes updates to or availability of linked sites and the accuracy, reliability or helpfulness of the information on these sites.

General Resources	About Gifted Children	Resources for Gifted Children	Family Filters	Search Engines
Interactive Web Sites	Information Collections	Database Exchanges	Electronic Publishing	Tele-Field Trips
Pooled Data Analysis	Multiple Perspectives	Gather Data	Solving Authentic Problems	Publishing Data for Others
Assorted Useful Sites	Articles and Links	Additional Resources

US Mensa's Gifted Children's Program Page

US Mensa's Gifted Children's Resource Page

Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented

It has a wealth of information and each year publishes information about gifted summer camps and activities both in Texas and throughout the country.  This list will be published at the end of December or the beginning of January under "Insights: 2006."

US Mensa's BrightKids E-mail list (This list is managed by American Mensa, but membership is open to the public as well as Mensa members.)

North Texas Mensa Member-Suggested Books for Children and Families