Kid’s Directory Central Arkansas Family Resource
NOV/DEC
2026
HOLIDAY GUIDE & & s s e e d d a a r a P , , s t Ligh e Family Fun L Fre
The 529 Gift: Start with Just $25 Your 2027 School Choice Calendar
Family Favorite for 35 Years | KidCentralAR.com
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OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS Academy of Math and Science..................................... 25 ACH Orthopedic Care.................................................... 31 Ballet Arkansas.................................................................3 Barksdale Federal Credit Union......................................4 Celebrity Attractions.........................................................2 Central AR Pediatric Dentistry....................................... 20 Girl Scouts........................................................................5 Jacksonville Parks................................................... 15, 30 Jax's Gym...................................................................... 26 Little Rock Zoo............................................................... 32 River City Gymnastics......................................................6 Salon Jadore....................................................................7 School of Rock............................................................... 31 The Muddy Pig.................................................................9 The Painted Pig................................................................8
PLUS Holiday Guide Full of Joy & Magic: What’s happening across Central Arkansas............10-15 New Year, New Path: Your 2027 school choice roadmap, with the dates that matter.......................................16-19 The Gift of the Future: The 529 Plan, the one gift with a December 31 deadline.............22-25 Raising Generous Kids: Where your family can help this season, sorted by ages...........28-30
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HOLIDAY GUIDE
Full of Joy & Magic 10 • Family favorite for 35 years
Arkansas
Photo credit: North Little Rock Tourism, Northern Lights Holiday Festival Argenta Plaza
From Thanksgiving week to New Year's, here's what's happening across Central Arkansas, what it costs, and the details to go. Find more at KidCentralAR.com • 11
November sneaks up on everybody. One minute it's a turkey trot and a circus on the Argenta Greens, and the next it's parade weekend and the Nutcracker. A lot of it costs money, so we started with the free stuff. Parades, tree lightings, an ice rink in downtown Benton, and a festival with Santa photos won't cost you a dime. We checked dates and location details but please check online and with the hosts directly before heading out the door. More events and festivities can always be found on our Kid Calendar online where you can view and post events for FREE! Visit KidCentralAR.com.
GloWild at the Little Rock Zoo. Giant glowing animals after dark, select nights October 29 through January 3. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the last entry is 8:30. Tickets are online or at the gate, and members get a discount. Check the open nights at littlerockzoo.com before you load up the car. Holiday Lights at Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs. November 21 through December 31, closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Open 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 10 on Friday and Saturday. Buy online before you go. At the gate, it's $30 a person, and only if tickets are left. Leave snacks in the car, since outside food isn't allowed. The hot chocolate is free.
Two Light Shows, Side by Side
Buy tickets online before you go, and check which nights are open. Display
Dates
Hours
Tickets
GloWild Little Rock Zoo
Oct. 29 to Jan. 3, select nights
5 to 9 p.m. Last entry 8:30.
Online or at the gate. Members save.
Holiday Lights Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs
Nov. 21 to Dec. 31. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
5 to 9 p.m. Sun. to Thu. Until 10 Fri. and Sat.
Online ahead. $30 at the gate when available.
littlerockzoo.com | garvangardens.org
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The Nutcracker Spectacular. Ballet Arkansas and the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra at Robinson Center. Friday, December 11 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, December 12 at 2:30 and 7:30, and Sunday, December 13 at 2:30. The matinees are the easy pick for younger kids. Box office: 501-244-8800. Home for the Holidays. The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert, December 18 through 20 at Robinson Center. Times and tickets at arkansassymphony.org. Piccolo Zoppé's Winter Circus. November 13 through 22 on the Argenta Greens in North Little Rock. Northern Lights Holiday Festival. Saturday, November 21, 3 to 7 p.m., 510 Main Street in North Little Rock. Light displays, a holiday market, live music, and photos with Santa, all free. Illuminate in Conway. Saturday, November 28. Conway's holiday kickoff ends with the city tree lighting. Last year brought Santa photos and a Ferris wheel. Watch KidCentralAR.com for this year's time. Small Business Saturday. Also November 28. Hand each kid a few dollars and let them pick one gift from a shop owned by someone in your town. Arkansas Craft Guild Christmas Showcase. December 4 and 5 at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds. Handmade gifts from Arkansas makers. Free story time. Saline County Library's Benton and Bryant branches and the CALS libraries run free programs every week through December. The Bryant branch holds a sensory story time every Thursday.
ALL FREE
Bring a blanket and get there early, since the best curb spots go first. • North Little Rock Mayor's Tree Lighting. Tuesday, November 17, Argenta Plaza. A 38-foot tree kicks off the season. • It's a Wonderful Bryant Tree and Trail Lighting. Thursday, December 3, 5 to 7 p.m. Find more at KidCentralAR.com • 13
• Little Rock Holiday Parade. Saturday, December 5. This year's theme is Candy Cane Lane. • Arkansas State Capitol Lighting Ceremony. Saturday, December 5, 5:30 p.m. Fireworks follow, then head inside for the decorations and Santa's workshop. • Christmas at Market Place, Bryant. Saturday, December 5, 5 to 8 p.m. • Small Town Christmas Tree Lighting, Benton. Sunday, December 6, 5:30 p.m. downtown. Carriage rides, an outdoor ice rink, Santa at the gazebo, and hot chocolate. • Saline County Christmas Parade, Benton. Monday, December 7, 6 p.m. downtown. This year's theme is A Fairytale Christmas. • Hot Springs Christmas Parade. Monday, December 7, 6:30 p.m. downtown. • North Little Rock Christmas Parade. Sunday, December 13, along Main Street through the Argenta Arts District. • Cabot, Conway, Jacksonville, Maumelle, and Sherwood parades: dates not posted yet. Check out KidCentralAR.com or our socials for more updates and listings.
Holiday Fun Near You
A few highlights in each county. The full list is in this guide and on the Kid Calendar.
Pulaski
Saline
Garland
Faulkner
Capitol Lighting, Dec. 5 Little Rock Holiday Parade, Dec. 5 Northern Lights Festival, Nov. 21 GloWild, Oct. 29 to Jan. 3
Garvan Holiday Lights, Nov. 21 to Dec. 31 Hot Springs Christmas Parade, Dec. 7
Bryant Tree and Trail Lighting, Dec. 3 Benton Tree Lighting and Ice Rink, Dec. 6 Saline County Christmas Parade, Dec. 7
Illuminate in downtown Conway, Nov. 28
Lonoke
Downtown Christmas in Cabot. Date coming soon at KidCentralAR.com. Hosting something we missed? Add it free to the Kid Calendar at KidCentralAR.com.
14 • Family favorite for 35 years
Parade weekend, December 5 to 7. Little Rock's parade and the Capitol fireworks on Saturday. Benton's tree lighting and ice rink on Sunday. Then pick Benton or Hot Springs for a Monday night parade. Three nights, zero tickets. Turkey Trails. Saturday, November 7, River Front Park in North Little Rock. Kids 10 and under get their own untimed Kid's Dash at 7:55 a.m. Teens can take on the 5K or 10K for $17. Ugly Sweater Race. Saturday, December 19, Two Rivers Park in Little Rock. Wear the sweater. Pick two things from these pages and put them on the calendar tonight. One free, one splurge, and the season already feels planned.
Hosting something we missed?
Add it free to the Kid Calendar at KidCentralAR.com.
23-25
21-23 28-30 4
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New Year, New Path
Your 2027 school choice roadmap, with the dates that matter
Arkansas families have five real school paths for next fall, and the first application windows open this month. Here's what each one costs, when it locks, and who to call. If you've been quietly wondering whether next school year should look different for your kid, start working on it now. Arkansas families have five real paths for fall 2027. Most of the deadlines land between now and June, so the research happens over the holidays. The money question, first Education Freedom Accounts changed what's affordable, and plenty of families still don't know they qualify. Every K-12 student in Arkansas is eligible. There's no income test. The state put $7,208 per student into each account for 2026-27. A family with three school-age kids could direct more than $21,000 toward the setup that fits each child. The money covers private school tuition and fees, homeschool curriculum, tutoring, therapies from licensed providers, uniforms, and testing fees. It's paid out quarterly through an online account. You reapply every year, and your student takes a yearly reading and math test. Last cycle's application window ran March 9 through June 1. The state hasn't posted 2027-28 dates or the 2027-28 amount. Expect early March, and start checking dese.ade.arkansas.gov in February.
$7,208
per student, per year, for 2026-27 Every Arkansas K-12 student qualifies. No income limit. Education Freedom Accounts. Source: Arkansas Department of Education
The five paths
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SCHOOL CHOICE 1. Stay put. It's a real choice, and it deserves the same honest look as the others. It's free, and there's no deadline. Start with your child's teacher or counselor. 2. A different public school. Arkansas lets students transfer to a district they don't live in. Applications are accepted January 1 through June 1 and go to both your home district and the one you want. The new district answers in writing within 15 days. It's free, and transportation is on you. 3. Magnet or charter. These are tuition-free public schools you apply to. Little Rock School District ran its magnet and specialty window November 3 through December 19 last year, with the lottery in early January. eStem opened applications in December. LISA Academy takes applications yearround and held its lottery February 24. 4. Private or parochial. EFA money can pay tuition at state-approved schools. Each school sets its own application deadline, and that date can land before the EFA window opens. Apply to the school first, then the EFA. Ask every school what tuition is left after the EFA. 5. Homeschool, microschool, or co-op. EFA money can cover curriculum and tuition at approved microschools. File a Notice of Intent with the state between June 1 and August 15. Pull a child out mid-year and there's a waiting period of five school days, which your superintendent can waive.
Five Paths for Fall 2027
What each one costs, when it locks, and who to call first. Path
Cost
Key dates
First call
1
Free
No deadline
Your child's teacher or counselor
2
Free. You provide transportation.
Apply Jan. 1 to June 1, to both districts. Answer within 15 days.
Your home district and the new district
3
Free. Tuition-free public schools.
Little Rock magnets: Nov. 3 to Dec. 19 last year. Charters: Dec. to Feb.
Each school's enrollment office. LRSD: 501-447-2950
4
Tuition minus the EFA ($7,208 in 2026-27)
Each school sets its own. Apply to the school first, then the EFA.
The school's admissions office
5
Curriculum and microschool tuition. The EFA can cover them.
Notice of Intent: June 1 to Aug. 15
dese.ade.arkansas.gov
Stay put A different public school Magnet or charter Private or parochial Homeschool, microschool, or co-op
EFA questions: 501-683-1876 | ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov Dates marked "last year" come from the 2026-27 cycle. Confirm current dates with each school or district.
Find more at KidCentralAR.com • 17
Two things nobody tells parents
There's a meeting you can ask for. The LEARNS Act calls on districts to offer career exploration in grades 6 through 8. It also calls for information meetings with parents of 6th through 12th graders about career options, held around course scheduling. If nobody has invited you, ask the school counselor when yours happens. It's free. Graduation rules changed. Arkansas public school graduates now need one computer science credit, starting with the class of 2026. The class of 2027 and every class after it also needs 75 hours of documented community service across grades 9 through 12. Looking at a new path for a high schooler? Ask each school how it handles both.
Money beyond the EFA
ACCESS to Acceleration. This state program pays $65 per credit hour for high schoolers taking college courses, up to $2,000 a year. It covers grades 9 through 12 in public school, private school, and home school. The school applies for your student, so start with the counselor. Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship. Lottery-funded help for training at approved vocational and technical schools. Award amounts are changing, so check adhe.edu before you count on a number.
What to do this month
Look up this year's magnet dates today at lrsd.org/enroll, or on your own district's site. Last year's window opened the first week of November. Call the schools you're curious about and ask for open house dates. Put them on the calendar. Have a 6th through 12th grader? Ask the counselor about the career options meeting, the computer science credit, and service hours. Thinking about a transfer? Ask both districts for the application now so it's ready January 1. Bookmark dese.ade.arkansas.gov and check in February for the EFA window. Talk to your kid. The research is yours. The school day is theirs. WHO TO CALL Education Freedom Accounts 501-683-1876 ade.efa@ade.arkansas.gov
LRSD Student Registration 501-447-2950 lrsd.org/enroll
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Arkansas Dept. of Education Home school, transfers, and EFA rules dese.ade.arkansas.gov
2027 School Choice Calendar
TEAR OUT AND KEEP
The research happens over the holidays. The deadlines arrive in spring. Here they are, in order.
November to December
Little Rock School District magnet and specialty applications. Last year: November 3 to December 19. Private school open houses begin.
December to February
Charter applications and lotteries. eStem opened applications in December last year. LISA Academy held its lottery February 24.
January 1
Public school transfer applications open. Apply to both your home district and the one you want.
Early March
EXPECTED
Education Freedom Account applications open. Confirm at dese.ade.arkansas.gov.
Spring
Kindergarten registration. Dates vary, so check your district. Kids must be 5 by August 1.
June 1
Public school transfer applications close. Last cycle, EFA applications closed this day too. Home school Notice of Intent filing opens.
August 15
Home school Notice of Intent due.
Dates can change. Confirm with your district and at dese.ade.arkansas.gov. EFA office: 501-683-1876. Kid's Directory of Central Arkansas | KidCentralAR.com
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30 •• Family Find more at KidCentralAR.com 20 favorite for 35 years
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GIFT
OF THE FUTURE The one present with a December 31 deadline
Arkansas gives families a tax break for saving toward education. It closes with the calendar year, it takes $25 to start, and grandparents can use it in place of one more toy. Somewhere in your house right now, there's a bin of toys nobody has touched since last Christmas. This isn't an argument against toys. Kids should get toys. But when a grandparent, an aunt, or a godparent asks what your child needs this year and you've run out of honest answers, Arkansas has one you may not know about. It's called the Arkansas Brighter Future 529 Plan. It's the state's own education savings plan, and the window for this tax year closes December 31.
When Learning Looks Different:
A Parent's Guide to Learning A 529 is a savings account forand education. The money grows without being Disabilities ADHD taxed. When it comes out for qualified education costs, it isn't taxed then What it actually is
either. Most people think it only pays for college. It goes further than that. The money works at two-year and four-year colleges, vocational schools, and trade schools across the country. It also covers registered apprenticeship 22 • Family favorite for 35 years
costs, K-12 private school tuition, and up to $10,000 of a student loan. If your kid picks a welding program in Hot Springs over a university, the money still works.
It's Not Just for College An Arkansas 529 can pay for all five.
College and university
Trade and vocational school
Registered apprenticeships
K-12 private tuition
$
Student loans, up to $10,000
The deadline, and what it's worth
Arkansas taxpayers can deduct up to $5,000 in contributions from their state taxable income each year. A married couple filing jointly can deduct up to $10,000. Mailed contributions have to be postmarked by December 31 to count for 2026. Here's the honest math. Arkansas's top income tax rate is 3.7 percent for 2026, so a $5,000 deduction saves a single filer up to about $185. A couple who puts in $10,000 saves up to about $370. That's real money. The bigger win is time. Money that goes in when a child is 4 has 14 years to grow without being taxed. Have a high schooler? You haven't missed it. The deduction is the same at 16 as it is at 6. Put in more than the cap in one year and the extra isn't lost. Arkansas lets you carry it forward for up to four more tax years.
You can start with $25
It takes $25 to open an Arkansas Brighter Future account. After that, you can add as little as $10 at a time. Set up automatic transfers and the minimum is $10 a month. Through payroll deduction, it's $5 a paycheck. There's no income limit. You don't have to be related to the child, either.
What It Takes to Start
$25 to open
$10 to add
$5
per paycheck
Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan minimums. Recurring transfers start at $10 a month.
Find more at KidCentralAR.com • 23
The part that matters if money is tight
Under Arkansas law, money in a Brighter Future account doesn't count against eligibility for Transitional Employment Assistance, Medicaid, or SNAP, as long as federal rules for those programs allow it. If you've steered clear of savings accounts because you were afraid of losing benefits, that's worth knowing before you decide this isn't for you. Ask your DHS caseworker how it applies to your case before you open one.
How grandparents can do this in place of toys
Anyone can contribute to a child's account. The plan has a tool called Ugift that lets family send money straight to it without your login. The smallest Ugift contribution is $10. That puts it in reach for an aunt, a godparent, or a big sister with her first job. Planning a much larger gift? Federal gift tax rules apply above $19,000 per child per year, so that one's a conversation for a tax professional.
Three things to know before you open one
It's an investment account. The balance can go up and down with the market, and it isn't guaranteed. The deduction can be taken back. Pull money out for something that isn't a qualified education expense and Arkansas adds back the deductions you already claimed. The earnings also face federal income tax and a 10 percent penalty. Moving the account to another state's plan triggers the same Arkansas add-back. The money isn't locked to one kid. If your child ends up not needing it, you can move the account to a brother, a sister, or another family member.
What to do this month
• Already have an account? Decide what you can add before December 31 and set it up now. Don't leave it for the last week of the year. • Don't have one? Open it at BrighterFutureDirect529.com with $25. • When someone asks what to get your child, send your Ugift code along with the wish list. • Not sure it fits your family? Ask whoever prepares your taxes. Treat this article as a starting point and get tax advice from a pro. SOURCES Arkansas Brighter Future Direct Plan Program Description, December 2023, with January 2025 supplement (plan minimums, $500,000 limit, deduction and rollover amounts, qualified expenses, Ugift minimum, plan URL) Arkansas Code 6-84-111 (deduction limits, four-year carryforward, recapture, rollover cap) Arkansas Code 6-84-114(c) (benefits eligibility exemption) Talk Business and Politics, May 2026: HB1001 and SB1 signed May 6, 2026, top rate cut from 3.9 to 3.7 percent, retroactive to January 1, 2026
24 • Family favorite for 35 years
SCHEDULE TODAY!
Why AMS? TOUR AMS LITTLE ROCK! Tuition Free- K-8
Free Tuition, Free Meals, Academic Excellence, Sports and Clubs, Strong School Community.
WE’RE CLOSE TO HOME!
6423 Stagecoach Rd, Little Rock, AR 72204
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26 • Family favorite for 34 years
Extraordinary Orthopedic Care Same-day care for your child’s injury — no appointment or referral needed. Our pediatric orthopedic specialists tailor treatments to your child for: new sports injuries, suspected fractures, sprains and other bone and joint injuries. When kids imagine the places they’ll go, we imagine ways to help them get there.
Located in Champions Pavilion at the corner of 10th Street and Children’s Way
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m.–Noon No appointment required.
Learn more at archildrens.org/getcarenow
Imagine what’s next.
Find more at KidCentralAR.com • 27
Raising Generous Kids
Getting from "I want" to "let's help" is easier when you know who takes kids. Here's where to start. Somewhere between the third catalog and the second wish list, a lot of parents have the same thought. I'd like my kid to see this season as more than getting. The usual advice is to volunteer as a family. The usual problem is that plenty of places have a minimum age, and nobody tells you until you show up. So we looked it up.
Ages 8 and up
Arkansas Foodbank. Volunteers 8 and up sort and check food at the Volunteer Operations Center, 4301 W. 65th St. in Little Rock. Kids 8 to 15 need an adult with them and a consent form signed by a parent. The form comes in your sign-up confirmation email. At 16, they can come on their own. Sign up at arkansasfoodbank.org/volunteer, or call 501-569-4320.
Any age, from home
Arkansas Children's Hospital. Families can collect toys, games, and activity supplies for patients, and the hospital runs a holiday toy drive called Festival of Stars. Check the wish list, then set up a drop-off at volunteer@archildrens.org or 501-364-1825. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas. Anyone can collect pop tabs, and they add up fast in a classroom. Families can also shop the House's online wish list. Details at rmhcarkansas.org. Giving Tuesday, December 1. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is a national day of giving. Let your kid pick the cause and the amount, even if it's $5 from their own money. TUESDAY
Dec. 1
Giving Tuesday
The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, a national day of giving. Let your kid pick the cause and the amount.
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Teens
Starting with the class of 2027, Arkansas public school graduates need 75 hours of documented community service in grades 9 through 12. That makes December a good time to start a log. Ask every organization up front whether they'll sign it. Central Arkansas Library System. Volunteers 14 and up help with book sales, branch events, and the Six Bridges Book Festival. Call 501-918-3085. Arkansas Children's Junior Volunteers. Ages 14 to 18, with preference for 16 and up. It's a real commitment: a weekly weekday shift for six months, an interview, and required shots. It's best for a teen who wants more than a one-time shift. CARTI Summer Junior Volunteers. Ages 15 to 18. Applications open in March 2027 for a program running June 7 through August 13, so put a reminder on the calendar now.
Shop local counts too
Small Business Saturday is November 28. Spending money at a shop owned by your neighbors is its own kind of giving. Let your kid choose one gift there for someone else.
Start small
One shift, one drive, or one gift for someone else is plenty. Pick the one that fits your week, and let your kid see you follow through.
75
hours of community service
needed to graduate from an Arkansas public high school, starting with the class of 2027. Ask before you volunteer: will they sign the log?
Find more at KidCentralAR.com • 29
More Places That Need Helping Hands
Volunteer ages vary, so call before you go. Can't volunteer? Ask what they
need donated.
Habitat for Humanity of Central Arkansas
Our House, Little Rock
Builds and repairs homes with local families. 501-376-4434 | habitatcentralar.org
Shelter, child care, a youth program, and job training for local families working their way out of homelessness. ourhouseshelter.org
Humane Society of Pulaski County
Salvation Army Angel Tree
Cares for animals waiting on a home. warmhearts.org
Pick a tag at Walmart or Sam's Club, or shop the Walmart Spark Good Registry.
Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance
Conway Ministry Center
Fights hunger statewide. 501-399-9999 | arhungeralliance.org
Food pantry and weekday meals, 225 East Robins St., Conway.
Churches Joint Council on Human Needs (CJCOHN), Benton
Food, clothing, and holiday help for Saline County families. facebook.com/cjcohn.cares Close to home: your church, school, or neighborhood food pantry is an easy place to start a family food drive.
JACKSONVILLE’S
ALL LIT UP HOLIDAY LIGHTS & TREE LIGHTING NOVEMBER 19
5:00PM Holiday Crafts Letters to Santa Hot Cocoa & Cookies Pictures with Santa 9 Municipal Drive, Jacksonville, AR
30 • Family favorite for 35 years
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