Stocking one of the area's largest inventories of comic books (new and old), collections and supplies, Adam's Memory Lane is an essential stopover for comics fans. Adam's claims to have one of the best collections of vintage comics in southeastern North Carolina. Also stocked are Comic Shop exclusive action figures, old toys and other oddities. You'll find the shop in the Phillips' Azalea Plaza, a short distance west of the Greenville Loop Road intersection. Adam's Memory Lane is open Monday through Saturday noon to 6 PM and Sunday from 1 to 4 PM.

Firebird is a full-service, paint-your-own pottery studio in a delightfully cheerful atmosphere. They provide a large selection of bisque ware with a wide variety of colors and effects. All you need to provide is your creativity. Studio assistants will glaze and fire your piece for you. Just visiting Wilmington? Firebird will ship the finished pottery to your home. You can also try your hand at mosaics and glass painting with their qualified staff to assist you. This is a great activity for birthday parties, ladies' nights out, couples nights, bridal showers, play dates for children, or just an afternoon out. Come and experience the fun of painting your own pottery. Art supplies and kits are also conveniently available.

Specializing in used video games and game systems, The Game Giant buys games for cash and accepts trade-ins for store credit, the amount of which varies according to the condition of, and demand for, the individual game. They carry everything from Atari to the newest PS3 games and also DVDs and CDs. The Game Giant is in University Landing on S. College Road (north of Oleander Drive). Hours are Monday through Saturday noon to 7 PM and they are closed on Sunday.

In addition to a huge assortment of model trains, planes and automobiles, the store carries rockets, toys, puzzles, novelties, miniature collectibles and books. This is a store for kids of all ages who enjoy a variety of hobbies.

Learning Express Toys is among those rare places that capture kids' imaginationLearning Express Toys is among those rare places that capture kids' imaginations with high-quality alternatives to the run-of-the-mill products. Interactive and entertaining, the stores succeed in making learning fun for kids from infancy through early adolescence. The staff includes toy experts with broad knowledge of the products, which translates into excellent service. Learning Express Toys is organized in sections geared to particular interests, such as Science & Nature (including electronics and nature projects), Let's Pretend (fantasy dress-up, Playmobil and Webkinz), Great Beginnings (for infants and toddlers) and Transit (including remote control vehicles, Thomas and Darda race tracks). This is the place to find that volcano your child needs for the diorama. You can find Learning Express Toys in three locations: the Hanover Center store on Oleander Drive is a "come out and play" space with an I Spy In The Sky ceiling, festooned with cloud shapes and other imaginative objects. Their original location on Military Cutoff Road offers a medieval theme with a giant castle mural for kids with a predilection for fantasy play. There is also a mini-store in the Children's Museum of Wilmington. Ask about professional discounts, free personalizing, free gift wrapping and Birthday Wish Buckets. Both Learning Express stores also feature a Grandparents' Club and daily UPS shipping. Their mission is to help you find the perfect toy.

This fun-filled indoor playground is a perfect spot for kids up to age 12, rain or shine. Filled with inflatable "moonwalk" type structures, slides and bounce houses, kids can climb, slide and bounce to their heart's content. Guaranteed to burn off excess energy and result in a solid afternoon nap, Monkey Joe's is a safe and healthy way to provide your child with a full day's exercise in an hour or so. Parents can also get in on the fun and get a great workout themselves or relax in a comfortable chair and watch. The adult area has flat-screen TVs, complimentary computer workstations and free WiFi. An ideal place for a play date, a group outing or just some fun with your kids, Monkey Joe's is one place your kid won't forget. Monkey Joe's is not a "drop off" place. Drinks, pizza, popcorn, ice cream and general concessions are available for purchase. No food or drink from outside is allowed. The facility is open 10 AM until 6 PM every day of the week. The cost is $5 plus tax for children 2 and younger. Monday through Thursday the cost is $7.99 plus tax for children older than 2. Friday through Sunday it's $8.99 for children older than 2. Adults get in free unless they want to play, in which case it costs $5. Call for information on party packages.

This 24-lane bowling alley has plenty of fun opportunities for kids. There's a youth/adult league that bowls every Thursday evening in summer at 7 PM. Ten Pin Alley is filled with arcade games to add to the fun. Call for more information about joining their leagues.

The inevitable hunt for a child's toy may well lead you to this gargantuan chain toy store near the intersection of S. College Road.

Children of all ages will enjoy troll dolls handmade by Helena, Minna and Johannes Kuuskoski. The trolls are adorable and unique. Hear troll stories as you shop and be sure to read the stories that come with each troll — they will delight children and adults alike. A new documentary film by local filmmakers about U.S. Trolls is now available for purchase. Make sure to check out this store that has many unique and exciting things to see. There's parking in the rear of the building, with an easy exit to 23rd Street.

Hugh MacRae Park is a quiet respite nestled between acres of trees right in the middle of busy Wilmington. Children love this park for the picnics, walks and many sights to see. The resident wildlife at the duck pond provides wonderful educational entertainment for children year round. Ducks march around the pond frequently, quacking as they go, especially when the park employees put out their weekly feed or when visitors offer bread. You'll often find ducks sleeping in the shade on warm afternoons. From the footbridge traversing the pond you get an excellent view of the many frogs, snapping turtles — from newborns to moss-backed elders — and fish that live beneath the water lilies. Some of the carp are of astounding size. Frogs are easiest to spot on the ground on damp mornings. Also look for spider webs, often quite large, among the bushes, but stay on the paths to avoid poison ivy. A beautiful gazebo is used for weddings and other ceremonies. The park has six picnic shelters and individual picnic tables in various areas. You'll also find an equestrian ring, lighted tennis courts and a volleyball net. Additions to the walking path surrounding the park allow for short, mellow strolls as well as longer, more exercise-oriented power walks. Be sure to bring your own beverages as there is no drinking water available at the park. Restrooms and playgrounds are on the premises.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher is located on the ocean, along U.S. 421 just south of Kure Beach (about 15 miles south of Wilmington). The aquarium continues to add fascinating exhibits on a regular basis. An Exotic Aquatics gallery includes non-native creatures, such as Hawaiian fishes, lionfish and Pacific coral reef fishes. The aquarium now exhibits four of the state's six venomous snake species: copperheads, cottonmouths, Eastern diamondback and timber rattlers. In 2008, to celebrate International Year of the Frog, the aquarium added a number of exhibits devoted to these reptiles that include colorful poisonous dart frogs native to Central America.

The aquarium's theme, "Waters of the Cape Fear," lets visitors follow the river from the Piedmont to the Atlantic Ocean and see nearly 3,000 freshwater and saltwater creatures. The journey starts in a half-acre freshwater conservatory and culminates in a quarter-million-gallon saltwater tank teeming with sharks and other ocean species. Featured in the Coastal Waters Gallery are seahorses, a loggerhead sea turtle hatchling and an indoor salt marsh.

The aquarium is open daily 9 AM to 5 PM except Christmas, New Year's and Thanksgiving days. All three North Carolina Aquariums offer behind-the-scenes tours and other programs for people of all ages to learn more about aquatic life. The variety at the Fort Fisher facility includes everything from quickie "creature features" to half-day camps and workshops. Many activities require reservations and a nominal fee, but others are free with aquarium admission.

Everyday visitors may encounter impromptu learning opportunities such as "smart-cart" presentations or "creature features" around the touch-pool, the alligator exhibit or the moray eel cave. Videos about everything from sharks to shrimp are shown daily in the auditorium. Divers, using underwater sound equipment inside the Cape Fear Shoals tank, answer questions on a wide range of topics twice a day. At 11 AM at 3 PM daily you can watch aquarium staff feed some of the animals. Educators are on hand to field questions.

Tregembo Animal Park will delight and amaze kids of all ages. Carrying on a family tradition that goes back more than 50 years, the Tregembos have expanded and updated the zoo to create habitats for their animals from around the world. Zoo favorites include Jashan the white tiger, Simba the lion and Ben the bear, along with some exotic new additions, including a giraffe, a zebra, a black leopard, a Syrian grizzly bear and a group of ring-tailed lemurs that reside on their very own Lemur Island. Kids will have a great time exploring the park, feeding the ducks and goats, and watching the amusing primate antics of the monkeys. Tregembo Animal Park is a fun place to spend an afternoon with the kids (or grandkids). The large gift shop is filled with seashells, nautical items, T-shirts, toys and souvenirs. Tregembo Animal Park is open from 10 AM to 5 PM daily and closes during the winter season. Please call for ticket rates. Group rates are available for school groups, but please call ahead to schedule.

Housed in a remodeled country store and operating since 1982, Brunswick School of Dance specializes in teaching children age 3 and older the basics of movement and strives to build self-esteem and confidence. Class size averages 12 to 14 students. Most classes take place in the afternoon Monday through Thursday, but there are morning classes for preschoolers. Round-trip van pickup service is available. Styles taught to older students include ballet, tap, jazz, pointe and lyrical. Adult classes include tap and jazz. Ask about the Liturgical Dance Group, which performs to Christian music at worship services in the area. The school is convenient to most of the South Brunswick Islands. In May of each year all students participate in a recital in Odell Williamson Auditorium at Brunswick Community College.

This hands-on, learning-through-play museum offers something for children of all ages with all interests. Sail the seas as a pirate in Ahoy, Wilmington!, perform examinations as a physician in the Teddy Bear Hospital, experiment in the Science Lab, sing and act in the Star Maker Sound Stage, make a masterpiece in the Art Studio and much, much more! Art and science programming is offered every day. Toddler Time is on Fridays from 9 to 11 AM.

This city-owned facility offers an annual July Arts Camp for school-age children. It includes four one-week sessions of hands-on creative fun in practically every medium imaginable, such as painting, music, dance, acting and writing. Offerings change, so call for current information and register early. In addition to the Arts Camp, the Community Arts Center offers classes for children in dance, music and acting during the school year. Some adult classes are open to young adults ages 13 through 17 with permission of the instructor. The Thalian Association, (910) 251-1788, the nation's oldest theatre tradition, manages the center. The Thalian Association Children's Theatre stages performances by young casts during the school year. Studio and theater space is also available for rental. The Community Arts Center will undergo significant renovations during the 2007 calendar year so call ahead regarding classes and programs.

The Cucalorus Film Festival, held each year in November, offers a variety of educational, instructional and fun events for aspiring youth filmmakers during its regular film festival. Parents and their children will enjoy special family-friendly screenings and programs.

The DREAMS Center for Arts Education builds creative, committed citizens — one child at a time — through providing a high-quality, free-of-charge arts education to children in need. DREAMS provides a core after-school program in which participants study visual arts, drama, music, dance, creative writing, photography and film. In addition, the program features a three-week summer arts intensive. DREAMS serves youth ages 8 to 17 at its center in inner-city Wilmington, and the organization offers programming to a wider age range at its outreach sites, which include city recreation centers, public housing sites and schools. Serving more than 600 children each year at more than 20 locations, DREAMS helps kids focus on their creative side and provides a safe environment for self-expression.

The Field Studio offers private vocal instruction by Elizabeth Field and private piano instruction by Stephen Field. Both are classically trained, professional musicians with master's degrees in their respective areas. Steve has more than 19 years of experience teaching piano privately. He has been on faculty at the University of Connecticut and the University of Memphis. He maintains a performing career doing recitals, accompanying and conducting throughout the country. Steve has a passion for passing on his knowledge, experience and love of the piano to anyone who has a desire to learn. Steve offers private piano lessons for kids ages 6 and older, including adults — advanced and beginners. Liz has been teaching voice since 1987 to students at all levels. A Lyric Coloratura Soprano, Liz is in demand as a soloist and as a leader of her Vocal Enrichment Seminars for Choral Singers. She truly loves helping people find their true voice and experience the joy of singing. Liz offers singing lessons for girls ages 11 and older and boys ages 15 and older and also teaches adults. At the Field Studio, they make music seriously fun!

A great place to enjoy the arts with your family, the Racine Center welcomes folks of all ages to visit this multi-faceted facility. Classes and camps offer opportunities to learn pottery making, multi-media and other fine arts. All teachers are professional artists who love to teach within this warm, inviting atmosphere. Check out the wonderful galleries full of truly unique pieces at all price levels.

Formed in 1997, this community-based choral ensemble has approximately 80 girls enrolled. Girls ages 9 and older perform a variety of classical, folk, sacred, secular and popular music. The members learn teamwork, discipline, musicianship and community service through the concerts and activities.

Many youth find themselves with too much time on their hands. That's why this nonprofit tries to teach them to use those hands to build things, including a future. Benefiting at-risk youth, this unique program instructs young people in the art of woodworking and carpentry, teaching them new skills and providing them with a sense of pride about their work. Not only do they build handsome items, but they sell them in the Kids Making It shop with the profits going directly to themselves. The shop is open during the school year Monday and Friday 10 AM to 5 PM; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10 AM to 6 PM; and Saturday and Sunday 1 to 5 PM. In typically selfless fashion, program director Jimmy Pierce also enlists his students in community-oriented projects, instilling the program's "do for others" ethic.

SOLA offers something for creative children of all ages and abilities. Over the past six years SOLA has grown into a busy Morning Preschool, Mid-Day Artsy Preschool and Full After-School Program, all offering arts, crafts, music and academics, in a fun, creative social and developmental growth-oriented atmosphere. SOLA also offers summer camps for children ages 4 to 10. SOLA's environment is alive with energy and nurtures each child's potential.

The Thalian Association Children's Theatre produces five shows per year designed to educate children in the wonders of the theater. In addition, they offer the Broadway On Second Street Arts Camp, where children learn every facet of the theatrical experience as well as the themes and storylines of well-known Broadway musicals. Campers perform a mini-musical at the end of each week. If your kid wants to be a star, this is a great place to get them started.

Sara Graham Westermark, a classically trained singer with a master's degree in Voice Performance from the University of Missouri-Columbia, offers affordable voice lessons for children of all ages. Lessons can be recorded on a CD, which is a wonderful tool for practice sessions at home. Sara is an active singer in this region, appearing as a soloist with the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, Southeastern Oratorio Society, Wilmington Oratorio Society, UNCW Concert Choir, UNCW Opera Scenes and other area organizations. Sara has taught private voice lessons for more than ten years in addition to working with elementary singing groups. Give your child the gift of Sara's instruction and the benefit of her years of experience.

The academy is a private school, founded in 1987, that offers a full range of music instruction in voice, piano, guitar, harp, violin, viola, cello, percussion, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, flute, tuba, oboe, bagpipe and more for students of all ages. Theory, conducting, ensembles and other classes are available. Weekly private lessons and monthly group lessons, recitals and master classes are offered. The academy offers a variety of ensembles for weddings, receptions and special events, featuring the combined talents of faculty members and experienced local musicians.

This is Wilmington's only school dedicated to classical ballet. It emphasizes the fundamental basics of being a disciplined ballerina. Ballet and modern dance classes are available for ages 3 to adult. Their innovative program for preschoolers (ages 3 through 5) utilizes movement, props, music and imagery games to encourage learning the joy of dance; they don't focus on the discipline of ballet until the child is mature enough. Beginning at age 6, training begins to take on more of the academic structure of a ballet class. Levels progress in a planned, sequential manner, each building on the previous level. Pre-professional training offers students the opportunity to study daily, preparing them for professional dance careers. The school offers a Broadway-based tap and jazz program for ages 3 and older. Children from infant to 4 years old can participate in the parent/child music classes, which feature both Kindermusik and music together. Serious students who take four or more dance classes a week can audition for The Wilmington Ballet Company, a nonprofit, in-house youth ballet company, which performs The Nutcracker each holiday season at Thalian Hall. The school recently launched a fine arts preschool and also offers children's art classes. The Wilmington School of Ballet participates in many outreach programs, including scholarships and summer camps for underprivileged youths.