8 family-friendly activities for weekend of May 7 to May 9

What's up this weekend for families? Here's our weekly weekend activities post with fun in-person and virtual activities fo the weekend of May 7 to May 9. But before you peruse what's below, be sure to check out our Mother's Day weekend activity post with nine more ideas to keep you busy.

1. As part of its virtual Longleaf Celebration, Harris Lake County Park will host a virtual wagon ride and interview with the N.C. Forest Service on Saturday. Check Wake County parks' website for links to these programs on Saturday.

2. Marbles Kids Museum's IMAX theater is screening some of its popular3D documentaries. Born to Be Wild and Oceans: Our Blue Planet are scheduled on Saturday. Journey to Space and Superpower Dogs are set for Sunday. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for kids ages 1 to 11. (To play inside the museum, you will need to buy your tickets for museum entry in advance.)

3. Baseball is back in action, and tickets are available for this weekend's Carolina Mudcats games at Five County Stadium in Zebulon. Games against the Fayetteville Woodpeckers are scheduled through Sunday. As you can imagine, admission looks a little different this year. You can purchase tickets in pods of two, three, five or six for between $10 to $12. Check the Mudcats' website for details. (The Durham Bulls are away this weekend.)

4. Characters from Letterland, the popular early reading program that's used in Wake County schools, are popping up across Raleigh as part of a special celebration. Through May 23, families can visit Pullen Park and other sites to find all 26 characters. Check my earlier post for details.

5. Little ones will enjoy taking part in Sammy the Squirrel's Acorn Hunt in downtown Raleigh's Moore Square. On this self-guided tour, you'll be helping Sammy the Squirrel locate the acorns he hid in Moore Square last winter. Download Sammy’s Acorn Journal or pick one up at the Information Kiosk next to playground to start your hunt. More information is on Moore Square's event calendar.

6. Crowder County Park will be hosting a virtual event from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, that's all about the turtles that live at the Wake County park. Families will participate in some interactive activities and meet some of the park's resident turtles up close. It's free, but registration is required. To learn more about the park's upcoming programs and how to register, head over to Crowder's newsletter.

7. Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, along with the new exhibits it unveiled last fall, has several shows planned this weekend. They include Magic Tree House Space Mission; Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunamis; Astronaut and Carolina Skies. Tickets for the exhibits and show is $14.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids ages 3 to 12.

8. And Kidzu Children's Museum is bringing back its Parents' Night Out program starting this Friday. Drop of your kids for dinner and play, so you can have a fun night out or in. The cost is $25 per child with a $10 sibling discount. It runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m,. Friday. Space is limited. Reserve a place for your kids in advance.