Weekend Plans: Scotty McCreery, table tennis, circus, more

I know well that people either love or hate the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The long-running "greatest show on Earth" is at the RBC Center with multiple shows through Sunday. If you want to go and don't have your tickets yet, don't forget the Go Ask Mom discount.

The inaugural Play 4Kay on Hillsborough Street includes events throughout February to benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. This weekend, they include a 4K on Saturday and the Hoops 4 Hope N.C. State women's basketball game at 5 p.m. Sunday featuring American Idol and Garner native Scotty McCreery. Tickets for the game are $5 for kids and $10 for adults and last I heard they were going fast thanks to McCreery. Click here for more information about the game. I definitely recommend women's basketball games as a great family activity.

N.C. Parent Consultants will host one if its Saturday morning forums for parents this weekend. The topic is reducing sibling and peer conflict. It's from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Saturday, at 519 Keisler Dr., Suite 202, in Cary. It's free, but you need to register at least 48 hours in advance. Email them at enroll@ncparentconsultants.com to register.

We have table tennis! The 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials for table tennis runs Thursday through Sunday at Bond Park Community Center in Cary. Tickets are $5 on Thursday and $10 for the rest of the event. Read my earlier post for details.

Love is in the air at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill. Morehead's "Carolina Skies: Valentine Edition" is scheduled for 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Saturday, and 8 p.m., Tuesday (which is Valentine's Day). The movie explores the legends of love told by ancient cultures through constellations. A big note: The program is recommended only for ages 18 and older ... so this is a good date night option. Shows are $7.25 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at the door beginning 30 minutes before the show. Morehead also has a special adult-only Cirque des Sciences event Friday night.

The Barnes & Nobles on Maynard Road in Cary and on New Hope Commons in Durham will have a special Valentine's Day storytime for families at 11 a.m., Saturday. The events feature the book "Plant a Kiss," by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and other activities.

Raleigh Little Theatre's Storytellers to Go! will present "Blackbeard! Pirate of the Carolina Coast" at 2 p.m., Saturday, at West Regional Library in Cary. The free, hour-long performance is designed for kids ages 5 and up.

Ackland Art Museum in Chapel Hill will hold its Drawing in the Galleries program from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. This isn't a program designed specifically for kids, but it is open to all levels. Bring paper and dry media such as crayons or pencils. An Ackland staff will lead participants in a creative exploration of an object in Ackland's collection. This is offered on the second Saturday of each month. It is free and open to the public.

The Triangle will welcome one more frozen yogurt place when Menchie's opens at Waverly Place in Cary on Saturday. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., you'll find free frozen yogurt, a free bounce house, arts and crafts and more.

Duke Heart Center of Duke Medicine, Go Ask Mom's sponsor, has a Safe a Life event at 9 a.m., Saturday, at the Embassy Suites in Cary. Families are invited to this health education event. Events include bystander CPR sessions, heart health risk factor screenings for adults, a health fair and cooking demonstrations. Children can participate in a Kids Zumba program. It's free, but registration is required. Call 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853) to register.

Get fit as part of Marbles Kids Museum's Family Fit series. This weekend, the focus is on hula hooping. At 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., Sunday, you can learn new hula tricks and how to make your own hoop.