Q: We’re booked for a week in Branson to see all the shows, and have invited our granddaugter to go with us. She’s six and a very bright, active girl. Other than the country and western stage entertainment, what’s there to do in Branson for someone her age?

A: The are kinds of good stuff for kids to enjoy in Branson, especially the water rides. Try the Raging River Rapids at White Water and put on your bathing suits to join your granddaughter for the thrilling slide down 400 feet. Nearby is RainTree Island with even more kiddie (and grannie) water and tube-riding fun at the Bermuda Triangle, Tropical Twister and the Caribbean and Paradise Plunges.

The amusement park is called Silver Dollar City, with all kinds of rides and shows for kids and adults. If some are just too scary for her (and you), you can find more gentler adventures, including a genuine steam train ride. If you go, warn her in advance to expect masked robbers to board the train. As for the entertainment, many of the shows and music are geared to the enjoyment of young kids.

If your little girl enjoys spooks and goblins, she could enjoy Grandfather's Mansion, a sort of tame haunted house. Throughout the park, there are events where guests can participate in music, noisemaking, dress up and other fun for kids and adults.

If you bring your video and/or still camera, there are many opportunities to get some great shots. Maybe the best is in the Branson Wax Museum, where you and your granddaughter can pose with lifelike figures of Dolly Parton, Wayne Newton, Davey Crockett, Abe Lincoln and many other stars of history and entertainment. 

You may want to top off an evening with a dinner cruise and old-fashioned entertainment program on the Showboat Branson Belle. It’s an exact replica of the 19th Century Mississippi River paddlewheelers, something to please both young and old.

Everywhere you look or walk, you’ll see Branson has something for everyone. You and your granddaughter will have a rootin’, tootin’, shootin’ good time.