Choose your setting
If you’re bored and tired of being cooped up at home this summer, here is a list of so many things you can do in Houston. One of the main issues right now is heat, so if that’s your concern, check out the list of indoor things to do. If you’re brave enough to push through, or wait till the evening, check out the outdoor list. You are sure to have a blast and wear the kids out with this list of kid friendly things to do in Houston.
Indoor things for kids to do in Houston
- Space Center Houston
Explore the wonders of space through interactive exhibits, astronaut artifacts, and simulators.
- Children’s Museum of Houston
This interactive museum offers hands-on exhibits and educational activities in areas like science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).
- Houston Museum of Natural Science
Discover fascinating exhibits on dinosaurs, ancient Egypt, gems and minerals, and more. The museum also features a butterfly center and a planetarium.
- Houston Museum of Natural Science Sugar Land
Located just outside Houston, this museum offers a range of exhibits, including paleontology, geology, and chemistry.
- Cockrell Butterfly Center
Located within the Houston Museum of Natural Science, this exhibit allows kids to get up close to a variety of butterfly species in a lush tropical environment.
- Houston Public Library
Many branches of the Houston Public Library system offer story time sessions, workshops, and educational programs for kids.
- The Houston Aquarium
Discover an underwater world with exhibits showcasing various marine species, including stingrays, sharks, and colorful fish.
- The Houston Fire Museum
Learn about the history of firefighting and explore vintage fire trucks and equipment.
- Shopping!
Who doesn’t love updating their wardrobe? I’ve compiled some of my fave places to go for my kids, so you can hit the ground running;
Outdoor kid friendly things to do in Houston
- Houston Zoo
Visit the zoo to see a variety of animals from around the world and enjoy educational presentations and feeding sessions.
- Discovery Green
Enjoy outdoor activities at this downtown park, including a playground, interactive water features, and seasonal events.
- Hermann Park
Explore the park’s beautiful gardens, take a ride on the miniature train, or rent pedal boats on McGovern Lake.
- Kemah Boardwalk
Located near Houston, this waterfront amusement park offers rides, games, and attractions, including a Ferris wheel and a roller coaster. Thursday nights they have Rock the Dock concerts at the splash area!
- Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Adventure
You can come here any night of the week to see the bats take off, but if you go on a Friday night, you get a little lesson from an expert on them! Check out the blog on it, here, for more details.
- Houston Parks
Houston has numerous parks with playgrounds, sports fields, hiking trails, and picnic areas. Some popular parks include Memorial Park, Terry Hershey Park, and Buffalo Bayou Park.
- Moody Gardens & Palm Beach
Located in Galveston, just outside Houston, Moody Gardens features a rainforest pyramid, aquarium, and 3D/4D theaters. Enjoy this manmade Palm beach with slides, wave pool, and the finest sand. Located in Galveston!
- The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center
Kids can enjoy nature trails, discovery rooms, and educational programs focusing on wildlife and ecology.
Take family pictures, indoors OR outdoors
If you’re a mom like me with kids home this summer, you may be getting to the point that you don’t know what to do with your littles. I hope this was helpful in finding kid friendly things to do with kids in Houston! I am a family and motherhood photographer and would love to chat with you about a portrait session to document these chaotic, but beautiful times. Let’s get to know each other!
Here is another blog I stumbled upon that has some great ideas for kid friendly things to do in Houston.
