Monkey Bizness is a small chain of indoor children's playgrounds. The Houston location is along the West Sam Houston Parkway North near Sam Houston Center Drive in Northwest Houston.
The playground features a variety of large inflatable climbing toys, such as a moon bounce castle and an inflatable slide. Children can also step into a play boxing ring and spar with one another wearing over-sized inflatable gloves. The facility also has a snack bar that sells drinks and pizza.
Monkey Bizness offers open play Monday through Friday. Children 24 months of age and younger can play for free if parents pay for an older sibling to play. Parent admission is free. Certain play equipment at the center requires adults and children to wear socks. Parents must sign a liability waiver before their children can play. Free, on-site parking is available.
The Houston Family Arts Center is in the Northwest Houston neighborhood of Willowbrook, along Grant Road between Balcrest and West Cypress Forest Drives. The center hosts live performances of musicals and dramatic plays geared toward families with different shows specifically for young children and teens. The theater's season typically runs all year long, beginning in June or July and continuing through the next year's August. Children and teens can also audition to appear in performances.
In addition to its productions, the Houston Family Arts Center offers classes in movement, musical theater and acting for children ages 3 and up. Special classes are available for teenagers with differing levels that range from courses for novice actors and actresses to programs for seasoned performers. The center previously received Nickelodeon Parents Connect Parents' Picks Awards for "best theater group for kids in Houston" and "best artsy class for teens in Houston."
The Houston Family Arts Center holds classes all year with special camp programs during winter breaks and over the summer. On-site parking is available.
The Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex is also in Willowbrook, along Willow Place Drive North, off Frontage Road 249. The ice skating rink offers public skating daily and is open for children of all ages as well as parents. The rink has more than 1,000 pairs of skates available to rent during free skate for families that do no own their own.
The Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex also offers classes for children and teens. Courses include a basic six-week class that teaches skating fundamentals like maintaining balance. Advanced courses in figure skating are also available. In addition, the rink provides classes in hockey-skating skills and is home to a child and teen hockey leagues.
Free skate times and class schedules at the Aerodrome Ice Skating Complex vary. The facility has an on-site restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with items like waffles, pizza, burgers and soups featured on the menu. On weekend afternoons, the rink offers discounted packages on the cost of free skate admission, skate rentals and food for a family of four. Free, on-site parking is available.
