The Houston Zoo (houstonzoo.org) is home to African wild dogs, Asian elephants, birds, reptiles and more. The Houston Zoo offers Zoofari, a summer camp for kids, overnight stays for birthday parties and organizations as well as outreach programs that allow the zoo to visit schools and private functions. Conveniently located a short drive from downtown and equipped with a small water playground, the Houston Zoo is an ideal stop for families visiting with children.
Packed with interactive exhibits including but not limited to the Invention Connection, Matter Factory and FlowWorks, the Children's Museum of Houston (cmhouston.org) considers itself "A Playground For Your Mind." Kidtropolis, one of the newest exhibits is a run by kids, for kids complete with city workers, voters, workers, shoppers and business owners. The Children's Museum of Houston is available 7 days a week with Family Free Nights on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Laser Quest (laserquest.com) of Houston provides a energetic version of hide-and-seek blended with laser tag for ages 5 and up. The game takes place in a multi-level arena that is available to rent for birthday parties or general admission. Houston has two kid-friendly Laser Quest locations in north and west Houston. The facilities are available Tuesday through Sunday for regular visits and Mondays for private bookings.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science (hmns.org) is home to kid-friendly exhibits such as the Hall of Paleontology, Welch Chemistry Hall and the Cockrell Butterfly Center. In addition to the many exhibits, the museum is home to a planetarium and an IMAX theater where kids can enjoy movies and explore the stars. Boasted as one of the "most heavily attended museums in the U.S.," the Houston Museum of Natural Science is especially affordable on Tuesdays when admission is free between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Interactive space exploration exhibits, including a space flight program, regularly engage children of all ages at the Space Center of Houston (spacecenter.org). It is here that children can explore the stars, experience what a real shuttle looks and feels like or even have lunch with an astronaut. Children can visit the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory to witness actual astronauts training for missions. The center also hosts summer day camps for kids between 4 and 14 years of age to learn more about space exploration.
