The Children's Museum of Houston is home to several exhibits and activities for children. Some exhibits include Building Zone, FlowWorks and TotSpot. The Building Zone exhibit lets children build things in a kid-friendly environment; for example, the exhibit has large bags of gravel that children can pick up using pulleys. FlowWorks lets children dip their hands into water to build their own water creations; an 18-foot cauldron stands in the middle of the FlowWorks exhibit and allows children to fill it until it overflows. TotSpot is an exhibit for children age birth to 36 months; the exhibit has a ball and pillow pit, as well as several mirrors. The museum offers an afterschool program where kids can enjoy an exhibit-related activity with a discovery guide. The Children's Museum of Houston also offers children's birthday party packages, a gift shop and a café. As of November 2010, the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and on select Mondays.
The Houston Zoo is home to over 6,000 animals and receives over 1.7 million guests each year, according to the Houston Zoo website. Some animals include tigers, monkeys, reptiles, elephants and wild dogs. There is also a children's zoo, which allows children to see a river otter underwater, get eye-to-eye with a prairie dog and pet several animals. The children's zoo also has a playground where children can play. Camp Zoofari is a camp for kids ages 4 through 12 that provides a hands-on, weeklong day camp for children. Children will learn about wildlife through this educational camp. The zoo offers birthday party packages, gift shops and several eateries. The zoo is open seven days a week and is only closed on Christmas Day, as of November 2010.
The Downtown Aquarium of Houston is a six-acre dining and entertainment complex. The aquarium has over 200 species of aquatic life from all around the world. Aside from many children's activities, the aquarium has a full-service restaurant, several exhibits and an upscale bar. Children will enjoy exhibits like Shipwreck, the Louisiana Swamp, Rainforest, Gulf of Mexico and White Tigers. Many carnival-style games are available for children to play to win large plush animals. The aquarium is also home to several rides, such as the Shark Voyage, a ferris wheel, Lighthouse Dive and the Aquatic Carousel. Many day and week camps are available for children of all ages. Birthday party packages are also available.
