MARAVILLOSO! The Water Festival

 

Where: Discovery Green
When: June 5 – 6, 2015
Website: http://www.discoverygreen.com/circus

Discovery Green welcomes the return of MARAVILLOSO! A contemporary circus and dance event featuring talent from all over the world and from Houston. The two-day event returns as a Water Festival on June 5-6, 2015 with a graceful performance on Kinder Lake by Belgium’s and Netherlands’ artistic company Chanson d’Eau.

Original music and art works by Chanson d’Eau in their first US appearance, the performance features floating, glowing “flowers” that open to reveal graceful dancers on Kinder Lake. The festival will also include a new commissioned dance performance, in celebration of water, byKaren Stokes Dance.

Karen Stokes Dance is a non-profit dance company that has been producing original dance-theater in Houston since 1999.  During this time, KSD has performed in New York City, Toronto, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Dallas, Kaarlstad (Sweden), and in Houston, Texas.  In 2014, Karen Stokes was named number one choreographer by the Houston Press in their Top Ten Houston Choreographers list. In 2013, Houston Press awarded Karen Stokes with a Masterminds Award, the first contemporary dance company in Houston to receive this recognition for innovation in the arts.

Check back soon for performance times.

Houston Kids Triathalon

When: April 19, 2015
Where: University of Houston 4500 University Drive Houston, TX 77004
Website: http://www.houstontexans.com/kids/triathlon/about.html

The Houston Texans and Texas Children’s Hospital, in partnership with the nonprofit organization Kids Triathlon, Inc., have partnered to bring you the 2015 Houston Texans Kids Triathlon presented by Texas Children’s Hospital. It is expected to be the largest USATriathlon sanctioned kids triathlon in the world for the second year in a row with 3,000 participants ages 6 to 15. Thousands of families will gather for the interactive triathlon expo and tons of racing fun. The Houston Texans are proud to support this PLAY 60 initiative, helping to build a generation of healthy, active and responsible kids.
Training Guide courtesy of Texas Children’s Hospital
The Houston Texans and Kids Triathlon, Inc. are proud to partner with Texas Children’s Hospital on the 2015 Houston Texans Kids Triathlon. To prepare yourself or your child for the race, Texas Children’s Hospital has put together a guide that offers nutrition advice, an endurance training plan and safety tips so all participants will train properly and perform their best on race day. This tool is FREE so make-sure to download and print today!

To download the guide, click here.

Map
The race will take place on a closed course and water stations, race volunteers, and safety personnel will be positioned throughout the race.

Click here to view race maps.

Parking
Free parking will be available to all participants, spectators, and volunteers on the campus of the University of Houston. The large surface lot at the intersection of Texas Spur 5 and University Drive provides the best access to the event. There are other surface lots in this same area that are also open and only a short walk to the race course. Exit 44C or Exit 44B off of I-45 are the best ways to reach this area of the University of Houston campus.

Click here for the parking map.

Hotels & Travel
We welcome race participants that are traveling from all over the region to be a part of the  Houston Texans Kids Triathlon. William P. Hobby Airport is less than 10 minutes from the University of Houston, and is home to hundreds of flights each day.

If you would like to stay at a hotel close to the race site, there are a number of options:

The Crown Plaza Hotel located at 1700 Smith Street in downtown Houston is offering a special race-weekend rate of $79 per room for registered participants. Contact the Crown Plaza at:

Crown Plaza Hotel – Downtown Houston
1700 Smith Street
Houston, TX   77002
(713) 739 – 8800
www.crowneplaza.com
Promo Code:  Kids Tri

Discovery Green Flea

Discovery Green Flea presented by Green Mountain Energy

Where: Discovery Green
When: March 21 11am-5pm  /  April 18, 2015
Website: http://www.discoverygreen.com/flea

Treasure-hunt at this monthly, one-of-a-kind market nestled in the shady southeast end of the downtown park. The destination market features an array of artful kitsch, vintage items, mid-century modern furniture, recycled and repurposed items and collectibles.

Discovery Green Flea is irresistible to the avid shopper! Whether you are a bargain hunter or an eco-sensitive collector dedicated to repurposing and reusing, seek and find at Discovery Green Flea while enjoying light bites and local entertainment. With the planning expertise of Project for Public Spaces and our new friends at Brooklyn Flea, Discovery Green Flea is the place to see (buy and eat) and be seen.

The next Flea is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, 2015 from 11 am – 5 pm.

Get crafty in the Make It/Take It booth, hosted by The Tinderbox! This is for ages 18 years and up. The little ones can make a craft in the Kid Zone hosted by City ArtWorks!

Flea Market Vendor Rules

Mark your calendars! Future dates for the Discovery Green Flea are March 21 and April 18, 2015. As the weather warms up, the event will transition to Discovery Green Flea by Night on May 16 and June 20, 2015.

Spring Break at the Children’s Museum of Houston

MARCH 7 – 22, 2015: AMAZINGLY IMMATURE SPRING BREAK IN HOUSTON FOR KIDS

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ALL EVENTS. ALL DAY. ONE PRICE. ONLY $10.

Quirkiness and genius are taking over this Spring Break in Houston! America’s No. 1 children’s museum will roll out the antics with thrills, surprising performances and the national debut of KLUTZ® Amazingly Immature exhibit during the Amazingly Immature Spring Break, March 7 – 22, 2015. Embrace your zany side then tumble, cartwheel or unicycle to Houston’s top spring break family destination! Kids can –

• Spin out of control in any of our two Human Hamster Balls
• Let loose in any of our four Bungee Trampolines
• Enjoy entertainingly immature and interactive performances
• And so much more!

Plus, it’s ALL included with the price of admission!

DAILY SPRING BREAK ITINERARY FOR FAMILIES:

• 10 a.m. Immature Giveaways: Leave your maturity at the door and embrace your zany side with a different giveaway every day! Limited to first 100 kids. (Sunday time: Noon) 
• 11 a.m. & 3 p.m. Immature Happenings: Plastic fusion fashion, gooey boogers, immature makeovers and more! Clown around with a new Klutzy surprise every day. (Sunday time:  3 p.m.) Check out our daily blockbuster activities.
• 1:30 p.m. Spotlight Performance: Enjoy entertainingly immature and interactive performances! (Sunday time: 2 p.m.) See online calendar for complete lineup.
• 2:30 p.m. Immature Contest: Put your Amazingly Immature Spring Break experience to the test and compete for the top Immaturity spot with new contests each day!(Sunday time: 3 p.m.) 

5th Annual Kemah Crawfish Festival

The 5 Annual “Kemah Crawfish Festival” will be held March 20,21,22, 2015 in the Famous Lighthouse District in the heart of Kemah! 604 Bradford Street, Kemah Texas 77565

The festival will quickly have your mouth watering for some of the best Crawfish and Cajun food in the country. Life Zydeco and Country music all weekend with special guest star Grammy Award winner Wayne Toups in concert Saturday at 7pm. on the Baytown Stage!

There will be plenty Ice cold Dos Equis beer and soft drinks to quench your thirst! Plenty of seating and vendors of all kinds will be there to handle all your shopping needs! Tickets to the 5th Annual Kemah Crawfish Festival are $8.00 for adults and children under 12 FREE!

For more information, visit our web site: www.gulfcoastfestivals.com or email to: gulfcoastfestivals@aol.com

Japan Festival Houston

Now in its twenty-second year, Houston’s much beloved Japan Festival returns to Hermann Park on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2015.   One of the most attended events of its type across the entire United States, this year’s Japan Festival brings about a reaffirmation of the Festival’s commitment to Japanese and Japanese American traditions, both old and new.

This free, family-friendly event will feature the Saturday Sushi Roll-Off, (a competition among some of Houston’s best sushi chefs,) children’s activities, anime and cosplay, arts and crafts, martial arts, traditional Japanese song and dance, cutting edge technology, and of course wonderful food!

For more information: www.houstonjapanfest.org

2nd Annual Hermann Park Kite Festival

 

Sunday, March 29, 2015
10 am – 5 pm
Miller Hill and Jones Reflection Pool

Join us for the Second Annual Hermann Park Kite Festival on Sunday, March 29, 2015. Everyone is invited to this free festival as kites in all shapes and sizes set sail in the spring sky on Miller Hill and around the Jones Reflection Pool. There will be entertainment for kids including kite making, friendly kite flying, face painting, and more!

Throughout the Park will be performers, ribbon dancers, musicians, jugglers, and more. Pedal boats will be available on McGovern Lake and the train will run throughout the day. Food trucks will be stationed around the park with creative culinary delights for all.

Click here to join the host committee and enjoy benefits such as reserved parking and access to the VIP tent.

 

Lego Movie at Miller Outdoor Theatre – November 9

 

When: November 9, 2014
Time: 6:30 pm
Where: Miller Outdoor Theatre
6000 Hermann Park Drive
Houston, Texas 77030

Join Community Health Choice for a special, one-night-only viewing of The Lego Movie. Boasting beautiful animation, a charming voice cast and laugh-a-minute gags, this 2014 smash hit is colorful fun for all ages.

FROGZ – November 8th

When: November 8, 2014
Time: 6:30 pm
Where:  Miller Outdoor Theatre 6000 Hermann Park Drive Houston, Texas 77030

Since 1979, the wildly inventive, Oregon-based Imago Theatre has produced tantalizing, transformative theatre that crosses boundaries traditionally associated with language, age and the physical realm. Drawing inspiration from a wide variety of artistic mediums — vaudeville, comedy and illusion, to name a few — Imago is able to construct surreal landscapes through movement and sound.

The troupe’s kaleidoscopic approach to its art is unparalleled; of their work, the New York Times has stated, “Theater like this opens the eyes to the possibilities of exploration in the vast realm of imagination.”

Not easily pigeon-holed, Imago has repeatedly proven unique in its ability to create critically acclaimed, family-oriented productions — their smash hit, FROGZ, effortlessly weaves mime, dance and acrobatics into a must-see spectacle for the entire family.

This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area. Free tickets are available (4 per person over age 16 while they last) at the Miller Outdoor Theatre box office the day of the performance between the hours of 10:30am-1pm.  If tickets remain at 1pm, the box office will re-open one hour before show time to distribute the remaining tickets. As always, open seating on the hill.

The ICE on Discovery Green, November 25th – February 8th!

The ICE at Discovery Green uses recycled water from Kinder Lake to create a 7,716 square-foot ice skating surface, making it the largest outdoor skating rink in the Southwest.The rink will return for another exciting winter season on Tuesday, November 25, 2014!

Last season, The ICE hosted a variety of Winter programming and amenities for skaters and spectators including outdoor movies, skating with Santa, live music and DJs, ice carvings, art installations, snack shop serving hot cocoa and Belgian waffles, and a special, toddler-friendly rink. Stay tuned for ICE events in winter 2014! Ice Skating at Discovery Green is a ticketed event.

ICE Rink Admission

• $13 includes skate rental and tax. Skating time limited to 1.5 hours all school holidays and weekends. A portion of tickets sales goes to support Discovery Green Conservancy’s free year-round programming. Tickets are available for purchase in-person at the ICE.

Make a donation of $50 to Discovery Green Conservancy and get a free ticket to the ICE, redeemable Monday through Thursday. To donate, please visit discoverygreen.com/donate.

Bringing a group? The ICE is perfect for church groups, daycare and school field trips, scout outings, birthdays, and company parties. Advance reservations are required. To submit your group reservation, click here.  For more information about group sales, please contactdiscoverygreen@icerinkevents.com.

Learn a lifetime sport! One-on-one instruction is available. Advance reservations are required. To reserve a private lesson, click here.

To learn more about the ICE, click here.

Ice Rink Events

Ice Rink Events, a Houston-based designer, manufacturer, installer, and operator of ice rinks around the globe, transforms Kinder Lake’s model boat basin into a holiday skating destination each winter season at the park. The expanded rink uses equipment that runs on renewable energy and even the ice rink border is made from recycled plastic materials.

Kids First Saturday at The Breakfast Klub

When:  July 05, 2014 (Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday)
Location: The Breakfast Klub
Address: 3711 Travis St.,  Houston, TX 77002
Admission:  Free!!!
They have a moonwalk so the kids can bounce around, a face painter, arts & krafts, and from time-to-time live entertainment to keep your little ones entertained for hours.

Facing Mars – Space Center Houston

Location: Space Center Houston
Venue: Space Center Houston
Address: 1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058
Visit Event Website
Area of Town: Clear Lake/Bay Area Houston
Free Admission: No

This summer, visitors will be asked these simple questions at Space Center Houston’s new exhibit “Facing Mars.” Focusing on the real-life obstacles of sending humans to Mars, this groundbreaking exhibition, developed and designed by the Ontario Science Centre, shows visitors how the challenges of a Mars mission aren’t limited to technology or money. It asks questions associated with traveling to Mars for which there currently are no known answers. It also engages participants in the physical, psychological and scientific challenges that come with interplanetary travel.
The challenges of a human mission to Mars are as big as any humans have faced. We know that we can get there, but will we be able to survive? How will we solve the many challenges? What will happen when we push our bodies and minds far beyond any place we have been before?

This exhibition offers 28 interactive stations with four broad themes:

• Supporting Human Life: Explore the challenges of keeping a crew alive during a long spaceflight, from determining a sustainable and healthy menu to dealing with the realities of the prolonged microgravity exposure on astronauts’ bones.
• Interpersonal and Psychological Experience: How do you select a crew for what may be a lethal adventure? How are crew members affected by crowding and isolation? What role does non-verbal communication play in the emotional health of astronauts?
• Technology of Exploration: Explore some of the aspects of the technology needed for Mars exploration, from puzzle-solving robotic rovers to testing space gloves, to experimenting with glider designs.
• Nature of Mars and Space Travel Exploration: Design, test and launch a model rocket; get a flyover view of the Martian landscape; examine the puzzle of protecting astronauts from lethal radiation and explore the challenges posed by dust.

This limited-engagement exhibit is included with paid admission to Space Center Houston. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.spacecenter.org.

Chill Out with Cool Nights at the Houston Zoo

Join us for these fun-filled Friday nights!

Thanks to TXU Energy, the Houston Zoo is once again staying open late, until 8:30 p.m., so you can enjoy the animals in the cooler evening weather. Join us for Cool Nights every Friday evening from June 27 through August 22. From 5 to 8 p.m. guests can enjoy added music and kid-friendly activities that are sure to entertain kids and adults alike! All activities are included in Zoo admission.

July 25: Holidays in ZOO-ly

Candy canes, reindeer, lights and Santa beards? Sounds like Holidays in Zoo-ly! If you can’t wait any longer for the holiday season, visit the Houston Zoo on July 25 for lots of fun holiday-themed activities such as Pin the Nose on Rudolph, Penguin Shuffle and ornament decorating.  You can also embark on a scavenger hunt to find holiday items throughout the Zoo and take a few photos at our photo booth.

Guests will enjoy icy-cool entertainment including ice sculpture carving presentations by Reverend Butter and special Meet the Keeper Talks with the orangutans and cassowary. Be sure to join us this week as we impatiently await the most wonderful time of the year!

Extreme Bugs at the Houston Zoo

Giant bugs are taking over the Houston Zoo until September 1st!

For this special exhibit, you’ll walk into a backyard unlike any you’ve  seen before – this backyard is filled with giant, animatronic bugs that move, spread their wings, and even spray you with water! These bugs are up to 200 times larger than the normal size, and are made to look exactly like their smaller counterparts.  The real wonders of this backyard environment are the bugs themselves. Not just any bugs but 13 giant, animatronic bugs. You’ll see friendly ants, a ladybug, a grasshopper, a dragonfly, a beautiful Madagascar sunset moth, a beetle that sprays water, and a firefly that lights up with the turn of a handle.

Tickets Here
Per Person – $3.95  Summer Special! $2.95
(Zoo admission not included)
Children under 2 are FREE
Purchase tickets online now, at any ticket window when you arrive, or at the Extreme Bugs! exhibit. Extreme Bugs! Tickets you purchase online today are good for entry to the exhibit on any day. (Zoo admission tickets are dated).

Find Treasures at Discovery Green

(photo courtesy of Discovery Green)

Dates and Times: Third Saturday of every month Spring through Summer. The event is held in the day during Winter months.
Location: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
Admission: Free!!!

Are you ready for some unique flea marketing,people-watching,  food-trucking fun? Every third Saturday of the month, browse, shop and explore the Discovery Green Flea Market by Night.

Discovery Green, in the southeast corner of the park is where it all takes place. It’s not simply a flea market (though it’s that too). It also features a spread of goods including new art, kitsch, vintage items, mid-century modern furniture, recycled and repurposed items and collectibles. Bring a date, the kids, and the dogs!

If you love Houston’s food trucks as much as we do, you can grab a bite from among some of Houston’s most popular food trucks.

If you missed the this month’s Discovery Green Flea Market by Night, there will be more. During cooler months, the Discovery Green Flea happens in the afternoon.

Cool Down in One of Houston’s Public Pools!

Summertime and relaxing by the pool go hand in hand.  Don’t have a pool? Don’t worry! Take your kids to one of Houston’s 37 FREE public pools this summer!

Public Pools Northwest of  Downtown Houston:

Agnes Moffitt – 713-468-5666 |10645 Hammerly Blvd, Houston, TX 77043

Inde Heights – 713-862-1284 | 603 East 35th, Houston, TX 77022
Lincoln – 281-447-2525 | 1048 Grenshaw, Houston, TX 77007
Love – 713-867-0490 | 1000 West 12th St, Houston, TX 77008
Oak Forest – 713-684-1819 |1400 Du Barry Ln, Houston, TX 77018
Schwartz – 713-973-6310 | 8203 Vogue, Houston, TX 77055
Stude – 713-862-5762 | 1031 Stude, Houston, TX 77009
T.C. Jester – 713-686-6800 | 4205 T.C. Jester, Houston, TX 77018

Public Pools Northeast of Downtown Houston
Greenwood – 713-455-5165 | 602 Beresford, Houston, TX 77015
Hobart Taylor – 713-673-3774 | 8100 Kenton, Houston, TX 77028
Moody – 713-238-2215 | 3201 Fulton, Houston, TX 77009
Northline – 713-742-1512 | 6911 Nordling, Houston, TX 77076
Tidwell – 713-633-1618 | 9720 Spaulding, Houston, TX 77016
Tuffly – 713-674-3367 | 3200 Russell, Houston, TX 77026

Public Pools Southwest of Downtown Houston
Alief – 281-983-8137 | 11903 Bellaire, Houston, TX 77072
Memorial – 713-862-1426 | 6402 Arnot, Houston, TX 77007
Sharpstown – 713-272-3690 | 6600 Harbor Town, Houston, TX 77036
Townwood – 713-434-3508 | 3403 Simsbrook, Houston, TX 77045
Westbury – 713-723-2192 | 10605 Mullins, Houston, TX 77096
Windsor Village – 713-726-7112 | 14441 Croquet Ln, Houston, TX 77085

Public Pools Southeast of Downtown Houston
Beverly Hills – 713-948-9063 | 9800 Kingspoint, Houston, TX 77075
Clinton – 713-675-9336 | 200 Mississippi, Houston, TX 77029
Cloverland – 713-734-8948 | 11800 Scott, Houston, TX 77047
Denver Harbor – 713-673-7140 | 1020 Gazin, Houston, TX 77020
DeZavala – 713-923-7220 | 7521 Avenue H, Houston, TX 77012
Eastwood – 713-923-8058 | 5000 Harrisburg, Houston, TX 77011
Emancipation – 713-284-1977 | 3018 Dowling, Houston, TX 77004
Finnigan – 713-673-7311 | 4900 Providence, Houston, TX 77020
George T. Nelson – 713-748-0449 | 6900 La Salette, Houston, TX 77021
Glenbrook – 713-645-7187 | 8201 North Bayou, Houston, TX 77017
J. Robinson, Sr. – 713-672-8958 | 1422 Ledwicke, Houston, TX 77029
MacGregor – 713-748-0317 | 5225 Calhoun, Houston, TX 77021
Mason – 713-928-4826 | 541 South 75th, Houston, TX 77023
Reveille – 713-645-6544 | 7700 Oak Vista, Houston, TX 77087
Sagemont – 281-922-2312 | 11507 Hughes, Houston, TX 77089
Sunnyside – 713-734-0757 | 3502 Bellfort, Houston, TX 77051
Wilson Memorial – 713-948-9051 | 100 Gilpin, Houston, TX 77034

Houston Public Pools
Dates: Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Times: 1pm to 8pm
Location: 37 pools around Houston. Click here to see specific pools.
Phone: 832-395-7129
Admission: Free and open to the public

Things to do With Kids During the Heat of the Summer

One thing is for sure – summer is here! So. What do you do with the kids when its either too hot to play outside or they need a little quiet time to let mommy and daddy take a break  finish chores.

Here is a quick list of fun websites that will help keep the little one’s busy:

• Smithsonian Institute: Learn about art, history, science, and more! : www.si.edu/kids
• National Geographic for Kids: Activities and experiments, cartoon factory, games, and more!: www.nationalgeographic.com/kids
• FirstGovForKids: For older kids to sites about fighting crime, computers, space, careers, and more: www.kids.gov
• Official NFL Football site for kids. Fun football facts, game highlights, games, be a play, sound off, and more! : www.playfootball.com
• Time Magazine for Kids: Bringing the latest news to kids, poll zone, kids scoops, research tools, and more! www.timeforkids.com
• Sports Illustrated for Kids: Top stories, contests, videos, news and blogs, league standings, games, and more! www.sikids.com
• United States Mint: Fun and education tool that teaches kids about coins, the Mint, and US history. www.usmint.gov/kids
• Ask for Kids: A search engine that is easy to use and with answers geared towards children. www.askkids.com
• PBS Kids: A safe place for kids to explore and play hundreds of fun educational games with their favorite characters! www.pbskids.org
• Brain POP: Animated science, health, technology, math, social studies, arts, quizzes with help for k – 12 kids.  www.brainpop.com
• 3 – D Virtual World: Kid fun zone learning through play-access activities , video games, mobile apps, and more. www.jumpstart.com
• Yahoo for Kids: Busy site with games, videos, movie trailers, jokes, sports, ecards, and more. www.kids.yahoo.com
• Crayola Fun:  Have a creative type? Find coloring activities, arts and crafts, card creator, lesson plans, and so much more. www.crayola.com
• Last but not least….www.funology.com