Children's Museum of Houston ~ Houston, TX

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As a family, we have been to our fair share of children's museums.  This summer, we had the opportunity to visit the Children's Museum of Houston and it has easily become one of our favorites. If you are looking for things to do in Houston, this is it! It is easy to see why it was voted Best Children's Museum by Parents Magazine, as it has something for every age and interest.

The museum is bright, colorful, and inviting, with modern, rotating exhibits, keeping everything new and fresh.  There was something new and cool to try in every single room we went to.  The Children's Museum of Houston changes exhibits out, allowing families to have a new experience each time they visit.

We started in the Powerplay area of the museum.  All three spent an hour climbing this 3 story tall structure,  the rock wall, learning how to surf, and agility testing.  There was even an obstacle course for little ones.  Being that it was the middle of the summer, it was great to have all this "active play" indoors to be enjoyed year round.

But by far, the most popular area of the museum is Kidtropolis.  It is a city set up for kids to work jobs, collect a paycheck, and spend their hard earned money. Seriously - way cool!

Kids start off with an ATM card, but they have to go and work a job to earn money to place on their ATM card (sound familiar?) There are fun jobs to choose from.  My kids were a police officer, a cashier at HEB, a vet, and even a chef at the local cafe.  After you "work", you are given a paycheck, where you then must go to the bank and deposit it.  There is even an opportunity to "spend" your heard earned money by grabbing a pizza or buying a bike.

The concept is brilliant and way fun!  The museum tries to limit the amount of kids that are in Kidtropolis at any given time, but it does it very crowded.  Try to do this exhibit first to avoid big crowds.

My kids' personal favorite of the museum was the Invention Convention - my kids spent the most time here.  Stations are set up to allow your child's creativity to flow and build things using all sorts of cool materials.  We built a rocket and launched it in the launch cage and a Lego car and raced it down the track. My daughter especially enjoyed the workshop area kids were invited to make a marble track out of everyday items like Dixie cups, coffee filters, and pipe cleaners.  Another example of how the museum provides something for every interest.

We then headed outside and were amazed even more with Flow Works.  It was mid-afternoon and hot, so playing in water was a welcome treat.   Here we created our own river by directing the flow of water with obstacles, bubbles, water sprays and more.  We helped fill the giant bucket and attempted to get splashed each time it tipped over.  And we raced boats down the obstacle-filled flowing river.  Some of this area is shaded, but without a breeze it can be hot and humid.  The kids certainly don't mind, so grab a seat in the shade and let them play.

During the summer, weekdays are filled with summer camp/daycare groups so I was told weekends are slower. I imagine a weekday durning the school year is the perfect time to come to the museum.  I particularly liked how many employees I saw throughout the museum, helping the kids and showing them ways to do the different activities.  They also offered tons of fun games & activities throughout the day, again offering something for everyone.

The Children's Museum of Houston is a great museum.  I could see how a membership here would be well spent, as my kids didn't want to leave and have been asking to go back.

Here are some other great places to visit in Houston:

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Space Center Houston

Houston Zoo

Kemah Boardwalk

Omni Kids Fantasy Suite

The Woodlands Resort

Texas Travel Facts for Children's Museum of Houston:

Location: 1500 Binz, Houston, Texas

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

             Sunday: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm    

             Thursday: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm (Free Family Night)         

Admission: Adults & Children (1+): $9.00                  

Recommended Time: 4-6 hours 

Good to know: Admission is good for all day; Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult; no outside food; really great cafe and gift shop; stroller friendly; parking fee

Website:http://www.cmhouston.org/

My family and I were invited to visit the museum and were provided admission. I was not financially compensated for this post.  All opinions of Children's Museum of Houston are strictly my own based on my experience.