It's our annual Big List of Summer Activities!
Here are more than 100 activity ideas for SW Houston and Fort Bend families this summer. As always, please check with the venue before going. Enjoy!
Go straight to the calendar to view summer events by date.
Free Storytimes
Special summer storytimes at your neigbhorhood Houston Public Library or Fort Bend County Library location, or at the Bellaire Library
Tomfoolery Toys and Books (Thursdays)
Nature Discovery Center (Wednesdays)
Barnes and Noble locations (typically Saturdays)
See a Cheap (or even free) Movie
$1 summers movies are offered at Regal Theaters and Studio Movie Grill
Enjoy an outdoor movie at any of these locations:
- Sugar Land Town Square
- CityCentre
- Discovery Green
Summer Reading
Read a new book
See our Big List of Free Activities for more inspiration on more no-cost things to do!
Only in Summer
Only in Summer
Have a water balloon battle
Go to the pool (free to visit any of the City of Houston's pools)
See our Big List of Splashpads to find a sprayground to visit
See fireworks on the 4th of July. The City of Houston hosts a large display, but every town in our area has great displays.
Eat a sno-cone (we love Hirschey's in Stafford on Hwy 90)
Visit Noah’s Ark pool
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and boats, too)
Take the Metro Rail
Ride the Hermann Park train.
While at Hermann Park, rent a pedal boat.
Do a Kayak Boat Ride at Discovery Green
Have extra time? Take a quick car ride to the Lone Star Flight Museum
Scientific and Space Explorations
Houston Museum of Natural Science - in Sugar Land and Houston
Space Center Houston
George Observatory
The Health Museum
The Health Museum
Indoor Fun
Go Roller Skating
Visit the Children's Museum of Houston, or head to Sugar Land to check out the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center
Visit the Children's Museum of Houston, or head to Sugar Land to check out the Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center
Attend kid's activities at Michael’s Stores, Lakeshore Learning and Home Depot First Saturday Kids Activities
Free Bowling - at AMF Lanes
See a play at a local children's theater. In our area, try Company OnStage in SW Houston or Inspiration Stage in Sugar Land
Or a free Houston Symphony neighborhood performance
Visit a Museum for free - here's a list
Just hang out at the library – any branch. Kids can learn crafts, play on the computer, or, of course, read.
Learn about Houston at the city of Houston’s Official Visitor’s Center
Try the Houston Fire Museum or the Rosenberg Railroad Museum
Try the Houston Fire Museum or the Rosenberg Railroad Museum
Discover Fort Bend History at Children's Summer History Fridays at the Fort Bend Museum
Outdoor Fun
Have a picnic lunch or dinner at Williams Tower
Visit Evelyn's Park in Bellaire or the redesigned Levy Park in the area
Take a walk around a local college campus
Meet the creatures at the Nature Discovery Center in Bellaire
And then play for a while at Russ Pittman Park
See the “Houston” mural
Or, the “We Love Houston” sign
Visit the Presidential Statues at David Adickes Studio
Take a boat ride along Buffalo Bayou or visit the Buffalo Bayou Cistern
Try geocaching
Do you camp? Try it for the first time
Go fishing (many local parks have stocked lakes)
See an Astros Game
Or a Sugar Land Skeeters game
Try a new park every week
Pick your own berries at Blessington Farms (Simonton, TX)
Escape city living by visiting one of the Houston area's Nature Centers
Hit the Beach
Walk barefoot in the sand at Galveston Beach
Or Crystal Beach. Or Surfside Beach. See our complete list of area beaches.
Day Trips/Overnight Trips
Hit Schliterbahn – Galveston or New Braunfels.
Or go smaller at Splashway Waterpark in Sheridan, TX. Or Typhoon Texas in Katy.
Palm Beach, Zip Line, Ropes Course or all three – at Moody Gardens in Galveston
Try Pirate’s Bay Waterpark in Baytown
Or, try the all new Wet n Wild Spalshtown in Spring
Visit the San Jacinto Monument and Battleship Texas
Go further to Austin and visit the state capitol
See real alligators at Brazos Bend State Park
Or visit the Sam Houston Statue and Huntsville State Park in Huntsville, TX
Visit a drive-in movie theater in at the Showboat Drive-In in Hockley, TX
Take a short drive to the Sea Center in Lake Jackson
Enjoy the view and rides at the Kemah Boardwalk or Galveston’s Pleasure Pier
Experience the culture and theme-park fun of San Antonio
Fun at Home
Make your own fruit pops
Make your own slime or playdough
Host a sleepover or backyard campout (or try one through Texas Outdoor Family)
Make homemade ice cream
Make your own sidewalk chalk. Or crayons.
Host a movie night with friends
Run through sprinklers
Make something with duct tape
Play hopscotch
Play a classic game, like jacks or marbles.
Host a toy swap with friends
Or a book swap
Make your own bubbles
Make your own bubbles
Assign your child or children a special day, where they make the rules, pick meals, etc.
Create a summer scrapbook
Or give each child a journal or let them take pictures for a photo journal
Visit a pet store or aquarium showroom
Make smoothies
Plant a window garden
Make s’mores
Let the kids cook (and pick one new thing to master, like a grilled cheese or a scrambled egg or the perfect chocolate chip cookie)
