Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in houston, TX

out and about in Houston weekend of 3/27-3/29/2009

March 26, 2009

This weekend is the famous Bayou City Art festival in Memorial Park!

Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park
March 27-29, 2009 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all three days
Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under.
City ordinance prohibits bringing pets.

The annual, juried, fine art event boasts a stress-free outdoor gallery brimming with 300 artists working in 19 artistic media. Adding to the festive outdoor gallery are wine cafés, an interactive Creative Zone for children, restaurants, Broadway in Houston’s Broadway Café, and a performing arts stage with on-going multicultural musical and dance entertainment presented by The Houston Arts Alliance.

For more information about the Bayou City Art Festival Memorial Park, please visit the Web site.

Fun all weekend...

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Jones Hall - 615 Louisiana Street, Houston, TX 77002

One of our all-time favorite dance troupes comes to Houston this weekend (Fri-Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm), with performances by Grammy Award-winning female a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock. The performance is suitable for ages 5 and up, and tickets range from $22-$58. For more informaiton: 713.632.8113. www.spahouston.org/grouplounge

Tomball German Heritage Festival
Old Downtown Tomball - W Main Street & N Cherry Street, Tomball, TX 77375

Catch the spirit of Germany (for free!) at Tomball's 9th Annual German Heritage Festival. Fri 6pm-10pm; Sat 10am-10pm; Sun 10am-6pm all ages can enjoy the live music, ethnic food, street vendors, arts and crafts, fireworks, a carnival, pony rides, a petting zoo, and more. For more information:  www.tomballsistercity.org/festival.htm

Friday and Saturday only...

Cry Baby Matinee
Angelika Film Center - 510 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002

First-run, grown-up films are featured for parents with their little ones. Lights are kept dimmed, the sound is turned down, and baby changing tables are available. Matinees are run at 11:45, and adult tickets are $6.25. Children under 5 are free.  For more information: 713.225.1470. www.angelikafilmcenter.com/houston/events.asp.

Saturday only...

The Reluctant Dragon
Main Street Theater at Chelsea Market - 4617 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006

This sweet play is good for children 3 and up. Shows are at 1:00pm and 4:00pm. Tickets cost $10 for children and students; $12 for adults; group rates (10 or more) available.For more information: www.mainstreettheater.com

Play synopsis: Once upon a time there lived a boy who befriended a lonely dragon who hated such dragonly things as fighting knights and breathing fire. Nonetheless, the simple-minded villagers in the local town beg a fierce knight - St. George himself -- to slay the dragon, even though he was doing them no harm. Just when it seems hopeless, the resourceful boy finds a solution that changes the hearts and minds of the entire village in this touching adventure by renowned author Kenneth Grahame (The Wind in the Willows). 

Kid's Market Day - Bayou City Farmers' Market
Bayou City Farmers' Market, 3000 Richmond Avenue, Houston, TX 77098

Note: Bring cash for purchases.

From 8-noon all ages can enjoy the Urban Harvest's Bayou City Farmers Market Fourth Annual Kid's Market Day. Kid's Market Day offers children of all ages the opportunity to see where their food really comes from. Students who have participated in Urban Harvest's School and Youth gardening programs will bring their produce to sell at the farmers market. Vendors will bring animals and equipment from their farms to show kids what farming is really like. Kid-friendly activities will include seed planting, face painting, scavenger hunt, raw vegetable tasting and egg dyeing using natural colors. Live music and a cooking demonstration will also be featured. For more information:  www.urbanharvest.org.

H.O.U.S.T.O.N

by Rachel Mosteller

November 04, 2008

Little kids are often known for writing poems, or just sentences, off of a name. My name, for example, is Rachel. I could do R is for really really funny. A is for aunt..you get the example. Why not do one for Houston? H is for HOT, most of the year. O is for the ORANGE SHOW, our town's oddest attraction. U is for THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON...go Cougars. S is for SPLASHTOWN, a local summer  Read more...

Evacuation Fun: Cool Things in Other Cities

by Rachel Mosteller

September 10, 2008

So, you're considering evacuating for a potential hurricane. Or you're not considering evacuating at this particular moment, but maybe you'll do so in the future. May I just say WELCOME TO HOUSTON! Just for the record, we don't evacuate. We stay and then choose to leave ONCE our house has been destroyed. One way ticket to Tulsa, here we come! But you, you're the type of people who leave and,  Read more...

Touch the Sky...Well, Almost

by Rachel Mosteller

September 03, 2008

There's something about the sky that makes kids (okay, adults too) dream. It brings us the sun, clouds, rainstorms, rainbows, snow...you name it. Yet most of us only see it from the ground. With the rising cost of EVERYTHING these days, it is becoming less likely that we'll be bringing the kids on another airplane ride any time soon...so that seems from the ground is how they'll admire the big  Read more...

Mt. Rush Hour

by Rachel Mosteller

August 25, 2008

Every time my family heads down I-45 South, we always start asking, "Are the heads still there?" We're talking about the giant president heads, also known as Mount Rush Hour. I'm talking about the four large heads built by David Adickes-- who also built the large Sam Houston statue in Huntsville. In fact, a month or so after we had pointed out Old Sam in Huntsville, we drove pas Mount Rush  Read more...

This Weekend in Houston...

by Rachel Mosteller

August 01, 2008

Fridays always sneak up on me. One minute it is Monday and I'm worrying what we'll do for the entire week and the next thing I know, BOOM, weekend is here and we haven't made any plans! Let's face it, when the kids are screaming and it is hot outside, it is pretty easy just to want to lay on the couch and veg out in front of a video. Don't do it! Get out! Enjoy life! And, if you're feeling a  Read more...

Best Things About Coming Home to Houston

by Rachel Mosteller

July 08, 2008

As a native Texan (who moved to Houston at age 10), I LOVE to get away from our great state. There, I said it. I like to travel, to move, to go other places. But, as we always know, absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that jazz. When I'm away from Texas, there are things that I miss, even if they aren't necessarily "good things." And, let's face it, Houston isn't known as a very  Read more...

Getting to Know Houston: 5 Things Houston Inside Hermann Park

by Rachel Mosteller

June 27, 2008

Houstonians love Hermann Park. Centrally located, it is easily accessible from all parts of the city and the suburbs. The great thing about this park is that there are tons of things to do, including many with historic relevance to Houston's history. The park began in 1914 with George R. Hermann donated 285 acres of land for the creation of a park. Later on, 122 additional acres were purchased.  Read more...