We are grateful to partner with British Swim School to bring you lots of fun ideas for your summer!
It’s summer break, y’all! As a kid, I absolutely LOVED summer because it was weeks of glorious, wonderful, completely unstructured time off. I spent my days sleeping in, watching TV, and heading to the pool. As a mom, however, the thought of two and a half months of unstructured time can sometimes feel incredibly daunting! We put together this Houston summer bucket list for you to bookmark and pull out of your back pocket when you need a little help figuring out how to fill those long summer days.
But first, a huge shout out to our sponsor for this year’s bucket list- British Swim School! They are the premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages, offering programs for children ages 3-months through adults. They use gentle teaching methods and a survival-first approach to help people of all experience levels become safer, stronger swimmers. Their safe, fun, and effective instructional program has made it the preferred choice for parents and students for over 40 years! Don’t spend another summer stressed out and anxious about your child’s safety in the pool. With multiple locations all over the Greater Houston area, you’re sure to find a British Swim School near you. Check out their website to learn more and sign up for lessons today!
We wish you the best summer ever with your kids and hope you get to try an activity or two {or three!} off this list this year. Have the best time making memories together- Happy Summer, mommas!
Outdoor Summer Activities
- Summer means spending a lot of time in the water, and water safety is essential! Give yourself peace of mind and make sure to sign your kids them up for swim lessons at one of the many Houston area locations of British Swim School this summer!
- For a fun, safe alternative to the pool, let the kids play and get wet at one of Houston’s many splash pads.
- Plan a beach trip for the day and start a new seashell/driftwood collection.
- Fill your water bottles and head out to a park you’ve never visited before.
- Catch a show at Miller Outdoor Theatre.
- Go fruit or vegetable picking at a local farm.
- Plant some flowers or start a vegetable garden together.
- Have a water balloon fight with friends. These quick fill water balloons make it oh-so-easy!
- Enjoy a night viewing the stars at George Observatory.
- Get snow cones or buy ice cream from an ice cream truck.
- Need to cool off? Get on those bathing suits and wash the car!
- Catch a movie at Showboat Drive In Theater out in Hockley, Texas.
- Cheer on the ‘Stros at Minute Maid Park.
- Spend the day at one of our Houston area waterparks! Typhoon Texas is in Katy and Hurricane Harbor is in Spring.
- Create your own family Olympics- measure out a 25 yard dash on your street with chalk, swim laps in the neighborhood pool, and create your own gymnastics floor routine.
- Take the little ones to splash and swim at the Noah’s Ark Pool at the Quillian Center.
- Head to Herman Park for a cute little train ride, pedal boating, and a carousel!
Indoor Houston Summer Activities
- There are many summer days in Houston where it’s just too hot to be outside. Thankfully, we have many indoor play options around town for your kids to burn some energy outside of the house.
- Enroll them in a local church’s VBS program.
- Take them to play laser tag.
- This might sound crazy, but some of you could potentially fit this little inflatable bounce house in your living room. Game changer for rainy and hot days with little ones!
- Lace up your skates and relive your childhood with your kids at the Dairy Ashford Roller Rink.
- Or…make your way to the Galleria or Memorial City Mall for some ice skating.
- Spend a couple of hours at a local trampoline park- trust me, everyone will sleep well after that field trip!
- Top Golf is always a hit with school age kids!
- Animal loving kids should check out the CAP4Kids program at Citizens for Animal Protection. Kids can practice their reading with an animal storytime and even take a tour of the shelter!
- The Houston Health Museum is a must-visit attraction this summer for interactive and engaging exhibits that make learning about health and the human body a fun and rewarding experience!
- Foster your little one’s musical intelligence by enrolling them in a class- Music Together and Gymboree Play and Music are both great options.
- Head to your local library and complete their summer reading challenge. Most public libraries also have a calendar of free events posted on their websites– these are definitely worth checking out!
- Visit the Lone Star Flight Museum and check out their Maker! Hands on STEM Series for all ages!
- Celebrate the 2024 Summer Olympics! Decorate a cake with M&Ms in the shape of the Olympic rings and watch the opening ceremony together on July 26th!
- Get creative at home with these beat-the-heat or rainy day indoor activities.
- Check out KidsBowlFree.com for information on how your kids can bowl two free games a day all summer long!
- Host a sleepover for some friends or cousins.
- Kids love getting mail! Get with friends and write letters or put together small care packages to send each other throughout the summer.
- Schedule daily family reading time, and add some audiobooks to your to-be-read list
- Consider investing in a family membership to the Houston Zoo, Houston Museum of Natural Science, or Children’s Museum. Just a few visits over the summer and you’ve already recouped your money!
- For a smaller, less overwhelming children’s museum experience for little ones, check out The Woodlands Children’s Museum and The Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center in Sugarland.
- Have a family game/movie night in and a family sleepover after.
- Visit a family member at work {bonus points if you bring them lunch!}.
- Have an indoor nerf fight! Don’t forget the safety glasses!
- Most local libraries have weekly story time for toddlers and preschoolers. Check your local branch for a schedule.
- Watch the Bluey episodes you’ve seen a million times, but make a game out of who can spot the Long Dog first!
- Check out Super Saturdays at Asia Society Texas– there’s a Kids Quest along with their permanent Explore Asia Exhibit!
- For family fun and umlimited arcade play, head to Cidercade!
Get Crafty
- This bubble art is really cool!
- Go on a walk and collect some fun rocks. Bring them home and paint them for some one of a kind garden decor.
- Make Unicorn Slime or one of these other fun summer craft ideas.
- Have endless fun with sidewalk chalk.
- Michaels craft stores host a weekly free online Kids Club class!
- Take the kids to paint their own pottery at The Mad Potter or other local ceramic studio.
- These DIY Bath Bombs would be a treat for moms and kids alike!
- Make your own summer themed shrinky-dinks!
- Check out this tutorial for this adorable Butterfly Suncatchers. All you need are toilet paper rolls and these colored gel filter papers.
Eats & Treats
- Make these 4th of July tasty treats!
- Teach your kids learn about meal planning! Have them select a recipe, shop for the ingredients, and them make dinner for the family. Don’t forget dessert!
- Love the smore’s but hate the camping? Camp indoors this summer and make these yummy indoor s’mores! Try this easy tabletop set.
- In keeping with the Olympics theme, learn a little about Paris with this video and go out for some French pastries. Or try your hand at making your own croissants!
- Make summer snack time fun and creative!
- Make your own kid-friendly no-churn ice cream.
Houston Summer Festivals and Concerts
- Are your kids into anime, comics, or gaming? Comicpalooza is coming to Houston- May 24-26.
- Attend the Juneteenth event this summer at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park. This celebration will include blues, gospel and jazz performers and more!
- Head to Miller Outdoor Theater for the Star Spangled Salute topped off with an incredible fireworks display on the 4th of July!
- Houston’s official July 4th celebration, the Freedom Over Texas Festival, will take place in Eleanor Tinsley Park at Buffalo Bayou. This year there will be live entertainment, lots of food, and of course, a Texas-sized fireworks display.
- The 46th Annual Houston Pride Parade and Festival will be Saturday June 29th this year. Adults are $5 each and kids are free!
- Check out the Houston Soul Food Festival on Saturday July 6th! Enjoy food from 30+ different vendors.
- Take your older kids to the University of Houston’s Shakespeare Festival for an entertaining and educational experience. Check out their performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet.
- Checkout the Broadway performance of Hairspray at the Hobby Center this June!
- Attend a free family friendly concert on a Friday in May and June at Southdown Park in Pearland for their Concerts in the Park series. Bonus: there’s a splash pad and playground to keep the kids entertained!
Thanks again to British Swim School for sponsoring our Bucket List this summer! Despite the inevitable heat and the chorus of “I’m bored!,” we wish you the best summer ever.
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