Free things to do in Houston with kids: 12 family picks

Two young patrons at the Houston Zoo help feed the animals.

Houston Zoo

A city built for families, Houston offers an abundance of things to do suitable for kids of all ages. The best part? Plenty of them are free! For budget-conscious parents, Houston delivers so many ways to have a great time and make memories along the way. After all, the best things in life are free, and that list includes boat tours and animal encounters, like bat-watching, farmers’ markets, and art installations, just to name a few. Ready to take advantage of all of the free events and activities Houston has to offer? We’ve rounded up some of the best free attractions across the city that are sure to be hits for kids and parents alike.

Discovery Green

Discovery Green in downtown Houston is a real gem of the city, consistently hosting free family-friendly events. The 12-acre park is visited by millions of people each year, including people with kids who want to hit the playground, splash through the fountain, or hit balls on the putting greens. If you check the online Discovery Green calendar, you’ll see weekly events that include concerts, open-air movie screenings, yoga classes, and community art projects, to name just a few.

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Find it: 1500 McKinney St., Houston, TX 77010; 713-400-7336

Mi Casa Your Casa play structures at Discovery Green.

Courtesy of Robin Soslow, Special to Chron

Free Tuesdays at the Houston Zoo 

The “Fruitmobile” by Jackie Harries sits in front of the Art Car Museum. 

Art Car Museum via Yelp

A group of children are led on a tour at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center on Thursday, June 21, 2018.

Craig Moseley/Chronicle

On the first Tuesday of every month, the Houston Zoo offers free admission all day. Other attractions, such as giraffe feeding and Zoo Lights, are at regular price. Visitors are also allowed to bring in outside food and drink. Online reservations are required in advance, and slots open on Wednesday at 7 a.m.  

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Find it: 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030; 713-533-6500

Free family night at the Children’s Museum Houston 

The Children’s Museum Houston is one of the world’s leading museums for children, focused on innovative child-centered learning with 13 bilingual exhibits. Every Thursday from 5-8 p.m., the museum offers free admission to anyone who brings a child.

Find it: 1500 Binz St., Houston, TX 77004; 713-522-1138

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Sam Houston Boat Tour

The 90-minute boat tour of the Houston Ship Channel is one of the best free things to do in Houston with kids. Visitors can learn more about the port and maritime industry aboard the M/V Sam Houston, which has been the port’s public tour vessel since 1958. The 95-foot boat holds 100 passengers with air-conditioned lounge seating and standing room on the outdoor deck. Advance reservations are required.  

Find it: 7300 Clinton Drive, Houston, Texas 77020; 713-670-2631

Mexican free-tailed bats stream into the Texas evening sky for a night of consuming insects.

milehightraveler/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Bat-watching at Buffalo Bayou Park  

Waugh Drive Bridge in Buffalo Bayou Park is home to roughly 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats. At sunset on warm evenings, the bats emerge in large groups, which is a stunning spectacle to witness. The best viewing locations are the viewing platform on the southeast corner of the bayou bank beside the bridge on Allen Parkway, the bayou’s northeast bank near Memorial Drive, and the east rail sidewalk on the bridge itself.

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Be sure to check the weather before visiting—the best emergences happen at sunset on days with no rain and a temperature above 50 degrees because the bats don’t like cold weather.

Find it: Buffalo Bayou Park, Shepherd Drive to Sabine Street, between Allen Parkway and Memorial Drive

The Houston Arboretum and Nature Center  

Admission to this 155-acre nature sanctuary on the western edge of Memorial Park is always free. There are eight ponds and five miles of nature trails through savanna, native prairie, wetland, woodland, and riparian habitats. The Nature Center building includes the Discovery Room, which features interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. Plan your visit on Thursdays when parking is free. (It is $6.50 on other days.) 

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Find it: 4501 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77024; 713-681-8433

The Menil Collection 

The Menil Collection is an excellent place for kids to practice their inside voices. The art museum began with 10,000 artworks from the private collection of John and Dominique de Menil and grew to over 17,000 pieces. The permanent collection includes the Arts of Africa, Arts of the Ancient World, and Arts of the Americas and Pacific Northwest galleries. Check the website for a calendar of rotating exhibits. And don’t miss the Cy Twombly Gallery, which is located across the street in a separate building but still part of the museum. Timed entry reservations are required.  

Find it:1533 Sul Ross St., Houston, TX 77006; 713-525-9400

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Jonathan Flores, 10, left, and Eduardo Vargas, 11, right, play at the sprayground at Hidalgo Park on Friday, June 21, 2013. 

Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle

Splash in the spraygrounds 

Across the city, there are 232 playgrounds and 27 spraygrounds maintained by the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. Unlike pools, these spraygrounds are open year-round, so that they can be enjoyed beyond the summer months. A few highlights include the frog-themed playground at Herman Brown Park and the water cannons at Burnett Bayland Park.  

Hermann Park Conservancy

The 445-acre green space is one of the city’s main cultural and recreational hubs with a prime location near the Museum District, Rice University and Texas Medical Center. Feed the ducks at the eight-acre McGovern Lake, where kids under 12 are permitted to do catch-and-release fishing. The park, founded in 1914, also includes a series of free attractions, including the tranquil Japanese Gardens and McGovern Centennial Gardens, which features a 30-foot garden mount and sculpture promenade. Schedule your visit around one of the free performances at the Miller Outdoor Theater.

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Find it: 1700 Hermann Drive, Houston, TX 77004; 713-524-587

Visit the stable that houses Houston’s police horses

The Houston Police Department is made up of not just human police officers, but horses, too! You can make a free appointment to visit the stable that houses dozens of the city’s police horses that serve the Mounted Patrol. Kids can bring their favorite snacks, like carrots and apples. Then, you can head to Downtown Houston to see police officers at work, keeping the city safe at the Houston Police Department. While you’re there, check out the Police Museum in the lobby, which features an old police car, among other exciting police memorabilia.

Find it: 5005 Little York Rd. Houston, TX. 77016-2547; 832-394-0399

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Watch a glassblowing demonstration

On the first Sunday of every month, Glassblowing Houston offers a free glassblowing demo for guests of all ages. Each demo includes narration from glassblowing artists, and when you’re on your way out, you can visit the gallery to see a collection of stunning glass art that’s for sale.

Find it: 7442 Farm to Market 2920, Tomball, TX 77377; 832-559-3339

Peruse a farmers’ market

Houston is bursting with farmers’ markets where you can explore not only local vendors, but also learn about community activities and receive free education on why eating fresh, locally sourced food matters. While you may opt to find one closest to your area, the Houston Farmers Market at Rice Village is open every Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., and there’s always something new to discover.

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Find it: 5600 Greenbriar Dr., Houston, TX 77005