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Fun Spots Kids Can Play Indoors for Free in Houston

1. Children’s Play Area at First Colony Mall - Sugar Land

The Children’s Play area is filled with soft play structures and is located near the JCPenney Court. 

RELATED: Free Things To Do with Houston Kids Guide

Check out the play area at the Woodlands Mall for some free indoor fun. Photo courtesy of the mall. 

2. Children’s Play Area at The Woodlands Mall - The Woodlands

The play area at The Woodlands Mall in front of JCPenney boasts a forest-themed wonderland for kids under 42 inches to explore.

3. Disney Junior Play Zone at Katy Mills Mall - Katy

Play with your favorite Disney Junior friends through interactive digital displays, climbable play sets, and a variety of games and activities. Disney Junior Play Zone also includes comfortable seating, charging stations, and stroller parking.

4. Gallery Furniture - Northside

The North Freeway location has an expansive indoor playground and exotic birds around the store. They also frequently offer complimentary snacks to shoppers. Make sure to bring socks for the play area!

5. Living Spaces - Katy, Friendswood, and Conroe

The Living Spaces furniture stores in Katy, Friendswood, and Conroe boast large indoor play structures that are supervised, allowing parents to browse in peace.

6. Sugar Creek Baptist Church Playscape - Sugar Land, Richmond/Rosenberg

Sugar Creek has indoor playscapes at both the Sugar Land and Richmond/Rosenberg campuses for the enjoyment of children up to grade 5. Playscapes feature tubes, tunnels, slides, and over 30 different play elements.

7. Christ the King Presbyterian Church - Spring Branch

Christ the King Presbyterian Church has a free indoor and outdoor playground with a 2-story slide and climbable area.

8. Woodlands Church - The Woodlands 

Toddlers can play in their very own section at Woodlands Church, and kids ages 5-12 can explore a multi-level structure with a 22-foot corkscrew slide.

9. Your Local Library - Multiple locations

Stop into your local library for storytime, crafts, or just to play. Many, like our favorite Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library in Clear Lake, feature play areas where littles can build, play pretend, color, put on puppet shows, and more.

10. Memorial Drive United Methodist Church - Memorial

Kids ages 2-10 years can play for free at the Memorial Drive United Methodist Church West Campus indoor playground. Parent supervision required.

11. Memorial Church of Christ - Memorial Villages

A multi-level free indoor playground is at Memorial Church of Christ for preschool and elementary-aged children, along with a small area with padded obstacles for babies to explore.

12. Second City at Second Baptist Church - Hunters Creek Village

Second Baptist Church Woodway campus has a play area called Second City for children under 48 inches tall. The soft play area is open to the public with reservations and each play time allowed is 45 minutes.

13. Safari Stop at The Woodlands Methodist Church - The Woodlands

Kids ages 3-9 can run and play at an animal-themed indoor playground at The Woodlands Methodist Church called Safari Stop. Safari Stop is located at the north end of the main building.

14. The Promised Land PlayRoom at Houston's First Baptist Church - Memorial

Children ages 1-12 are welcome to enjoy the free indoor playground and game room at Houston's First Baptist Church. (It's also a great place to host a birthday party!)

15. Main Street Indoor Park at First Methodist Houston - Downtown

First Methodist Houston’s Main Street Indoor Park is an indoor play area at the downtown location for children age 5 and under and their grownups.

16. Discovery Rooms at the Nature Discovery Center - Bellaire

Themed specimens and displays are changed out monthly in the large and small Discovery Rooms at the Nature Discovery Center. Skins, skeletons, and more are all touchable and accessible to kids and their caregivers. Live animals are also on display. 

The Arboretum's indoor Nature Discovery Room. 

17. Houston Arboretum Discovery Room - Memorial Park

The Arboretum is a top Houston Attraction. Get to know its many habitats in the Discovery Room. Kiddos can explore life in a wetland, search for woodland creatures, crawl through the prairie underground, see who calls the savanna home, and follow the bayou as it meanders along the floor.

18. Sea Center Texas - Lake Jackson

Sea Center Texas is a marine aquarium, fish hatchery, and education center located on 75 acres in Lake Jackson, Texas.

19. Spring Creek Greenway Nature Center - Spring

The center has more than 60 species of wildlife on exhibit and regularly hosts animal lessons and story time.

Best Free Museums for Kids in Houston

20. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft - Museum District

The Center’s major emphasis is on objects of art made primarily from craft materials like clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, or found/recycled materials, and features a rotation of artist exhibitions.

21. Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts - Spring

The Pearl is a non-collecting fine art museum located in Spring with a focus on community. Along with its exhibitions, the museum offers tons of programs and services for visitors of all ages.

22. Houston Police Department Museum - Downtown

Visit the Houston Police Department's downtown headquarters to see the Houston Police Museum. You'll find old and new uniforms, memorabilia, and a memorial wall. 

23. Project Row Houses - Third Ward

Project Row Houses is a highly acclaimed art and cultural community center consisting of renovated shotgun-style homes. The houses are dedicated to art, photography, and literary projects that are installed on a rotating 6-month basis. Each house is transformed by an artist in ways that speak to the history and cultural issues relevant to the African-American community. 

RELATED: Best Museums in Houston for Kids and Families

Admission is always free to the Menil Collection. Photo courtesy of the Menil Collection

24. The Menil Collection - Museum District 

The Menil Collection is a museum and neighborhood of art spanning 30 acres in the heart of Houston's Museum District. Making art accessible is vital to Menil’s mission; no admission is charged and public programs are free. It's also a great spot to snap some Insta-worthy pics of your kiddos.

25. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston - Museum District

In its iconic building, the non-collecting Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (CAMH) showcases exciting international, national, and regional art. 

26. Lawndale Art Center - Museum District

A multidisciplinary contemporary art center, Lawndale uses art to engage Houston communities. Stop in for rotating exhibitions and programs.

27. Houston Fire Museum - Midtown

Newly reopened, the Houston Fire Museum (and adjoining children's play area that's open to the public on Saturdays) showcases the stunning architecture of the restored 1899 building, teaches fire safety, and pays homage to Houston firefighters.

28. Free Museum Hours at Houston’s Big Museums

Most of Houston's major museums, like Children's Museum Houston and The Museum of Fine Arts, offer free admission hours on Thursday.

What are Some Cool (and Totally Free) Indoor Events for Families in Houston?

29. Home Depot Kids Workshops - Multiple Locations

Visit your local Home Depot at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month for hands-on workshops for kids that include cool projects like building a wooden tow truck toy. Available on a first come, first served basis while supplies last.

30. Lakeshore Learning Storytime Adventures - Multiple Locations

Lakeshore Learning offers walk-in storytime adventures from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Friendswood, Houston, and The Woodlands locations. Make a take-home craft, draft a story, and spend some time playing with the latest products at these engaging events.

Which Free Indoor Spots are Best for Toddlers vs. Teens?

Second City at Second Baptist Church - Hunters Creek Village

With its soft play area, 48" height limit, and 45-minute limit, Second Baptist Church's Woodway campus is our top free indoor play area for toddlers.

Sea Center Texas - Lake Jackson

With the up-close look at sea creatures, Sea Center Texas is an ideal spot for curious elementary-aged children.

The Menil Collection - Museum District 

Take your tweens and teens to The Menil Collection to enjoy the art and get some cool photos and content for their socials.

FAQ: Free Indoor Places to Play in Houston

What can kids do indoors for free in Houston?

From playgrounds and museums to unique events, there are plenty of free indoor activities for Houston kids. Some of our personal favorites are library story times, craft workshops, and play areas.

Are there free indoor playgrounds in Houston?

Yes, Houston has plenty of free indoor playgrounds for kids. You'll find these no-cost indoor playgrounds in malls, churches (we love the massive play structure at Woodlands Church in The Woodlands!), and even furniture stores like Gallery Furniture!

What can I do on a rainy day with kids in Houston?

When it's too rainy for outside fun, take your little kids to free story times or indoor play places in Houston and your big kids to admission-free museums.

What are the best free things to do indoors with toddlers in Houston?

Soft-structured playgrounds and library story times are the best free things to do indoors with toddlers in Houston.

Do museums in Houston have free days?

Yes! You can find free days at Houston's favorite museums, from multiple children's museums and the Houston Museum of Natural Science to the Lone Star Flight Museum and more.