Rachael Cherry

Latest posts by Rachael Cherry

Weekend Fun for Houston Kids: Nature Fest, Fort Bend Arts Festival, April 27-28

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 04/24/2019 - 10:01pm

Spend your Saturday hanging out with storybook characters, participating in STEAM activities, and engaging in educational entertainment./Photo courtesy of Deborah Beauregard Photography.

It may be the last weekend in April, but there are so many cool events and activities happening Saturday and Sunday, and we found the perfect way to kick off whichever event you attend: donuts! Not just any donuts, though; the donut shops on this list may carry the traditional glazed or frosted donuts your family has come to know and love, but they also carry donuts that pack a punch.

There are also two great sensory-friendly events happening this weekend for anyone with a special needs family member: one at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and one at George Ranch Historical Park. At both events, special measures are being taken so that those with special needs are able to enjoy the exhibits with minimal noise and distractions.

For even more family-fun, be sure to check out our April GoList, Free Things to Do With Houston Kids in April list, and our event calendar, as well as our Spring Fun Guide and Rainy Day Activities list. Whether you're staying home or getting out, we can guarantee that with us by your side no moment will be a dull one!

Weekend Fun for Houston Kids: Houston Art Car Parade, Spring Fling Festival, April 13-14

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 04/10/2019 - 11:08pm

See art and automobiles come together into a unique collaboration at the annual Art Car Parade./Photo courtesy of Jared Jarvis.

If you're a theater lover, this weekend is for you! There are no shortage of amazing plays, ballets and musicals spanning a variety of genres happening all weekend long. Standouts include: The Diary of Anne Frank at Crighton Theatre in Conroe (word to the wise: this play does contain sensitive material), Finding Neverland at Jones Hall and Goosebumps at MATCH (both downtown), and Willy Wonka at UHCL Bayou Theater in Clear Lake. For the film buffs, this weekend also features the 52nd Annual WorldFest happening in Memorial.

It's also prime crawfish season, and if a trip down towards the Island is in order for your weekend we recommend checking out Kemah's Crawfish & Zydeco Festival before heading down to Pleasure Pier for their Crawfish Crazy Weekend for mudbugs upon mudbugs and festivities galore.

Two other favorites for this weekend: Family Space Day at George Observatory and Stargazing with the Houston Astronomical Society.

Don't forget to check out our event calendar (it's always being updated!), April GoList, FREE Things to Do roundup, and our Spring Fun Guide.

With so many amazing options, it's hard to narrow down just what to do!

Swimming Camps for Houston Kids To Spend Summer in the Pool

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 04/10/2019 - 10:00am

There are plenty of places that offer year-round swim lessons so your kids are comfortable and confident in the water. Here are some places that offer camps for competitive swimmers and those interested in pursuing specialty water sports. For more summer and vacation camp ideas, check out our comprehensive camp guide and full directory of camp listings.

Weekend Fun for Houston Kids: Bayou Greenway Day, Railfest, April 6-7

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 04/03/2019 - 10:42pm

All aboard! Take to the rails this weekend at Railfest 2019./Photo courtesy of Rosenberg Railroad Museum.

Welcome to April! Bring on the Easter egg hunts (and Easter Bunny photo ops), beautiful spring weather, and outdoor activities galore. Now is the perfect time to start checking out parks around Houston, and boy do we have some good ones for you. Current favorites around town include: Donovan Park in the Heights, Spring Creek Park in Tomball, Juan Seguin Historic Park at the San Jacinto Monument, and Challenger Seven Memorial Park in Webster. Also worth checking out are all the amazing parks on our Accessible Playgrounds list, which highlights parks where children with and without disabilities can play together.

Longer days also mean dining outdoors, and we have some fabulous restaurants queued up for you that are both tasty and offer plenty of playspace for the kiddos. Win-win!

Looking for even more fun activities? Look no further than these handy articles:

And, as always, our event calendar is packed with daily activities for you and the kids. Now let's take a look at the upcoming weekend!

Weekend Fun for Houston Kids: MFAH Spring Festival, McDonald's Houston Children's Festival, March 30-31

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 03/27/2019 - 10:42pm

Head to the largest children's festival in the U.S. this weekend for some pint-sized family fun./Photo courtesy of McDonald’s Houston Children’s Festival.

A quick look at this weekend's upcoming event calendar can tell us one thing: Spring Festival season is upon us! Some of our favorites: the Bayou City Art Festival, the Annual McDonald's Houston Children's Festival, the Brazilian Food & Music Festival, and the 2nd Annual Tribute to The Woodlands Music Festival... and those are just scratching the surface of all the upcoming festivals happening in Houston.

We've also had some amazing articles pop up on Mommy Poppins recently. In case you missed it:

Where to Find the Easter Bunny Around Houston: The Best Photo-Ops & Breakfasts - can you believe it's already time to start thinking about Easter?!
7 Single Parent Hacks for Entertaining Kids (and Staying Sane) Every Day of the Week - shout out to all the single parents out there: you are AMAZING!
Where to Find Bluebonnets in Houston This Spring - because let's be honest, no spring is complete without these quintessential pictures.
Best Family Summer Camps Around Texas - we know, planning for summer already? The answer is yes.

For even more seasonal fun, we highly recommend checking out our Spring Fun Guide; it's packed with awesome family-friendly activities that will get you out and active within the community, as well as our March GoList and our Free Things to Do with Houston Kids in March article.

Now let's check out what else is on tap this weekend.

Things To Do and What's Canceled This Weekend in Houston: Covid Closures, Outdoor Spaces, Virtual Events

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Wed, 03/20/2019 - 11:20pm

Events may be canceled, but the outdoors are still open! Photo courtesy of Levy Park Conservancy.

The past few weeks have been marked by uncertainty as we continue to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, and our event calendar currently has more cancellations and postponements than actual events. However, in the wake of families being urged to stay out of groups and close to home, something really cool has happened: virtual events are taking off and we are adding them to our calendar as quickly as we can! Events like Virtual Shark Story Hour, Sing with Suzi Shelton Live Online Concert, and At Home with Emily Arrow are allowing families to stay engaged despite being homebound, and we are loving it.

We also have an arsenal of resources for when you're at home, like 63 Easy Science Experiments for Kids Using Household Stuff and 21 (Mostly FREE) Online Learning Resources, Apps, and Games for Kids, as well as our Guide to Playgrounds and Parks in Houston so you can get outdoors.

Be sure to check out our Coronavirus Guide for Parents and our Coronavirus Closures in Houston. And if you have an event - real or virtual! - that you want to share, we'd love for you to add it to our event calendar. We'll get it listed for you in no time.

Now let's check out what else is happening around Houston this weekend.

Weekend Fun for Houston Kids: Spring Fling Toddler Fair, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, March 2-3

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Thu, 02/28/2019 - 12:53am

Get ready to dance, sing, and play with your toddlers at the Spring Fling Toddler Fair./Photo courtesy of Colleen Lastrapes.

Houston, are you ready to rodeo? Because it's that time of year! Dust off your boots, tip your cowboy hats, and saddle up because the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is officially here, and we're ready to help you navigate through everything you need to know before you go. Here are our best rodeo resources for parents taking on the rodeo with kids:

While the rodeo is currently taking over downtown, that's not the only thing happening this weekend worth checking out; our event calendar is packed with lots of other awesome activities! Some favorites include a special Toddler Fair at Sienna Plantation, the Museum of Fine Arts annual Azalea Trail, the Texas Independence Day Celebration at The Woodlands Children's Museum, and the Kids Mardi Gras Masquerade at the Czech Center Museum.

If all else fails, we highly recommend heading to one of Houston's amazing family-friendly breweries. The kids get to play and you get to kick back with a tasty craft beer; it's a win-win for everyone!

Ready, Set, Glow at Glowzone Houston: Indoor Fun for Kids of All Ages

Submitted by Rachael Cherry on Fri, 01/25/2019 - 9:56pm

There is no shortage of great indoor play spaces around the greater Houston area, that's for sure. And unique additions like Glowzone are what make that play scene so great - this indoor spot is lit by black lights and glowing colored lights and full of fun. From the go-karts to geometric climbing walls, there is so much to do it's impossible to feel bored. It's a great indoor playground for families with preschool-age children through teenagers. (And even just adults!)