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Free Indoor Things To Do In Houston: Indoor Mall Playgrounds

1. Children's Play Area at Willowbrook Mall - Willowbrook

Open Monday - Thursday from 11 am to 8 pm, Friday - Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm

This Western-themed play area for small children is located next to Old Navy and features cowboy boots for climbing on, a little bridge, and more to keep kiddos under 42 inches entertained.

2. The Little Galleria at The Galleria - Galleria

Open Monday - Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Friday - Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 7 pm

The Little Galleria is a 2,000-square-foot miniature mall made of foam slides and lots of climbing structures that's located on Level 2 at the Galleria.

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

Open Monday - Thursday from 11 am to 8 pm, Friday - Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm

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. 

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

Open Monday - Thursday from 11 am to 8 pm, Friday - Saturday form 11 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm

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

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

Open Monday - Thursday from 10 am to 8 pm, Friday - Saturday from 10 am to 9 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm

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.

Free Indoor Things To Do In Houston: Indoor Public and Church Playgrounds

6. Gallery Furniture - Northside

Open daily from 8 am to 10 pm

The North Freeway location has an indoor playground and exotic birds around the store. They also frequently offer complimentary snacks to shoppers. 

7. Living Spaces - Katy, Friendswood, and Conroe

Open daily from 10 am to 9 pm

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

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

Open Monday - Wednesday from 11 am to 4 pm

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.

9. Christ the King Presbyterian Church - Spring Branch

Open Mondays and Fridays from 9 am to 1 pm

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

10. Woodlands Church - The Woodlands

Open to the public from Monday - Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm and to churchgoers on Saturday and Sunday

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. They also have storytime on Monday mornings, and crafting and dance parties on alternating Wednesdays.

11. Memorial Drive United Methodist Church - Memorial

Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 12 pm

Kids ages 2-10 years can play for free at the Memorial Drive United Methodist Church West Campus indoor playground. Check in for your visit here.

12. Memorial Church of Christ - Memorial Villages

See church events calendar for days and times

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.

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

Open Tuesday - Friday from 9 am to 2 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 12 pm

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.

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

Open Sunday - Thursday from 12 pm to 6 pm and Friday - Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm

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.

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

Open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 7 am to 10 pm, Wednesday from 7 am to 6:30 pm, Friday from 7 am to 4 pm, and Sunday from 12:30 pm to 5 pm

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!)

16. First Methodist Houston - Downtown

Open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 am to noon

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.

Free Indoor Things To Do In Houston: Indoor Nature Centers

17. Discovery Rooms at the Nature Discovery Center - Bellaire

Open during the school year Tuesday - Thursday from 10 am to noon and 4 pm to 6 pm and during the summer on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm

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. 

18. Houston Arboretum Discovery Room - Memorial Park

Open daily from 9 am to 4 pm

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.

19. Sea Center Texas - Lake Jackson

Open Tuesday - Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and Sunday from 1 am to 4 pm

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

20. Spring Creek Greenway Nature Centers - Spring

Open Tuesday - Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm 

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

Free Indoor Things To Do In Houston: Free Museums

21. Houston Center for Contemporary Craft - Museum District

Open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm

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.

22. Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts - Spring

Open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm

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.

23. Houston Police Department Museum - Downtown

Open Monday - Friday from 10 am to 7 pm and Saturday - Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm

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. 

24. Project Row Houses - Third Ward

Open Wednesday - Sunday from 12 pm - 5 pm

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

25. The Menil Collection - Museum District 

Open Wednesday - Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm

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.

26. Contemporary Arts Museum Houston - Museum District

Open Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm and Friday - Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm

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

27. Lawndale Art Center - Museum District

Open Wednesday - Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm

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

28. Houston Fire Museum - Midtown

Open Tuesday - Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm

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.

29. Free Museum Hours at Houston’s Big Museums

Most of Houston’s major museums offer free admission hours on Thursday.