Welcome the new year with the best kid-friendly things to do in Houston from Monday, January 1 to Sunday, January 7, 2024.
This week, get all shook up with a celebration fit for Elvis, catch the closing weekend of multiple holiday light displays, get hyped for the College Football National Championship, and more.
Do you know an event that could make the list? Drop us a line at events@365houston.com with a link to the official event details.
Top 15 Family Things To Do in Houston This Week
- All Shook Up: Celebrating Elvis at the Woodlands Children’s Museum | Tuesday, January 2 – Children will be introduced to the music of Elvis Presley through fun movement activities like a freeze dance and marching with rhythm instruments. $9. 11am.
- Polar Palooza Snow Days at Children’s Museum Houston | Thursday, January 4 – All holiday season through Sunday, January 7, the Children’s Museum hosts snow days with real snow in the courtyard for a winter play day that so rarely comes to Houston. Stop by on Thursday evening for free admission to maximize your fun on a budget. $17 for ages 1 and up. 10am to 8pm (free from 5pm to 8pm).
- Mommy Mingle Fridays at Children’s Museum Houston | Friday, January 5 – Moms and their kids are invited to enjoy free coffee and breakfast snacks and meet other mommies at this First Friday morning mixer outside the Tot*Spot play area. Daddies, nannies, and caretakers are welcome too. $17 for ages 1 and up. 10am to noon.
- Kidz Bop in Concert at Shell Energy Stadium | Friday, January 5 | FREE – Part of the AT&T Playoff Playlist series, this first of three concerts at the Dynamo stadium helps build the hype toward the College Football National Championship held on Monday. Kidz Bop opens the concert series a night of pop and rock hits performed by stellar young singers. No tickets or wristbands required for this show. 6pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center | Friday, January 5 – Cheer on the Rockets as they play against one of the league’s top teams in the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nurses Night. Receive a Nurses Night thermos cup with the purchase of a special ticket package, starting at $29, or receive half-off admission for all military service members, first responders, healthcare professionals and teachers. General Admission starts at $15. 7pm.
- College Football Playoff Fan Central at George R. Brown Convention Center | Friday, January 5 to Sunday, January 7 | FREE – With the College Football National Championship taking place on Monday, fans can get a free, family-friendly experience in Downtown with three days of games, clinics, guest appearances, autograph signings, special exhibits and more. Friday noon to 6pm; Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm.
- Zoo Lights at Houston Zoo | Friday, January 5 to Sunday, January 7 | Final Weekend – Stroll through the Houston Zoo with hot chocolate in hand while you admire glimmering displays made up of gleaming Christmas lights at this annual must-see attraction. Take advantage of holiday photo ops, make your way through an illuminated tunnel, see life-sized animal lanterns, and more. Ticket prices vary by day; $22.95 and up. 5:30pm to 10:30pm.
- 12th Annual Choco Loco Race at Sam Houston Park | Saturday, January 6 – The annual Downtown race offers one of the first ways to tackle that running resolution with delicious chocolate at the finish line. Available in Kids K, 5K and 10K lengths, the run culminates in a post-race celebration with hot cocoa, chocolate fountains, live music and family-friendly fun. $30 for Kids K; $55 for 5K; $65 for 10K. 7:30am.
- Coffee & Cars at Post Houston | Saturday, January 6 | FREE – Stroll among hundreds of luxury and exotic cars of all eras at this monthly meetup in the parking lots around Post in Downtown. 9am to 11am.
- Trail Mix at M-K-T | Saturday, January 6 | FREE – The Heights hub for shopping, dining and community fun hosts their first family-friendly Trail Mix of the year, inviting all to come by and hear tunes from AndyRoo, magic from Dave and Jake Rangel, and enjoy pop-ups and giveaways to start the day. 10am to 11am.
- Japan Junction: Oshogatsu 2024 at Levy Park | Saturday, January 6 | FREE – This annual family-friendly event at the Greenway park offers immersion within Japanese culture, featuring live performances, traditional Japanese games, omikuji fortune telling, craft stations and food vendors. 11am to 2pm.
- Hands-On Houston: From Junk to Jewelry at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft | Saturday, January 6 | FREE – This hands-on class for all ages encourages you to experiment with found objects, beads and other jewelry-making materials to craft your own wearable brooch. 11am to 3pm.
- Festival of Lights at Moody Gardens | Saturday, January 6 | Final Day – Brighten up the end of your holiday season at the Festival of Lights in Galveston’s Moody Gardens. The family-friendly mainstay also offers an outdoor skating rink, vendors serving hot chocolate and eats, and live entertainment, plus the Ice Land attraction, where a team of skilled ice carvers have transformed two million pounds of ice into a festive journey around the world’s rainforests. Tickets start at $25 for individual attractions; holiday passes, which include admission to multiple attractions, start at $65; $45 for ages 4 to 12 and 65+. 5:30pm to 10pm.
- Magical Winter Lights at Katy Mills | Daily | Final Weekend – The holiday fantasia comes to a close for the holiday season, featuring six million twinkling lights and displays, plus cutting-edge lantern art. Each display has a different theme, designed to delight. There’s a Christmas village, a space-themed labyrinth, ice sculptures, fossil collections and life-size dinos at Dinosaur Village, an undersea paradise, a tribute to Houston, and more. $25 and up. 5pm to 10pm; Friday & Saturday 5pm to 11pm.
- Galaxy Lights at Space Center Houston | Daily | Final Weekend – The cosmic spectacle wraps up at Space Center Houston, offering final opportunities to stroll through a twinkling wonderland of space-themed light installations, high-tech experiences, holiday treats and more in a one-of-a-kind event that can only be found in Space City. Tickets range from $19.95 to $27.95; free for ages 3 and under. Save $5 on each ticket when you use promo code 365XLIGHTS at checkout. 6pm to 10pm.
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