Downtown aquarium & Children's Museum (Houston, Sugar Land: purchase, preschool, university)

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by joinsway

We are flying to Houston this afternoon. Thinking to take 2.5 yr old daughter to Downtown aquarium & Children's Museum tomorrow. Are they fun and worth going? Or anywhere else a must-see for 2.5yr old?

I hate to be the downer about the Children's Museum but we were seriously disappointed in it. We had read so many rave reviews and then we got there and many of the exhibits were either dirty or broken. Plus, they all mostly required reading skills so either a parent had to stand right there and teach exhibit by exhibit or my children quickly lost interest. My children are young and my husband and I both thought that perhaps the museum is geared toward older children. A 2.5 year old might not find it sufficiently entertaining. I'd pick something else.

[citizen_jane]

I agree with the everyone, the aquarium is OK but expensive. I would not eat at the restaurant there either, very pricey. However, the white tiger exhibit is amazing and in air conditioning! I always liked the Children's museum but I haven't been there in years.

I recommend the Houston zoo especially the "children's zoo" area. Go early in the day but the zoo does have a lot of shade. I also like the Natural Science Museum and your daughter will love the Cockrell Butterfly center:

Butterfly Center

The Children's Museum, Natural Science Museum and zoo are all nearby each other.

[jfre81]

In addition to the Children's Museum, the Museum of Natural Science has a cool "kids" section and there is lots of interesting stuff in general.

On Tuesdays after 2pm it's free to get in to the main exhibit hall.

The zoo's hot, but there's shade to be found. It's set up to try and make things as comfortable as possible during the summer. The heat won't kill you - like it was mentioned, go early.

[Kofi713]

You don't even need your car . You can ride the rail from the Houston Zoo to the Museum District. You can also take it Downtown and check out Discovery Green, though the Downtown Aquarium would be too far to walk.

[texas7]

Just so you know, the Downtown Aquarium is a restaurant first with an aquarium second so don't go expecting a big aquarium and you'll be just fine.

[oceangaia]

Originally Posted by Topaz

Plus, they all mostly required reading skills so either a parent had to stand right there and teach exhibit by exhibit or my children quickly lost interest.

As opposed to what, letting them run around loose unsupervised? It's a museum, not a babysitting service. You're supposed to be standing "right there" at all times, especially with a 2 yr old. Teaching them the exhibits is supposed to be *fun* not a burden. This is "quality time".

[Topaz]

Originally Posted by DiverTodd62

As opposed to what, letting them run around loose unsupervised? It's a museum, not a babysitting service. You're supposed to be standing "right there" at all times, especially with a 2 yr old. Teaching them the exhibits is supposed to be *fun* not a burden. This is "quality time".

Of course we expect to be with our children at all times, but this place wasn't fun. We would explain a particular exhibit by reading the instructions to our older child and then when we started to demonstrate the hands on part, it would be broken. Very disappointing. And the reading level was way above our younger child. Fortunately my husband and I were both there but we saw other parents who were alone with children of different age levels and the exhibits required so much teaching on the part of parents, it was tough to do it well with multi-age children.

By contrast, we've been to Children's Museums in other states that were totally fun. For example, the museum in Portland has a large sand play area and a big water exhibit where your child could manipulate objects in running water in an interesting display. It wasn't so much a lecture mode where a parent was reading for hours. My children get plenty of reading in other contexts...I wanted a different type of afternoon for them, more experiential.

Other museums were larger and cleaner as well. Perhaps we just expected too much because of all the stellar reviews we had read.

[houston-nomad]

The children's museum is lots of fun for that age. I agree about the zoo... also lots of fun, especially if you get there VERY early. Does she like fire trucks? There's a very cute fire museum in midtown if she does.

[theSUBlime]

The Children's Museum is mostly for an older age group, but there is a section for younger kids. I think we went on a field trip there around the 3rd grade or something.

I think the zoo and the aquarium are good options.

[houston-nomad]

Originally Posted by Topaz

Of course we expect to be with our children at all times, but this place wasn't fun. We would explain a particular exhibit by reading the instructions to our older child and then when we started to demonstrate the hands on part, it would be broken. Very disappointing. And the reading level was way above our younger child. Fortunately my husband and I were both there but we saw other parents who were alone with children of different age levels and the exhibits required so much teaching on the part of parents, it was tough to do it well with multi-age children.

By contrast, we've been to Children's Museums in other states that were totally fun. For example, the museum in Portland has a large sand play area and a big water exhibit where your child could manipulate objects in running water in an interesting display. It wasn't so much a lecture mode where a parent was reading for hours. My children get plenty of reading in other contexts...I wanted a different type of afternoon for them, more experiential.

Other museums were larger and cleaner as well. Perhaps we just expected too much because of all the stellar reviews we had read.

There is a baby section in the Children's Museum; did you find that part? No reading at all. And there used to be a courtyard with a water play area and other hands-on stuff; perhaps it was closed for construction when you were there? I've taken my kids since they were little little babies and there is always plenty to keep them entertained. I've never once felt like it was too dependent on reading.