Outdoor movies
1. Summer Movie Nights in the Park
Harris County Precinct 4 hosts outdoor movies at Burroughs and Collins parks throughout July and August. The events feature a movie, snack and activity beginning at dusk. Guests should bring a blanket or lawn chair. Free (admission). www.hcp4.net/p4movies
Burroughs Park (9738 Hufsmith Road, Tomball): July 20 & Aug. 17
Collins Park (6727 Cypresswood Drive, Spring): July 21 & Aug. 18
2. Bank of America Screen on the Green
Discovery Green hosts outdoor movies at the Anheuser-Busch Stage. Guests can bring blankets and lawn chairs. Food, beer and wine are available for purchase. However, no glass containers or outside alcoholic beverages are permitted. Free (admission). Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St., Houston. www.discoverygreen.com
“Trolls,” July 8 at 8:30 p.m.
“Finding Dory,” Aug. 12 at 8:30 p.m.
3. Second Saturday at The Depot
The city of Tomball presents a family-friendly event on the second Saturday of every month. The event features activities and a movie at dusk. 6 p.m. Free (admission). Tomball Historic Depot Plaza, 201 S. Elm St., Tomball. www.tomballtx.gov
July 8: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
Aug. 12: “The Good Dinosaur”
4. Movie under the Moon
Sugar Land Town Square hosts outdoor movies throughout the summer, sponsored by First Colony Church of Christ. 8:30-10 p.m. Free (admission). 2181 Hwy. 6, Sugar Land. www.sugarlandtownsquare.com
July 8: “Pete’s Dragon”
Aug. 12: “The Lego Batman Movie”
5. Movies at Miller
Miller Outdoor Theatre presents movie nights throughout the summer, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Free (admission). www.milleroutdoortheatre.com
Aug. 8: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone"
Aug. 9: “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"
Aug. 15: “Singin’ in the Rain"
Aug. 16: “La La Land"
6. Pearland Town Center
Outdoor movies are scheduled throughout the summer under the Memorial Hermann Pavilion at Pearland Town Center. 6 p.m., movie begins at dusk. Free (admission). Pearland Town Center, Hwy. 288 and FM 518, Pearland. www.pearlandtowncenter.com
July 1: “Kubo and the Two Strings”
July 15: “The Lego Batman Movie”
July 29: “Finding Dory”
Aug. 12: “The Jungle Book”
7. Moonlight Movies for Kids
The summer movie series features a different family-friendly film on the second Wednesday in July and August. The event features complimentary popcorn. No outside food or beverages are permitted. 6 p.m., movie begins at dusk. Free (admission). City Centre, 800 Town and Country Blvd., Houston. www.citycentrehouston.com
July 12: “Tangled”
Aug. 9: “Sing”
8. Movie night
Central Green Park hosts family-friendly outdoor movie nights. The event begins at dusk. Free (admission). Central Green Park, 23501 Cinco Ranch Blvd., Katy. www.willowforkdrainage.com/central-green
July 8: "Hidden Figures"
July 15: "Tangled"
July 22: "Lilo & Stitch"
July 28: "The Good Dinosaur"
July 29: "Monsters Inc."
Aug. 12: "Moana"
Aug. 19: "Thor"
Aug. 26: "Ant-Man"
Sept. 9: "Zootopia"
Discounted movies
9. Premiere Cinemas Summer Kids Fest
Premiere Cinemas in Pearland and Tomball present a free children’s program this summer, offering free screenings of a different children’s film each week through Aug. 9. Free (admission). www.pccmovies.com
Tomball (28497 Business 249, Tomball): Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Pearland (5050 Broadway St., Ste. 10, Pearland): Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
10. Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse
Participating Houston-area Cinemark theater locations offer 10 films for children for 10 weeks this summer. All films are rated G or PG. $1 per show. Titles, dates and times vary by location. www.cinemark.com
Cinemark 19 and XD (1030 W. Grand Parkway N., Katy): Wed.-Thu. 9:30 a.m.
Cinemark Spring Klein* (21440 Kuykendahl Road, Spring): Tue.-Thu. 10 a.m.
Cinemark 17 and XD* (1600 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands): Wed. 10 a.m.
Cinemark at Market Street* (9595 Six Pines Drive, Ste. 8200, The Woodlands): Tue., Thu. 10 a.m.
Cinemark 12 and XD* (25720 Hwy. 290, Cypress): Tue.-Wed. 10 a.m.
Cinemark Tinseltown 290 (12920 Hwy. 290, Houston): Tue.-Wed. 10 a.m.
Cinemark Memorial City* (303 Memorial City Way, Houston): Tue.-Thu. 9:30 a.m.
*Also offer discount admission on Tuesdays
11. Studio Movie Grill
Various locations of Studio Movie Grill present Children’s Summer Series, featuring $1 screenings of family-friendly films through Sept. 1. Titles and availability vary by location. www.studiomoviegrill.com
City Centre, 822 Town & Country Blvd., Houston
Copperfield, 8580 Hwy. 6, Houston
Pearland, 8440 South Sam Houston East, Houston
12. Summer Kid's Club
ShowBiz Cinemas offers $0.50 movie screenings through Aug. 1. A different children's movie will be shown at 9:30 a.m. each Tuesday. ShowBiz Cinemas, 350 Northpark Drive, Kingwood. www.showbizcinemas.com
Live entertainment
13. Soundwaves at the Boardwalk
Local music artists perform an evening show at Towne Lake. The family-friendly event is held each Friday and Saturday from 6:30-9:30 p.m. Free (admission). The Boardwalk at Towne Lake, 9945 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress. www.boardwalktl.com
14. Circo Avenida
Cirque la vie performs at Avenida Plaza in Discovery Green each Friday evening in July and August from 7-9 p.m. Free (admission). Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St., Houston. www.discoverygreen.com
15. Miller Outdoor Theatre
Various daytime performances of dramatic, dance and musical works are scheduled throughout the summer at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Daytime performances are nonticketed events. Additionally, summer events at Miller Outdoor Theatre include family-friendly concerts, outdoor movies and the Houston Shakespeare Festival. Open seating is available on the hill for ticketed events. Free (admission). www.milleroutdoortheatre.com
Notable events:
Houston Shakespeare Festival, 8:15 p.m., July 28-Aug. 6*
Express Theatre’s Hilltop Festival for Children, 11 a.m., July 18-21
Splendid China XII, 11 a.m., Aug. 14-15
*ticketed event
16. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
The venue offers live entertainment throughout the summer with free mezzanine and lawn seating available. 8 p.m. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands. www.woodlandscenter.org
Notable events:
July 8: Houston Symphony: Symphonic Sights & Sounds
July 19: Houston Symphony: The Composer is Dead
Sept. 6: Houston Symphony: The Best of John Williams
Museums
17. The Woodlands Children’s Museum
The interactive museum is open seven days a week in July and August. The museum will be closed on July 4. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tuesdays-Saturdays), noon-5 p.m. (Sundays). $6 (ages 1 and older). The Woodlands Children’s Museum, 4775 West Panther Creek Drive, Ste. 280, The Woodlands. 281-465-0955. www.woodlandschildrensmuseum.org
18. Houston Museum District
Several museums in downtown Houston offer free admission. www.houmuse.org
Museums offering free admission daily
Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore Blvd, Houston
Hours: Tue.-Fri. 11-6 p.m., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun., closed Mondays
Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, 5216 Montrose Blvd., Houston
Hours: Tue.-Wed., Fri. 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Thu. 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mondays
DiverseWorks, 3400 Main St., Ste. 292, Houston
Hours: Wed.-Thu. noon-6 p.m., Fri.-Sat. noon-8 p.m., closed Sun.-Tue.
Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main St., Houston
Hours: Tue.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m., closed Sundays beginning July 4 and Mondays
Houston Center for Photography, 1441 W. Alabama St., Houston
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Thu. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
The Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Blvd., Houston
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m., Fri. 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., closed Sundays
Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main St., Houston
Hours: Wed., Fri. noon-6 p.m., Thu. noon-8 p.m., Sat.-Sun. noon-5 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
The Menil Collection, 1533 Sul Ross St., Houston
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., closed Mon.-Tue.
Rothko Chapel, 3900 Yupon St., Houston
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Museums offering free admission times
Buffalo Soldiers National Museum, 3816 Caroline St., Houston
Free admission: Thu. 1-5 p.m.
Children’s Museum of Houston, 1500 Binz St., Houston
Free admission: Thu. 5-8 p.m.
Czech Center Museum Houston, at 4920 San Jacinto St., Houston
Free admission: Noon-4 p.m. last Monday of the month
The Health Museum, 1515 Hermann Drive, Houston
Free admission: Thu. 2-7 p.m.
Holocaust Museum Houston, 5401 Caroline St., Houston
Free admission: Thu. 2-5 p.m.
Houston Museum of African American Culture, 4807 Caroline St., Houston
Free admission: Thu. 6-8 p.m.
Houston Museum of Natural Science, 5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston
Free admission: Thu. 2-5 p.m.
The Museum of Fine Arts, 1001 Bissonnet St., Houston
Free admission: Thu. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Other
19. Kids Bowl Free
Various bowling venues throughout the Houston area are participating in the Kids Bowl Free program, offering children two free games of bowling each day of summer during select hours. Times and dates vary by location. Registration required. www.kidsbowlfree.com
300 Bowl (902 Wilson Road, Conroe): June 1-Aug. 21
Copperfield Bowl (15615 Glen Chase Drive, Houston): May 22-Aug. 20
Emerald Bowl (9307 Boone Road, Houston): May 29-Sept. 4
Tomball Bowl (14435 FM 2920, Tomball): May 1-Aug. 31
Times Square Entertainment (402 W. Grand Parkway S., Ste. 110, Katy): April 1-Oct. 31
20. Young Writers Workshop
Discovery Green and Houston Public Library present a writing workshop for children conducted by Writers in the Schools. Each workshop is limited to 25 students, first-come, first-served. Free (admission). The event is held every Saturday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at HPL Express Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St., Houston. www.discoverygreen.com
