Take the children, or stay home and keep the children on their schedule? This is the question parents face each year at convention time. I would you encourage you to prayerfully consider taking your children with you to the convention. Some of you have infants and preschoolers and you worry about packing all their paraphernalia and staying in a hotel room. Others of you have school-age children you canāt imagine keeping still during meetings. Some of us have older children and we fret over rearranging their extracurricular activities and keeping them on track with schoolwork.
We all have different obstacles to overcome in bringing our children to the convention, but we also have some family opportunities available to us. For those of you with infants to third-graders, childcare is available. Sign up and take advantage of a space designed for your children, along with caregivers who will nurture them. Plan some extra time around the convention to visit local landmarks. For example, Home for the Holidays at Old Town Spring opens on Sat., Nov. 10. They have carolers, train rides, Santaās workshop, wagon rides, petting zoo and shopping. Purchase a Houston City Pass and visit Space Center Houston, the Houston Zoo, the Childrenās Museum; or visit Battleship Texas and the San Jacinto Monument. Take a trip to Galveston and explore the Aquarium Pyramid, the Discovery Museum, the IMAX, Kemah Boardwalk, ride the ferry or dip your toes in the Gulf.
If you need something closer to Kingwood, try the indoor playground at First Baptist, Jumpalooza, Old MacDonaldās Farm, Humble Skate Center, Humble Bowling Lanes, Lindsey Lyons Park or the Jesse Jones Park and Nature Center. Whatever choices you make for your family, enjoy the time with your kids as you travel. Pack plenty of snacks for your finicky eaters, introduce your kids to your friends in the exhibit hall, and save extra space for all the goodies they will acquire along the way.
Weekend Activities
Old Town Spring (15 miles)
Home for the Holidays, Nov. 10-11
Carolers, train, Santaās Workshop, shopping, wagon rides, petting zoo
oldtownspring.com/interactive_map/
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Kingwood Area
First Baptist Church Kingwood Indoor Playground (6 miles)
kingwoodfirst.org/connect/grades-1st-5th
Jumpalooza Indoor Playground/Bounce Houses, Humble (7 miles)
Old MacDonaldās Farm: petting zoo, train ride, pony rides, playgrounds, Humble (6 miles)
oldmacdonaldshumble.com/index.html
Humble Family Skate Center (4 miles)
Humble Lanes Bowling (4 miles)
amf.com/location/amf-humble-lanes
Lindsey Lyons Park: playgrounds, walking path, picnic areas, Humble (10 miles)
hcp4.net/Community/Parks/LindsayLyons
Jesse Jones Park and Nature Center, Humble (6 miles)
hcp4.net/Community/Parks/Jones/About/WhatWeOffer
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Houston (45 minutes)
City Pass: $59 adults, $49 children 3-11
visithoustontexas.com/listings/houston-citypass/19873/
Space Center Houston, Downtown Aquarium, Houston Zoo, Childrenās Museum
San Jacinto Monument/Battleship Texas
tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/battleship-texas
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Galveston (90 minutes)
Moody Gardens: Aquarium Pyramid, Discovery Museum, IMAX, Paddlewheel Boat
Galveston Ferry
Kemah Boardwalk