These local play areas are perfect for tots and crawlers.
With a rambunctious toddler and a baby girl trying to keep up, our house can get a little crazy. No matter how many couch-cushion obstacle courses I build or hallway races I time, there’s just no substitute for a little fresh air. A trip to the park has become our family’s go-to solution for cabin fever — but not all parks are built with tots and crawlers in mind. Some have slides too tall, drop-offs too steep, or too many big kids playing just a little too rough.
We’ve scoured the city in search of baby-friendly parks and play spaces where our kids can let off a little energy while staying safe and engaged. Parents, babysitters, or nannies of very young kids can feel good about taking your little ones to one of these 10 area play spaces that are perfect for babies and toddlers.
Judson Park
Address: 4201 Judson Ave., West University Place, TX 77005
Hours: Open daily, 7a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 713-668-4441
Fees: Free
This quiet neighborhood park located in West University Place is our absolute favorite spot for an afternoon outside. A toddler-specific play area is gated off from not just the street, but also the rest of the park — which is great if you have a toddler, like mine, who likes to play “chase.” Soft, cushioned AstroTurf provides some protection for trips or falls, which is nice for my soon-to-be walker. The playground equipment is rated for kids ages 2 to 5, but there’s plenty for crawlers to do, too.
Pro tip: It doesn’t have a bathroom or port-a-potty on-site, but it’s just a few blocks from a Randalls grocery store and major shopping center where you can use the facilities or grab a quick bite en route to or from the park.
Donovan Park
Address: 700 Heights Blvd., Houston, TX 77007
Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk
Phone: 713-861-4002
Fees: Free
Over in the Heights, Donovan Park is an all-wood play area with a neat history. In the fall of 1996, community members came together to build the playground over the span of just a few days. Friends who grew up nearby still remember their neighbors sawing, hammering, and painting for hours on end, while others made food or watched the kids. The result of that hard work is an enormously popular park that draws families from all over the city.
My son’s favorite spot inside the gated play area is a long wooden train near the front where he likes to pretend he’s a conductor before jumping down and climbing back up farther down the line. The rest of the playground, however, is just as fun. With so many places to crawl under and toddle on, you could easily spend the whole day there — and because of the park’s proximity to Lee’s Fried Chicken and Donuts and other great Heights-area eateries, you just might want to.
Levy Park
Address: 3801 Eastside St., Houston, TX 77098
Hours: Open daily | Hours vary, but the park is typically accessible from dawn until dusk.
Phone: 713-522-7275
Fees: Free
Levy Park opened in the winter of 2017, and since then it’s become a favorite for families of all ages — but especially those with young kids. Instead of a giant wood or metal play set with connected bridges or slides, the park has a good mix of natural play areas — like grassy tunnels — and untraditional features — like a massive stone slide and sculpture-like jungle gym. On the other side of an observation deck that overlooks the whole park, you’ll find a large lawn that often has fun activities like large foam blocks or soccer nets, as well as a reading room, coloring sheets, and crayons.
Pro tip: While the splash pad is great for bigger kids, the water comes down pretty hard, which might be scary for younger children.
Weir Park
Address: 3012 Nottingham St., West University Place, TX 77005
Hours: Open daily, 7a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 713-668-4441
Fees: Free
Another great West University Place neighborhood space, Weir Park is gated and has a toddler-sized set of playground equipment. Like Judson Park, the toddler area has AstroTurf — so it’s nice and cushioned for little falls — as well as plenty of shade. The park offers low-to-the-ground slides and a small rock-climbing wall, but my son’s favorite features were the bucket-spinners. Kids can climb into these small, cup-like pods and spin round and round without you having to worry about them falling off or down. As my grandma would say, “They’re a hoot!”
Wild! Nature Play Area at the Houston Zoo
Address: 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
Hours: Open daily, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: 713-533-6500
Fees: Ages 2 – 11, $15 (1 & under, free) | ages 12 – 64, $19 | ages 65+, $12.50
The zoo is so much more than just animals. The grounds house multiple play areas, including a nature play space near the front entrance. Instead of slides and swings, the area has stepping stones you can hop across, tree stumps to climb on, and sand pits to dig your fingers through. If that’s not your thing or you want additional play time after seeing some animals, the Children’s Zoo area near the back of the park also has a play set with a cushioned ground that can be fun for toddlers as long as it’s not too crowded.
Pro tip: The Wild! Nature Play Area is designed to be hands-on, so kids can get pretty muddy. It might be a good idea to bring an extra set of clothes to change into before climbing back into the car or stroller.
Tot*Spot at the Children’s Museum
Address: 1500 Binz, Houston, TX 77004
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Sunday, noon – 6 p.m.
Phone: 713-522-1138
Fees: Ages 1 & up, $12
The Tot*Spot on the second floor of the Children’s Museum is loaded with age-appropriate equipment for kids up to age 35 months. The indoor play space is designed specifically with babies (and germs) in mind — no shoes are allowed inside unless you put sanitation booties over top, and there are little bags hanging around the space for you to store toys after kids have put them in their mouths. Mirrors are near the ground for babies who still need some tummy time, and on top of all the tumble equipment, kids can play with any number of switches, knobs, books, and push toys.
If your toddler has outgrown the Tot*Spot, the “big kid” areas downstairs offer some fun activities that are also age-appropriate, like arts and crafts, a Lego Duplo building table, or spotting baby chicks in the hatchery outside. In fact, the museum has a whole list of ways older toddlers can enjoy the museum.
Pro tip: If you’d rather not pay for admission, the museum is free on Thursday evenings from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Word of warning, however, the place gets packed, so be prepared for crowds.
Boundless Playground at Eastwood Park
Address: 5000 Harrisburg, Houston, TX 77011
Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk
Phone: 713-928-4801
Fees: Free
Southeast of downtown, Eastwood Park’s Boundless Playground is one of the most popular gathering spots for families in EaDo, but even when it’s crowded, the playground is big enough for everyone. The preschooler equipment has multiple slides and lots of places to climb, as well as a long, twisty platform connecting everything. My toddler’s favorite part of the park was all the musical instruments. Throughout the playground, kids can play giant versions of what look like bongos, maracas, and xylophones, and my son had a blast running from one to the next to make as much noise as possible. The park is also connected to a community center that has a skate park and giant lawn with plenty of room to run, so it’s great for families with a wide range of ages — not just babies or toddlers.
Hermann Park
Address: 6100 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030
Hours: Open daily, 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Phone: 713-524-5876
Fees: Free
Multiple playgrounds sit near the Texas Medical Center on the west end of Hermann Park — each catering to slightly different age groups. While one is definitely more for school-aged children, the other two are great for young toddlers and even babies. The areas have padded grounds that look like they are made of old rubber, rather than wood chips or rocks (less for my baby girl to put in her mouth!), and much of the equipment is low to the ground. The space is one of my favorite places to snap photos of my kids, in part because they have so much fun there. It’s all smiles, all the time.
Pro tip: The playgrounds are clearly well-loved and in some desperate need of a new coat of paint. Some old paint flecks can sometimes come off on tiny hands, so keep an eye out and wipes close by.
Main Street Indoor Park at First Methodist Houston
Address: 1320 Main St., Houston, TX 77002
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – noon
Phone: 832-668-1894
Fees: Free
The Main Street Indoor Park is another great indoor play space that’s perfect for rainy days or when the heat index starts to spike. The space is exclusively for preschoolers under the age of 5, and it’s set up to look like you’re in a small village. Classroom doors with storefront facades line the room, and a “grassy” area runs down the center, giving the illusion of being outside (but without all those bugs and dirt!). The best feature, however, is a small playground that looks like a train and is nice for toddlers and crawlers to climb on or scoot under. For families who aren’t comfortable with their kids climbing on the play set, the church opens up a classroom with other activities like a train table and playhouse. With air conditioning and bathrooms and no admission fee, it’s easily one of the best indoor play spaces available.
Fire Truck Park at Southside Place
Address: 3743 Garnet St., Houston, TX 77005
Hours: Open daily, 7a.m. – 10 p.m.
Phone: 832-303-1802
Fees: Free
When I told my toddler we were going to Fire Truck Park, he was so giddy I could hardly get him buckled into his car seat. True to its name, the park’s signature feature is a bright-red playground that looks like a fire truck — that is, if fire trucks had slides and rock walls. The space also boasts AstroTurf and mulch for soft landings, and a host of other playground equipment for all age ranges. The park was totally renovated in 2012, and everything is clean and well-maintained. Like many of the other parks on this list, the entire area is fenced in, so you can play “tag” to your heart’s content.
What are your favorite baby-friendly play areas in the Houston area? Share it in the comments below!
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