SPRING BREAK
A day by day on how to keep your kids busy during next week’s school vacation.
For families staying put during spring break, which is next week, there are plenty of ways to keep the kids active without sitting them in front of screens for hours a day. Here’s a day-by-day breakdown of suggested things to keep the kids busy. And, maybe, they won’t even notice they’re learning along the way.
MONDAY Master airplane mechanics
Families can tour the airplane maintenance shop at the Lone Star Flight Museum, meet the mechanics, see vintage planes and even use tools to help assist with basic repairs like turning a screw (11 a.m.-2 p.m.). The museum’s weeklong exploration of flight also includes handson drone demos, pilot meet and greets, flight simulation and Helicopter Day.
More info: lonestarflight.org
TUESDAY Take salsa lessons
Discovery Green hosts activities all day (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), including salsa dance lessons for all ages (1-2 p.m.), slime-making and marshmallow slingshotting and Touch-A-Truck Tuesday — an event when, in the past, visitors have interacted with a variety of vehicles, including a Waste Management truck, firetrucks, art cars, and a Rolls-Royce. The park’s seasonal outdoor ice-skating rink also is open extended hours during spring break (11 a.m.-11 p.m.).
More info: discoverygreen.com
WEDNESDAY Meet Albert Einstein
To celebrate Pi Day, which is also Albert Einstein’s birthday, the Children’s Museum of Houston will host a lookalike of the scientist. Other activities planned around the infinite, nonrepeating number include a shaving-cream pie-throwing contest — the public can register online in advance to participate — science demos and magic shows. Also, during spring break, kids can climb the new rope challenge course on the lower level, make themselves dizzy in human hamster wheels and watch demos by contestants of the “American Ninja Warrior” television series.
More info: cmhouston.org
THURSDAY Make egg ornaments to celebrate Persian New Year
Each day at Asia Society Texas (noon-3 p.m.), guests can celebrate a different Asian holiday with hands-on crafts and activities. Other crafts next week include water gun painting and kite building.
More info: asiasociety.org
FRIDAY Enroll in astronaut training
NASA employees serving as volunteers assign jobs on the simulated Space Station Observer during Family Day at the Expedition Learning Center at the George Observatory in Needville (4 p.m.). While there, guests can look through the observatory telescopes, including the 36-inch Gueymard Research Telescope, one of the largest in the U.S. More info: hmns.org/ calendar
SATURDAY See a teen fashion show
Local teen fashion designers have created the looks that will be shown during a runway-style presentation, featuring teen models, on the ramp outside the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston (3:30-4 p.m.). It’s part of Family Day (1-4 p.m.), when kids can wear provided costumes, rehearse and join in a performance with Hope Stone Dance. There’s also a photo scavenger hunt and hands-on art.
More info: camh.org