JillBJarvis.com

Things to do in Houston!

All

Cheap, Reduced or Free Summer Camps for Houston Kids

by 3 Comments

Cheap, reduced and free summer camps for Houston kids!

Summer camps and activities can be outrageously expensive. To help you have more fun in Houston, with kids, we have CHEAP, REDUCED and FREE camps and classes listed below.

Free Summer Camps for Houston Kids

For summer 2021, things could all suddenly change. I’ve included the current status of the camps… but watch them for updates.

These camps FILL FAST. For those not available yet, watch them so you can see when registration opens for each one.

If you know of more cheap, reduced or free summer camps, tell us! For more camp recommendations (that are not free), go HERE.

YMCA Camp:

While what camp will look like will be different from summers past, the camps are on for 2021.

  • YMCA Summer Day Camp for youth and teens.
  • All the camps place special emphasis on youth choice, achievement and a sense of belonging.
  • Offered at locations all around the Houston area.
  • Financial assistance available.

BakerRipley Summer Camps:

  • Starting at $300 per student, per month and will be available at BakerRripley’s six community centers.
  • The Young Leaders program for youth ages 14-18 years is only $25 per student for the entire summer.
  • BakerRipley Summer Camps include breakfast, lunch and snacks, with extended before or after care hours available for working families.
  • Get the details HERE.

City Of Houston Sports Lessons:

For 2021, it looks like sports like tennis, golf and soccer are on. Find the latest on their website.

  • The city provides year-round programming and recreational sports opportunities for children ages 4 to 18.
  • A variety of free recreational sports are available. Participants receive equipment, uniforms, facility usage and expert coaching free of charge.
  • Learn more HERE.

The First Tee Junior Golf Program

For 2021, it looks like sports like tennis, golf and soccer are on. Find the latest on their website.

  • The First Tee provides programs for youth 7-18 years of age which teach character development, healthy habits, and life skills, using the game of golf. Go HERE to learn more.

Houston Teens Outside with Nature

  • This year-round program is open to tweens and teens, ages 14-18. It offers participants opportunities to build confidence and self-esteem through mentoring and program support with H.P.A.R.D. programs and special events. Go HERE.

Houston Public Library Free Summer Camp STREAM:

The website says to stay tuned for 2021 Free Summer Camp Stream details. (In 2020, this camp went virtual, so that could happen again this year.)

  • Camp STREAM is a free week-long summer program that allows students the opportunity to participate in activities relating to each aspect of STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math) each day of the week. K-12.
  • Registration is limited to one location per participant.

Vacation Bible Schools:

I’ll be watching for 2021 updates!

  • Churches all around Houston have Vacation Bible Schools… often these are free summer camps or they are cheap. Look for a church near your house and check on their programs.

Houston Parks And Recreation Department (H.P.A.R.D.):

Currently All Houston Parks and Recreation Department Community Centers, Pools and Splashpads are currently closed. I will be watching for updates.

  • The city has 60 Community Centers that provide: After-School Enrichment Program, Summer Enrichment Program, After-School Achievement Program (ASAP), Instructional Sports, Nature and Environmental Education and Exploration Programs, Teen Programs, Senior Adult Program, Adult Arts and Specialty Crafts and a host of fitness activities and programs.
  • The Summer Enrichment Program is a ten-week day camp-style program for ages 6 – 13. To apply, go to HERE.

City Of Houston Swim Lessons:

Currently All Houston Parks and Recreation Department Community Centers, Pools and Splashpads are currently closed. I will be watching for updates.

  • The City of Houston also offers FREE Swim Lessons. All of these classes are free and are filled on a “first come, first served” basis during specified registration periods.
  • H2OSAFE LEARN TO SWIM classes are offered at three levels and are designed to teach youth ages 6 – 13 basic swim skills, swim strokes, and water safety skills to help them become proficient at swimming.
  • SwimWise is a series of FREE learn to swim classes offered for all ages and skill levels.

Houston Summer Camps Recommended by Parents

by 2 Comments

It’s clear from all the questions I get… Houston parents not only want to know what Houston summer camps are available, but they want recommendations from other parents.

Below is an updated list of camps recommended by Houston parents. And, of course, for 2021, this could all change quickly. Check each link for the latest details.

If you want to suggest a Houston summer camp, tell us!

Houston Summer Camps

Free Houston Summer Camps:

Find the FREE summer programs HERE. Swimming lessons, sports camps, VBS and more.

Museums/Zoo Summer Camps:

Houston Museum of Natural Science (5555 Hermann Park Drive, Houston,Texas 77030)

  • Week long camps for kids ages 6-12 years old.
  • Registration opens in February/March.
  • Camps are held Monday-Friday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Extended day care is also available before and after camp for an additional fee.

Houston Museum of Natural Science Sugar Land (13016 University Blvd., Sugar Land, TX 77479)

  • Week long camps for kids ages 6-12 years old.
  • Registration opens in February/March.
  • Camps are held Monday-Friday, 10 am -3 pm. Extended day care is also available before and after camp for an additional fee.

Camp Zoofari (Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, Texas 77030)

  • For 2021: “We are hard at work planning our 2021 camp season. To stay up to date, please provide an email address below and we will reach out once we have additional information to share.”
  • Week long camps for kids ages 4-14 years old.
  • Registration opens in February.
  • All camps are Monday-Friday. Extended day is available.

Art/Theater/Music Summer Camps:

Houston Grand Opera

  • It was virtual last summer. More details to come for 2021.
  • Youth ages 13-18 are invited to embark on a journey to learn songs appropriate for auditions, develop fluency in the International Phonetic Alphabet, download the experiences from opera’s biggest stars, practice stage combat and movement to fight off villains, and strengthen acting skills in an online expedition of vocal prowess.

WITS Creative Writing Camp (Multiple Locations)

  • For 2021: “Writers in the Schools and Rice School Literacy and Culture will host Creative Writing Camp in June and July 2021 for incoming Kindergarten-High School students. We are currently exploring virtual, hybrid, and in-person Creative Writing Camp programs, and we look forward to seeing your family in the summer.”
  • Kinder – 12th grade.
  • Very popular camp that opens registration the end of January, and usually fills quickly.

Main Street Theater (Multiple Houston Locations)

  • Students take charge of all aspects of performance while the teachers (who are arts and educational professionals) provide guidance and know-how support to students (ages 4 – 18).
  • Kids write and stage their original theater pieces, creating their own roles, lines, costumes, and props.

Playhouse 1960 (6814 Gant Rd, Houston, Texas, 77066)

  • Information coming for 2021.

Glassell Junior School (Museum of Fine Arts, 5100 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006)

  • Ages 3-18.
  • Details coming for summer 2021.

CyFair Music and Art (7103 Glen Chase Ct, Houston, TX 77095)

  • Virtual and in person.
  • Drama Kids, Piano, Guitar, Drums, Art, Kindermusik, Baby Sign Language

AFA Summer Music Festival (Kinder HSPVA, 790 Austin Street, Houston, TX, 77002)

  • Details coming for 2021.
  • The Summer Music Festival offers programs for students in grades 3-12.
  • Orchestra & Chamber Music, Piano, Vocal, and Composition sessions that last from 1-5 weeks, including large and small ensembles, technique classes, master classes, studio classes, sectional rehearsals music theory, ear training, and other enrichment studies.

Stage Right Summer Camp (Spring Branch)

  • Details coming for 2021.
  • Bringing BROADWAY and New York Professionals to Houston to teach Texas kids- ages 5-18!
  • What is Immersive Theatre? It is a unique and modern theatrical experience that breaks the barrier between spectator and performer by keeping the audience in close quarters and performing in a site-specific venue.

Outdoors/Animals Camp:

Nature Discovery Center (7112 Newcastle, Bellaire, TX 77401)

  • Week-long camps with different themes.
  • Camps are limited to 22 children each week, with 4 teen counselors assisting the Camp Instructor.

Houston Arboretum (4501 Woodway Drive, Houston, TX 77024)

  • Details coming for 2021.
  • Get outdoors with the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center this summer.
  • The Arboretum’s Summer Camp is a great place for kids ages 4-12 to learn all about the natural world.

SPCA Critter Camp (900 Portway Drive, Houston, TX 77024)

  • Planning happening now for 2021.
  • Camp from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Grades 3-8.

Blackwood Nature Camp (27144 Rock Island Road, Hempstead, Texas 77445)

  • A week-long overnight camp for ages 8-14 located in Hempstead, TX.
  • Build a relationship with nature and safely explore the great outdoors.
  • Campers enjoy a variety of outdoor activities including classes such as natural dyeing, cane-pole fishing, and cooking. They play forest games, hike, swim, and explore. Kids learn about wildlife in workshops hosted by local experts, and go on educational field trips to places like St. Francis Wolf Sanctuary and Huntsville State Park. At night, they stargaze, tell stories, and roast s’mores by the campfire.

TGR Exotics Wildlife Park (22115 Sherrod Land, Spring, TX 77389)

  • Camps include a tour of the animals, snack, activity, craft and game.
  • Topics may include Animal Costumes, Animal Defenses, Animal Senses, Animals in Motion, Animal Diets, Predator/Prey, Birds of a Feather and Bugs.

STEM/Academic/Language Houston Summer Camp:

STREAM Program (Houston Public Library)

  • Camp was virtual in 2020. Plans being made now for 2021.
  • Free week-long summer program that allows students the opportunity to participate in activities relating to each aspect of STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math) each day of the week. K through 12.

Rainard School STEAM Camp (11059 Timberline Rd, Houston, TX 77043)

  • Details to come for 2021.

University of Houston Summer Camps (Multiple Locations)

  • Virtual and in-person camps.
  • Many camps are offered. Check the website for all the details.

Language Kids (Multiple locations)

  • Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French and English immersion summer camps.

Virtual Tech Camps (Rice University)

  • For students ages 7-19.
  • Structured, weeklong sessions with 2 hours of live instruction per day + 2 hours of self-paced project development.
  • Curriculum in Python, Java, Minecraft, Roblox, AI, Unreal Engine, Adobe, 3D modeling, and more. 5 students max per instructor, blending personalized learning and team interaction.

EEEK! Science Summer Camp (Katy, Simonton)

  • Science based activities centered around various themes for the day.

Dance/Gymnastics/Sports Houston Summer Camp:

The Artz (Heights)

  • Join The Artz for the Aerial Circus Endeavor Summer Program.
  • Keep your kids, ages 5-15, active with our multi-week camp as they fly high and gain confidence.
  • Normal hours are from 8 am – 5 pm.
  • Extended hours are available for an additional charge.

Vitacca Vocational School for Dance (Montrose & The Woodlands)

  • Children’s Dance/Ballet Camp is an exciting week of dance filled with a fun approach to ballet technique, which includes ballet class, choreography, and crafts focusing on an age appropriate children’s classical ballet.
  • Through the music and plenty of dancing, dancers will have a fun-filled week exploring a favorite classical ballet. The week will conclude with a short, in-studio demo/performance.

Rise Camp (Spring Branch)

  • Rise offers a one-of-a-kind weeklong camp that features gymnastics, dance, music, and ninja: 4 different camps combined into 1.
  • Each day campers cycle through these 4 disciplines, keeping them engaged and active for the whole week. Day camps are available to children from ages 5-12.
  • Rise is located in Spring Branch at the Beltway and Hammerly.

Hunter Dance Center (Heights)

  • Dance Theater Camps and camps for kids. Ages 5-12.

Handwriting & Yoga Camp (Solaris Pediatric Therapy

  • Details coming for 2021.
  • Ideal for kids that are entering kindergarten or first grade, but can also benefit older kids that really never got a grasp on handwriting.

JC Sports Houston and JC Sports The Woodlands (Humble & The Woodlands)

  • Five full days packed with activities including Soccer, Baseball, Football, Basketball, Glow in the Dark Soccer and Nerf Wars, EPIC Water Balloon Fights, Dodge Ball, Science FUN and more.
  • Ages 4 to 13.

Inspire Rock Climbing Camp (Cypress, Spring)

  • These camps are developed to help the climber with technique, problem solving, planning and execution.

Rice Owls Sports Camps (Rice University)

  • Details coming for 2021.
  • Football, Soccer, Tennis, Volleyball, Basketball, Baseball, Track and Field, STEM-letics camps offered throughout the summer.

Quillan Recreation Center (Westchase)

  • Camp Quillian is an American Camp Association accredited day camp that caters to children between the ages of 5-12, as well as Teen Camp for kids ages 13-14.

Cooking/Baking Camps:

Rao’s Bake Camp (Spring and Beaumont)

  • Fun learning experience to help your children explore the fun and thrills of baking.
  • Kids will learn how to read recipes, follow directions, let their creativity blossom, and enjoy snacks and games!

Urban Chef (3651 Weslayan St, Houston, 77046)

  • A week full of cooking, baking, learning, and competition.
  • Kids will learn all about ingredients, cooking methods, developing flavor and making recipes their own.

Main Course Cooking School (18750 Interstate 45 N. Spring, TX 77373)

  • This is a cooking and dining experience.
  • You will enjoy the fruits of your labor and eat the meal / dishes you make.

Sur la table (Multiple Locations)

  • Five days of fun making their favorite foods. Kids (ages 7-11) and teens (12-17) will put on an apron and learn to cook delicious recipes from scratch.

All-Around/Christian/Sleep Away Camps:

Kidventure (Multiple Locations)

  • Running camps at multiple locations in Houston, Austin and Dallas for 20 years.
  • Registration opens in February.
  • Ages 3 – 15 years old.

Summer Youth Activity Program (Rice)

  • Plans for 2021 still coming.
  • Four sessions in June and July, for kids aged 6 to 11. 

Houston First Baptist Daycation (Houston’s First The Loop Campus)

  • Plans for 2021 still coming.
  • Houston First Baptist Daycation for 5th grade and under and camp for 6th grade.

Camp West (Westbury Christian School)

  • Students ages 3-10 enrolled in Westbury Christian School’s 10-week Summer ASAP! camp will have fun making friends and participating in hands-on Sports, STEM, Social Studies and Fine Arts activities designed by real classroom teachers.

Victory Camp (Living Stone Church, 1407 Victory Lane, Alvin, Texas 77511)

  • Christian camp in operation since 1992.
  • Activities include: quad-zipline, swimming, rock walls, double waterslide, bumperboats, paddleboats, gym sports, field sports, and go-karts.

Camp Cho-yeh (Livingston)

  • Christian Camp with activities like archery, paintball, horseback, riflery, blobbing, wakeboarding, tomahawk throwing and more.
  • Ages 6 – 16 years old.
  • Sleep-over camp.

Pine Cove (Columbus & Tyler, Texas)

  • Christian Camp with day camps, overnight camps and even camps for the entire family!

Camp Lantern Creek (Montgomery, Texas)

  • Girls camp for ages 7 to 17.
  • Learn to change a tire, sing a song, laugh a lot, love nature, swim, make waves, win gracefully, lose gracefully, tell story, act, paint, make a mess, write a story, right the world, push boundaries, make friends forever, make your art and find your voice.

Camp Eagle (Rocksprings)

  • Sleep away camp for grades 1st – 7th.
  • It’s where kids gather for unbridled fun and real outdoor adventures.
  • No phones, devices, wifi in these woods.

Camp Deer Run (Winnsboro)

  • A Christian summer camp in East Texas that exists to provide a camping experience.

Texas A&M Sea Camp (Galveston)

  • Sea Camp is a week-long residential adventure exploring the wonders of the marine and estuarine environments for campers ages 10-18.
  • As a Sea Camper, kids will have access to research vessels, oceanographic equipment, laboratory facilities, and a professional staff enabling you to learn about the ocean through hands-on experiences.

Texas A&M Sports Camps (College Station)

  • Aggie camps offer a wide range of instruction for both boys and girls, ages 8-18.

Do you have a recommendations for a Houston summer camp? Let us know!

Surfside Beach Texas Rental: ROCK HOUSE

by 2 Comments

Stay at the beach… at a Surfside Beach Texas Rental! Below is everything you need to know about ROCK HOUSE… the veteran owned and operated Surfside TX beach house rental available on AirBNB and VRBO.

Surfside Beach Texas Rental

We like a good beach day in Surfside, but we had never stayed there overnight.

Lucky for us, ROCK HOUSE, the Surfside Texas Beach Rental, invited us out to their family friendly beach house.

We were excited to go, but I did wonder if we’d be roughing it or be living the good life.

Rock House is veteran owned

All About ROCK HOUSE:

I used to live at the beach, so I was not really sure what to expect with this beach house rental. What I mean is, the salty air is hard on houses and, from my own experience, a great location does not always meet a great house.

With that in mind, I was VERY pleased when we walked into ROCK HOUSE. The building was in good shape, the paint was fresh and everything was crisp and clean.

The ceiling was vaulted to make it airy, the kitchen was updated and there were plenty of beds and bedrooms.

It was good to have more living space than at a hotel, and it was great that the house also had a big deck, fenced in yard and outdoor BBQ space under the house. And the beach was just a quick walk over the sand dune bridge.

Surfside Beach Texas Rental Under Rock House, Rock House is veteran owned and operated

The house is also walking distance from Seahorse Bar and Grill and also beach equipment rentals (surf boards, bodyboards, golf cart rentals and more). You can just walk down the beach!

If you do rent a golf cart, there is a golf cart path right out from the house. You can ride it to the beach, crabbing pier, restaurants and food trucks. (And if you don’t get the golf cart, you can still walk or make a short drive.)

The house has a smart lock and we had a personalized code to get in. The whole stay was contact-less.

Surfside TX Beach House Rental Information:

ROCK HOUSE is veteran owned and operated and is available on both AirBNB and VRBO. And if you mention JillBJarvis.com or BigKidSmallCity.com when you book your reservation, you will get 10% off through December 31, 2021. (Just mention the blog and the discount will be applied by the owner.)

Surfside Beach Texas Rental, Surfside beach in winter

Our visit at ROCK HOUSE:

We had a day of rain during our visit, but we did not mind playing board games and hanging out with each other. The kids kept saying that they wished our house was exactly like this beach house.

We spent the rest of the trip drinking coffee on the deck, walking on the beach, collecting shells, relaxing in the house and doing our school work away from home.

On our next visit, we’ll check out the dolphin tour or even deep sea fishing. We also need to take the beautiful 30-minute coastline drive to Galveston.

Games at Surfside TX beach house rental

If you are considering the ROCK HOUSE Surfside Texas Beach Rental, here’s what you need to know:

  • This Surfside Beach Texas rental is on the beach side of Blue Water Highway.
  • The house is very clean and nicely decorated. There are vaulted ceilings, the kitchen is updated, there is wifi and there are smart TVs in each room.
  • ROCK HOUSE sleeps 10. In three bedrooms, there is one king bed, one queen bed and two bunk bends (each with one full and one twin mattress). There are two full bathrooms and there is one outdoor shower.
  • This Surfside Beach Texas rental has a big deck for enjoying the view and a fenced in grass yard where the kids can play.
  • There is a smart lock and the whole stay is contact-less.
  • When you book a stay, you get a digital guest book with loads of information about the property and Surfside Beach.
  • The Surfside TX beach house rental is not right on the water, but it is a one minute walk, over the dune bridge, to the beach.
  • Free parking is available at the house.
  • Some things that are available to guests: kitchen utensils, plates, pots, towels, linens, washer, dryer, beach chairs and wagon, charcoal grill.
  • Be sure to bring your own groceries, shampoo/toiletries, charcoal, beach towels. Bring board games and cards for rainy days. Or just bring your Disney+, Prime and Netflix passwords.
  • ROCK HOUSE is Veteran Owned and Operated.

About Surfside:

  • When you book a stay, you get a digital guest book with loads of information about the property and Surfside Beach. You will have a map of all the restaurants and things to do in the area.
  • Cars are allowed on Surfside Beach (much like West Beach in Galveston). The good thing about ROCK HOUSE is that it’s at the widest part of the shore line and at one of the calmest areas. There are spots for chairs and towels to be set up away from the car lane.
  • Surfside Beach is much smaller than Galveston. It’s a great place to play or relax… but with more mom-and-pop restaurants and stores and fewer people.
  • There are corner stores, but for lots of groceries or supplies, Lake Jackson is just 15 minutes away.
  • Galveston is 30 minutes along the coastline. The last time I made this drive I kept wondering if I was really just an hour outside Houston. It is very scenic.
  • If you are looking to do more than relax and play on the beach, take a dolphin tour, go deep sea fishing, take a surfing lesson or go paddle boarding.

Book a Stay or Learn More:

  • VRBO Surfside Beach TX
  • AirBNB Surfside Beach TX
  • If you mention JillBJarvis.com or BigKidSmallCity.com when you book your reservation, you will get 10% off through December 31, 2021. (Just mention the blog and the discount will be applied by the owner.)
  • ROCK HOUSE is veteran owned and operated.

Find more pictures below and if you go to the ROCK HOUSE Surfside Beach Rental, tell us about it! 

Rock House Surfside Texas is veteran owned and operated
Rock House Surfside Texas Beach Rental Kitchen, veteran owned and operated
Surfside Beach Rock House Beach Rental
Rock House Surfside Dune Bridge

Graeme’s Run, February 20, 2021: Fighting Congenital Heart Defects

by Leave a Comment

Join Graeme’s Run on February 22, 2021 for fighting congenital heart defects… America’s #1 birth defect.

The event has been re-imaged for 2021, but the good fun continues!

From Houston mom, Stephanie:

On December 18, 2012 our son, Graeme, was born. We had an emergency delivery after the doctor detected his heart rate in the 70s at my 34 week appointment.

He was diagnosed with Double Outlet Right Ventricle, Malposed Great Vessels, VSD, Coarctation of the Aorta, Straddling Mitral Valve, Aortic Valve Hypoplasia, and Complete Heart Block.

He was rushed to the Texas Medical Center where he underwent a coarctation repair, a pacemaker was placed, and a Pulmonary Artery band was placed. With 2 surgeries under his belt our little trooper was released from the hospital after 44 days.

After living a happy and for the most part normal life, we lost our sweet angel on May 3, 2015 at 2 1/2 years old. We were devastated and still are in complete shock, as we are left to try to find our new normal and purpose.

We have decided to put our energy into raising awareness and funds for Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) research.

We knew nothing about heart defects before Graeme and were saddened to learn:

• Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. Nearly one of every 100 babies are
born with a CHD
• Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States
• Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect
• Thousands of them will not reach their first birthday, and thousands more will die before they are adults
• Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect

About The Children’s Heart Foundation & Fighting Congenital Heart Defects:

The Children’s Heart Foundation was founded in 1996 and is the country’s leading organization solely dedicated to funding congenital heart defect (CHD) research.

The Children’s Heart Foundation has funded $11.1 million in research projects and is dedicated to bringing health, hope and happiness to children and families impacted by a CHD. We want to continue to be a part of that fundraising in Graeme’s honor.

With some wonderful friends we came up with the idea of a family fun run. We know everyone loves a good fun run, especially one that’s close to home and brings awareness and funds to such a great cause.

Details about Graeme’s Run:

This will be our 6th year fighting congenital heart defects, with Graeme’s Run. The date is set for February 20, 2021 (February is heart awareness month).

Last year we had over 1,600 people in attendance and
raised over $130,000 for The Children’s Heart Foundation and are looking forward to what this year will bring.

We are hopeful that we can have the 6th Graeme’s Run in person, but will keep everyone updated as it gets closer! Look at the website for the latest plans!

If possible, there will be full of fun activities for everyone! We will have a 5K and a 1-mile family walk in Old Katy starting and ending at No Label Brewery. We would love for you to be a part of this great event.

100% of funds raised will go to The Children’s Heart Foundation


Thank you for reading our story and helping us honor our precious son,
The McDaniel Family (Robby, Stephanie, Mason, and Juliet)

To find out more visit: www.graemessuperheroes.org
phone: 832-221-9116
email: graemessuperheroes@gmail.com
Facebook: Graeme’s Superheroes

East End Houston Optimism Mural

by Leave a Comment

Optimism Begins with you mural in East End Houston

“Optimism Starts with You” is a mural in East End Houston by GONZO247. It’s right at Canal Street and Navigation Boulevard on the southeast-facing wall. This mural is part of the Frost Bank Opt for Optimism campaign.

You are to stand in front of the blue silhouette, take a picture and share it with #optforoptimism! Learn more about the Frost Bank campaign HERE.

You can learn about the Houston artist, Mario E. Figueroa Jr., HERE. I bet you will recognize his work all over the city (like the Houston Is mural by Market Square Park in Downtown).

Navigation Boulevard has lots of art to see on your drive. Also, this East End Houston mural is a five minute drive from the Houston Graffiti Building, so you can easily see even more street art. Go HERE to see all the art in the area!

Also, Discovery Green is less than ten minutes away, so you can easily stop there to play or walk around. Or you can stop at Phoenicia Specialty Foods for lunch.

Street parking around the mural is available, just check the signs before you leave your car.

Optimism Starts with You #OptforOptimism in East End:

Address: 2219 Canal Street, Houston, Texas

Find More Houston Murals:

Day of the Dead Mural by Armando Castelan

by Leave a Comment

Day of the Dead Mural Dia de los Muertos

In Houston’s East End is this Dia de los Muertos mural by Armando Castelan for the East End Foundation! Isn’t it beautiful?!

Castelan is originally from Puebla, Mexico. He was raised in Los Angeles and then moved to Houston. If you look at his website, I bet you will recognize some of his work around the city. (And I really like the beer truck.)

The Day of the Dead mural is located on Navigation Boulevard and N. Nagle Street, very close to The Original Ninfas. Street parking is available on the side streets (just check the signs before you leave your car). Or park at Ninfas and stay for lunch.

The Day of the Dead mural is a five minute drive to the Houston Graffiti Building and 8th Wonder, so you could see lots of art while you are in the area. (And look at the Houston Mural Map below for more stops to make!)

Day of the Dead Mural:

Address: 2800 Navigation Blvd, Houston

Find more Houston murals:

Both Rigorous & Kind: Westbury Christian School

by Leave a Comment

At Westbury Christian School, the academics are rigorous, but the kindness and care for the students is always first.

Here is what a Houston parent has to say:

“As a Westbury parent, Westbury Christian School has been an excellent choice for our family. The safety protocols when we returned to school were expansive and detailed, yet efficient.

“The option for in-person or on-line learning was important for our family to make the best choice for our child.

“We love that all of our children can go to the same school from pre-school through twelfth grade.

“The teachers and staff are exceptional in that the academics are rigorous, but the kindness and care for the students is always first. Class sizes are small, so the students are known.

“We choose Westbury again and again.”

Private School Tour

Westbury Christian School has a Lower, Middle and High School and offers a three-dimensional program of education. It consists of a Spiritual Development Program, an Academic Development Program and a Student Activity Program… each receiving equal attention.

Students receive instruction through varied experiences and utilize proven methods to elevate them to a greater level of education – spiritually, formally, and practically.

If this sounds intriguing, attend a virtual tour by going HERE and decide if this is the best Houston school for you. (And go HERE to prepare for your private school tour!)