Sports

We went skydiving!

My youngest son has kept on his bracelet all week and told everyone we met about iFly Houston!

iFly invited us out for a flight and the kids could not have been more excited. They have been asking to go for years… and finally they got their chance!

Our iFly flight was schedule for a weekday at noon. We arrived, signed the waivers and headed up the stairs to find the giant glass chamber where people were flying!

We watch several people fly before we got started, so we had some idea what we were able to do. Each flyer went in with the instructor. He stood on the ground and held the suit as the person flew. He gave instructions through hand signals and if the flyer was straight enough, they could fly on their own. And at the end, the instructor would fly and put on a show for everyone watching!

After this, we watched our safety video, learned the hand signs and went to suit up. Kids 3 and older can fly, but my one year old was feeling left out. The instructors insisted on her using an extra toddler suit and helmet, just to make her feel better. (And they had no idea I was writing about the trip… they just offered to help!)

Soon after, the kids were in the flight chamber waiting room (and I was outside with baby… and switched with my big boy later on). One by one they went in and flew! They each had two minutes… but in the wind, it did feel like much longer. We had the high flying package, so at the end, the instructor actually took his feet off the ground and flew up high with the kids! Watch the video!

The kids (6, 9 and 11) thought this was the greatest experience and declared they wanted to come back for Flight School. Watching them was not at all scary because the instructors were doing a great job and the kids were happy.

There was another little girl in our group (about 5 years old) that was scared after her first flight. She wanted to quit before her second trip in, but with the mom’s permission, the instructor encouraged her, got her to try again and held her very close for another flight. I was really impressed that they were so caring.

I did take my flight… and let me tell you that I am scared of most everything, including heights and small spaces. Once inside, the height was really no big deal and the space was plenty big enough. It was the giant gusts of wind on my face that I found hard to handle! For the first few seconds of my flight I was wondering how I would be able to survive for the minute… but in the end, I was glad I did it!

If you are thinking about going to iFly, here are some things to know:

• Kids 3 and older can fly.
• You need to wear closed toe shoes. A flight suit, goggles, ear plugs and helmet are provided.
• Small lockers are available for free.
• In the flight chamber, one person is adjusting the giant fan. They work with the instructor (and I assume they adjust it based on your size and how high they want you to go).
• To start the flight, you just lean into the wind and float up. At the end, the instructor takes you to the exit, you grab on and pull your legs out.
• The instructor stands on the mesh ground, with the giant gusts of wind coming from the floor. The flyer floats in the air and tries to keep their body straight and chin up.
• If you have a high flight at the end, an instructor actually flies up with you and brings you back down.
• If you fall in love with flying, you can join Flight School. We have not been, but accoring to Houston mom Hilary, you get more flying time and practice skills (like going up, down and spinning).

If you want to learn more about iFly, go HERE!

Here’s the thing about my family… we do almost everything together.

If we are going somewhere around Houston, we go together. If one of the kids has a baseball game, we are all there. If one wants to sign up for a class, I sign them all up.

There are four kids and just one mom and that is how we roll.

The trick is deciding what we will all do together. My daughter had been asking for gymnastics classes for a year, but I was not sure that everyone was on board… but she was persistent.

I started to ask around and a mom told me about H-Town Elite Gymnastics in The Heights. She liked the quality of the classes and the prices. AND I liked that we could take a FREE class to see if we even liked it.

So I signed us up for a free class, forced the boys to try it out and let my daughter take her class. My boys complained a whole lot ahead of time… but they smiled all through the class and after the hour, they were pretty sure they should sign up for more. (And my daughter was just ecstatic before, during and after her trial class.)

We have now take classes for a couple of months and still feel the same way. My daughter would like to eventually move from recreational classes to the competitive team (also at H-Town Elite).

My boys do not ever want to be competitive gymnasts, but the classes really do help with agility, balance and flexibility. And since taking the classes, I’ve noticed some crazier stunts in the kid produced movies made around my house.

If you also want to try out gymnastics, but not pay until you are sure, call H-Town Elite for a free trail class! Reach them at 713-955-5427 or contact@htownelite.com!

Cypress has a brand new family friendly sports club, VillaSport Cypress! But let me be candid… when Villa Sports Cypress invited me out, I wondered why I would join this club when I have a local rec enter. So, as I toured the facility, I asked the staff just this question.

To answer, the VillaSport Cypress staff showed me the two indoor and two outdoor pools, the giant slides, water monkey bars and water features. And then they showed me the kids club with spots for tiny kids and big kids and even a dedicated ball court for the kids. And then they showed me the fitness centers, exercise rooms, nail salon and spa.

But what I liked the very best was when they showed me the big family locker room at Villa Sports Cypress.

Kids under 13 and their parents can go in together, change in the dedicated rooms (each with a baby changing table), sit in the family lounge, nurse in the mom room… and I don’t have to worry about sending my boys though a women’s locker room… or worse, a men’s locker room with absolutely no supervision.

The tour guide also told me that if you are looking for clean, family friendly facilities with a staff that is dedicated to making your experience great, VillaSport Cypress is the place to be. And in my own opinion, this club is much more family focused than some others around Houston.

Take a look at the pictures, and if you are looking for a place for fitness, family and community, check out the new VillaSport Athletic Club & Spa Cypress!

Villasport Cypress:

Address: 12951 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, TX 77429

Find more to do in Houston HERE:

Oh, I am so excited about this! Last week we went to our first Sugar Land Skeeters baseball game, and it was AWESOME.

There was the big feel of a professional sports game… but Constellation Field is much smaller than Minute Maid, every seat is a good seat, you can see the game for anywhere you roam… and there is a playland, splashpad and carousel. Not only that, but every inning there are contests on the field and in the stands.

Sugar Land Skeeters games are simply FUN. And simply simple.

There was no running from the playland to our seat… because I could see the game and watch the kids. And there was no big production in finding our way from the parking lot to the stadium to the seat and to the food and…

Another good thing is that tickets start at $9 and there are different events/promotions each week. (For example, kids run the bases on Sundays!)  AND for the summer, you can get in FREE for READING!

A few things to know… the stadium is open and there is no roof! If it rains, you can bring a standard size umbrella. Also, no outside food is allowed, but you can bring in a sealed plastic bottle of water no larger than 16 oz. per person. Bring swim suits if you want to splash in the splashpad! Finally, when we went, parking was $5 (cash) in the big lot.

See the pictures below… and I’ll see you at the next Skeeters game!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Address:  1526 Campbell Rd Houston, TX 77055

Well friends, here’s the truth:  I’m not a huge fan of indoor playplaces. I’m sure some are awesome, but others are expensive and boring for at least one of my kids.

 

That said, after visiting the Ninja Warrior Gym last week, I decided I might be at the wrong places.

So this week I took the Ninja Warriors to the Texas Rock Gym.

Located near I10 and I610, in the Memorial Area, this gym has a bouldering area, 5 auto-belays and 42 top-ropes.

I don’t know a darn thing about rock climbing, but I do know that Texas Rock Gym is open to all ages (with harnesses small enough for my 3 year old). I also know that all 3 of my kids (3, 6 & 8) could boulder (without clipping in their harness) and auto-belay (without requiring their mom to belay).

My rock climbers climbed for hours, right in the front part of the gym, where the easiest courses are located. Up the boulder, down the stairs, repeat. Up the auto-belay wall, swing down, repeat.

The staff is helpful in teaching the safety and getting you set to climb. After that, a staff member is walking around to help, but you need to take care of yourself and your kids.

The cool part is that the gym is very family friendly and had no problem with the 1 year old in our group tagging along. We carried him around the gym as we watched the bigger kids climb.

This place was a lot of fun for us, but I will say that it’s expensive. The all day pass, with safety class and equipment, is $30 for adults and $20 for kids. (Get the rates HERE.)  That can get expensive, quick, for big families.

If rock climbing is going to be your “thing”, check out the memberships. (These come with fitness classes and guest passes for friends.)

 

 

Baseball lover or not, you will have a great time at Minute Maid Park. Watch the game, watch the people or play at the stadium, here’s what’s to love about Astros games:

1. Reasonable tickets. Sit up high for less money.
2. Baseball! We love to watch the game.
3. It’s air conditioned. On warm days, the roof is closed and the baseball game is nice and cool.
4. Dance your way onto the jumbo-tron. Really. Your moves might make it on the big screen.
5. Minute Maid Squeeze. There is a playground IN THE STADIUM!
6. Run the bases. After Sunday games, kids 5 and older can run on the field!
7. Be a Buddy! For $20, kids can get a membership that gets you 4 free tickets, a backpack, baseball cap, VIP access to running the bases, autograph sessions and a press conference. It’s a really really good deal.
8. See the train! After each home run, the train heads down track!
9. Be a part of the excitement. Being in the stadium on game day is exciting. Baseball, music, food vendors, competitions and more. Pull up a (stadium) chair and watch all the fun.

Whether you love baseball or just the fun of the adventure, be sure to visit Minute Maid Park this season! Opening day is April 6, 2015 and you can find (often discounted) tickets HERE. The season goes through September, so you’ll have a chance to visit many times.

If you want to get your own season tickets, contact Gordon Bowen, Houston Astros. 713.259.8788, gbowen@astros.com. If you are serious about the tickets, he might just give you a VIP tour. Tell him Jill at BigKidSmallCity sent you.

There is no better afternoon than one spent at Minute Maid Park. My kids, who never once showed an interest in baseball, now beg to go to the Astros games.

And why not? Who doesn’t love to drive through the skyscrapers, walk on the busy city streets, show their very own tickets at the gate, watch baseball in the air conditioning, eat ballpark food and play at the stadium playground?

Tickets to the games are reasonable, the stadium is not too packed and the roof keeps everyone cool in the Houston summer.

Astros games have proven to be a great way to fall in love with baseball. It’s easy for me, because nearby street parking is always available and the stadium is not a complete madhouse. It’s fun for the kids because of the beautiful, covered stadium, with a train that heads down the tracks with homeruns and a giant playground.

Go for one game, or get season tickets. The best part about season tickets is that you can pick which ever section you want (even the cheap seats that we get!) and when you pick them out, you can ask Gordon for a personal VIP tour of the stadium… including the exclusive diamond club, dugout and field!

To learn more, contact Gordon Bowen, Houston Astros. 713.259.8788,  gbowen@astros.com

If your children can walk, they can race BMX with the entire family. This information comes from Houston dad, Daryl!

First, the best thing about BMX is you get to participate and have fun from day one.

We currently have two tracks in the Houston area Pearland BMX and Katy BMX.

To get started you need a BMX style bike (and it can be used, cheap, or expensive). The track does have a few loaners but you have to get there when they open.

Bikes are sized to the rider. From micro mini up to Pro XXL. Kids can even start on strider/balance bikes and move up from there.

For safety a helmet ( full face recommended) , long pants (jeans or other sports pants) and long sleeve shirt is required. (Short sleeves are okay with elbow pads.)

New riders are giving a one day pass for free, after that you have to become a member of USA BMX (best done at local track so they get credit).

Tracks usually have a practice night for $5-7 and a race night including practice for $10-12.

The best thing to do is come out to a race and watch and talk to people and ask any questions you have. You will find people there are very friendly and happy to help get you started.

Any other questions don’t hesitate to ask in the comments!