Polar Palooza at Children's Museum Houston

Pack your jackets and mittens and get ready to play in real snow at Children's Museum Houston, Dec. 16, 2023-Jan. 7, 2024. Play in snow then stroll down our reimagined Seasons of Sharing exhibit. Bring your loved ones for a warm and toasty escape, and make sure you’re on the right list starting out by visiting Children’s Museum Houston.  

Polar Palooza Special Events: 

Gingerbread Jamboree: 
DEC. 16
Oh Ginger-snap! Children’s Museum Houston welcomes all to a gingerbread filled day! Design and build your own gingerbread house out of found materials and meet a gingerbread man that’s sugar, spice, and everything nice!  Plus, don’t miss the Sigma Saxophone Quartet!

A Christmas Carol for Kids by Express Children's Theatre
Dec. 16 and 17
Sponsored by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance
Featuring rollicking singalongs of Santa songs, it takes three actors and 12 huge puppets to tell a story this big!   Join us for a kid-friendly adaptation of the holiday classic in which Ebony Scrooge, a teenage millionaire, cares more about her money than the people in her life until the Ghosts of Past, Present and Future take her on a wild ride on Christmas Eve. 

Polar Palooza Snow Days
Dec. 16-Jan. 7
Snow?! In TEXAS?! It's true! A nimbostratus cloud will descend upon Children's Museum Houston to transform our courtyard into a winter wonderland. Bring your mittens and expect to play in real snow. Get ready for chills, thrills, and winter skills with real snow days!  Snow Days are included with general admission!  *Snow Days will pause Dec. 30 and 31 and resume on Jan. 2

‘Tis the Season
Dec. 17
Sponsored by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance
“Snow” other place to celebrate the holidays than at Children’s Museum Houston! ‘Tis the season with a classic Christmas Carol tale performed by Express Children’s Theatre.  Paws! We also have the Texas Six Steppers – a holiday themed dog show!

Dancing in a Winter Wonderland
Dec. 19
Funded in part by City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance
Get ready to get down and chill out at Children’s Museum Houston. Watch a winter dance performance by JDF Elite Dance Academy. And “swinter” has arrived! Get transported to a tropical island to celebrate with Polynesian dances with a holiday twist. 

Ring in the Holidays
Dec. 20
Funded in part by City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance
Holiday season is here and it’s time to ring in the holidays at Children’s Museum Houston! Join us for a day filled with festive cheer! Dance along with Intempo Dance as they perform an excerpt from The Nutcracker. Get ready to jingle and mingle with OTWPA’s annual “‘Twas The Show Before Christmas Tour” with skits, dancing, and singing. Enjoy a special marionette holiday performance of “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” by Jean Keucher.  

Lil' Man Saves Christmas by Ensemble Theatre
Dec. 21 During Free Family Night Thursday
Sponsored by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance
Nothing Lil’ about this show! Lil’ Man enlists the help of Santa’s wild elves to make sure that the holidays are merry and bright for his family! Christmas reminds us of the importance of community, courage, and sometimes a little magic. Watch a play with holiday joy, music, silly elves, and a lot of heart by The Ensemble Theatre. 

Frozen Over
Dec. 22
Funded in part by City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance
Brrrrrrr! Children’s Museum Houston has frozen over into a winter wonderland! For the first time in forever Ana, Elsa and Olaf make a special appearance with magical story times and a meet and greet during a Frozen-inspired event! Create a frozen treat during our DIY ice cream workshops. 

Guess Who's Back? 
Dec. 23
Sponsored by Phillips 66
Who’s ready for the holidays? Children’s Museum Houston and the citizens of Whoville are! The “Mean One” is ready to steal the spotlight with a dance party and comes bringing fun games for all. Listen to a Whoville resident’s classic holiday tale during story time and watch a merry dance performed by 6th Positions Dance Co.

Sleigh All Day with Santa
Dec. 24, Special Holiday Hours: Open Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 
Sponsored by Phillips 66
The big jolly man in red and white invites you to fuel up with cookies at Children’s Museum Houston before his big flight around the world. Join the holiday countdown with Santa Claus and hear a holiday story from Buddy the Elf. Don’t forget you’re making a list and that he checks it twice before it’s too late! P.S. Remember to bring your own wish list!

Belle's Holiday Fun
Dec. 26
Funded in part by City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Be our guest at Children’s Museum Houston as Princess Belle comes to visit! Listen as Belle comes tell a holiday story during story time and create magical rose snow globes. 

Jack and the Beanstalk by Ensemble Theatre
Dec. 28 during Free Family Night Thursday
Sponsored by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance
Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum! Express Children’s Theatre puts a new spin on a tale as old as time. This hip-hop variation of Jack and the Beanstalk has a positive message the whole family can appreciate. Stick around for magical theatre workshops after each performance.

Wonka's Winter Wonderland
Dec. 29
Funded in part by City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance
Come celebrate “Pure Imagination” at Children’s Museum Houston’s Willy Wonka inspired event that is sweet as candy. Milky way to story time as Willy Wonka tells his tale that will “bake” everyone laugh and smile. 

Butterfly Buddies by Express Children's Theatre
Dec. 30
Sponsored by City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Mid-America Arts Alliance
Join Express Children’s Theatre for a fluttery fabulous story about a group of butterflies who must learn to work together to save their endangered habitat. This fly performance is also bilingual and interactive with the audience. Learn how to dance like a butterfly with workshops immediately following each performance!

Rockin' New Year's Noon Bash
Dec. 31, Special Holiday Hours: Open Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 
Kids finally don’t have to stay up till midnight to celebrate the New Year! Children’s Museum Houston’s Rockin’ New Year’s Noon is the city’s longest-running New Year’s Eve celebration just for kids with music, magic, and more! This end-of-year bash rings in the New Year at the stroke of noon with a ball drop, just like in Times Square, a noon countdown, and a DJ dance party!