That’s a Wrap! {Hop Around Houston Summer Play Date Series 2015}

Wow. Just wow! When our Executive Team began planning our Hop Around Houston Summer Play Date Series back in January {yes, for real – January!}, we were expecting big things. However, we didn’t anticipate how EPIC it would be. Over 5,000 of you joined our event Facebook group to keep up with the latest and greatest as we announced the play dates and sponsors. Every.single.playdate – 8 in total – completely sold out, many within minutes of posting the tickets. To say we were blown away would be a massive understatement. We were overjoyed to spend our summer with you hopping around Houston and introducing you to some of our favorite venues. If you didn’t have a chance to snag tickets, no worries! We have recapped the entire series below for you and highly encourage you to check out all of our amazing hosts, many of whom are perfect for taking classes this fall, hosting your own play dates with your mom groups, and even birthday parties! Thank you all who came out for this series. It was so fun to get to know you and your kiddos, and we hope you made a friend or five along the way as well.

Before I dive right in, I first have to say that none of this would have been possible without our incredibly generous Title Sponsor, NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care! With four convenient locations all over our city, NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care provides quality, affordable, and compassionate pediatric urgent after hours care for infants, children, and adolescents. I don’t know about you, but rarely do my kiddos get sick during their regular pediatrician hours. I feel such comfort in knowing we have a trustworthy place to take them, to treat everything from sinus infections and allergic reactions to broken bones. NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care is open weekdays, weeknights, and all holidays, and we suggest you bookmark the page for when you need care for your kiddo!

Of course, a great, big, HUGE shout out to our 8 amazing play date date hosts. These guys completely knocked it out of the park for each and every “hop”, and we were thrilled to introduce other Houston moms to the fantastic venues. Be sure to watch the video to get a little peek into all of the fun, and then check them out below and show them some love this fall. Summer 2015, you were too good to us. We can’t wait for 2016!

Hop Around Houston with Stomping Grounds Playland

Stomping Grounds Playland in Sugar Land was the perfect start to our play date series! Moms and kids alike were able to escape the summer heat and explore their massive indoor playground. The kiddos absolutely wore themselves out while us mamas kicked back and visited with one another over a perfectly brewed cup of coffee made right there in Brewster’s Cafe. Stomping Grounds was also generous enough to provide a choice of snacks for the kiddos after all that running and jumping. We cannot say enough about this venue – perfect for a mid-week play date or a fabulous birthday party location your guests will rave about! 

15415b Southwest Freeway
Sugar Land, TX 77478
281.313.3800
[email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Hop Around Houston with Sylvan Learning Center {Katy}

At Sylvan Learning Center of Katy’s Robotics play date, our kids were able to combine fun with learning! Each child worked together with a buddy to plan and build a new robot using LEGO® bricks, letting their creativity and imaginations run wild! Along the way, they learned science and engineering concepts, such as how pulleys, levers, and motors work. It was a perfect play date for those kiddos who are into building and creating and discovering how things work. In fact, since this one sold out in record time, Sylvan was generous enough to open up a second play date to accommodate as many kiddos as possible. Their Robotics programs, as well as other math/science classes and ongoing tutoring continues all year long, so be sure and check them out this fall!

19734 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77094
281.492.7085
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Hop Around Houston with crescendo family music

Wow… Our play date at crescendo family music was SO much fun! It was ideal for our younger set of birth through Kinder ages, and the parents and kiddos both had an absolute ball making music together, dancing, using instruments, and more. We were also super excited to learn that crescendo family music does birthday parties – either at their location…OR at yours! How fun would that be?!? Of course, don’t forget about their ongoing fall classes too because registration is open now!

@ Nia Moves
508 Pecore Street
Houston, TX 77009
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Hop Around Houston with The Houston Fire Museum

Our kiddos had a BLAST playing at the Houston Fire Museum play date! From a presentation with real Houston Fire Department firefighters to dressing up as their heroes, to a fun arts and crafts project and more – our little ones were constantly learning, playing, and meeting new friends. We even overheard several mamas talking about booking birthday parties there too, so we know it was a BIG hit! Bonus was all the mommas snagging pictures of their kiddos in perfectly sized uniforms and sliding down the emergency pole. And we cannot thank the HFD enough for being willing to pose for pictures on the actual firetruck outside the museum. What a great day!

2403 Milam Street
Houston, TX 77006
713.524.2526
Website | Facebook

Hop Around Houston with NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care {Pearland}

Our amazing title sponsor NightLight Pediatric Urgent Care completely outdid themselves for the “Teddy Bear Clinic” play date.  All of our little ones were transformed into junior doctors, as they traveled from station to station caring for their beloved stuffies and nursing them back to health. And along the way, they even got to pose for a photo op with the one and only – Doc McStuffins!!! We could not have been more impressed with the knowledgeable and friendly staff. To top it all off, we enjoyed mixing, mingling, and noshing on delicious donuts courtesy of Shipley and super blends from Love Child Organics! What a fantastic play date, and we absolutely encourage you to visit NightLight Pediatrics for all of your weeknight and weekend urgent care needs. 

2803 Business Center Drive #118
Pearland, TX 77584
281.990.3030
Website | Facebook | Twitter

Hop Around Houston with Happy Family

Summer is the perfect time to get cooking with your kids and discover yummy {and healthy} foods that the whole family will love! Together with Happy Family, we pretty much took over Whole Foods in Katy for a cooking play date geared towards all ages – from the tiniest of palates just embarking on their first foods to toddlers who are experimenting with texture and flavor to big kids who are hungry for more, and y’all…it was such a blast! The kiddos had a ball coloring, crafting, and of course – cooking! Then, they were able to do a scavenger hunt for healthy foods throughout the store too.

Our last and final stop on the play date train was Sylvan Learning Center of Sugar Land! The first Robotics play date was such a big hit that we just had to add in another date for our Southwestern folks – on a Saturday no less, so our working mommas could partake in the fun. And oh my – it was a hit! Both the kiddos AND the parents had a ball building robots and using their STEM skills to make all sorts of fantastic creations. And of course, we all loved that Grimaldi’s Pizzeria filled our belly after all of that hard work too. What a fantastic way to wrap up this fun-filled series!

2649 Town Center Boulevard North
Sugar Land, TX 77479
281.980.1199
Website | Facebook | Twitter

While our play date may have come to a close, the fun certainly doesn’t have to stop there!  We are well known for hosting play dates all year long, AND we are working on an over the top Birthday Bash to celebrate our quickly approaching 2nd birthday too.  Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so you don’t miss out!  And if you have a business or brand that is interested in getting involved in next year’s Hop, contact Meagan, our Project Coordinator, at meagan {at} houstonmomsblog {dot} com to get your name on the list too!