*Reservations required. Please call 281-446-8588.
Summer Nature Camp held each summer is a free four-day (Tuesday through Friday) nature program for children between the ages of 5 and 12. Featuring a variety of themed nature subjects and held mostly outdoors, camp sessions include ranger talks, guided nature walks through the forest, and visits to the ponds, swamps, and Spring Creek.
The games, activities, and crafts are suited for age brackets of 5 and 6, 7 through 9, and 10 through 12. Four-day sessions focus on each age bracket, and participants must be able to attend the full week of activities. The 10- through 12-year-old activities include Junior Canoe Training and a field trip.
Registration begins the first Saturday in May and requires proof of the child’s birth date, a valid parent’s identification, and Harris County residency. Space is limited in each age bracket. Registration for residents outside of Harris County begins the first Sunday in May and is based on space availability.
Homestead Heritage Day is held the second Saturday in February.
Many of the different eras of Texas’ fascinating history are showcased at this festival. The Redbud Hill Homestead comes alive with old-fashioned, hands-on activities for kids, period re-enactments, and a bustling, filled-to-the-brim day complete with re-enactors, historians, and volunteers.
At Homestead Heritage Day, held the second Saturday in February, and Pioneer Day, held the second Saturday in November, visitors can travel back in time by making corn husk dolls, bonnets, lye soap, beeswax candles, and much more. See how the early inhabitants of Texas made and used their tools and weapons. A skirmish provides a living-history look at the authentic weaponry, costumes, and significance of Civil War battles. Volunteers and staff show visitors how early settlers built and protected their homesteads. You might even get to taste some authentic pioneer cooking!
NatureFest is held the first Saturday in March.
Naturefest started in 2005 as an opportunity for visitors to learn about nature and outdoor recreational opportunities in the Houston area. What began with a few exhibitors and speakers has grown into an all-day event featuring educational booths, a variety of guided hikes, outdoor workshops, pontoon boat tours, and presentations from local experts on nature-related topics. This is the perfect event for anyone interested in learning more about outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the Houston area.
NatureFest is dedicated to educating and introducing visitors to nature and outdoor recreation around the Houston area. This event includes exhibitors with information on local plant and animal life as well as recreational opportunities and educational materials. Presentations by noted speakers, guided hikes, pontoon boat tours, and workshops are also offered each year. This is a great opportunity for visitors of all ages to learn about and experience nature firsthand.
Tricks & Treats is held the last Saturday in October. The park comes to life with family-friendly creatures along a free trick-or-treat trail. Enjoy games, hayrides, and live creepy critters during this fun, safe JJPV sponsored event.
Pioneer Day is held the second Saturday in November.
Volunteers and re-enactors demonstrate settler life in Stephen F. Austin’s colony during the 1820s and early 1830s. Old-fashioned crafts, demonstrations, and period re-enactments bring the homestead to life. Witness a living-history look at authentic weaponry and costumes, woodworking, blacksmithing, open fire cooking, spinning and weaving and a skirmish depicting the Texas Revolution.
Old-Fashioned Christmas is held the first Saturday in December.
Witness and participate in holiday traditions of long ago as the homestead comes aglow with choirs, Santa and his elves, and wonderful holiday pageantry.
There’s nothing like Jones Park’s annual Old-Fashioned Christmas to get you in the Yuletide spirit! Held the first Saturday in December, visitors are taken back in time for an evening of food and festive entertainment. Reservations are required for this event.
Tadpoles Club is a program for children ages 3 and 4, offered Wednesdays in September, November, January, March, and May each year. The Tadpoles Club is designed to spur an interest and love for nature in preschoolers. A different nature topic is covered each Wednesday by a ranger or volunteer, and age-appropriate crafts and stories help make lessons fun. There are two one-hour time slots to choose from: 10:30 a.m. or 1 p.m., and sign-up is for the entire month.
Adults must accompany their 3- and 4-year-olds. To insure the highest quality program experience and prevent distractions, older or younger siblings are not allowed to attend. Call the park office at 281-446-8588 for reservations.
Pioneer Tours
Tuesdays & Thursdays during the school year
First Graders – Adults
Includes a video about Jones Park, time to explore Nature Center exhibits, a one-third-mile walk to and from, and a guided tour of the 1830s Redbud Hill Homestead and Akokisa Indian Village.
Pioneer TOTS
Last Monday of each month during the school year at 10 a.m. or 11 a.m.
Pre-K & Kindergarten (4-6 years old)
With the help of a printed guide, teachers and students take a 45-minute tour of the Homestead and visit up to four stations (which may include a settler life introduction, blacksmithing, hunting skills, gardening, woodworking, women’s handiwork, and more) where staff members dressed in authentic clothing demonstrate settler life. Includes a one-third-mile walk to and from.
Pioneer TYKES
Fridays at 10 a.m. during the school year
First – Seventh Graders
Staff members and Quest Early College High School volunteers, dressed in authentic clothing, guide classes through a 45- minute tour of Homestead stations and structures. Includes a one-third-mile walk to and from.
Nature Tours
Tuesdays & Thursdays during the school year
First Graders – Adults
Includes a video about Jones Park, time to explore Nature Center exhibits, and a half-mile to one-mile guided nature walk with emphasis on plant and animal habitats. Tailored tours for students and adults in middle school or older may be requested. Topics may include water ecology, water quality/pollution, and plant and animal adaptions.