City and County Parks
Ohio has a wide range of city and county parks that have activities that cater to families with toddlers. One such park is Sharon Woods, which is a part of the Hamilton County Park District, located near Cincinnati. When the weather is nice, toddlers can play outside at the Sharon Woods Harbor playground, which features a splash playground with water fountains and sprays during the summertime. If the weather is less-than-ideal, let the kids play inside at the Adventure Station, which is an indoor treehouse playground.
Sharon Woods
11450 Lebanon Road
Sharonville, Ohio 45241
www.hamiltoncountyparks.org/parks/sharonwoods.htm
State Parks
Let toddlers explore the great outdoors in Ohio state parks. In addition to traditional trail systems, many state parks also feature paved trails, which are ideal for stroller use when your child is too tired to walk. The Ash Cave trail at Hocking Hills State Park is one example of a paved trail. Also have backpacks suitable for carrying toddlers when exploring park trails. Many state parks in Ohio also feature multiple accommodation options, including campgrounds, cottages, cabins and lodge facilities.
Hocking Hills State Park
19852 State Route 664 S
Logan, Ohio 43138
(740) 385-6842
www.ohiodnr.com/parks/parks/hocking/tabid/743/Default.aspx
Zoos and Aquaria
Introduce your children to exotic animals by taking a trip to the zoo. There are several zoos in Ohio, including zoos in Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo and Cleveland. In addition to opportunities to explore the zoo's inhabitants, most zoos feature special petting zoos and activities especially for young children.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
4850 West Powell Road
Powell, Ohio 43065
(800) 666-5397
www.columbuszoo.org
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
3400 Vine St.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45220-1333
(513) 281-4700
www.cincinnatizoo.org
Toledo Zoo
2 Hippo Way
Toledo, Ohio 43609
(419) 385-4040
www.toledozoo.org
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
3900 Wildlife Way
Cleveland, Ohio 44109
(216) 661-6500
www.clemetzoo.com
Museums
Hands-on museums allow your toddler to get rid of excess energy and learn something new at the same time. COSI, located in Columbus, is a hands-on science museum. The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, located in Dayton, has a play space specifically for toddlers that features a fossil pit that children can dig through. The Cincinnati Children's Museum features a huge animal-themed semi-enclosed playground and a water table with a number of different machines for children to use.
COSI
333 W. Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 228-2674
www.cosi.org
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
2600 DeWeese Parkway
Dayton, Ohio 45414
(937) 275-7431
www.boonshoftmuseum.org
Cincinnati Children's Museum
1301 Western Ave
Cincinnati, Ohio 45203-1123
(513) 287-7000
www.cincymuseum.org
Farms
Farms open to the public offer families the opportunity to explore where their food comes from. Particularly fun times to visit Ohio's farms are in the early fall, when families are able to pick their own apples or pick their own pumpkin from the farm's pumpkin patch. Other autumn farm activities may include hayrides or corn mazes to explore.
Young's Dairy Farm
6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd
Yellow Springs, Ohio 45387
(937) 325-0629
www.youngsdairy.com
Pioneer Trail Orchard
6313 Pioneer Trail
Hiram, Ohio 44234-9744
(330) 569-7464
www.pioneertrailorchard.com
Indoor Activity Centers
If the weather outside is frightful and your toddler is running amok in the house, it may be time to explore one of Ohio's many indoor activity centers. These centers offer children the opportunity to climb, explore, jump and run, all in a safe environment.
EnterTRAINment Junction
7379 Squire Ct.
West Chester, Ohio 45069
(513) 898-8000
entertrainmentjunction.com
Bananas!
7102 Hamilton Mason Rd.
Liberty Township, Ohio 45011
(513) 777-9200
bananasplay.com
Run Jump -n- Play
8481 Duke Blvd.
Mason, Ohio 45040
(513) 701-7529
runjumpnplay.com
