The fun begins in downtown Columbus with fountains designed for kids to run through at Bicentennial and North Bank parks along the Scioto Mile river walk. You'll find plenty of attractions fit for the family during your time in the heart of Ohio.
1. The Center of Science and Industry
Fascinate young minds with a trip to the Center of Science and Industry, commonly known as COSI. A general admission ticket opens a world of interactive exhibits covering more than 320,000 square feet. Daredevils can ride a unicycle on a high wire two stories above the ground below. Don't worry, Mom—a harness keeps children onboard, and a 250-pound counterweight below the wire keeps everything upright. Some other attractions at the center cost a nominal fee, like the National Geographic Giant Screen Theater, themed interactive adventures or a planetarium show. Not enough time to do it all in one day? The center offers two-day tickets to keep your busy scientist happy.
2. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
With more than 10,000 animals to see, pet and feed, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium provides the latest and greatest of the animal kingdom. This theme park-zoo combo features 13 rides and two playgrounds in addition to the animal and aquatic exhibits. Set sail on the Pirate Experience where life-sized animatronic pirates battle to preserve the earth's ecosystems in the Australia and the Islands area of the park. Meet animals from land and sea at the Jungle Jack’s Landing, where the kiddos can pet a stingray before riding bumper cars. Buy a Zoo-It-All wristband to get unlimited access to all the rides on the day you visit.
3. Olentangy Indian Caverns
See what life was like for the Wyandotte Indians as you explore their underground world at the Olentangy Indian Caverns. Squeeze through narrow passages just over a foot wide to reach caverns as deep as 105 feet under the earth's surface. Mother Nature carved out a natural entrance and ventilation shaft, which recirculates the air every 30 minutes and keeps the temperature at a brisk 54 F year-round. Explore rooms where the Wyandotte kept warm during harsh Ohio winters and hid from their enemies, the Delaware Indians. Visit the council chamber where the inhabitants gathered and fashioned tools and arrows. Enjoy guided tours during the summer months, or pay the admission and explore the caves on your own autumn through springtime.
4. Take them out to a Ballgame
Wednesday nights are kid's nights at Huntington Park, home to the Columbus Clippers minor league baseball team. The Huntington Knot Hole Kids Club gives children 12 and under free admission to Wednesday night games when you pick up a kids club card at a Huntington Bank or the Clippers office. Head to the park on select Sundays for the Bob Evans Family Day. For just $15, two adults and four kids under 18 can watch every strikeout and stolen base from the outfield stands or lawn seating area. After the game, kids can take to the field and run the bases during the Commit to be Fit Fun Run. Be sure to bring your gloves!
5. Columbus Children's Theater
Boredom won’t be an option at the Columbus Children's Theater, which has been entertaining and engaging young minds since 1963. Kids as young as 1 can enjoy toddler-oriented one-act plays that last about 30 minutes. One-act musicals and plays lasting about an hour are just right for kids ages 3 to 12, and longer programs are designed with teens in mind. Beloved characters, such as the Cat and the Hat, Sleeping Beauty and Snoopy, will have kids laughing and clapping with delight while delivering life lessons. You'll find the Columbus Children's Theater in the Short North area, just a block from the convention center.
6. Get Creative
Kids will find more to do at the Columbus Museum of Art than just look at artwork. The museum's Center for Creativity is brimming with interactive adventures designed to engage. Head into the Wonder Room where local artists have created a woodland paradise. Kids can dress up, play in a treehouse or build their own trees. The concept of play helps shape minds in the Big Idea Gallery where kids, and curious learners of all ages, can let their creativity soar with blocks, clay and other sculpting materials. Check the events calendar before planning your trip to the museum to join in family scavenger hunts or art sessions.