I LOVE that there are plenty of cheap/free things to do right here in Central Ohio for kids of all ages. Here are a few of my favorite 
picks … just in time for summer vacation:
- Family Nights at the Columbus Zoo. (4-8 p.m. Wednesdays from June 24-August 20) See the awesome animal exhibits (the North America region is always an exciting place to wander at sundown), take part in family activities at the Water’s Edge events park and more!
- Dive In Movies at Zoombezi Bay. Surprise the kids with a night at the movies—viewed from atop a floating raft in the Wild Tides Wave Pool! They’ll be talking about this experience for years to come.
- Feed their need for speed with a visit to SportsOhio for a spin on one of the 30 Go Karts, with designs inspired by Nascar cars. Drivers must be 40” tall and driven by someone age 18+ ($5 for five minutes)—but the Rookie Track caters to ages 4-10 ($2 for three minutes).
- The Abbey Theater (tucked inside the Dublin Community Recreation Center), offers great children’s programming year-round. Summer family-friendly shows include “Pushcart Players” (June 25), “That 70s Cindy—Abbey Players” (July 6-10) and Madcap Puppet Theatre (Aug. 20). Show prices range from Free–to-$7/per person.
- Ballantrae Park Splash Pad. You’ve heard us talk about this no-cost, wet wonderland before. Put the kids in their suits, pack a picnic then let ‘em play, climb the hill near the Dancing Hares sculptures and have fun! Free!
- Go Ahead & Play with your Food! Central Ohio is rich in factory tours (most of which are free or cheap). Discover the secret of the French Pot method of ice cream making during the self-guided tour at Graeter’s Bethel Road location (free). Watch the movie “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”—then go see the real step-by-step process of making fine chocolates during the Anthony Thomas Chocolate Factory Tour (also free). Or check out The American Whistle Factory–so your kids can see for themselves how they get the little ball inside the whistle. ($4/per person, includes whistle.)
Need more ideas? Visit the Dublin Convention & Visitors Bureau’s online Calendar of Events.
-Post by Mary
June 23, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Great Post… Thought I’d leave a link over to our blog since we’re in the same geographical and topic area. My family and I have agreed to attempt a grand experiment. All summer, we’ve eliminated television. That’s right, the Time Warner Cable has been shutdown. To that end, we’re finding new and exciting ways to spend our time — we have several posts on TV Free Family Fun in Dublin, Ohio. Hope you find it useful.
June 24, 2009 at 9:58 am
You are brave, indeed! But what a great way to truly take advantage of some quality family time. We’ll be checking out some of your tips. Thanks for the comment!
November 19, 2009 at 4:54 pm
Any good fall/winter fun ideas?
My 2 year-old and I will be looking for some fun activities on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
November 20, 2009 at 10:31 am
Yes! Dublin has lots of fun fall/winter things for kids/families to do. If the weather isn’t too cold, you could go on a fun and adventurous “treasure hunt” along the scenic Scioto River and find the Dublin Arts Council’s Riverboxes (www.dublinarts.org) Don’t miss Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo (opens today –Nov. 20–and runs through the holidays). Dublin’s Coffman Park offers the best sledding hill anywhere around … so keep that in mind for those snowy days. (The city of Dublin, OH even lines the sledding hill with big straw bales as a protective perimeter for those sledders!)
Check out the space themed play area at The Mall at Tuttle Crossing, visit the Dublin Library for fun storytimes and special kids programs. Check out the Dublin Community Recreation Center’s great indoor pools, classes and family-focused theatre productions in the 250-seat Abbey Theatre (www.dublin.oh.us).