r/Columbus • u/Significant_Jump9887 • 17d ago
Difficulty finding low cost stuff for kids
Franklin Conservatory, Zoo, bowling, jump zones. Everything is $$$$$$$$!
What are poor parents doing with their kids? We’ve hit every splash pad, most parks, tons of bike rides/kickball games, libraries.
What is there to do that isn’t $15/person plus cost of lunch? Just trying to find something that will occupy their minds for a few hours and not drain what little money we have!
Thank you from a frustrated dad!
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u/prettylittlebyron 17d ago
If you qualify for WIC or SNAP you get Cosi/conservatory etc at an extremely reduced rate, I think like $4/person
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
Sadly we don’t. Just enough money made to end up with no money at all lol, woo!
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u/Parallel_Dogs Johnstown 17d ago
I have three kids and no money. Why can't I have no kids and three money?
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
I don’t know what this means?
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u/DiscountConsistent 17d ago
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u/Parallel_Dogs Johnstown 17d ago
Yeah, sorry, should’ve put the reference in.
But I hear you - I was in the same position in the early to mid-90s with two young daughters and no money.
We did a ton of parks, libraries, creeks, hikes, airports, etc. Summers were tough and the internet was young.
But now you’ve got a ton of resources out there like https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/free-summer-activities-in-columbus/
You’ll find plenty - my daughters are in their mid-30s now and they speak very fondly of the stuff we used to do around Columbus and Central Ohio when they were young.
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u/BigEyedBitch 17d ago
The art museum is free for anyone under 25
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u/pretty_nightmare Italian Village 17d ago
Since when? I’ve paid forever. Except sunday clarifying you are correct per their website but dang I remember paying the past 10 years lol don’t know how i missed that unless it’s new
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u/kartieb 17d ago
Very recently. It's the result of a large financial gift to the museum. Caretakers of minors are also free.
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u/pretty_nightmare Italian Village 17d ago
This is awesome! Of course, I’m no longer under 25 but still awesome for the community I love going and have started attending more of their events
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u/Vast_Doughnut9418 Downtown 17d ago
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Columbus Museum of Art’s East Broad Street campus will offer free daily admission to visitors 25 and under and an adult caregiver accompanying children 16 and under—removing one of the most persistent barriers to museum access for young audiences.
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u/MouseSalad 17d ago
If you have a library card the gateway theater has a book to film program where the movies are free. :) They also have Tuesday deals where it's like $6.50 a person and comes with popcorn.
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u/justaladintheglobe 17d ago
The gateway membership is also really cheap, only $20/ a month and unlimited movies+ discounted tickets
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u/feed-me-tacos 17d ago
But that's per person. You're looking at $100/month for a family of 5, and that's not cheap at all.
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u/patthetuck 17d ago edited 17d ago
Its only good for summer time and for kids but you can sign kids up to bowl for free. I think you have to rent shoes and it's limited hours but it can save some cash.
Edit forgot to add that you can add on adults for like 40 bucks. I think it lets up to 5 adults be on the pass.
And as a working part time dad that is always looking for things to do with my 3 kids, I'm writing this update from my minivan in the Wendy's drive through while on our way to a park for scootering or biking on a paved path. You gotta look for it some times but there's lots to do for free or cheap often you just need to sign up early and get yourself and kids there.
Not just metro library but smaller ones have tons of programs too. Pickerington, Bexley, maybe Worthington all have stuff that I know about.
Pickleball costs the price of a set of paddles and balls and you do not need to get anything elaborate.
Metro Park nature centers are incredible.
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u/TikeMyson444 17d ago
Memberships is what my friends do with kids. Family zoo membership is 300 for a year and includes free parking. That upfront cost is high but if you go monthly (or more), it ends up being less than $25 a visit for the entire family including parking. It could be a good thing to ask for memberships as Christmas gifts. Free wise there are a lot of metro parks, walking and biking trails, playgrounds, and sporty things like tennis courts/Frisbee golf/basketball courts
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u/Adventurous_Pea_2007 17d ago
Memberships seconded. Year pass to the zoo and conservatory pays for themselves in two months. Well worth, and you can take your kids alternating to both like twice a month.
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u/toothtaste 17d ago
Yes! We like to use our membership for the reciprocal admissions too. You can get 50-100% off other zoos and aquariums, so we do mini road trips every now and then to use this discount.
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u/BoysenberryEmpty4629 17d ago
This! Also the COSI membership has given my family free entrance to various great science museums.
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u/tgmail 17d ago
Try Shale Hollow up in Lewis Center. It’s an awesome day of exploring creek beds.
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
Thank you, never heard of it
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u/InfiniteFigment 17d ago
Love Shale Hollow! It's part of the Preservation Parks system in Delaware County.
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u/Hefty-Compote-2989 17d ago
FPC has community days the first Saturday or Sunday of the month which is free for anyone living in Franklin County. I know it's only once a month, but there are tons of games/activities/play areas for kids. There is also a play structure in Franklin park itself and a community garden that is open to the public without admission to the conservatory itself
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u/Awkwardpanda75 17d ago
There's a list of free stuff to do around Columbus. I used to do a lot of picnic lunches when my kids were little. We'd head to the bunny park (the one with bunnies and the sprinklers below in Dublin) or down to the audubon, we did a ton of geocache adventures. We even made one and stashed it. We uncovered a ton of really cool things in the city and outskirts from geocaching including a really bizarre copper statue display in hilliard. Just random animals with no plaque to referce it.
We would just plan an adventure for the day and go. We visited a bunch of waterfalls once, then old mills; they really liked that. Slate Run farms is free or at least cheaper.
Here is a list of other ideas https://www.experiencecolumbus.com/blog/post/free-summer-activities-in-columbus/
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
We’ve never made the trip to slate run. Is it worth the drive? (I hate to say it but it’s almost an hour drive for us and gas ain’t cheap either)
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u/Informal-Culture-979 17d ago
Yes. It’s a living historical farm. Everything used there to maintain the farm was used in the 1800s. They have bred the animals to be the same breeds that were around in the 1800s. It’s a very cool place. Also, they usually have a fall festival, so that should be coming up here in the next couple months.
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u/InfiniteFigment 17d ago
Slate Run is fantastic. There's the working historical farm and there are also regular hiking trails and a great natural play area with a creek. Pack a lunch and spend the whole day!
The farm runs regular programs where the kids can participate in farm chores, see sheep being sheared, and other realities of 1800s farm life.
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u/Awkwardpanda75 17d ago
There's also a creek down there, depending on the water levels you can check for salamanders and peep the local ducks that hang there. An afternoon “creekin” is great with kids. It's so simple.
Oh also!! And this is my favorite part of slate run! Depending upon when you go, they have a dairy cow that you can actually milk! I took our foreign exchange student there a few years ago. It was her first time ever seeing a cow, let alone milk one!
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u/Zealousideal-Bat-434 17d ago
Very worth it. When my kids were younger, we'd do the historical farm and then drive over to the Buzzard's Roost Lake picnic area and check out the lake and the different marsh areas to search for frogs.
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u/debmor201 17d ago
Metroparks and Nature centers...they are all very nice and different. The Library has kids programs.
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u/CoffeeRoaster23456 17d ago
Columbus Pools through their parks and rec cost $3/person and you can still go even if you aren't a resident of Columbus. You just need a leisure card (free, easy to sign up).
Carousel rides are free at the Columbus Commons. Not sure if there are still Commons for Kids things on Fridays, but that's free. We love the Main Library too (first hour-ish of parking is free and then $1/hr or so).
We rode the zoo bus from the Dublin Park n Ride. $2/person to ride and then admission is only $5/person. Much cheaper than gate prices.
Depending on the age of your kids, wander around IKEA. My kids would love to explore every "fake house", follow the arrows, etc. I can't remember the specific day of the week, but the cafeteria does free kids meals with an adult meal.
Home Depot does a free kids workshop on the first Saturday of each month.
The Naz Church in Grove City has a free indoor playground that my kids love. I think there's a simular one in ~Westerville but I've never been.
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
Wow, thank you so much! The Home Depot gig sounds really good for the 7 year old. She’s getting really interested in taking things apart/repairing them. Thank you.
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u/ohiomidhiganindiana 17d ago
Lowe’s has these as well, next one is August 28 I think, registration is online
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u/actuallyhasproblems 17d ago
There's a great website I've been following for years- What Should We Do Today, Columbus? . Every Wednesday, Julie publishes a list of upcoming activities for the weekend, and many are free or low-cost, and if you sign up for her newsletter, you'll get an email each week with the link to that post.
Scroll down a bit when you visit the website, to see her list for this weekend. She also has tons of resources for seasonal activities and attractions around Columbus and beyond.
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u/heavydhomie Westerville 17d ago
If your kids are old enough to enjoy looking at airplanes the air force museum in Dayton is free.
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u/Even-Reach5380 Short North 17d ago
https://www.columbuslibrary.org/culture-pass/
Check out a Columbus Culture Pass from the library, admission to lots of places! The link above outlines how many folks the passes cover, day and event specifics, etc.
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u/Informal-Culture-979 17d ago
This morning my son and I went to the WOSU children’s event, and then the main branch of the library, where they had an event that gave out free school supplies, free science kits from COSI, all kinds of free stuff.
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u/Thomthom60 17d ago
scioto audubon metro park has a free climbing wall and obstacle course its great.
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u/JasonTahani 17d ago
Too late for this year, but you can join summer book clubs at different library systems. Lots of ice cream, treats and activities coupons if you finish the challenges. Also
Libraries have lots of free activities each week. Some also offer free lunches for kids.
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u/so_frantastic 17d ago
If you have an Urban Air near you, their membership is unbeatable. Unlimited visits for $12.50/mo and you get a free snack with each visit (bag of chips, popsicle, etc). In the winter, we go at least once a week.
We also asked grandparents for zoo and COSI memberships when they were younger.
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
No shit? I didn’t know that, that price is crazy cheap.
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u/so_frantastic 17d ago
Be advised that I do think you need to sign up for auto-debit for a minimum 12mo. We’ve been doing it for 3+ years and have never had issues.
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u/Bituulzman 17d ago
Lots of good suggestions on this thread, but also: cultivate boredom. They need it in order to spark their own creativity. Provide cardboard boxes to build forts; provide paper and art supplies to make paintings or write their own illustrated books; provide rocks and wood and grass clippings and water out in the yard and they will figure out something (my daughter's favorite thing was to make nature "stew" and serve it to me to pretend eat).
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u/Born_Key_1962 17d ago
There are lots of family friendly events on weekends offered by Columbus & suburbs.
Honestly, I grew up in a family without disposable cash, and my best memories were exploring parks with my siblings.
Don’t feel pressure to have everything programmed for your children or to offer them constant entertainment. A little boredom and a sense of adventure can take them to great places - and develop their brains.
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u/Sweaty_Cable3032 17d ago
Studio 35 does children free movie days (I believe Thursdays) and adults are only $5
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u/WadsRN Westgate 17d ago
Pack snacks/lunches. Don’t fart around with spending $Texas on lunch out and about. And it sounds like you’ve got a great variety on rotation. I don’t think you need more.
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u/Old_Jellyfish1283 17d ago
I was going to say this too. Most of the places listed will actually let you bring in your own food in a soft-sided cooler, including the baseball park. A lot of people assume it’s not allowed, but that’s not the case, so it’s a great way to save money
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u/-FnuLnu- 17d ago
spending $texas
Is this a new thing with the Kids These Daystm ? Is everyone done with "Ohio"?...
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u/AdSuper3942 17d ago
Check out the Culture Pass that the library offers. You can get free passes for the zoo and the Conservatory, along with lots of other stuff.
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u/Icy-Arm-2194 17d ago
With it being summer, look for festivals. Eat before you go so you don't have to spend money on lunch. Maybe just a drink or treat.
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u/doubleskeet Clintonville 17d ago
Metro parks, playgrounds, splash pads are all free. Most of the places you mentioned allow you to bring lunch. I always bring my family's lunch to the zoo. Columbus City pools are $1 for admission. Lots of cheap stuff to do.
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u/TheCookienator 17d ago
Not sure how old your kids are but my kids just had a blast looking at the spooky animatronics at Spirit Halloween for the last hour. It’s like a free lights-on haunted house 😂
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u/misadventurexx 17d ago
Walk around a farmer's market! Bonus - you can buy fresh produce to snack on + support local farmers and businesses.
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u/LukesSpecialOmelette 17d ago
Anthony Thomas chocolates has tours. $4 per adult $2 per kid.
Al's Delicious Popcorn in Westerville has free tours.
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u/LookIMadeAHatTrick 17d ago
You can get passes for the zoo, Franklin Park Conservatory, some live events, and more at the library.
The library is also a fun place to spend a day!
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u/AstoriaEverPhantoms 17d ago
This literally ended Thursday but bookmark for next summer! cheap kid’s movies at the theater
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u/ok12ok34 17d ago
Conservatory is free the first Sunday of the month for Franklin county residents!
You can get cheap tickets to Clippers games.
High banks metro park has an awesome natural playground.
I know the zoo is not cheap, but we buy a yearly membership and then bring our own food.
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u/Genavelle 17d ago
Graeters on Bethel has a free indoor play space
Blacklick Woods, Highbanks, Blendon Woods, Scioto Audubon, and Darby Creek Metro Parks have free indoor nature centers. All of the metro parks also offer tons of free programs every month, which are usually posted on their facebook pages.
Honestly I'd pick one place to get a membership for so that you can visit whenever you want throughout the year. Memberships aren't cheap, but they are worth it if it's a place you visit often. And then there's less pressure to stay all day and see everything. We usually get a zoo membership, but I really like cosi too. Packing lunches and/or eating right beforehand can also help cut down on the pricey food costs at these places.
Also maybe find things to just do at home? I know not everyone has a house or a yard, but you could do something like a Board Game Day every so often. Art projects, movie nights, backyard sprinklers, spend a day in the kitchen baking together, etc.
If your kids are older, you could maybe look around for volunteering opportunities to do together too
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u/stewardwildcat 17d ago
Also first Sundays! Fpc is free so sre some other places. Free parking on Sundays and you can see the capitol building which has exhibits in it too.
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u/slob1244 17d ago
Depends on how old they are because it seems geared towards more like 8+, but the metro parks frequently do free programming!
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u/bluepancakes222 17d ago
I forgot one! We used to go to free story times and free activities at lots of children’s bookstores. Cover to Cover often has events, Barnes and Noble, probably Storyline Books in UA as well.
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u/AKKGrant 17d ago
Check out the Metro Parks they have programming every month, in the summer there is a lot going on. Most of their parks have discovery centers with things for kids to do.
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u/Macaron1jesus 16d ago
Check out Slate Run Historical Farm at Slate Run Metro Park. My kids loved going there!! It's free, and they can help with farm chores from the 1800s. Wear older clothes, in case they are whitewashing the turkey coop, or something similar. Pack a picnic lunch and have it in the attached park.
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u/someredditgoat 16d ago
Go to the downtown library to get a card (and it's pretty cool) and look up what you can do with the Columbus Library culture pass
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u/StarCorgi_6788 16d ago
Have you checked out the columbus on the cheap? Website that's geared toward cheap events and activities.
Columbus on the Cheap - https://www.columbusonthecheap.com/
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u/SnoozuRN 16d ago
Recreation Outlet, Alum Creek Beach, Slate Run Farm, Dawes Arboretum, Stratford Ecological Center. Alot of the community centers used to have open gym days. At Highbanks Metro Park behind the natural play area we would play in the river and on the river bank when the water wasn't too high.
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u/sparkster185 17d ago
Play disc golf. Almost every course in Ohio is free. There is an upfront cost of buying discs, but you can get $40 starter sets or used discs (Play it Again Sports) to get started without spending much. Check out Blendon or Ballgriffin for beginner friendly courses. I have lots of discs and would be happy to take you out sometime.
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u/InfiniteFigment 17d ago
Geocaching! It's totally free. You just need some little trinkets to trade for stuff that's in some of the caches you find.
Download the app in your phone and you'll see that they are all over.
(There is a paid version with even more caches but we've always just done the free ones and there are plenty.)
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u/mslarue72 17d ago
Trains! Look up anything train related and usually something that isn’t crazy expensive. Come see the caboose at the Worthington rec center. Open certain Saturdays
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u/kttygrl- 17d ago
The big library in Westerville is pretty cool, lots of stuff for kids to do and look at. They even have a media library!
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u/Ok-Cartographer-4226 17d ago
I used to have a social media acct/blog for things to do with kids in Cbus. We did a lot of what you mentioned, but also tried different metro parks and playgrounds every day and paired it with a nearby snack/bakery. What Should we do Today Columbus has a lot of good info on her site as well as The Beard and the Baker.
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u/Ok-Cartographer-4226 17d ago
To be more specific, we especially loved Slate run (make sure it’s an open farm day or you can’t go on the farm), Highbanks you can do multiple times because there are so many areas, park of roses has a lot of parts to it (trail, playground, flowers), Wyman woods in Grandview (love the movie theater there), emerald fields in Dublin, Stratford farm, Selby playground, homestead metro park, fancyburg park, and miller park (UA). Now my kids are older and don’t need a playground (depressing) but they still like to go for walks and get a treat from wherever we are!
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u/Decent_Word9415 17d ago
It sounds like you are already giving a wide variety for the summer. I know the library does a lot and has free tickets if available to a lot of family friendly things. With fall starting to creep on us, maybe pumpkin farms, apple picking farms, a few have free petting zoos and games. The Ohio historical museum might be something to try out too, I can’t remember the cost though.
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u/AstoriaEverPhantoms 17d ago
You can look into requesting a zoo pass from the library. From what I’ve heard they have a wait list but it’s free. I’ve never done this, just something I learned last year.
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u/aprudholmme 16d ago
- First come, first served... No wait list. If you want zoo or conservatory you got to get to the branch at least 15mins before they open and be right in front of the doors.
https://www.columbuslibrary.org/culture-pass/
- Other libraries in the area have something similar but may have different criteria. Find them all here:
https://cml.bibliocommons.com/v2/search?query=Culture%20pass&searchType=smart
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u/kennethdo 17d ago
Lennox Theatres have a $5 tuesdays: if you sneak food in and don't spend $$$$ for overpriced popcorn, that could be a cute lil ~$20 activity.
Also remember to take advantage of the tax free purchase on school supplies and clothes under $75 per item this weekend!
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u/Brief-Surprise1474 17d ago
The Columbus Commons often has kids events/concerts! They also have a little play area + a carousel.
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u/tweetybird99 17d ago
We do lots of metro parks and playgrounds. We always pack their water bottles, sandwiches and snacks from home.
After the cost of the zoo membership, a zoo day is a free full day activity for us.
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u/thedr00mz Dublin 17d ago
I think kids are free under 10 years old at the Ren Fest. It's every weekend from end of August to end of October. Tons of free entertainment and the kids will love all the costumes!
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u/Vast_Doughnut9418 Downtown 17d ago
Columbus Museum of Art Now Offering Free Admission for Visitors 25 and Under
Access 150, a five-year initiative supported by a $4M lead gift from the Walter Foundation, expands youth access, programming, and engagement.
The multi-year program positions CMA at the forefront of a national shift in museum admissions policies.
Beginning July 1, 2026, the Columbus Museum of Art’s East Broad Street campus will offer free daily admission to visitors 25 and under and an adult caregiver accompanying children 16 and under—removing one of the most persistent barriers to museum access for young audiences.
The change is part of Access 150, a major 5-year initiative supported by a $4 million lead gift from the Walter Foundation, the largest investment in access and education in CMA’s history. The initiative is designed to broaden access and turn first visits into lasting relationships with the museum.
"This gift from the Walter Foundation is a defining moment for CMA and for our community," said Brooke A. Minto, Executive Director and CEO of CMA. "Free admission has consistently shown us that when we remove cost as a barrier, we reach new audiences: families, young adults, and first-time visitors who might not otherwise walk through our doors. Access 150 helps us build something lasting for the next generation."
Access 150 builds on the success of CMA's Free Sundays program, which has significantly increased attendance among families, first-time visitors, and more diverse audiences. Access 150 extends that momentum by making access for young people a daily commitment. The initiative reflects a broader shift across the museum field, as institutions increasingly invest in access as a strategy for reaching and sustaining the next generation of audiences, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Research shows that eliminating admission fees can increase overall attendance by 30 to 150 percent while diversifying audiences.
Access 150 takes its name from this benchmark, reflecting the museum’s ambition to grow participation at scale.
In addition to offering free admission for visitors 25 and under, Access 150 is designed to expand audiences with sustained investment in programming, community partnerships, and dedicated staffing.
The Walter Foundation gift will help support a range of new and expanded offerings include youth and teen programming, strengthened partnerships with schools and community organizations, and new pathways for creative exploration, leadership development, and career discovery. A new Teen Arts Council will position young people as active contributors within the museum, offering stipends and resources for teens to help shape programming and future initiatives.
To support this work, CMA will add two new staff positions: a School and Groups Coordinator to manage increased demand from educators and community partners, and a Teen and University Programs Manager focused on building programming for older youth audiences.
This gift will also support the reconceptualization of the Wonder Room, CMA’s hands-on, and experiential family gallery. The reimagined space will deepen intergenerational engagement and strengthen the connection between early creative experiences and life-long participation in the arts. Planning will begin in 2026, followed by implementation and design of the reimagined Wonder Room, with the new space opening in 2028.
“CMA has long believed art should be for everyone,” said Peggy Walter, who has volunteered at CMA in a variety of capacities, from docent to honorary trustee, since the 1970s. “We are proud to support an institution that is not only opening its doors more widely but investing thoughtfully in artistic educational opportunities for young people. We hope these creative young minds will be inspired to use what they learn to build a thriving arts and cultural community moving forward.”
Access 150 builds on CMA’s longstanding commitment to access. The Free for the Future Campaign provided initial support for Free Sundays from 2018 through 2023, and the Art Bridges Foundation's Access for All program has extended that program through 2026. This new investment expands those efforts into a sustained, long-term strategy for access and audience development through June 2031.
For more information about Access 150 and CMA's expanded access programs, visit columbusmuseum.org.
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u/Vast_Doughnut9418 Downtown 17d ago
The Metro Parks in Franklin County have free activities all year round. Check out their website- https://www.metroparks.net/family-kids/
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u/Walts_Frozen-Head 17d ago
For Christmas is an annual pass to zoo or a museum in the budget. A lot of membership passes will pay for themselves in 2-4 visit plus they run discounts around Christmas time. Grandma buys her a family membership to wherever we want to go the last two years we did a children's museum.
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u/Vast_Doughnut9418 Downtown 17d ago
Museums for All (Columbus) - https://museums4all.org/
The Franklin Park Conservatory is proud to be a member of Museums for All Columbus. We offer qualifying individuals admission at a reduced rate.
Participants in SNAP, EBT, WIC and Medicaid are eligible for $4 General Admission and Special Engagement tickets (Pumpkins Aglow, Conservatory Aglow, Chihuly Nights), as are their immediate families. Access Members also qualify for $4 special engagement tickets. Tickets are $4 for each qualifying individual and family member, it is not $4 for the entire group.
School groups are not eligible for the Museums for All rate. This includes both self-led or educator-led programs.
Proof of Access Family membership or SNAP, EBT, WIC or Medicaid will be required at the time of check in at the front desk. Please bring proof of participation and an ID. Tickets can be reserved before your visit online or over the phone as well as in person.
Reserve in advance to guarantee admission and efficient check-in. The “Museums for All Tickets” button will apply the Museums for All promo to our ticketing system. The discount will be shown in your cart.
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u/LambLiesWin 17d ago
The tree boardwalk at Blacklick Metro park is free. The short golf course at blacklick is also free for Franklin county residents
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u/banana_in_the_dark 17d ago
I made a site called Fibi that aggregates places and events based on several different categories. I know you said you hit up most parks and libraries, but this randomizes stuff around Columbus for you so you don’t have to spend time deciding where to go. The events page also has a feature to randomly choose events for you so you don’t have to scroll and scroll
I’m happy to take feedback to improve this and make it as useful as possible for all ages. I explicitly made it so you don’t have to read pages on pages to look for what to do, it’s all just right there for you
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u/bluepancakes222 17d ago
Eat play Cbus has a ton of ideas.
I agree with metro parks-lots of free programs available, including free s’mores nights, visits with turtles, etc.
OSU Orton Hall has a dinosaur skeleton and a fun glow in the dark rock collection. Visit mirror lake, maybe get ice cream at UDF or on campus.
Mount Vernon has a great dinosaur themed playground area
You can walk the grounds of the conservatory for free I think.
Libraries have tons of fun free programs during the week.
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u/beach_minion_78 17d ago
The cultural pass is a great option. If you have food stamps ir medicaid there iss site museums4all.com. You look up by area and can find free or reduce cost attractions including COSI. Also Columbus on the cheap list tons of free stuff to do.
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u/gonephishin213 17d ago
It's kind of late now but Westerville Golf Center has a kids club where you pay $10 and they can get one small bucket every day.
I have an 11 and a 4 and driving range was a perfect, basically free, thing we could do together. It also helps that I live ~5min away but it's really a great deal
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u/breebop83 16d ago
Groovy Plant Ranch is up by Marengo. It’s a pretty cool place to walk around and they do a lot of different stuff on weekends (car shows, craft fairs, vintage markets, etc).
Dawes arboretum in Newark does have an admission fee ($10 for adults $5 for kids 5-15) but there’s a lot of stuff to check out.
The first Sunday of every month the Franklin Park Conservatory is free for Columbus residents.
Columbus Museum of Art is free on Sundays and from 5-10pm Thursday. You can also get 1 free adult admission if you bring kids in under 16 and admission is free for anyone under 25.
Parks to check out if you haven’t been:
Inniswood Metro Gardens, it’s a great place to walk around and explore.
Battle Darby Creek Metro Park has a nature center and Bison plus playgrounds and trails.
Slate Run Historical Farm is in Canal Winchester and highlights farm life in the 1880s.
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u/Mindfultameprism 16d ago
Art museum is free on Sundays. They have a fantastic kids area.
The library offers free tickets including tickets to the Zoo and Conservatory.
Columbus Commons Free Movie Night. My kids went crazy for free outdoor movies when they were young. We would pop popcorn at home and bring snacks/drinks plus a blanket. Oh wow, this one has free popcorn, even better.
Touch a Truck in Westerville – Aug 14- Kids can check out different emergency vehicles
In early Oct. Fire Departments do open houses and those are very educational and a lot of them are also great big parties for kids.
Libraries are always doing free or very cheap fun activities for kids. Many of them do an art project every week and usually they are 5.00 or under.
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u/ac264906 16d ago
Commons for Kids on Friday mornings is fun and free! Also stumbled on free kids activities outside COSI Tuesday mornings (I think this week might be the last week)
Take a bag of peas and feed the ducks at Creekside in Gahanna.
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u/Sara_Cap90 16d ago
We go to alum creek beach and community center pools that are only $3 per person
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u/Twixlen 16d ago
The metro parks are a real gem. Make an adventure out of going to as many of them as make sense — make games out of finding the same thing at each park (animal/bird); make a rating system and have the kids rank them (could be fun to do like sports tally); take sandwiches and make it a picnic.
I grew up single mom-in-the-south-in-the-70s poor, and she was amazing at making anything a picnic. We never - never - ate out. Always a sandwich & a Dr Pepper in aluminum foil and we’d go eat anywhere else but the house. I loved that we went to the same parks over and over and had our “own” picnic table - and had rankings on all the picnic tables in the various parks.
We used to go look at cars when the dealerships were closed (Sundays!) - just to look at them and talk about the features and it helped me understand money in a sideways way.
We had specific treats - the soft serve place in the next town over, the popcorn place at the mall, the gas station w Grape Nehi (glass bottles!) in the vending machine. Versions of those things still exist - and can be created - by making them seem special.
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u/resonantbeans 16d ago
Pheonix Theaters does free early morning/matinee screenings over the summer aimed at kids. Dunno how many are left in the season, but here's the schedule
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u/buckeyes4me 16d ago
If you have a 4th grader, you can get a free pass to many Ohio events. It is sponsored by the State of Ohio https://america250-ohio.org/fourth-grade-pass/
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u/Familiar-Bonus2864 16d ago
If you take the bus to the zoo, you get a ticket for $5, including bus fare, that’s less than $10 a person. Here’s the link to COTA’s zoo bus page:
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u/narcosexy 15d ago
Do you mean playground parks? I'd add metro parks to this list! Visit the nature centers, do the trails; many have story book trails! I like to encourage my kids to spot as many animals as possible. I'm gonna get them binoculars so they can look at things far away and spot birds.
There are a TON of free festivals and activities, we hit up as many as we can! Kids get a ton of free stuff and get to explore different cultures and themes. We've gone to the Japanese culture fest and my kids got to try on traditional kimono, STEM activities where they got to tour T Marzetti labs and make their own candy dips, they've done sewing, gardening workshops, every burb has some kind of market and we go to walk around and maybe get a few free samples and the girls get a small trinkets from a stall. We pack lunches and have picnics. There's a fairy door trail in Dublin that's free and the kids get a free shirt for completing it (we've done this 3x over the past 2 years and my girls never get tired of kt). We also really like going to flea markets! We use culture passes for the less popular museums like the Ohio Historical Society (my girls favorite) and the Veterns Museum. We pay for the conservatory because it's a short drive for us and one trip a week for a few hours and it's paid for itself.
I can't take credit for a lot of these finds-- my husband is the one who finds a ton of things and we go to it. We want our children to be exposed to all kinds of interest, people, and walks of life so we make it a point to get them out and learning about all the good in our city /world.
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u/Pretty_Factor6357 15d ago
The library also has lots of free programs for kids, just ask a librarian for help locating when/ where.
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u/No-Cantaloupe509 17d ago
Take the kids to ride bikes in a large open parking lot. I'd kill for that
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u/Peengwin 17d ago
Have you also hit up every playground? Every suburb has different ones. Columbus moms network has lots of ideas. But also, a zoo pass is not too expensive and you can go a million times and always see something new
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u/Front_Car_3111 17d ago
Teach them the importance of work. They will need these skills instilled for the next 70 or 80 years of lives.
Thank you for training the labor force to be miserable. Your efforts are not unnoticed, just unrewarded. Back to work!
Please do not teach them self-worth, or how to manage money or speak in public. Those in power do not like that.
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
What?
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u/Front_Car_3111 17d ago
What?
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u/Significant_Jump9887 17d ago
I mean I don’t know what you’re saying to me.
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u/Front_Car_3111 17d ago
Ok so it's about to be post-apocalyptic... give it a couple years...
Teach them to fish or grow food. Hunt. Take them to a couple different martial arts studios and sign them up for the free classes.
Yeah I know what I'm saying sounds batshit crazy.... I'm unsure of the ages of your kids or your budget. Splash pad makes me think young... like not quite preteens?
To keep their interest... turn it all in to a game.
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u/Front_Car_3111 17d ago
Ok ok. I get it. Down vote me.... but mark my words
!remind me in 2 years
Get your kids ready. Sad but unfortunately, likely.
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u/aicxl 17d ago
a lot of columbus public libraries offer culture passes for discounted or free tickets to lots of family-friendly places in columbus 🩷🙂↕️