Watching Live Sports

 Recently I put together a list of activities in the Greater Cincinnati area and beyond for a friend who was having a hard time coming up with inexpensive and free things to do with his children. He was looking for ideas of things to do at home and out and about. So I asked my friends and family to contribute their favorite things to do and was able to compile a pretty comprehensive list. I even broke it down by weather and if it was free or cost. I thought I’d share this list on my blog because I’m sure many other parents would love to see it.

I also want to suggest visiting my friends at www.familyfriendlycincinnati.com, www.stockpilingmoms.com and www.365cincinnati.com since they are always posting great activities.

Any season activities – Free

• Cincinnati Art Museum (do a little research and make a scavenger hunt before you go)
• Krohn Conservatory
• National Museum of the US Airforce in Dayton
• Dance together like no one is watching
• Play active video games together
• Go to a local gym and play basketball
• Watch movies together
• Cook or bake together
• Look around Ikea or Jungle Jims
• Lunken Airport to watch planes take off
• Build things like a bird house or do crafts
• Visit the Public Library
• Obstacle course inside or out
• Blue Marble Bookstore in Fort Thomas or other local Bookstore
• Put photo albums together
• Volunteer to serve food at Hosea House, Parish Soup Kitchen or another local agency
• Tell stories
• Camp in the living room
• Lowes and Home Depot Workshops

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Warmer Weather Activities – Free

• Walk around Fountain Square/Downtown
• Walk the Purple Bridge between Newport and Cincinnati
• Watch boats on the river
• Fishing
• Early morning at Turfway Park – watch horses train
• Go for a walk
• Play sports together in the yard
• Lunken Airport Aviation Days in May
• Bike trails
• Walk around Art shows
• Devou or Eden Park
• Hiking
• Nature scavenger Hunt
• Parky’s Farm
• Hamilton County, Kenton or Boone Parks – lots of parks have free programs if you look at website
• Walk around Mount Adams and look at cool old buildings and churches
• Hocking Hills – Ohio
• Clifty Falls – Indiana
• Lunken Airport Play field
• Sawyer Point
• Plant a garden at home or for a neighbor

Activities that Cost

• Behringer Crawford Museum (free one Sunday a month)
• The museums at Union Terminal
• Cosi in Columbus
• Cincinnati Zoo
• Plays downtown or at theater in Fort Thomas
• Children’s Museum in Indy
• Indianapolis Zoo– dolphin show
• Louisville Slugger Museum
• Movies
• Out to eat (check to see where kids eat free)
• Laser tag
• Baker Hunt Art
• Bowling
• Recca Roller Rink
• Cincinnati Fire Museum
• Dinsmore House Tour
• Color Me Mine
• Lego Kids Fest March 23-25 at Convention Center
• Concerts
• Apple orchard, blueberry picking, – some might be free
• BB Riverboat
• Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park
• Top of Carew Tower ($1 or $2)
• Reds Games
• Reds Hall of Fame and Museum
• Ride the Duck
• Newport Aquarium
• Florence Freedom Games
• Cyclones Hockey Games
• Roller Derby
• Lego Store in Kenwood has weekend events
• RockQuest
• Dave & Busters
• Kings Island
• Beach Water Park
• Booneshoft Muesum in Dayton
• Bellevue Beadery

 Please comment here with questions about any of these places or add activities my friends and I might not have thought of. I can’t wait to read about all the fun things you do with your kids at home or out on the town!