5 Things To Do In Columbus With Kids

As you may remember we took a family trip to Columbus last month — I shared all of the details from our fun weekend away in this post and today I’m back with a few ideas of things to do when visiting Columbus with kids! Columbus is a versatile city that has so much to offer both kids and adults alike. We had such a great time on our family trip and I think it would also be fun to go back to Columbus with just my husband or a group of girlfriends because there are so many restaurants and breweries I’m dying to check out. But, today is about the kids!

Columbus Zoo – You can’t beat this zoo — it’s huge so wear walking shoes and pack plenty of water and plan for a day on your feet. There are a ton of fun exhibits for kids — Piper especially liked the Heart of Africa area where you can feed the giraffes! She also loved taking a visit in the petting zoo. It’s a quick drive from the city center and you can easily spend an entire day exploring what the Columbus Zoo has to offer.

COSI // Center of Science & Industry– I was really bummed that the science center was closed for an annual renovation when we were in town because so many people suggested taking a visit. They have an amazing indoor area known as “the little kidspace” which would be the ideal place to bring your kids on a rainy or snowy day this fall and winter. Designed by a team of early childhood education experts — little kidspace promotes learning in a fun and engaging way — think a tree house, light & shadow workshop and much more. For older kids COSI also has a planetarium,  3-D movie theatre and many interesting classic exhibits.

Explore the North Market: The North Market is fun for all ages — Piper loved walking around and exploring all of the different vendors housed in the market, everything from local meats to delicious donuts. The amount of food vendors is pretty overwhelming, so be sure to go with an empty stomach! There are plenty of tables outside for enjoying your treats and it’s housed in the fun Short North neighborhood to walk around after visiting the market.  

German Village: Take a walk around the historic German Village with architecture dating back to the 1840’s, which is located just South of the downtown area. The neighborhood is full of historic charm — not to mention gastropubs and breweries for mom & dad to try. It’s also home to Schiller Park that boasts picnic areas, a fishing pond and a recreation center.

Jeni’s Scoop Shop: Your kids (and you) will be amazed at the flavor combinations offered at Jeni’s — we buy Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream at home and were so excited to visit a scoop shop and the birthplace of this company! Because the brand is based in Ohio there are a ton of scoop shops scattered about the city so you won’t have a hard time finding one!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Experience Columbus. The opinions and text are all mine.