Shopping and gift bags tend to pile up during the holiday season. We received a Christmas treat inside a large brown paper bag from a local ice cream shop last week which inspired me to create an activity for the kids. If your home is like mine, you likely have several paper bags currently in your recycling bin or tucked away to reuse next year. If not, this simple craft can be duplicated with cardboard, kraft paper, leftover gift wrap, etc. making it easy to find the supplies you need on ...
Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo
Visiting the Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo is one of our favorite holiday traditions. With more than three millions lights, the zoo is transformed into a truly magical holiday display each evening. When you enter the zoo, Conservation Lake is brightly lit with an animated light show set to holiday music that runs every 30 minutes. It's a favorite for guests of all ages so make sure you find a place to enjoy the show during your visit. As you proceed to the habitat areas you'll notice that ...
Arctic Animals Sensory Bin
Keeping kids engaged during the winter months can be challenging. With more focus on indoor play now that we have hit freezing temperatures, I've been thinking up some new themes for our sensory bin. To match the snowy weather that we've had here in Ohio this week, I decided to put together an Arctic themed bin. Using mini marshmallows as the base, I included an assortment of animals to create an Arctic habitat. I also added a package of small white storage cups that I flipped upside down to ...
Holiday Lights at Highbanks Metro Park
Last night we went to Highbanks Metro Park to enjoy nature and view the holiday lights display along the Dripping River Trail. There was a little daylight left when we arrived at the park so we stopped at the Oak Cove Picnic Area Playground. The boys were able to get some energy out from being inside all day and we all enjoyed the fresh air and sunshine. The Dripping Rock Trail entrance is conveniently located next to the Nature Center and is a short walking distance to the playground ...
Holiday Lights at Homestead Metro Park
The Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks system has curated some beautiful light displays this holiday season. Currently, you can enjoy lights at Blacklick Woods Metro Park, Highbanks Metro Park, Homestead Metro Park, Inniswood Metro Gardens and Scioto Grove Metro Park each evening. We recently visited Homestead to enjoy the gorgeous weather and spend some much needed time outside. We were excited to see the holiday lights and arrived at the park early to allow for time to play and ...
National Museum of the United States Air Force
The boys and I traveled to Dayton, Ohio for a mid-week visit to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the museum is a one hour drive from Columbus. With free admission and parking, this is a budget friendly day trip that can be enjoyed by the entire family. The volunteers who work here are truly wonderful which adds to the many reasons we enjoy visiting. If you stop at an information desk, they usually have wings pins for young ...
