Each month I will be featuring a local parent who will tell us about three places they love to take their kids in Columbus! Thanks to Melissa for sharing 3 of her favorites with us this month!
1. Franklin Park Conservatory
In just the past year we’ve discovered all the fun and excitement that Franklin Park Conservatory has to offer! FPC is the perfect place for little ones who love to explore. Emily loves to look at the plants, flowers, fish and waterfalls, or water-walls as she calls them. Not only is it lots of fun for her, but little does she know, it’s educational too! They offer fun programs almost every weekend and even have story time during the week. Plus, regardless if it’s rain or shine, there’s always something to do which is great for our unpredictable Ohio weather! Be sure to add their Pollinator Palooza to your calendar for the end of June, where you can learn all about bees, butterflies and more!
2. The North Market
As a food lover, my list wouldn’t be complete without a destination like the North Market! It’s always been one of my personal favorites and now I love seeing it through Emily’s eyes. She’s a definite foodie, like her mama and she loves to look at, smell and sample all of the delicious foods. If you’re like me and are trying to introduce lots of different foods to your young children, this is the perfect place to go! You can get anything from Mediterranean or Polish for the more adventurous to Pizza and Mac ‘n Cheese for those who aren’t. My one tip though, go during the week when they open at 10:00 to beat the weekend and lunchtime rush. This way you can take your time to leisurely explore all of the foods, sights and smells they have to offer!
3. Hayden Falls + Diamond’s Ice Cream
This activity’s a two for one! It’s perfect for a quick afternoon or evening adventure when you just want to get out of the house for a little bit. Hayden Falls is a small nature preserve and waterfall located just off of Hayden Run, near Tuttle Mall. Every time we go I’m always surprised something like this exists where it does. Emily loves looking at the waterfall and seeing ducks and geese swimming around. Don’t forget the two observation decks from above the waterfall, along the road. Since this doesn’t take very long to do, we usually head up the street afterwards to Diamond’s Ice Cream for a little treat. The have a wide variety of homemade popsicles (paletas), ice cream and other Latin specialties like aguas frescas. My personal favorite is the Oreo paleta although everything I’ve had has been delicious!
Hi! I’m Melissa and am currently a stay-at-home-mom of a very active two-year-old! Emily loves to run, climb on all the furniture and go down every slide at the playground. When I’m not chasing her around I write the blog Made by Melissa Lee, where I share my daily #momlife with easy recipes, fun kid-food, and all the adventures Emily and I have around our wonderful city of Columbus!
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