Columbus business and restaurants are offering free meals and take home activities to help families during the COVID-19 school closures.
We are seeing an unprecedented number of closings and kids will be out of school for at least 3 weeks in Ohio. Many Columbus business and organizations are offering free meals for kids and several are offering activities for kids that we can pick up and bring home to keep them busy during this time.
Local Businesses Offering Things to do at Home:
Clay Street Ceramics
Clay Street Ceramics is offering “Pottery to Go” kits to paint at home. Stop by to pick one up or contact them and they will have the kit ready to go when you arrive.
AR Workshop Worthington
AR Workshop in Worthington is offering DIY to Go kits for adults and youth! Pick up is this Friday and Saturday.
Art With Anna
Art with Anna is creating take-home art kits with a free instructional video with purchase! Or if you already have the supplies, you can purchase just the video! Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more info!
Paulette’s Princess Parties
Paulette’s Princesses will be going live with singing , answering questions, reading a book and having so much fun! They will also be soon announcing virtual playdates, phone calls,fairytale experiences and character day at the parks, plus live kid exercise and dance classes by the characters!
Bakes by Lo
Bakes by Lo is offering DIY Decorated Cookie Kits! Keep an eye on her social media for the next availability!
InHome Creations
In Home Creations is putting together home craft kits that will be based on your kids’ favorite movies! They will be available for pick up soon! Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates!
Canvas Creations for You
Canvas Creations for You is offering take home canvas painting kits and a live paint along. They will be posting the hours to pick up supplies – the first opportunity is Sunday, March 15.
Young Chef’s Academy of Gahanna
Young Chef’s Academy is offering virtual cooking classes for kids!
Sweetpeas Cakery
Sweetpeas Cakery is offering cookie decorating kits for #10. Email to order!
FIT4MOM Columbus North
FIT4MOM Columbus North is going virtual with virtual workouts, virtual playdates and “coffee chats”!
Dublin Toy Emporium
The Dublin Toy Emporium is offering curbside pick up for anything you order from their store.
Mrs. Goodman’s Baking Co.
Mrs. Goodman’s has cookie decorating kits available for you to take home. Please pre-order at least one day in advance!
Capital City Cakes
Capital City Cakes is offering cupcake and cookie decorating kits. Call to order.
Kreation’s Play Kafé
Kreation’s Play Kafé will be offering Kraft Bag Curbside pick up and drop offs (with a delivery fee). There will be crafting videos available online. Follow them on Facebook for more details.
Food Resources for Families with Children:
*Please note, all sit down restaurants and bars will be closed beginning 9:00 PM, Sunday, March 15th. Carry Out is available so please double check with the restaurants listed here before visiting them!
Emergency Food Supplies
Check out Cap4Kids website featuring Walk-In Food Pantries for emergency food assistance.
Columbus City Schools
Breakfast and Lunch are available for ALL children and students under age 18. Children who are not Columbus City School students are welcome. These meals will be grab and go bags and at breakfast you can pick up a lunch or at lunch you can pick up breakfast for tomorrow. NOTE: East High School has been added as a location but is not on this map.
Piada Italian Street Food
Piada is offering a free kids pasta with sauce, cheese and a fountain drink on Monday-Friday (March 16-April 3) from 10:45 AM – 1:00 PM. This will continue – carry out only.
Greek Express
Greek Express is giving free lunch to school age kids Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM until April 3rd at any of their 5 locations. Planning to continue with carry out.
FUSIAN
FUSIAN is offering $1 Peanut Butter and Jelly Rolls through their app and in-store!
The Lox Bagel Shop
Lox Bagel Shop will offer free bagels to kids affected by school closures.
Smoked on High BBQ
Smoked On High is offering kids an order of Drummies or Pulled Chicken for free for the next 3 weeks while supplies last. Now carryout only.
El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant
– El Rodeo will be handing out free meals to go for kids K-12 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM on weekdays. No purchase necessary.
Third Way Cafe
Beginning March 17, 2020, Third Way Cafe is offering a free hot chocolate to ALL kids under 12 until April 4th!! Limit 1 per kid. Carry out only.
Legacy Smokehouse (Hilliard)
Free lunch for kids from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Includes a pulled pork slider or turkey hotdog, applesauce and drink. No purchase necessary.
Tim Hortons
All of our Tim Hortons locations will be offering meals to kids 12 & under. Stop by between 11:00am and 1:00pm on Mondays through Friday until April 2nd. Available at participating Columbus, OH locations. No substitutions. One per child.
Moody Trudy Food Truck
Moody Trudy Food Truck is offering free meals for kids plus other specials for service industry employees and nurses and hospital staff.
The Lunch Box
The Lunch Box Ohio will be packing and delivering bags of food for kids who cannot access their school’s food program. You can donate food or help pack bags. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for how to access this resource if you are in need.
Updates on Popular Local Organizations and Museums:
Closed:
All local libraries are closed but Upper Arlington Library has put together a calendar of live streaming events on their website!
Columbus Metropolitan Libraries – Currently closed. Many resources are available online including ebooks, audio books, movies, magazines and educational resources. How to Access Books, Magazines, Movies and More for Free Online with Your Central Ohio Library Card
Columbus Museum of Art and Pizzuti Collection – Closed for 3 weeks beginning March 15, 2020.
COSI – Closed for beginning March 13, 2020. COSI will be extending memberships by the amount of time they are closed. COSI is offering their Digital Doorway for fun, at-home science learning online!
Ohio History Center – Closed indefinitely beginning March 14, 2020. Educational resources are available online and will continue to be updated.
Franklin Park Conservatory – Closed beginning March 13, 2020.
Columbus Recreation and Parks – All community centers, golf courses, athletic complexes closed through April 3, 2020. All programing is cancelled.
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – Closed indefinitely beginning March 16, 2020.
Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks – Nature Centers are closed, parks remain open.
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