Looking for something fun to do this weekend in Columbus? Try out one of these family-friendly Columbus and Ohio–based events and activities!
Family-Friendly Things to do in Columbus, Ohio This Weekend:
1. Dinosaurs in Motion at National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Dinosaurs in Motion is on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force every day from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM through May 13, 2024. Admission is free to the museum and this exhibit is included! Visitors can control 14 giant, metal dinosaur sculptures! (See more things to do in the Dayton area!)
2. Storytime at Blendon Woods Metro Park
Learn about nature through stories, songs and activities! Meet at the Nature Center at Blendon Woods Metro Park at 10:00 AM on Friday.
3. Erica Carlson and Friends at UA Library Miller Park Branch
Enjoy magical stories and an interactive presentation from Erica Carlson! Live animals will join in the fun on Friday from 10:30 AM – 11:10 AM. (Read about the playground at Miller Park!)
4. Microscope Exploration at Battelle Darby Creek Metro Park
Kids ages 8 and up can use microscopes to look at the creatures living in the vernal pools at Battelle Darby Creek Nature Center at on Friday at 1:00 PM.
5. Young Wizards Party at Family Room Coffeehouse and Bakeshop
This event at Family Room Coffee & Bake Shop will include crafts, games, prizes and a signature drink. Come in costume! Cost is $15/person. Event takes place on Friday from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
6. Riverside Crossing Park Ice Rink
This temporary ice rink is right near the Dublin Link pedestrian bridge and will be open for skating on Friday nights and on Saturday and Sunday! This rink will be up through mid-March.
7. Friday Night Family GLOW Skate at Skate Zone 71
Friday Night from 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM enjoy a family glow skate party at Skate Zone 71!
8. Blooms and Butterflies at Franklin Park Conservatory
Blooms and Butterflies opens at Franklin Park Conservatory on Saturday at 10:00 AM. You can walk through the Pacific Island Water Garden to see free-flying butterflies. Check out the Metamorphosis Lab to see new butterflies emerge from their chrysalis.
9. Maple Sugar Celebration at Stratford Ecological Center
Take the Storybook Trail to the Sugar Shack to learn how to tap a tree, taste maple sap and syrup, observe the cooking process and more at Stratford Ecological Center! Afterwards, visit the farm animals, tour the greenhouse and enjoy a fire. This event on Saturday from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM has very limited spots left!
10. Maple Time at Slate Run Metro Park
Take a hike through the sugarbush to learn about how maple syrup is collected. Watch sap boiling and sample a treat. Hikes will leave at 11:15 and 1:00 PM on Saturday at Slate Run Farm.
11. Urban Strings Columbus Youth Orchestra at Northside Library
Enjoy a performance by Urban Strings Columbus on Saturday at 1:00 PM at the Northside Branch of CML featuring upbeat music from popular African-American composers and arrangers.
12. Maple Syrup Tours at The Dawes Arboretum
Take a walk along the trail to learn about and sample maple syrup. Tours are first come, first served every 15 minutes between 1:00 PM and 2:45 PM on Saturday and Sunday. (See more things to do with kids in Newark!)
13. Finding Nemo Jr. Sneak Peek at Hilliard Library
See a teaser performance of Finding Nemo Jr. by the Hilliard Arts Council. Afterwards you can meet the actors and do crafts at the Hilliard Branch of CML beginning on Saturday at 2:00 PM.
14. Winter Hike Celebration at Blacklick Woods Metro Golf Course
Take a hike at Blacklick Woods Metro Park and enjoy indoor archery, an Outdoor Living Lounge and food from local food trucks. Those who completed all 19 hikes can pick up hiking sticks and medallions. This event takes place on Sunday from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM.
15. Columbus Baby & Kids Galleria Event at Polaris Fashion Place
This event takes place on Sunday from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM and includes resources for pregnant women and parents of newborns through 10 years old. This event includes characters, games, a Mommy & Me Walk, a Candyland Tournament, a magician and more. Register online.
16. Black History Month Pop-up Concert featuring the Columbus Cultural Orchestra at Columbus Museum of Art
Columbus Cultural Orchestra will provide a free performance celebrating Black History Month on Sunday from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM at Columbus Museum of Art. (The museum is free to visit on Sundays!)
17. Spring Break Snacks with Seeds of Caring
Share your favorite snacks with a local kid in need! In this Anywhere Project from Seeds of Caring, kids 2-12 will learn about hunger in our community through a read-aloud and age-appropriate discussion. Helping hands will then make Snack Bags and cheer cards for meal boxes distributed over spring break by the New Albany Food Pantry. This project is available through March 17th!
*Please be aware, information is gathered from multiple community sources. Times, dates and locations are subject to change. There may be a fee to participate in a featured activity. Please call ahead or check links to confirm activities. Inclusion of an event on this list is not considered an endorsement. Please use your best judgement when attending public events and consult your doctor if you have questions regarding the safety level of a public event. Read my disclaimer here. Enjoy what you do today!*