Best Places for Kids in Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati offers a variety of family-friendly things to do.

By Kaitlyn Chow on May 26, 2015

Parents in Cincinnati, Ohio, don’t have to search hard for family-friendly things to do. The city provides an assortment of education and entertaining experiences that capture children’s attention and provoke their imaginations. Here’s a look at some of the best places for kids in Cincinnati. 

Museums

With over 60,000 works spanning 6,000 years, you can walk through ages of inspiration at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Several national and international traveling exhibitions pass through the museum on a regular basis. Your kids also have the opportunity to find their inner Picasso at the annual summer camp mid-June through August.

Go back in time at the Museum of Natural History & Science to walk through underground caves and waterfalls, find fossils and see bats in the Ice Age. Go into space with Neil Armstrong, pop in on Umi the mummy, or visit the dinosaur hall and let your mind wonder at the mysteries of the world.

Fantastic shows from flowers to butterflies at Krohn Conservatory will leave the kiddos in amazement, and probably yourself as well. Allow them to experience the beauty of nature in this pleasant and controlled environment. The conservatory also boasts over 3,500 plant species from around the world. If you want to get outside and into nature, simply view their activities, trails and nature centers for more exploration.

Hands-on Experiences

Get wild with the animals at the Cincinnati Zoo as you stroll through botanical gardens surrounding the zoo, including more than 10 garden exhibits.

Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market, Findlay Market, is located just blocks from downtown in Over-the-Rhine, a dense historic neighborhood decorated by 19th-century architecture.

Invest in your kids by taking them shopping at Joseph-Beth Bookstore. There’s more to do than browse, with weekly storytelling events every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Create lasting memories by experiencing a Reds Baseball game. Make a home run by following the game with a tour through the Great American Ballpark Museum/Reds Hall of Fame.

Active-ities

If you’re looking to play in the big leagues of birthday parties visit Run, Jump-N-Play; they also have open play so children can get active and have fun any time.

For kids of all ages, Rock Quest Climbing Center is the place to challenge yourself while learning an exciting new skill, perfect for single visitors and groups of all skill levels.

There’s a buzz about Bee Active Adventure Zone, an indoor adventure arena for day-play, parties, gymnastics and more.

Game Zone

Arcade Legacy is your one-stop shop for gaming with 60-plus arcade and pinball stations, a console area with 18 stations that include Atari 2600, NES or Sega Genesis to PS4, XBox One, and WiiU. You can also buy, sell, or trade games and DVDs here.

Family owned and operated, The Place Retro Arcade has over 50 retro arcade games as well as console systems.

Just south of King’s Island Amusement Park, Lazer Kraze Mason houses world-class laser tag, an indoor trampoline park, a huge arcade and snack bar with freshly made pizzas.

All aboard! Last call at Entertrainment Junction for a panoramic journey through three notable periods in U.S. history, from the first days of steam engines up to today’s modern diesel locomotives. As a learning and visual experience, you can expect a detailed recounting of villages, cities, planes and railroads. You can also get a different perspective by stepping into the A-Maze-N funhouse featuring a Mirror Maze, Clown College, Curtain Chaos and Outer Limits: Journey through the Black Hole.

Tip: Groupon family-friendly activities for deals and discounts