The best museums for littles around Cincinnati

Cincinnati is home to its very own children’s museum (located within the Cincinnati Museum Center), but did you know that there are many other museums that are great for kids? Here are all of the wonderful Cincinnati kid-friendly museums to enjoy.

The Children’s Museum at the Cincinnati Museum Center in Queensgate

The Children’s Museum is located within the Cincinnati Museum Center. There is a lot to do within just the Children’s Museum, but it is a popular spot and can get pretty crowded.

Museum tickets or a membership is required. Hours and admission information can be found on their website.

Cincinnati Museum Center is located at 1301 Western Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45203

Cincinnati Fire Museum in Downtown Cincinnati

Did you know that Cincinnati is the birthplace of professional firefighting? You can learn all about it – plus see cool firetrucks, firefighting equipment and learn about fire safety, at the Cincinnati Fire Museum.

Expect to spend a hour or two at this museum. There is a cost for admission, but it is fairly inexpensive. Hours and ticket prices can be found on their website.

Cincinnati Fire Museum is located at 315 W Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Creativity Center at the Contemporary Arts Center in Downtown Cincinnati 

The Creativity Center, located on the top floor of theContemporary Arts Center (CAC), is an interactive creative & education space for all ages. We enjoyed making art, music, stories, and playing during our visit last spring. This space includes the well-known UnMuseum™.

Admission to the CAC is FREE! However, expect to pay for parking on the street or one of the nearby parking garages. We typically park in the Fountain Square parking garage.

Museum hours can be found on their website.

The Contemporary Arts Center is located at 44 E 6th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Rosenthal Education Center (REC) at the Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park

The Rosenthal Education Center (REC) is a dedicated, interactive space within the Cincinnati Art Museum for families to enjoy art together. The REC is open during museum hours, and is located just off the Great Hall on the first floor. The museum also hosts several family-friendly events throughout the year.

Admission to the Cincinnati Art Museum is FREE. There are ticketed special exhibits, but there is no cost to enjoy most of the museum and the REC.

Cincinnati Art Museum is located at 953 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Create & Play events at the Taft Museum of Art in Downtown Cincinnati

The Taft Museum of Art is currently hosting a Create & Play event every third Wednesday of the month from 10:15 to 11:00am. This event is geared towards children ages 2 to 6. The museum also hosts several youth events throughout the year.

There is a cost for admission, but children 17 and under are free. Ticket prices and hours can be found on their website.

Taft Museum of Art is located at 316 Pike St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

American Sign Museum in Camp Washington

The American Sign Museum is such a fun, visual feast for the eyes. Although not interactive, there is a lot to see and enjoy. The museum is currently hosting monthly Sign Crafting Saturday events for families to enjoy.

Museum admission and hours information can be found on their website.

American Sign Museum is located at 1330 Monmouth Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45225

Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington, KY 

The Behringer-Crawford Museum is such a hidden gem! Located within Devou Park, the museum boasts 3 floors of interactive exhibits, plus an outdoor naturescape playground. The main exhibits include Riding the Rails (great for train lovers), On the Road Again, Traveling Back in Time, and Rollin’ on the River (with a giant steamboat to explore).

There is a cost for admission, but it is very affordable! We took our extended families to BCM for our son’s second birthday and it was very doable. The outdoor naturescape playground is free. Hours and admission prices can be found on their website.

Behringer-Crawford Museum is located at 1600 Montague Rd, Covington, KY 41011

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery in Dayton 

The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is an AWESOME museum for kids! Located in Dayton, the museum is only about an hour drive from Cincinnati. At Boonshoft, you will find two floors of interactive exhibits for kids, plus an INDOOR ZOO! There’s a ton to do, so plan to spend 2 to 3 hours there.

Also, bonus – if you have a Cincinnati Zoo or Cincinnati Museum Center membership, you receive 50% off admission to the Boonshoft Museum. Details on hours and pricing can be found on their website.

Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is located 2600 Deweese Parkway, Dayton, OH 45414

National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton 

Also up in Dayton is the National Museum of the United States Air Force. The world’s largest military aviation museum has 4 hangers full of fascinating and historical aircrafts. There are several aircrafts you can sit in and walk through to explore – including the the Air Force One plane where LBJ was sworn in as president.

TIP: If you have a toddler who loves to run and only spends a few seconds looking at one thing before moving onto the next, take them here. There are over 350 aircrafts to see spread out over 20 indoor acres. They will have a great time and come home tired.

Plus, the National Museum of the US Air Force is completely FREE! No cost for admission or parking. More information on hours and visiting the museum can be found on their website.

National Museum of the United States Air Force is located at 1100 Spaatz Street, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433

Did you know?

A great way to explore these Cincinnati kid-friendly museums for free is to use a Cincinnati Public Library Discovery Pass.

Use your Cincinnati Public Library card to reserve a Discovery Pass to several arts and cultural attractions around Hamilton County, Ohio. This includes the Taft Museum of Art, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Art Museum, American Sign Museum, and more. It is free to sign up for a library card, as well as free to reserve a Discovery Pass.

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If you enjoyed this post, check out all the other indoor fun spots around Cincinnati!

If you’re tired of play-doh, but not up for slime, try making moon dough. It’s more malleable than play-doh, but not quite as sticky as slime. And conditioner is one of the main ingredients, making it easy to wash out of your kid’s hair. This moon dough activity is a great way to spend an hour or two with your little one.

On the spectrum of squishy things to play with, moon dough falls between play-doh and slime. It’s softer and more malleable than play-doh, but not as goopy as slime. It’s a fun and easy rainy day activity to pull out when you’ve been stuck inside a while.

The perks of making moon dough is that it’s easy (3 ingredients + optional glitter), it smells nice, and you can easily take things up a notch by adding glitter. The downfalls of moon dough is that it’s decently sticky. It stuck to the table cloth, our play-doh cookie cutters and all over my son’s hair.

The moon dough washed off the cookie cutters pretty easily. I was able to comb most of the dough out of my little guy’s hair. The rest washed out in the shower (one of the perks of having conditioner as a main ingredient).

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Overall, moon dough is a fun activity to try on a rainy day or if you’re looking to take a break from plah-doh, but it’s not an every day activity.

A playground just for toddlers in Mariemont

One of our favorite toddler playgrounds is Dogwood Park in Mariemont. This playground was designed for ages 2 to 5, and is completely fenced-in!

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Overall, Dogwood Park in Mariemont is an awesome playground for toddlers. My son always has a blast on the playground, and I love how it’s fully fenced-in! The playground at Dogwood Park is not too big, but still has plenty of room to run around!

And for more fun things to do with your toddler, check out our favorite toddler-friendly places around Cincinnati!

Dogwood Park is located at 3706 Pleasant St, Cincinnati, OH 45227

A great park in Sharonville for summer fun

Reopened in May 2022, Gorman Park in Sharonville is a great spot for summer fun with a new playground, a splash pad, picnic shelter, and more.

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Overall, Gorman Park in Sharonville is a really fun park to check out in the summer. Pack a lunch (or a snack!) so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy both the splash pad and the playground.

Gorman Park is located at 12153 Centerdale Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45246

A guide to spending spring break in the Queen City

We had a blast during our Cincinnati spring break staycation. Check everything on our spring break in Cincinnati bucket list!

Go out for breakfast

To kick off spring break in Cincinnati, we headed to one of our favorite breakfast spots – Sugar N Spice Diner. I am a huge fan of their Wispy Thin Pancakes, and all of us love bringing home a rubber ducky at the end of our meal.

Sugar N Spice has 3 locations – Reading Road, OTR, and Blue Ash. The original Reading Road location is currently closed and undergoing a huge renovation, but should be open later this year!

Get ice cream

Ice cream is always on my bucket list. For spring break, we grabbed a scoop at Gold Spoon Creamery after playing at Summit Park. Their delicious flavors and location near the playground makes it the perfect spot to play and get ice cream on your way home. They’re also just a few doors down from Sugar N Spice.

Gold Spoon Creamery is located at 10235 Summit Parkway, Blue Ash, OH 45242

Have a zoo day

Springtime is the best time to enjoy the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. The flowers are blooming, early admission for zoo members begin, and the animals are a lot more active.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden is located at 3400 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220

Explore the Creativity Center at CAC

The Creativity Center at the Contemporary Arts Center (CAC) is an interactive creative & education space for all ages. We enjoyed making art, music, stories, and playing during our visit. Located on the 6th floor of the CAC, the Creative Center reopened the end of October 2022. This space includes the well-known UnMuseum™.

The Contemporary Arts Center is located at 44 E 6th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Roadtrip to COSI in Columbus

We wanted to do a day trip during spring break, so we decided to head up to Columbus to check out COSI: Center of Science and Industry. COSI has a lot of hands-on STEM exhibits, and is great for all ages. Columbus is about an hour and a half drive from Cincinnati, so it’s not bad to do in one day.

But a head’s up – it was very crowded during spring break. Summer seems to be a better time to go. It was also a bit tricky to navigate with a stroller, so bring a baby carrier if possible.

COSI is located at 333 West Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215

Check out a new playground

It’s been a minute since we’ve been to a new playground, so we made sure to include somewhere new on our spring break bucket list. We found out about the new playground at Colerain Park from our friends. It’s design like a fort – with lots to climb, slide, and explore. Part of the playground is accessible by wheelchair. This playground is best for ages 3 and up.

Colerain Park is located at 4725 Springdale Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45251

Try duckpin bowling

To wrap up spring break, we tried our hand at duckpin bowling at Hoppin’ Vines in Kenwood. I think of duckpin bowling as mini bowling – the lanes and bowling balls are smaller. Plus you get 3 changes per frame to knock all the pins down. My son is 5, and that was the perfect age to enjoy this activity.

Hoppin’ Vines also has a huge draft beer selection (and other drinks), plus Delicio Coal Fired Pizza on site.

Hoppin’ Vines is located at 8150 Montgomery Road, Kenwood, OH 45236

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Thanks for tagging along on our spring break in Cincinnati! There’s so much fun to be had in the Queen City during spring time.

For more springtime ideas, check out my 10 Best: Cincinnati Spring Bucket List!

What you need to bring to the hospital when you have baby? Truthfully, you really only need an infant car seat, your ID and insurance information, phone chargers, and coming home outfits for you and baby.

But in case you want to bring a few more things, I’ve put together a hospital bag packing list with everything I am bringing to the hospital (and a few optional upgrade ideas) for baby girl’s arrival.

Here is a simple packing list for your hospital bag for when you have a baby. I’ve included all my must-haves and my nice-to-haves. Use the print button for an easy packing list of your own!

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I hope this packing list helps you prepare for your little one’s upcoming arrival! Congrats momma!

Springtime in Cincinnati is here (and hopefully to stay!). What I love most about spring in the Queen City is all the beautiful blooms and baby animals to enjoy. And with that theme in mind, enjoy my Cincinnati Spring Bucket List for 2022.

Have a Zoo Day: Blooms & Animal Babies

A day at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is always fun, but there’s something about springtime that makes it extra special – Zoo Blooms and Zoo Babies! Zoom Blooms runs all of April and features large displays of tulips and other flowers throughout the zoo grounds. Zoo Babies runs throughout May and showcases the animal babies who take up residence in the zoo. And BONUS – moms get in for free on Mother’s Day.

Both Zoo Blooms and Zoo Babies are included with zoo admission.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is located at 3400 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220

Enjoy the Krohn Conservatory Butterfly Show 

One of the most popular events at the Krohn Conservatory is the annual butterfly show. This year’s show features Butterflies Along the Nile. And if you haven’t had a chance to catch the butterflies – don’t worry! The show runs through June 19, 2022.

Krohn Conservatory is located in Eden Park at 1501 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Head to Jungle Jim’s International Market

Take a walk on the wild side and head to Jungle Jim’s International Market this spring. Not only does the market have a plethora of exotic foods from around the world to check out, but there are several cool displays and animatronics to enjoy throughout. Plus, you can’t miss their famous bathroom, setup to look like a port-a-potty from the outside.

There are two locations – the original location in Fairfield and a newer store in Eastgate. Both are great options!

Jungle Jim’s International Market Fairfield is located at 5440 Dixie Hwy, Fairfield, OH 45014

Jungle Jim’s International Market Eastgate is located at 4450 Eastgate South Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45245

Spend time at a cat cafe  

Looking for the purr-fect spot to spend an afternoon? Perhaps with a bunch of cuddly cats and kittens? Well, you’re paw-sitively in luck! There’s not one, but two great cat cafes in the Cincinnati area. Kitty Brew Cafe is located in Mason, while Purrfect Day Cafe is located across the river in Covington, KY.

Cat cafes offer the opportunity to play with cats and kittens up for adoption while also enjoying a coffee beverage. It’s a great way to meet a potentially new furry member of your family if you’re looking to adopt a cat, or to get your cat fix if you’re unable to bring one home. Please note that reservations are strongly recommended, and can be made online.

Kitty Brew Cafe is located at 6011 Tylersville Rd, Suites 6 & &, Mason, OH 45040

Purrfect Day Cafe is located at 25 W 8th St, Covington, KY 41011

Go creeking

The splash pads may not be open yet, but there are still plenty of creeks to splash in and explore around Cincinnati. So if creeking is your jam, make sure to check out my list of the best spots to go creeking around Cincinnati – all places recommended by you!

Take on the Art Climb Steps at CAM 

On the corner of Gilbert Avenue and Eden Park Drive you’ll find Cincinnati Art Museum’s Art Climb Steps. While the steps themselves are cool, you can also enjoy rotating art installations on your way up (or down) the steps. Plus, there’s a great view of downtown Cincinnati once you reach the top.

I think the CAM Art Climb Steps are a great way to spend an hour or two outdoors – especially if your kiddo is in that stage when they looooove to climb steps (we’ve all been there).

The Art Climb Steps are located at the corner of Gilbert Ave &, Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH 45202

Play at West Fork Park

One of my favorite playgrounds around Cincinnati is West Fork Park in Green Township. If you haven’t had a chance to check out this playground, make sure to carve out time this spring.

West Fork Park is great for kids of all ages – from babies up through elementary school age. There is a play area for kids who are still crawling, as well as a large climbing structure for bigger kids. It has cool features like a maze and a zip-line. Plus, this park is completely fenced in and the play surface is solid rubber or artificial turf – so no need to worry about dirt or mulch.

West Fork Park is located in Green Township and can be found at 4764 W Fork Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45247

Have a great sandbox day at Dig ‘N Play

As soon as the weather gets nice outside, my son is clamoring to play in the sandbox. But on days when I’m just not having it (or the weather isn’t cooperating), we head up to Dig ‘N Play. Located in West Chester, Dig ‘N Play offers a large play structure, inflatables, a lego table, a baby play area, and – you guessed it – a giant sand table. I love that despite the giant sand table, this spot is super clean and everything is regularly sanitized.

For more on Dig ‘N Play, head to their website. And make sure to check out my full list of Cincinnati Indoor Play Places below.

Dig ‘N Play is located at 9405 Cincinnati Columbus Rd #8, West Chester, OH 45069

Go nuts for donuts

Donuts are always a good idea, and with so many amazing local donut shops around Cincinnati, how can you not?! One thing on my personal bucket list is the Butler County Donut Trail. The trail consists of 13 local donut shops, and a passport to stamp at each location to earn yourself a sweet t-shirt.

Down in Hamilton County, there are two new donut shops that opened up just this year. Blossim Donuts in Montgomery is delicious, and I can’t wait to check out Starlight Doughnut Lab in Norwood (find them on Instagram at @starlightdoughnutlab).

Head out to a farm – with baby goats!

Love getting up close and personal with baby goats, bunnies, lambs, chicks and other farm animals? A visit to a petting farm may be right up your alley! Good Green Earth Farm in Bethel offers farm visits, a mobile petting farm, goat yoga, and more. They are a local mom & pop farm, caring for all the animals themselves.

Good Green Earth Farm is located at 2803 Kinnett Rd, Bethel, OH 45106

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With activities to help you get outside (or survive another rainy day), there’s something for everyone on this Cincinnati spring bucket list. And if you need a few more ideas, don’t worry! I’ve got a bucket list for every season. Have fun, friends!

The splash pads may not be open yet, but there are still plenty of creeks to splash in and explore around the Queen City. So strap on your rain boots or water shoes and check out the best creeking spots around Cincinnati – as recommended by you!

It stinks seeing your kid sick and miserable. And if you’re anything like our family, your kid has been home sick and miserable a lot this year. So I put together 5 easy, low-key activities to do with your kids when they’re on the mend, but not ready to go back to school.

[ONE] Make a book

Coloring is a pretty low-key activity to do when your kiddo is feeling under the weather. Make it special by turning all their artwork into a book. Have your little artist make a special cover, then hole punch the side and tie string to create a book bind.

[TWO] Do a Drive-In Movie – in the Living Room

This is one of my favorite “mom hacks”. Turn watching a ton of tv into an activity by setting up a “drive-in movie”. Use a box to make a “car” – and and if your kid is up for a low-key activity, have them help decorate. For a non-crafty version, bring the cozy coup (or similar vehicle toy) inside for the day. Or heck, you could even use a laundry basket with a few pillows to make it comfy. Then you’re ready for your drive-in movie marathon.

[THREE] Have a fun bath

Spending time in a steamy bathroom is generally good for a snotty nose. Make it fun by adding in glow sticks, pom poms, plastic block toys (like LEGO Duplos), or even a popsicle. And no need to wait until bedtime – you can do a fun bath at any time of day.  

[FOUR] Build a block city

You know when you get to the point where you’ve been home a few days and all the toys have been pulled out? This is the activity for then. Grab your roads rug or make roadways by drawing on a flattened box. Then use blocks, LEGOS, Magnatiles, and whatever else is already scattered around your house to erect buildings for your city.

[FIVE] Easy sensory bin

I love an easy sensory bin because it’s great to be able to pull out our bin for something simple to do to pass the time. It’s also a simple activity to put on the floor that requires little energy but is still interesting and engaging. If you need ideas, I’ve got a whole list of easy sensory bins that typically take less than 10 minutes to setup and can easily be stored away.

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If you enjoyed this post, don’t miss our other fun at-home activities! And make sure to follow One Little Small on Pinterest for even more great ideas.

A royally fun play spot

What could be better than a super cool, royal toy store? How about one with a free play room to enjoy? The Dungeon is located in the basement of King Arthur’s Court Toy Store in Oakley.

Keep in mind

The Dungeon is open during regular store hours. This is a free play room, but is located within a business. It is not monitored by any employees, and there are not any specific areas designated for babies or younger kids.

The toys in the play room do change from time to time. There are also toys on display that are available for purchase.

The restrooms are upstairs, located at the back of the store.

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Overall, The Dungeon at King Arthur’s Court Toy Store is a fun, free spot to take the kids on a rainy day. Just be prepared to bring home a toy or two!

King Arthur’s Court Toys is located at 3040 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209

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If you enjoyed this post, make sure to check out our complete list of Cincinnati Indoor Play Places to enjoy.