mommymilkies Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 I am in Cincinnati for...awhile. I'm not sure how long. Other than visiting family, I haven't lived here for a very long time. I'm trying to find things to keep us busy, particularly learning activities. I hate driving in traffic, so I'd really like things I can do during school hours or in the evening. We've already joined some of the homeschool classes at the Museum Center (I've been a member for years and I've been over 100 times since I was a kid). It doesn't look like there are any separate homeschool activities for the art museum, so I'm trying to figure that out since I don't really have childcare or another parent to watch the younger/older kids. Ren Fest is going on, and there's a Russian Fest this coming weekend. The Newport Aquarium is a bit above my price range right now. Does anyone have any other "musts" for the area for Fall (we'll probably not be here winter/spring)? I'd say within 30-45 miles of Cincinnati, preferably anything to the NE of town. I'm trying to find maybe an apiary or a farm we can visit. I won't be here long enough to join a co-op. They don't have to be directly homeschool related, but just something to get out and do. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaniemom Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Loveland Castle and The Fire Museum come to mind right off. DH is from the area so we are back a few times a year on visits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Jungle Jim's tour (if they still do those). Miami-Whitewater park has a nice visitor's center and good trails. Air Force museum. Big Bone Lick State Park KY sometimes hosts Pioneer days. They used to do nature walks too but it's been ages since we lived there so my info isn't current. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is downtown Cincy, but the traffic is not horrible during the day. They run Educational Matinee's of their performances and they are amazing! The price is reasonable. I can't remember how old your kids are but depending on the play I've taken as young as a 7 or 8 year old. http://cincyshakes.com/ Up in Dayton is the Air Force Museum. It is probably at the farthest end of your driving distance but it is free and there is lots to see. http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/ Entertrainment Junction is just up I-75 at Tylersville Rd. We were there in February. Train history plus the coolest set ups of model trains. Our group was 3 years old to 15 (as far as the kids went) and we ALL enjoyed it! http://www.entertrainmentjunction.com/ We all enjoy going to Kleather's Pumpkin Patch in Springboro in the fall. It may be too small for the drive you have to make (don't know where you are at in Cincy) but they have the BEST apple cider and fun Wizard of Oz decorations plus a Pumpkin Carriage. We go every year usually on the way home from the Ren Fest. I don't know what your museum pass reciprocates with but if you want something different there is the Boonshoft Museum in Dayton. Smaller than the Cincinnati Children's Museum but it has a small zoo section with a great river otter exhibit. They are a blast to watch. http://www.boonshoftmuseum.org/ Ignore this if it doesn't but if it fits with your worldview, The Creation Museum is SW (not the right direction-I know) of Cincy. They are pricey but have a two for one ticket special going on I think. The grounds are beautiful and they have a petting zoo. Caesar Creek State Park has a fossil hunting section. I can't find the link but you have to sign in at the Nature Center (I think, it's been a year since we've been) but then you go fossil hunting in the spillway. It is free. http://www.lasr.net/travel/city.php?Caesar+Creek+Lake+Fossil+Hunting&&TravelTo=OH07lk001&VA=Y&Attraction_ID=OH07lk001a006 ETA: I think our girls are pretty close in age! Aly just turned 15. Was it your dd who had the Tiffany Aching birthday cake? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 You should see if the symphony still does school performances and if you can still get tickets. I remember the tickets being pretty reasonable though you have to pay for parking. And the homeschoolers were seated separately from the school groups. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emcap Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 The Contemporary Art Center has free homeschool art classes the first Wednesday of the month (I think, I can check if you're interested). It's free but you have to register. It's cute, they take a little tour of an exhibit and do a project. I don't know the ages of your kids, so I'm not sure if it's appropriate. We've gone a few times but it's about a 45 min drive so not too often. I haven't been to the Gorman Heritage Farm, but that might be fun. I think they have sunflowers like crazy right now. I believe it's $5 adults and $3 kids, under three is free Hueston woods often has guided walks on the weekends, hunting fossils and so forth but I haven't checked the schedule lately. Oh, and the Apple butter festival might be soon. If you're still around in February the maple syrup festival is neat. Meldahl locks and dam is about 30-40 mins east of cincy The krohn conservatory is beautiful 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterPan Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Have you done the Great Parks yet? You pay $10 for a season pass and then it gets you into ALL of them. They're all wonderful, wonderful. Don't know the ages of your kids, but I can keep my 6 yo pretty happy with just those parks, no other expenses needed. They have a website and app showing you all of them. Have you gone to Ikea? Lunch is super cheap (though you don't have to), and they babysit for free!! It's ds' favorite place to eat dinner when we're in town. :D There's a place you can go hunt for fossils for free. It's on the north side of the city. Haven't been there, but I keep meaning to. If you have older kids, the Holocaust Center on the east side is worth going to. My 6 yo wasn't ready for it, but teens will enjoy. There's a free art museum, though I don't remember the name. Google and you'll probably find it. My dd went with her grandparents and enjoyed it. The science museum has free nights once a month sponsored by major orgs, or at least they used to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foxbridgeacademy Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 When we thought we might end up in Cincinnati I found a neat website called 365 Cincinnati the site even has a Fall Fun section. Also a Free and cheap, Family Fun, and Tank of Gas Trip sections. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted September 15, 2015 Share Posted September 15, 2015 The Air Force Museum has a homeschool day in October: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Education/HomeSchoolDay.aspx Sharon Woods and Caesar Creek both have pioneer village types of places. CC is where people hunt fossils. I think they both probably have nature centers as well. Dayton Metro Parks are nice as well, and many of them aren't that far of a drive. HIghview (or HIghfield?) Discovery Gardens is great for the little ones, and bigger kids probably won't mind going along Ft. Ancient and Sunwatch Village (two different places)--these are great places to go to learn about paleo indians, mound building cultures, and such FREE Performances at the Middletown branch of Miami University (halfway to Dayton): http://www.regionals.miamioh.edu/fff/ Dayton Carillon Park is a lot of fun. They have a lot of Wright Brother's stuff. It's both a village and a museum. They have a working print shop where you can buy very inexpensive but nice notecards and stationery. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted September 16, 2015 Author Share Posted September 16, 2015 These are all great ideas, thank you so much!! Now I will have to sort through and fit in as much as we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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