Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in cincinnati, OH

Can't Live Without Spots

by Amy Mumper

March 03, 2009

Spots we can't live without here at Being Savvy Cincinnati.  Of course, there are always more than we can mention, but after this weekend, I've got a great place to start:

1.  Ok, after my amazing experience with all three Littles at the Children's Theatre this weekend, I just have to SHOUT about it!  I took my 6, 4 and 3 year olds to the High School Musical 2 performance this weekend.  It was PERFECT.  Amazing talent (local high school students, no less!)  It didn't last too long and everybody seems fine with minimal noise.  So, I know it's hard to spend extra bucks on the arts at this time, but do the best you can to find a discount or encourage them to come to your school.  It's worth it.

2.  Free places to enjoy books, pass the time and play...  and, if you're really strong, you don't buy any books.  Enjoy your local bookstores.

3.  Parks... after encouraging the big bucks on the arts, I can enjoy something free.  J  I will love being outside just as soon as it's warmer.

4.  More free stuff!  If you aren't already enjoying the library, now is the time.  CDs, DVDs, books, of course.  It's a great way to feed your family's literacy appetite without the mullah!

83 Ideas for Fun In and Around Cincinnati

by Amy Mumper

February 24, 2009

1.  Visit Devou Park in Northern Kentucky and check out the view

2.  Visit Sawyer Point in Downtown Cincinnati - playgrounds and tennis to say the least

3.  Visit Eden Park

4.  Cincinnati Parks offer great camps

5.  Gorham farm; a working in Evendale

6.  Shaw farm has a great Fall Fest

7.  Meet Farmer Frank at Sunrock Farm

8.   See the Krohn Conservatory's nativity scene at Christmas

9.  Attend the Butterfly Show at Krohn Conservatory

10.  Try a free class at the art museum

11.  Visit the Taft Museum

12.  A favorite of mine!  Duke Energy Children's Museum at Union Terminal

13.  Contemporary Art Museum

14.  Do the scavenger hunt at the art museum

15.  Do a mommy and me movie at AMC

16.  Attend a Cincinnati Reds Game

17.  Try the trails at French Park

18.  Enjoy Lindner Park Nature Preserve in Norwood

19.  Try the Drake Planetarium for programs and birthday parties

20.  Jump around at Go Bananas!

21.  Run, Jump and Play when you need to get the wiggles out

22.  Bike ride at Woodland Mound Park's trail

23.  Enjoy yummy ice cream at Graeter's

24.  Candies at Aglamesis

25.  Cincinnati Chili for dinner at Skyline!

26.  Lunch at LaRosa's!

27.  Picnic on the Ohio River

28.  Visit handmade Loveland Castle

29.  Loveland Bike Trail is great exercise for families

30.  Totter's Otterville in Covington is fun for ALL ages

31.  Fine arts sampler weekend is a must do event

32.  Library activities are versatile and year round

33.  Blue manatee Story Times and special classes are interesting

34.  Joseph Beth Booksellers Story Times are three times a week

35.  Findlay market; take the kids to shop for dinner

36.  Coney Island

37.  Kings Island

38.  The Beach Waterpark uses its facilities virtually year round

39.  Ice skating

40.  Kentucky speedway is a unique experience

41.  Music hall

42.  Newport aquarium for your fishies

43.  Oktoberfest ZinZinnati

44.  Flying pig marathon - even The Littles can enjoy with the Hog Log

45.  Vineyards; in Cincy no less!

46.  Tall stacks - a history lesson

47.  Great wolf Lodge

48.  Coco Key

49.  Xavier games

50.  UC games

51.  Zoo

52.  The fountain at Yeatman's cove

53.  Movies - G-rated fun

54.  Go play café

55.  Children's theatre

56.  Playhouse in the park

57.  Aronoff Center for the Arts

58.  Climb Carew tower

59.  Walk the Purple People bridge

60.  Pizza tower

61.  WGUC Classics for Kids

62.  Cincinnati Music Academy

63.  Musik Kids

64.  Madpotter

65.  Parky's farm

66.  Parky's ark

67.  Winton woods riding center

68.  Chuck e cheese

69.  Bonbonerie tea room

70.  Omnimax theatre

71.  Lazer kraze

72.  Bowling

73.  Color me mine

74.  Pump it up

75.  The Imaginattic

76.  Kentucky Horse Park

77.  Try a free Gymboree class.

78.  Wyoming fine arts center

79.  Golf lessons at Sharon woods.

80.  COSI

81.  Visit the Indianapolis Children's Museum

82.  Try the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton for flight fun

83.  WHO-DEY think gonna see 'dem Bengals?

Welcome to our new feature: Weekend Roundup!

by Amy Mumper

February 06, 2009

I'm excited to try out our new feature, so let's get right to it: Need a reason to start thinking spring ? Visit the "Greater Cincinnati Summer Camp Adventure Fair" and get a free admission to one of the museums! From 12-4 pm on Sunday February 8 at the Museum Center , you can dream yourself all the way to summer camp. To get a free ticket, just stop by the Cincinnati  Read more...

Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King

by Amy Mumper

January 19, 2009

Here's hoping most of you are enjoying your time off from work and/or your child's day off from school or daycare. It's a welcome relief in the middle of dreary January, isn't it? (I don't know about you, but my goal is to get my Christmas decorations down! AAAHHH!) It's hard to really explain to the Littles why they're off school today. Thank goodness my daughter's school does  Read more...

Top 10 Posts of the Year

by Amy Mumper

December 30, 2008

2008 is coming to an end and I'd like to take you on a journey back to our favorite posts of the year. First, let me say thank you to each of you who faithfully read Being Savvy Cincinnati. I enjoy spending time preparing a post and anticipating your thoughts and experiences as well. Please invite your friends to join us on this journey through Parenting in Cincinnati . Below are listed  Read more...

More taste of cincy!

by Amy Mumper

December 03, 2008

Just wanted to add an addendum (what?) to my last post about local books... Joseph Beth Booksellers in Norwood is hosting a "nationally acclaimed" local author from West Chester! His name is Loren Long. In case you missed him at the Blue Manatee in November, h e'll be at JBB to sign his newest book, Drummer Boy , on Saturday, December 6 at 11am. (Check his website for other  Read more...

A List of Great Story Times...

by Amy Mumper

November 11, 2008

A list of great story times? Hmmm... Traveling to book stores with my Littles is like a dream come true for this bookworm! So, when it comes time to write a list of favorite story times I can talk your arm off! I love the enticing displays and three-times-a-week storytellings at my favorite local bookstore like Joseph Beth Booksellers in Norwood or the twice weekly, music-complemented  Read more...

Because a Great book... Makes you Wonder

by Amy Mumper

November 03, 2008

I have to confess that I bought a book called Everyone Poops . Oh, no. I NEVER thought I would endorse such vocabulary by presenting it in a BOOK! BUT, in my defense, it was a great link from my son's experiences to books: we had just come from the zoo and during the Elephant Show, guess what? The elephant pooped (in the water). My son was about 18 months and could NOT stop talking about  Read more...

Book Nooks for Tots

by Amy Mumper

October 06, 2008

A self declared bookworm and former elementary school teacher, this mama's got you covered when it comes to book nooks for your little folks! Topping the list in Cincy HAS to be Joseph Beth Booksellers in the Rookwood Pavilion in Norwood! They actually have a free preschool story time 3 times a week (MWF)! Go anytime and entice The Littles into reading after theyve had their fill of the  Read more...