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Read morePlaces to go with toddlers aged kids in Columbus, Ohio during the winter months. Our favorite outings
Toddler by definition: 12 - 36 months | 1-3 year old
Most of these are obvious, but all of them are Ivan approved! Get out there and have some FUN ...
COSI | Columbus, Ohio - Large open spaces filled with wonderful sights for little (& big) eyes! KidSpace is a great indoor playground with water tables, Practical Life areas, and all kinds of sensory things to discover. With a Premium Family Membership, you can get into KidSpace at 9 am on weekdays (10 am without). Bring a packed lunch and eat in the cafeteria and/or partake in the cafetaria. They have healthy options (grilled chicken, pasta, salad, cut veg, yogurt, etc) along with the usual kid choices - mac n cheese, chicken fingers, and fries.
Daddy's Office Hallways - My husband calls it "running the bull" ... this lil'man of ours, has a TON of energy and being stuck indoors makes getting all the gitters out, OUT. We defiantly too advantage of the evening and weekend hours in long hallways to drive mini power-wheels, scooters & RUN. Get creative - you might have access to heated spaces you are not considering!
After hours at Daddy's office
Firehouse Museum | 260 N. Fourth Street, Columbus, Ohio - I credit a former Sitter for this gem. Found Downtown Columbus, this small & quaint firehouse museum has dress up gear, a pole to slide down and buttons to push. What more do you need?!
Fire Chief, Ivan to the rescue!
Franklin Park Conservatory | Columbus, Ohio - HUGE fans of Franklin Park ... probably my absolute favorite. The humid air, flowers 24/7/365 and ever changing exhibits win me over! Ivan is now 4 years old, and in the past 4 years, it seems to me they have done an exceptional job at adding more Family/Children Programming. Most weekends they have special shows or guest visitors that are included in admission (some crafts come with a $2 or $3 fee). If you're not a member, consider looking at that option - it works out being MUCH CHEAPER if you go only a half doz times!!
Gymboree Play & Music | Gahanna, Ohio - This was probably Ivan's #1 favorite pick! We tried an art and/or music class, but he was all about the gym. Walking past the gym and going into the art/music room was enough to get him to scale the walls, so we don't have much experience in there (other than when he was a baby). For a time he participated in a weekly class and we also took advantage of the Open Gym times. We also went through a phase of just doing the Open Gym pass (about 1/2 price) because he was more interested in FREE play than participating in the group. Check them out - they usually do unlimited classes in the months of Jan and Feb.
Indoor Pool Near You - we liked Westerville Rec Center because it was close for us! They have a Pre-School Swim for 6 yrs and under most weekday mornings. There is also an indoor playground in the lobby with big slide!
Library Story-times | Greater Columbus, Ohio - Ivan wasn't much for sitting still (as you can probably guess), but I liked how they did a story, then songs and had sensory items for them to play with, so wiggles were anticipated and welcomed! Check link above for times and programs at your neighborhood branch!
Lil Kickers Soccer | Gahanna, Ohio - Ivan started at the ripe ol'age of 18 months and has been loving it! The BUNNIES class (18-24 months) is a Parent-Child class that is played on an indoor soccer field and uses bubbles, parachutes, balls, cones, and more to promotes balance and coordination (Classes for kids without a care giver start at 3 yrs). We've always had very passionate and patient coaches and a great overall experience with Four Seasons, Lil Kickers in Gahanna. We've even had Ivan's 3rd Birthday Bast there ... bounce house and all!!
Polaris Mall | Columbus, Ohio - and NO not the germ infested play area (although after some time, he remembered about that place and demanded we stop ... there is a restroom nearby so you can soap and water hands immediately after!) Our Polaris Mall loop happened by accident but works out great every time! We park on the upstairs of Von Mar (usually spots near the door) and stop by the kids section for the train table. I've also found some great shoes for him there - they seem to always have a great selection for kids shoes! After Von Mar we walk down to Pottery Barn Kids (turn left out of Von Mar) and go play in there. An Ivan fav are the doll strollers! Next Disney Store. Seems crazy, but 30-45 min have already passed! I bring the stroller along for snacks, coats and tired legs. And if I must, the play area downstairs below the Disney Store!
Polaris Mall, Von Mar kids department
Ride the Cbus | Short North, Columbus, Ohio - Ivan had a BUS obsession phase. One day I could not hear the word "bus" come out of him mouth one more time!!! I pulled the route up online and decided to give him what he was demanding so! The C-BUS is Columbus's FREE downtown circular that stops at each stop every 10-15 minutes (map on like above). I wasn't sure how long he would sit, if this was a good idea and it was cold outside ... SO, we parked at a meter right next to a stop (LUCKY MOMENT). We sat and waited for a few min, when I saw the bus approaching in the rear view mirror, we popped out and jumped on. Our driver was super sweet, there was only 1 or 2 other people on it the entire time and we had a blast. We did not do the entire loop (too long for this bus fan) but we simply walked across High Street at one stop to go back to the car. Operation Bus Ride complete!
"bus, bus, BUS!!!"
Skyzone | Lewis Center, Ohio - Toddler Time, Tuesdays 9:30-11 am & Sunday mornings, last I checked! An ocean of trampolines and a foam pit for 5 yrs and under ... What more could you want! Happy nap-time after this outing.
Toddler Time a SkyZone
Columbus Zoo | Dublin, Ohio - Oh the magical Columbus Zoo! Probably my Mommy #2 favorite on the list. Unseasonably warm days (like last weekend) are great winter days to visit. We went last weekend, and all the animals were moving around. We got to see more action from them than normal! I've found this to be true on cooler days .... it was approx 55 degrees. The Red Panda's were jumping about in their tree house ... Ivan was especially impressed with their digs and the Solar Bear was prancing around. Those are 2 exhibits I can't say I ever remember seeing much activity from! Come March 2017 The Little Explorer's Base Camps start back up. Not enough words to express how amazing the Columbus Zoo and it's programs are!
Beautiful Day at the Columbus Zoo
And perhaps there are some new spots that have popped up ... check out Macaroni Kids list here
There’s nothing terrible about the terrible two’s. Ivan the Terrible was MAGNIFICANT!
Just the title, “The Terrible Two’s” had me considering motherhood at a time … I guess it’s the word, TERRIBLE that I’m taking issue with (this coming from the mother of an Ivan, wink!).
A lil’history lesson for you … Ivan the Terrible, Tsar of All the Russias, was known (in Russian) as Ivan Grozny. Vladimir Dal (one of the greatest Russian language lexicographers) defines grozny as an adjective for tsars: "courageous, magnificent, magisterial, and keeping enemies in fear, but people in obedience"
V. Dal’s translation of TERRIBLE I can agree with in describing my sweet 2 year old. COURAGEOUS: Yes! A two year old will try just about anything! MAGNIFICENT: Yes! Ivan might be the most “impressively beautiful” creature I’ve ever laid eyes on. MAGISTERIAL: Certainly! His authority reigns the roost. Re: FEARFUL ENEMIES/OBEDIENT FOLLOWERS (I’ll consider myself one in his kingdom): Defiantly! Ringing ears is the most common punishment of not interpreting the cave-man language.
The hardest part about being two (and dealing with a 2 year old) is communication! They are just learning words and know exactly what they want and how they want it, it just doesn't come out of their mouths that way. The challenge (and at times the frustration) is understanding the language I call, Cave-Man.
An amazing & loving mother I know refers to her two-year old daughter as being in her TERRIFIC TWO’S #TerrificTwos ... I just love that!
Terrific, Magnificent and Perfect in every way … And only 365 days to enjoy!
Feeding toddlers ... my tasty and easy chicken recipe
Trying to feed toddler can be a trying adventure ... they like it today, throw it on the floor the next! About 8-9 months months ago, Ivan was less than impressed with any protein sources I presented so I came up with a match made in heaven ... dark meat chicken & Ritz crackers!
TO MAKE: Combine 1 beaten egg, about 1/2 sleeve crushed Hint of Salt Ritz crackers with 1-1.5 lbs of ground chicken. Form into patty's and cook on a skillet with olive oil.
combine crumbled Ritz, chicken & beaten egg before placing in the skillet
I keep patties in the refrigerator or freezer and warm in the microwave for approx 25 seconds for meals as needed. Sometimes I cut the patties into strips, or just serve in bit size squares ... Ivan loves them!!
Located in Columbus, Ohio, I choose to buy grass-fed and free-range organic chicken that can be found from both North Market Poultry & Game (they seem to always have dark meat chicken ground on hand) as well as Oink Moo Cluck Farms (I've only sourced from here twice and have liked the meat ... it seems to have more white meat in the ground mixture which makes the patties a bit more firm). Oink Moo Cluck is regularly found at neighborhood farmers markets such as: New Albany Farmers Market & Clintonville Farmers Market and their website says they deliver!
Enjoy!
Fun things for toddlers to explore at the Ohio State Fair 2014
This morning we ventured out to The Ohio State Fair, the gates open at 9 am and we got there shortly after. Admission is $10 for 13-59 yrs and kids under 5 are FREE. Kroger sells the 13-59 year old tickets for $6, so plan ahead!
In each and every direction there was SOMETHING interesting and magical to look at ... we got to see the Budweiser Clydesdale's getting their morning exercise. There were being walked, 4 at a time, behind their stalls so we got to get as close as we were brave (there was a lot of flying poop going on!)
Colorful action EVERYWHERE ... Ivan was loving all the support vehicles buzzing around!
I could not help but to notice the "LOST KIDS BOOTH" ... I wasn't quite sure this was an option, but apparently you can rely on the Ohio State Troopers to help babysit! Who knew?!
In the Kiddie Land section, Ivan had a blast watching all the rides zipping around. He was getting quite sluggish with all the cool fresh air (and nap-time nearing) but he perked right up in Kiddie Land ... I'm not sure if it was all the kiddie-energy or the aroma of cotton candy filling the air that got him! 36" was the height restriction for most rides ... If he can pull off 3-4" in the next 365 days our trip to the fair will be quite different next year!
Ivan playing in the JD Equipment tent - Running with the Bulls!
On our way out we had to have some french fries and of course I got the healthy ones (haha) the sign did say NO trans-fats! As we made our way to the car, we got to wave to the tractor pulling people in from the parking lot, see the State Troopers car lights flashing, and see a field full of semi-trucks parked by Crew Stadium.
In our almost 2 hour stay, I'm most certain we missed 85% of the fair excitement! We will be heading back before it's over, August 3, 2014. Hope you get to check it out too!
We found a HAPPY PLACE in Franklin Park Conservatory
In the routine chaos that is motherhood, there are days and times I need to, as they say, "stop and smell the roses." When those thankless & redundant tasks us mothers tackle round-the-clock cause that overwhelming feeling of non-completion I NEED A HAPPY PLACE! It's these days that are PERFECT days for me visit Franklin Park to gain some perspective and regenerate! Not only do I enjoy the sensory overload, but I know Ivan does too!
I highly recommend finding a place or two you can share with your little one that provides the same rejuvenation. One of our favorite places to visit is Franklin Park Conservatory located on East Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio. This year marks the 20th anniversary of their Blooms & Butterflies Exhibition that runs from March 8 - September 28, 2014.
Not only is Franklin Park a perfect place to visit on an off weather day (snow, rain, or too much humidity), but it's a great place to experience the magic Mother Earth has to offer. Flowers, amazing plants, butterflies from around the globe, multiple waterfalls and streams, fish, hands-on interactive games/stations for kids, birds, and even a choo-choo train!
Ivan loves visiting Franklin Park
On a routine visit, I bring the stroller with water and snacks, and we start our tour in the Pacific Island Water Garden (left after the entrance). I love stopping by the windows were you can watch the caterpillars in their cocoons and the butterflies emerge! Viewing this metamorphosis is as equally as magical to me as the experience in making my little (1 year old) nugget, Ivan!
As 100's of butterflies fly about you can take in all the sounds, smells, and visuals of all the amazing plants and flowers that fill this space. Ivan loves visiting the fish, waterfalls, and spotting flying butterflies. Next we pass through the basement that has a few hands-on stations for kids to play with before heading into the next section that includes the Desert Biome (out of my respect for the incredible cacti, Ivan is not allowed to run free in this space) ... then we enter the Rainforest Biome that is home to Max and Mic the two resident Macaw's that scare the pants off of both of us every time with their abrupt greetings ... After the Rainforest is the train room, AKA, the Himalayan Mountain Biome that features another waterfall and other delicious visual treasures to discover (look up after you pass the over the bridge and round the corner).
The Palm House and Showroom also feature seasonal exhibitions that host all kinds of events from weddings beyond ...
The Hungry Caterpillar becoming a Beautiful Butterfly ... AMAZING!! & One of the hands-on features, a giant light bright!
If your kids are older, there are classes and workshops for all ages (kids-adults) offered year round. Check the website for more information here.
The Blooms & Butterflies exhibition is now through September 28, 2014 ... I hope you plan a visit!
and as Ivan ends The Hungry Caterpillar book .... [waving] "Bye, bye!"
Cow's say, "MOO" and Horses say, "Neigh"
It's so much fun watching books, sounds, places, and frankly EVERYTHING come alive through Ivan's eyes! His newest love is the sound, "Mooooo"
May 2014 Ivan and I found ourselves in Central Park in NYC watching the horse drawn carriages and Ivan "Moo'ed" at a white horse ... the Carriage Driver said, "Is he moo'ing at my horse" Ha, yea, I guess so!
The Franklin County Fair was a perfect place for Ivan to meet all is barn-yard friends up close and personal! He was able to moo with a cow, cluck with the chickens, baa with the sheep and quack with the ducks. They also had horses, ducks, goats, rabbits and I'm sure other animals I may have missed!
That cow was quite impressed with Ivan's MOOO!
We are looking forward to a few more trips to visit his favorite friends at The Ohio State Fair July 23, 2014 - August 3, 2014 in Columbus, Ohio!
Blueberry lovers breakfast for toddlers! (and my nutritional WHY's)
Ivan is a BIG eater (most of the time)! His typical morning routine begins with a banana in our bed while we have coffee and read a few book(s) … or the truck book 10x in a row! Then Ivan eats a waffle, oatmeal, and/or toast, and scrambled eggs. Oh yea, and sometimes when he hasn't seemed to get quite enough I toss him some Rice Krispies or Cheerios with Almond Milk.
Because this boy loves his blueberries Oh, SO MUCH (and I avoid feeding him foods high in sugar - syrup) I came up with the brilliant idea to make him blueberry sauce and here's how I do it …
Blueberry Sauce:
I usually use frozen blueberries (purchased at the grocery with no added sugar) fresh blueberries when they are so plentiful due to being in season. Next, bake the blueberries in a glass 8x8 (brownie) pan, covered in foil, for approx 45 min (until bubbly) at 350-400F. Then, pour the blueberries and juices into the food processor (baby bullet, blender) and puree.
I keep a small container of the sauce in the refrigerator and put the remaining sauce in the same small containers in the freezer for future use.
Blueberry Sauce & the Van's waffles Ivan prefers
Ivan enjoys blueberry sauce on his waffles and a spoonful (mixed with his daily probiotics) in his oatmeal for breakfast … I've also used it in place of jelly or preservatives for a PB&J!
Oatmeal:
Blueberries – cut in 1/2 or 1/4's depending upon the size
Walnuts – ground (with the skins on) in the blender or food processor to make powder
Blueberry Sauce + Probiotics (Klaire Labs, Ther-biotic Infant Formula)
Oatmeal – prepared as package states … I make 1/4 cup dry oats with water in the microwave
Almond Milk – splash if my oatmeal is a bit sticky
Oatmeal with blueberries, crushed walnuts and blueberry sauce (probiotic powder) ... and of course, Isabelle standing guard at her usual post -- under the high chair!
SO, WHY oatmeal with blueberries, whole walnuts (ground) and daily probiotics?
Walnuts are a GREAT source of not only omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats but also vitamin E and have great heart healthy benefits!
Blueberries have one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits and provide a great source of minerals including: magnesium, potassium, iron and manganese, anti-inflammatory agents & vitamin C, E and K.
Oatmeal has omega-3 fats, fiber and other vitamins.
Probiotics – I purchase the probiotic powder from Ivan's pediatrician, Dr. Carine, located in Upper Arlington. (They do sell supplements to non-patients if you call or visit the office!) Probiotics improve immunity, prevents diarrhea, helps with intestinal problems, calms colic, and can help ease eczema ... Great article that gets far more technical than I ever will by Parents Magazine here.
And if you need any more reasons why your kids should start the day with a GREAT breakfast, check out this article from Quaker Oats highlighting the importance of teaching healthy eating habits.
Attention all toddler's … it's Touch A Truck time!
One of my complaints as a new mom is not knowing what I don't know … I've learned about so many things I feel I should have known about prior to finding myself in the trenches of motherhood (such as play café's). Luckily enough I have heard of Touch A Truck from my sisters experiences raising my nephew.
If you haven't already heard, Touch A Truck is a magical event for little ones … It's a parking lot filled with every type of vehicle imaginable for the kid's to climb up in and check out! Ivan's first Touch A Truck was in Worthington, Ohio in Spring 2014 where is was able to check out a trolley, buses (of all types), The Chiller's Zamboni, a Magic Mountain race car, Uhaul trucks, helicopter, motor-home, utility trucks, swat vehicle ... on and on!
This Friday, July 25, 2014, (weather permitting) will be Touch A Truck #2 for Ivan. If you haven't checked out a Touch A Truck event or just didn't have this one on your calendar make note!
TOUCH A TRUCK - JULY 25, 2014
THE SPORTS COMPLEX, 325 N. CLEVELAND AVE, WESTERVILLE, OHIO 43081
Admission is FREE ... We hope we see you there!!
RuummMMM ... Beep, BEEP!!
Ivan's first Touch A Truck in Worthington, Ohio. Spring 2014
Traveling with an infant for the first time ... Ivan's first flight!
Ivan was 4 months old - it was April 2013 - and living in Columbus, Ohio by the time it's April all you can think of is SUNSHINE and dream of SANDY BEACHES ... Especially after 4 months of brand new baby chaos in the grey of winter, a WARM, SUNNY vacation sounds like a DREAM!!! Weighing all factors at hand we decided it was probably best to find a destination within driving distance (Hilton Head, SC) so we could take everything but the kitchen sink & drive through the night while Ivan slept. The little dude had no idea we even drove as long as we did and the travel portion of the vacation worked out perfectly, breast pump and all!
Minus the travel, last years Hilton Head adventure ended up being a disaster - unusually cool and overcast weather, I got the flu, BLAH ... so I wanted to head further SOUTH for Spring Break 2014 for baby vacation #2. We found a beautiful house to lease for the week outside of St. Augustine, FL located in Palm Coast, FL adjacent to The Hammock Beach Resort & Spa (what a great baby + dog destination!)
John and the Nanny headed down the day prior via car ... This affording us a bit more house with 2 less airfares and solving the problem of what to do with Isabelle, the family dog! To my surprise the flight had 100+ empty seats so Ivan and I had a whole row (6 seats) to ourselves! He was a dream ...
In my bag of tricks:
- Maclaren Mark II Umbrella stroller - not the best for steering with one hand, I prefer my Britax B-Agile Stroller any day, but didn't want it to get all beat up
- My old iPhone in the Fisher Price toddler case loaded and ready to go with none other than plenty of ELMO'S WORLD ... aka Ivan kriptonite
- iPod with back up of video's as well as games he has not yet mastered
- BRAND NEW Elmo books and a few other exciting toys he's yet to see (thanks Laura)
- an apple (thanks Stephanie)
- more snacks
- Of course diapers, extra clothes, water & sippy cup, blanket
Our destination airport was Orlando, FL ... what a great airport to roll into with a baby by yourself especially during Spring Break. It's all families - Disneyworld bound - that are overly sympathetic and extremely kind & helpful!
All in all, I'm not sure what I was really so worried about ... just the unknown I suppose. It was less than a 2 hour flight ... the West Coast will be the true test. This Momma isn't brave enough for International with this busy body!
Fun on the Scioto Mile ... pack a TOWEL! life in Columbus, Ohio
Time flies when you are chasing a 16 month around! We recently went on spring break vacation in Florida and have solidified Ivan's LOVE of water! Fountains, pools, faucets ... he is not choosy, just wants to be IN the water NOW.
My new Mommy tip of the week: With the nice weather upon us, DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT A TOWEL!
We have an amazing downtown area in Columbus called The Scioto Mile. I thought it might be fun to go walk around the park and see the fountains ... Ivan had other ideas! Luckily I had a swim diaper in the diaper bag left over from vacation and an extra change of clothes! Wish I had had 4 hands so I could have taken a video ... this baby had a BLAST!
Happy Spring!
A surprising 78 degrees makes everything better! Ivan, 16 months