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!

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?!

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!

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!

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.

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!

And perhaps there are some new spots that have popped up ... check out Macaroni Kids list here

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!

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!"