Omg, y’all it’s legit (almost) Fall!! Bring on the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL), boots, flannels, sweaters, apple picking, pumpkin patches, pumpkin pies, apple pies, cinnamon & sugar doughnuts, apple fritters, fall festivals, corn mazes, hayrides, and so much more! Fall is when the Midwest shines, but don’t blink, it goes by fast, so tag friends and make plans now! Here is this year’s Toledo Fall Family Fun Guide….
Due to this year being unlike any other in history I would advice always calling ahead and double checking that nothing has changed before visiting any orchard, farm, etc.
Vegetable gardens, compost pile, chickens, oh my! Now those are some serious backyard goals, right!? But, what better way for children to learn about the lifecycle of plants and appreciation for their food than by growing and raising it themselves!? And with the weather finally warming up, ground is thawed, and days are getting longer, tis the season to begin to get these projects underway! While the vegetable garden and compost pile are fairly painless, I have to be honest; I don’t know the first thing about how to make a chicken coop or how to raise chickens, lol! But, check this out, you can rent EVERYTHING!!!
A sense of responsibility. Kids and teens learn what it means to make and keep a commitment. They learn how to be on time for a job, do their best, and be proud of the results. But they also learn that, ultimately, we’re all responsible for the well-being of our communities.
That one person can make a difference. A wonderful, empowering message for kids is that they’re important enough to have an impact on someone or something else.
Tolerance. Working in community service can bring kids and teens in touch with people of different backgrounds, abilities, ethnicities, ages, and education and income levels. They’ll learn that even the most diverse individuals can be united by common values.
Featuring skilled Monster Jam® athletes, Toledo fans will witness a fierce battle for the championship with each competitor tearing up the dirt gravity-defying feats in 12,000-pound Monster Jam trucks going head-to-head for points in Freestyle, 2-Wheel Skills Challenge and Racing competitions.
Plus, fans in every city can become part of the action by voting for the winner in the 2-Wheel Skills Challenge and Freestyle competitions via real-time, in-arena fan voting on their smartphones.
Monster Jam drivers are trained, world-class male and female athletes who have mastered not only the physical strength and mental stamina needed to compete, but the vital dexterity to control 12,000-pound machines capable of doing backflips, vertical two-wheel skills and racing at speeds up to 70 miles per hour to produce jaw-dropping, live motorsports action seen around the world.
At the Monster Jam Pit Party, you can see the massive trucks up close, meet your favorite drivers, get autographs, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly activities. It is an unforgettable part of the Monster Jam experience where special connections are made and lifelong fans are born.
WHEN:
Friday, March 6, 2020 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Pit Party open from 10:30-12:00 PM
*Saturday, March 7, 1 p.m. event ticket & Pit Party Pass required for entry
1:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Pit Party open from 10:30-12:00 PM
**Sunday, March 8, 1 p.m. event ticket & Pit Party Pass required for entry
1:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Huntington Center – 500 Jefferson Ave., Toledo, OH 43604
TICKETS:
Tickets are affordably priced for the whole family with seats starting at just $15 each*
Discount Opening Night tickets for select seating available for only $15
Pit Party Passes available to purchase for $15 each
Tickets & Pit Party Passes will be available for purchase online at Ticketmaster.com, or in-person at the venue Box Office. **ticket prices subject to change – venue/ticketing fees may apply. **
Contest:
To be entered complete the following steps:
1-Share this post on Facebook
2-Comment with your answer to this question….if you built your own Monster Jam Truck what would you call it?
Winner will be randomly selected on February 24th. Winner’s name will be announced the on this blog post thread and on Mom on the go in Holy Toledo’s Facebook page. Good luck, loves!
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Monday is a day we commemorate a brilliant man who moved people to change through his words, action, faith, etc. and the following Museums are celebrating him by offering FREE admission to the general public on MLK Day.
Know of any that didn’t make the list? Please feel free to include them in the comments. Tag/share with friends and make plans today!
Great Lakes Science Center
Hours: Monday Jan. 20th 10am-5pm
Address: 601 Erieside Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114
Admission: FREE (Normally tickets are $16.95 for adults & $13.95 for kids, but it’s FREE on MLK Day)
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Great Lakes Science Center will offer FREE general admission to all guests from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, January 20.
The Science Center will have special programming throughout the museum from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. including live science demonstrations, Big Science Shows, hands-on science cart activities, and more. General admission at the Science Center includes our special temporary exhibit Curiosity Carnival, the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, the Polymer Funhouse (for those 7 and younger) and hundreds of hands-on, interactive science exhibits.
Movies in the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater will be discounted for the event. Adult tickets will be $8.95 and youth tickets will be available for $6.95.
Parking is available for a reduced rate of $7 per vehicle in the Science Center’s attached garage. Due to the potential for large crowds, the Science Center’s front-drive parking spaces will all be converted to spaces for vehicles with handicap placards or license plates. Additional parking beyond the Science Center’s garage is available in the surface lot north of FirstEnergy Stadium.
After you check out the Science Center, be sure to visit North Coast Harbor’s annual Ice Fest between the Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, featuring live ice carving demos, a social media photo op, costumed characters, a scavenger hunt and more. For more information, visit northcoastharbor.org.
Presented by the John P. Murphy Foundation, visit the Rock Hall on Monday, January 20th and enjoy free admission in celebration of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. We’ll have community programs, live performances and activities all day long – check the schedule of events:
Get ready for a great day of discovery! Receive free general admission from 10am to 3pm on Monday, January 20. Talk with curators outside of their labs and see specimens that are not usually on display. Join the Shafran Planetarium for $1 mini shows and meet Cleveland’s neighborhood wildlife in special live animal presentations and be sure to visit Smead Discovery Center on the Museum’s lower level.
$10 flat rate parking in the Museum garage. University Circle, Inc. will provide free shuttle service to participating organizations. Parking will fill up fast! We recommend getting here early to beat the crowd.
Henry Ford Museum
Hours: Monday, Jan. 20th, 9:30am – 5pm
Address: 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, MI 48124‑5029
Admission: FREE (Normally $24 for adults & $18 for kids, but its FREE on MLK Day)
Celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights leaders who had the extraordinary courage to ask for more from their nation. Bring family and friends on January 20, 2020 when Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is open to the community absolutely FREE.
Sit in the Rosa Parks Bus and listen to the story of her brave act. Make your statement in the interactive program Minds on Freedom, highlighting the contributions of Dr. King, Mrs. Parks and civil rights champions like the Freedom Riders. Then explore the proud and often challenging evolution of American freedom, in the exhibit With Liberty and Justice for All.
Make your own history on Martin Luther King Jr. Day with free museum admission, parking and activities.
It’s funny, I couldn’t tell you what I wore the Christmas of 1990 (I’m sure it was a gorgeous dressed that matched my siblings and we all looked adorable, mom), or what gifts I opened from under the tree, or even if we had snow that year. What I do remember is sipping hot chocolate as we walked through the zoo at night (that in itself is pretty cool to kids) in wonderment at the Lights before Christmas with close family friends, rushing ahead of my parents in awe of the Christmas magic at Children’s Wonderland, touring the over the top decorations at Holidays in the Manor House with my grandparents, seeing the classic, A Christmas Carol, & watching the joy on my father’s face as he recited lines as we watched the classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. That’s the thing about Christmas; it really isn’t about the perfect gift it’s about the time spent with loved ones. So this Christmas let’s focus less on the quantity of goods under the tree and more on the quality of time spent making childhood memories that our children will cherish for a lifetime.
Here are 10 Christmas Experiences for Kids in/near Toledo that will help build up that memory bank!
Maumee Holiday Light Parade
The Holiday Light Parade is an annual event that takes place the Saturday after Thanksgiving. NEW THIS YEAR: At the suggestion of the Maumee Police Division, the route for the parade has been changed. Holiday Light Parade: Lighted floats and walking groups will line up along the six-block stretch of West William Street. The parade will then step off from the Maumee Indoor Theater and proceed southbound down Conant Street toward the river before turning right onto Broadway Street to disperse.
The Streets will be alive with crowds of kids both young and old waiting to see the 60+ lighted floats and the man of the night SANTA!
When: November 30 @ 7pm
Location: Light parade will start at the Maumee Indoor Theater & proceed southbound on Conant St.
Ring in the holidays at one of Northwest Ohio’s most festive celebrations, Holidays in the Manor House! For over 40 years, community volunteers have transformed over 30 areas of the Manor House at Wildwood Preserve into a holiday wonderland. Tour the Manor House and see why over 25,000 people make Holidays in the Manor House an annual tradition. They always incorporate the kiddos into the tour by adding a small scavenger hunt for items, dress up & photo opportunities, s’mores outside, & NEW this year, ice skating!!!
When: December 7th- 15th 10am-8pm
Location: Wildwood Metropark 5100 Central Ave, Toledo, OH 43615
Holidays on A Carriage Ride: Take a leisurely ride through scenic Wildwood Preserve aboard a carriage pulled by Molly and Sally, the mule team from Providence. This experience is being offered December 7th, 8th, 14th, & 15th to make your visit to Holidays in the Manor House even more memorable. Cost is $6 per rider, children under 5yrs. free, if they sit on an adult’s lap. All tickets will be sold online only. Ticket sales begin November 1, 2019 Click HERE to register
Santa Express & Lunch with Santa
Children will enjoy a 1 and 1/2 hour train ride, a visit with Santa, coloring activities, & cookies and juice.
When: Santa Express is on December 7th, 14th, & 21st. There will be two departures each day – 10:00AM and 12:30PM.
Location: 301 E Adrian St, Blissfield, MI 49228
Cost: $22 adults, $20 seniors, $17 children ages 2-12 and children under 2 are free
Lunch with Santa on the Santa Express
Lunch with Santa includes a 2 hour train ride, pizza, salad, bread sticks, dessert and soft drink. Children will also enjoy a visit with Santa and coloring activities.
When: December 8th, 15th, & 22nd at 2:00PM respectively.
Location: 301 E Adrian St, Blissfield, MI 49228
Cost: $34 adults, $22 children ages 2-12 and children under 2 are free.
And it just wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to Children’s Wonderland!! Children’s Wonderland began as a Northwest Ohio holiday tradition over 50 years ago. For decades, families from all over the Northwest Ohio have been coming to find the holiday spirit at Children’s Wonderland. As always, dozens of classic exhibits will be on display, train rides will be available, and there will be plenty of opportunities to take pictures with Santa.
When: December 6th-Dec. 23rd 11am-8pm & Dec. 24th 11am-2pm
Location: 7060 W Sylvania Ave, Sylvania, OH 43560 (Tam-o-shanter)
Cost: Kids 2+ $6, Adults 18+ $8, & Seniors 65+ $6 (plus $ for train and crafts, if interested)
They’ve added a new twist to the Holiday Lantern Tours at Sauder Village! Make reservations now for a “1920s Christmas”! Experience American Christmas traditions of the 1920s as you visit the Grime Home, make a Christmas novelty at our Tin Shop, learn about Christmas shopping in the Elmira Depot, act out The Night Before Christmas in the District 16 Schoolhouse, and sing 1920s Christmas songs in St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.
Holiday shopping available at the Sauder Village Gift Shop, Lauber’s General Store, Herb Shop, Glass Shop and Pottery Shop. Make it an overnight stay at the Sauder Heritage Inn with the Holiday Lantern Tour Package.
When: December 6th & 7th (tours last 1 hour 45 min & are on the 1/2 hour 4-8:30PM)
Location: Sauder Village22611 State Route 2, Archbold, Ohio 43502
Cost: Adults $13.00/ Children (3 and up) $7.00 (By Reservation Only, limited spaces Make reservations online or please call for availability 800-590-9755). Click HERE to register
It’s A Wonderful Life: Silver Screen Classic Film ($5 a person)
Enjoy Toledo’s New Old Fashioned Night Out! Cold Tall Drafts, Full Bar & Popcorn available! It’s a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, and Henry Travers. (Tickets are general admission but reservations are strongly encouraged for this film).
When: Friday, December 20th & Sunday, December 22nd @ 7:30pm
If you still haven’t gotten in the Christmas spirit this afternoon will get you there! The beauty of the Toledo’s Diocese gorgeous Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral adds a layer to the experience like none other as you listen to (and participate) the glorious voices of the Cathedral Choir, Paul Monachino, conductor and the talented St. Aloysius Parish Handbell Choir, Neil Kraft, director. This is a great event for families with older kiddos (5 & up)
The beloved tunnel entrance will make its renovated debut during this event, voted best Zoo lights in the nation! The 2018 edition of the area’s brightest holiday tradition features over one million lights and more than 200 illuminated animal images! Stop by Santa’s workshop in the Arctic Encounter! New this year is a 3-D holiday scene set to music and projected onto the side of the Carnivore Café. Take a moment to enjoy this new take on a holiday short story with your whole family! See the big man in his element, whisper your holiday wishes and pose for a fun family photo. (Paid photo opportunity) Also, don’t miss all the frozen fun in the Winter Village sponsored by Kroger. The fan-favorite Ice Slide returns with inner tubes built for two along with Bumper Cars on Ice in the Zoo’s historic Amphitheatre!
When: Nov. 22nd -Dec. 31st Sun – Thurs: 3-8pm Fri – Sat: 3 – 9 p.m. (holiday times will differ, check website)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, revised by David Jex and Debra Ross Calabrese & Directed by Amy Spaulding-Heuring is a 30-year Toledo Rep tradition! This timeless tale of redemption follows Ebenezer Scrooge as he is transformed by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future from a miserly old curmudgeon into a man who embodies the true meaning of Christmas. With lavish costumes, spectacular sets and a musical score rich with carols of the era, this production is one you will not want to miss!
Toledo Blade
When: December 6th @ 8pm, December 7th @ 8pm, & December 8th @ 2:30pm
All aboard! Come in your PJs and join other kiddos for a magical evening as they host their annual Storytime of the beloved classic The Polar Express. Free hot chocolate and cookie…and activities to follow!!
When: Friday December 6th, 2018 7:00 PM
Location: Barnes & Noble Fallen Timbers 3100 Main St #1400, Maumee, OH 43537
It was late July and I had just posted a meet up with our playgroup, our destination, Rolling Hills Water Park in Ypsilanti, MI. As a mom I was slightly terrified, how was I going to watch all three kiddos go in three different directions at a water park? Turns out one of the best thing I ever did was to make the event a playdate meet up! Many eyes and hands make for light work when it comes to watching children. Playgroup moms are like an extension of oneself. We each divided and conquered the water park that day. Two moms took a group of kiddos to the lazy river, another two took kids to the water slides, two stayed by the splash area with toddlers, and it was such a relaxing, enjoyable, and fun day for all of us, moms and kiddos. Seven years later and we are still continuing the tradition!
Our oldest kiddos are now off to middle school and they have graduated to the buddy system at the water park. Meanwhile us moms can relax and enjoy the company of the younger kiddos and one another as we float down the lazy river, jump the waves in the wave pool, and watch the kiddos on the splash playground. Rolling Hills Water Park continues to be our favorite waterpark, it isn’t too big, but not too small, it has enough activities to occupy all the kiddos, patches of grass to lay out a towel to relax (or have a time-out), it is the perfect distance from Toledo, far enough that you feel like you’re going somewhere special, but not so far that it feels like a chore.
Admission: COUNTY RESIDENT-Weekday (after 5pm) $8.00 ($6.00) & Children Over 36″-42″ Tall (after 5pm) $6.00 ($4.00) Weekends- $10 & Children Over 36″-42″ Tall $8.00 NON-COUNTY RESIDENT Weekday (after 5pm) $10.00 ($7.00) & Children Over 36″-42″ Tall $8.00 ($5.00) Weekends-$13.00 Children Over 36″-42″ Tall $11 and Children 36″ Tall or Under are Free
***It is always advised to call before visiting in order to confirm hours of operation for the day, and be sure to check that forecast, there is nothing worse than packing up the bags, kiddos, and getting there only to have the park be closed due to weather.***
So moms put any body issues you may have aside and make some amazing memories with your children. I am so glad our children will have memories to treasure when they get older of their mothers playing in the water with them, going down the lazy river, enjoying their time together as opposed to meagerly sitting on the side covered, fearful of what others may think, allowing others potential judgments to hijack an amazing day and treasured time together. I want to give a cheer to all the moms out there who sport the suits no matter what body type, or what season of motherhood they might be in, and enjoy their time with their children.
I opened the car door and was greeted by a potpourri of country “aroma”, lol! We definitely were outside the city limits & my comfort zone, but I was beyond ecstatic to go country for an evening! Last Thursday, this city girl had the pleasure of attending “Ladies Night on the Farm”!
The evening began with a tour of the Henricks & Krieger Dairy (HKD), a third generation, three family partnership owned by Richard & Sue Henricks, Phillip & Tara Henricks, and Shawn & Kim Krieger. The family farm was founded 72 years ago by Clifford and Annabelle Henricks in Chesterfield Township, located east of Fayette. The family cares for Holstein cows and calves as well as raises corn, soybeans, alfalfa and wheat. Henricks & Krieger Dairy is a member of the Ohio and National Holstein Association, Farm Bureau and the Fulton County Dairy Association.
During the tour, we got a preview of four of the 20 educational stations that will be debuted at the June 15th Breakfast On The Farm event; each station resourced by the farm family and supporting professionals. The first stop was the milking parlor where the milk safety and inspection process begins with cow milking and then milk cooling, testing and agitation.
At the calf area, we met the farm’s veterinarian before up-close and personal contact with the dairy’s next generation of milk cows…baby heifer (female) calves. At the animal waste station, preview we saw how dairies recycle organic manure nutrients to their corn fields to produce feed in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way.
The tour concluded with a visit to the free stall barn where cows socialize, rest, and are provided a clean, dry stall with unlimited feed and fresh water. Check it…we were provided new rubber boots, sponsored in part by Tractor Supply Co of Wauseon. And they are so stinkin cute, right?! (see image below)
Upon completion of the tour, a light dinner via grazing stations provided us an opportunity to meet eight additional farmers from Northwest Ohio who directly provided local produce and commodities for the meal. Samplings included….local fresh spring green salad, leg of lamb sliders, pork barbeque with corn muffin bun, shaved prime rib on crosonti, homemade local potato chips fried in high oleic soybean oil, fresh chicken salad lettuce wrap, additional fresh salads and, of course, a cheesecake buffet.
While sampling the local fare, Karen Bakies, Registered Dietitian with American Dairy Association Mideast, provided a nutritional discussion on the differences between dairy milk (cow, goat, sheep) and plant-based drinks. Further informing discussion was Melissa Rupp, OSU Extension-Fulton County, who followed with thoughts on wading through several food labels and production practices. The event finished with a question and answer panel including Richard Henricks (dairy farmer), Dr. Christine Greiner (veterinarian) and Bakies (dietitian).
As a parting gift, we each received a ‘market basket of goods’ including more than 20 items produced by local farmers from Fulton County and beyond. The basket included items like Arps chocolate milk, NatureFresh tomato-on-the-vine, Dei Fratelli pasta sauce, Red Gold Catchup, Myers Honey, Dicks Maple Farm syrup, Rupp Seeds popcorn, Turkeyfoot Creek Creamery chevre, Kinsman Farm spring greens and Hertzfeld eggs.
June 15th Breakfast On The Farm event to be held at the same Henricks & Krieger Dairy from 9 am to 1 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
While the Ladies Night event served to help us understand the workings of a dairy farm and discuss food production practices, it was also an opportunity to promote the upcoming June 15th Breakfast On The Farm event to be held at the same Henricks & Krieger Dairy from 9 am to 1 pm. The event is free and open to the public. Breakfast On The Farm will give the public a chance to visit this modern dairy, take a crop tour, pet baby calves, see large tractors, visit the children’s area and so much more! Henricks & Krieger Dairy is located at 14692 County Road 16-3, Fayette, OH 43521. Registration is requested, visit, www.go.osu.edu/fultonbotfregister2019 and follow them on Social Media.
Fulton County Breakfast on the Farm is coordinated by Fulton County OSU Extension, Farm Bureau and SWCD, along with a community-based planning committee and sponsorship partners. Fulton County farmers, Alysia Callender and Whitney Short, provided volunteer leadership for the BOTF Preview event.
April showers bring May flowers and lots of fun family-friendly festivities in Toledo!! The weather is getting warmer, days are getting longer, and everything is blooming!! It is officially that time of year when everything comes back to life, including your family’s social life. Though, let’s be honest, May should come with a warning, before you know it its summer, and then you blink and school is already starting back…so don’t blink!! Don’t delay; call up your playgroup peeps, neighborhood friends, family, etc. coordinate schedules and get these awesome festivities on the calendar today!
Here is a list of 10 Kid Approved Things to Look Forward to this May in Toledo:
1-Butterfly House at Wheeler Farm
This is one of my Favorites!! Between the classical music playing, watching the delicate fluttering of the gorgeous butterflies, and the general warm embrace of the atmosphere my blood pressure lowers instantly….and kiddos absolutely adore visiting. They look forward to every May 1st because that’s the day the Butterfly House Opens!!! FYI-the land is gorgeous and there is a picnic table available so pack lunches and make an afternoon of it!!
“The Butterfly House contains over 1,000 butterflies with many different species from North & South America and Asia. The facility was built with the idea of developing beautiful gardens in a controlled environment to exhibit butterflies to the general public. An opportunity to learn about the life cycle of the butterfly and how to promote a healthy environment for these special insects will be provided as well. The average life span of the butterfly is 2 to 3 weeks, so each week we introduce new species. Throughout the season we will have over 100 different species, so multiple visits can be rewarding. Our experienced staff are available to answer your questions. We hope you enjoy your visit.” — Duke Wheeler
Hours: May – August: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 4pm and Sunday: 12pm – 4pm
Admission: Adults (12-64)$10, Seniors (65+) $9, Kids (4-11) $8, and 3 & Under are Free
2-Book Your Sandpiper Cruise!
The Sandpiper is a 100-passenger cruise vessel located on the Maumee River. The boat is available for private and public rides from May through October. There are a variety of cruise options throughout the summer but our favorite is FRIDAY NIGHT FAMILY CRUISE Bring the whole family for a fun 2-hour cruise on the Maumee and enjoy the dusk views of Downtown Toledo, area wildlife, and stately homes. Bring a picnic or order Marco’s Pizza to be delivered to the boat before departure: (419) 698-1511, (don’t forget to let them know you’ll be on The Sandpiper! Note: All public cruises are BYOB)
Hours: Varies (May-October) ***Family Night Family Cruise is May 25th***
Phone Number: (419) 537-1212
Address: The Sandpiper is docked at Water Street and Jefferson Avenue in Downtown Toledo. GPS directions to the dock: 1 Jefferson Avenue Toledo, Ohio (Street and lot parking is available nearby).
Admission: Friday Family Cruise-Adults $19 / $11 Ages under 12.
3-Col. James M. Schoonmaker (May-October) at The National Maumee of The Great Lakes
“The Schoonmaker was unsurpassed in both size and elegance. On her maiden trip, she carried 12,650 net tons of coal from Toledo, Ohio to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The ship held the title of “Queen of the Lakes” as the largest ship operating on the Great Lakes until April 14, 1914”. And you and your kiddos can step aboard!! Tour this magnificent ship and get awesome, pics aboard (I may have dressed my kiddos in sailor suit inspired outfits and taken pics-still my favorites!) and of the Toledo Skyline! FYI-This one is totally worth the membership!!
Admission: Adult – Museum and Schoonmaker – $15.00 Senior (65+), AAA, Military – Museum and Schoonmaker – $14.00 Youth (6-17) – Museum and Schoonmaker – $12.00 & Children 5 and under – Free
4-Aerial Adventure Course at the Toledo Zoo (This one is for the older kiddos 12+)
This Aerial Adventure has a menu of options sure to meet everyone’s quest for adventure!! I know it met mine (I rented a GoPro to commemorate my adventure last summer-that’s me in the video!!) My two favorites-Challenge: Test your stamina as you traverse across the Africa exhibit. Tackle a series of obstacles designed to challenge guests both mentally and physically, including rope bridges, swinging log crossings, horizontal climbing walls and much more. And, Zip line: In this exhilarating and unique experience, guests will start off 80 feet above the Africa exhibit and coast over 760 feet across giraffe, watusi cattle, wildebeest and more. Click on Website link below to read about the Sky Bridge, Flight line, Quick Jump, & package options.
Hours: The Zoo opens daily at 10 am. Last admission is at 4 pm with Zoo closing at 5 pm.
Admission: Varies depending on what is selected from the menu & if you are a member or non-member (starting at $25)
5-Indian Creek Zoo
Indian Creek Zoo is a unique place that offers camel rides and up-close viewing of exotic animals such as Zebras, Camels, Emus, Wallabies, Donkeys, Coatimundi, Alligators and Peacocks and many more! My kiddos have an absolute blast each time they visit!
Address: 2744 Consear Road, in Lambertville Michigan (between Secor & Douglas) just 3 miles north of Toledo
Admission: Child (17 and under) $9, Adult $12, Senior $10, Children 2 and Under FREE
6-Mud Hens Games!!!
Take me out to the ball game. Take me out to 5/3rd Field. Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks. I don’t care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the Mud Hens…and get my pic with Muddy and Madonna!! Get your tickets now and enjoy a fun filled family friendly America pastime.
Registered Kids Receive 2 FREE GAMES Of Bowling Each Day Of The KBF Program All Summer Long, Valued At Over $500 Per Child!
“Select bowling centers and schools around the country are participating in the first ever Kids Bowl Free program. This program is designed by bowling centers to give back to the community and provide a safe, secure, and fun way for kids to spend time this summer.
Children whose age does not exceed a limit by a participating bowling center are eligible to register for 2 free games each day of the KBF program, all summer long, courtesy of the participating bowling centers along with the schools and organizations”.
Offered in Maumee, Rossford, & Bowling Green (click website for exact locations & to sign up today!)
8-Outdoor Expo at Metroparks
May 18th 10am-4pm @ Side Cut (Silver Lake Area)
“Outdoor adventure comes in all shapes and sizes. At the Expo you have the opportunity to try on adventure activities to see what fits. Try archery, tree climbing, kayaking, canoeing, biking and much more. The expo has something for all ages from the seasoned enthusiast to the beginner. They’ll have music, food trucks and outdoor industry exhibitors. May is Bike Month, at the expo you’ll meet area biking clubs and business’ and learn about Metroparks biking programs and trails”.
Address:1025 W River Rd, Maumee, OH 43537….Side Cut Metropark, Silver Lake Area
Admission: FREE
9-Kayaking the Maumee River Water Trails
The trail stretches 107-miles from Maumee Bay (Lake Erie) to the Ohio-Indiana border, and can be accessed at 39 locations.
The trail connects five Metroparks (Bend View, Farnsworth, Middlegrounds, Providence, and Side Cut), three state parks (Independence Dam, Mary Jane Thurston, and Maumee Bay), three wildlife areas (Meyerholtz, North Turkeyfoot, and Van Tassel), as well as 15 other publicly owned parks.
Balloons, cake, streamers, snakes, lizards…..are you ready for a b-day party game changer?
It’s time to take the b-day experience to the next level, forget Pin the Tail on the Donkey, gather around and watch the b-day boy feed the 2nd biggest species of frog in the world a 3” hissing cockroach!
We’ve officially booked Frogtown Exotics for my son’s b-day party and we can’t wait!!
What is Frogtown Exotics? The owner, Jake, who has had a lifelong passion for herpetology shares his passion via educational fun, hands-on, and memorable experience for the kiddos by bringing an upwards of over a dozen different live reptiles & amphibians for kiddos to get up-close and personal. Sweet, right!?!
I’m so excited! We have booked Frogtown Exotics for my son’s b-day party! I can’t wait to share our experience with you all….stay tuned!
FYI- Frogtown Exotics travels to parties, schools, daycares, libraries, churches, summer camps, scout groups, or any special event with their animals to educate all the guests with amazing facts of each critter and have an opportunity to pet/hold most of these animals.
Our oldest kiddos are now off to middle school and they have graduated to the buddy system at the water park. Meanwhile us moms can relax and enjoy the company of the younger kiddos and one another as we float down the lazy river, jump the waves in the wave pool, and watch the kiddos on the splash playground. Rolling Hills Water Park continues to be our favorite waterpark, it isn’t too big, but not too small, it has enough activities to occupy all the kiddos, patches of grass to lay out a towel to relax (or have a time-out), it is the perfect distance from Toledo, far enough that you feel like you’re going somewhere special, but not so far that it feels like a chore.
DETAILS
So moms put any body issues you may have aside and make some amazing memories with your children. I am so glad our children will have memories to treasure when they get older of their mothers playing in the water with them, going down the lazy river, enjoying their time together as opposed to meagerly sitting on the side covered, fearful of what others may think, allowing others potential judgments to hijack an amazing day and treasured time together. I want to give a cheer to all the moms out there who sport the suits no matter what body type, or what season of motherhood they might be in, and enjoy their time with their children.
This is one of my Favorites!! Between the classical music playing, watching the delicate fluttering of the gorgeous butterflies, and the general warm embrace of the atmosphere my blood pressure lowers instantly….and kiddos absolutely adore visiting. They look forward to every May 1st because that’s the day the Butterfly House Opens!!! FYI-the land is gorgeous and there is a picnic table available so pack lunches and make an afternoon of it!!
The Sandpiper is a 100-passenger cruise vessel located on the Maumee River. The boat is available for private and public rides from May through October. There are a variety of cruise options throughout the summer but our favorite is FRIDAY NIGHT FAMILY CRUISE Bring the whole family for a fun 2-hour cruise on the Maumee and enjoy the dusk views of Downtown Toledo, area wildlife, and stately homes. Bring a picnic or order Marco’s Pizza to be delivered to the boat before departure: (419) 698-1511, (don’t forget to let them know you’ll be on The Sandpiper! Note: All public cruises are BYOB)
“The Schoonmaker was unsurpassed in both size and elegance. On her maiden trip, she carried 12,650 net tons of coal from Toledo, Ohio to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The ship held the title of “Queen of the Lakes” as the largest ship operating on the Great Lakes until April 14, 1914”. And you and your kiddos can step aboard!! Tour this magnificent ship and get awesome, pics aboard (I may have dressed my kiddos in sailor suit inspired outfits and taken pics-still my favorites!) and of the Toledo Skyline! FYI-This one is totally worth the membership!!
Indian Creek Zoo is a unique place that offers camel rides and up-close viewing of exotic animals such as Zebras, Camels, Emus, Wallabies, Donkeys, Coatimundi, Alligators and Peacocks and many more! My kiddos have an absolute blast each time they visit!
Take me out to the ball game. Take me out to 5/3rd Field. Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks. I don’t care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the Mud Hens…and get my pic with Muddy and Madonna!! Get your tickets now and enjoy a fun filled family friendly America pastime.
Registered Kids Receive 2 FREE GAMES Of Bowling Each Day Of The KBF Program All Summer Long, Valued At Over $500 Per Child!
May 18th 10am-4pm @ Side Cut (Silver Lake Area)
Goodbye school days and hello pool days, summer camps, & road trips!!!
