Sunday [Family] Funday Archives - Family Fun📍Cincinnati & Beyond

October 4, 2020October 11, 2020

Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati | Sunday Funday for the Family

Round up the crew. Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati is the ultimate activity for Sunday Family Funday! (said like Bowling, but with an F). It’s more affordable, relaxed and likely more age-appropriate than Topgolf, axe throwing and others. Fowling Warehouse wants to treat you and 9 guests to a lane for the day and a round of drinks (Blue Moon Light Sky). Details below on how to enter the contest!

Family Fun | Play all day

The Fowling Warehouse is located in Norwood/Pleasant Ridge at 2940 Highland Ave, near Highland & Ridge Ave. Kids can play any day until 6, including Saturday. Sunday is open ALL day for kids from 12-8pm. Open play is only $10/person and you can play ALL day!

Fowling Warehouse is Fun for kids and adults

Converted from an old warehouse, this place is HUGE! There’s not much curb appeal, but don’t let that fool you. Once you’re inside, you will see how fun it is. There are 30 lanes, so plenty of room to spread out and play. Just bring your crew and your masks (required when walking around) and enjoy an afternoon of play.

WHO CAN PLAY? Anyone, honestly. My kids (4, 7 and 9) loved it. We also played with family who had kids in middle school, high school and college. Even my parents liked it! BONUS: They have PRO footballs and smaller ones that are more kid friendly. You could even bring a smaller ball if you prefer.

This place is perfect for a birthday party! You can reserve lanes, bring pizzas and let the kids burn out all their energy!

Fowling Warehouse | How to play

First off, you can play by the rules or you can just go have fun. We did a little of both. Your goal, knock the bowling pins down with a football.

Teammates play on the SAME side of the board, not opposites like cornhole. There are 2 lines from which you can throw – top of the board and the back. We actually let our kids (4, 7 and 9) move past the lines to throw and that helped them be more successful at knocking down the pins.

This one of a kind game has some unique rules:
–Collateral damage happens if a football from another lane hits your pins and knocks them down. Fair game, the pins are down. Also, you can bring drinks into gates, but they are also fair game. If a football finds it, it’s not going to buy you another one ;).
–BONK HONK. Holy cow, that thing is loud! If you get a BONK, which means you hit the middle pin only, they sound the horn for the whole place to hear! Surprisingly, this happens more often than you realize. We did not BONK or even come close!

Food and Drinks At Fowling Warehouse

There are large round tables outside of the gates that hold the lanes where you can gather with family. They have snacks and slices of pizza, but you can also BYO. We brought in pizza from LaRosas on Montgomery, but you can also use Uber Eats or any other restaurant that delivers.

For the kids, grab a pitcher of Powerade, soda or water. For the adults, there is an epic selection of local and national beverages! They pour from a ‘bottoms up’ system so each drink is the perfect pour and you get one of those fun magnets to keep ;). They have a great drink cooler and a genius ‘mystery beer machine’. Choose your price, $2-$5, and the machine vends you a surprise can! Check out my reels on Instagram for the full experience!

More Games at Fowling Warehouse

Want to take a break for a bit? They have HUGE TVs and the local games are played over the PA system making it a perfect way to watch a Bengals game.

Also, the kids can play air hockey, Golden Tee and more. Each game requires dollars or quarters to play.

Fowling Warehouse for fundraisers and birthday parties

Looking for a way to fundraise for your school, sports team or organization? Fowling is the perfect idea because there is low overhead cost, it’s a unique event and it’s fun for all ages.

Be a cool mom and book the Fowling Warehouse for your next birthday celebration. Costs are low and fun is high because you pay per person and bring your own food!

Be sure to tell them Captain of the Kids sent you!

CLICK IMAGE BELOW to enter to WIN a lane for 10 and a round of drinks at the Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati!

September 12, 2020September 24, 2020

Bass Island and Near with the Family

Have a Sunday Funday – or any day, really – with the family! A family favorite of ours for outdoor Cincinnati family fun is the Newtown/Mariemont area of Cincinnati! This is a MUST VISIT for families with kids of ANY age. Check out the notes and adjustments I call out for toddlers and tweens.

Choose Your Favorites For Sunday [family] funday

Choose something active, something to explore, something to eat and even a sweet treat! All are within walking distance or a short drive from the Bass Island starting point (Newtown Rd just south of Wooster Pike).

Creekin’, River float, Canoe or Kayak
Golf, Driving Range or Putt Putt Golf
Bike ride or paved stroller walk
Burgers, shakes & playing in the sand
Sweet treats – candy & ice cream!

Creekin' + River Float + Kayak + More

The Avoca Trailhead (7949 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio 45227) is a great place to park and start a short ‘float’ down the river in a tube. If the river water is high, the rapids can be fast, so I strongly suggest lifejackets for all! You can end just after you go under the bridge (Newtown Road) and play in the water there. Skip rocks, float in the small rapids (my kids call them ‘slides’) and relax in the river.

Have littles and want to skip the float part? Park at Bass Island (Newtown Rd south of Wooster Pike) and hike down the small trail. Go LEFT at the fork to the end – that is the least steep entrance into the riverbed.

Make sure you have water shoes! Bug spray, a bucket to collect rocks and lifejackets or floaties for the littles are also smart to have. We took pool floats and boogie boards are great too!

If you’re looking to canoe or kayak, here is a map of public canoe access on the little miami. I suggest ending at Bass Island so you can grab some burgers, beers and shakes at fifty west!

If you don’t have your own, here are some places to rent:

Scenic River Canoe Excursions
Fifty West Canoe & Kayak – closed this season.

River Dogs Paddlesports– closed this season.

Loveland Canoe & Kayak

Golf, Driving Range or Putt Putt Golf

Little Miami Golf Center (3811 Newtown Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45244) has a awesome Par 3 and regulation course if your family enjoys golf. My kids prefer the driving range (heated during the winter) or the simple, throwback style putt putt golf course.

BIKE, Scooter or Walk the trail

Looking to take a long bike ride or walk? You can park at The Avoca Trailhead (7949 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio 45227) and walk to The Birch in Terrace Park. This is about a 2.5 mile walk and is great for older kids, a day date or girlfriend adventure.

The Little Miami trail connects all the way to Springfield, Ohio – about 78 miles long. It’s great for family rides. We usually park at Bass Island (Newtown Rd south of Wooster Pike) and ride along the trail as far as we want and turn around. The trick is, there are plenty of competitive bike racers on the trail that come at a good clip, so make sure your kids know to stay to the right and listen for ‘passing on the left’ to avoid any issues. This is one of my favorite places to walk with the stroller because it’s flat, paved and the kids can play in the river or at fifty west afterward.

Great eats, sweet treats

Make sure you hit up fifty west for some burgers, shakes, handcrafted sodas and beers for the parents! There is a great sidewalk path from the little miami golf course to the little miami trail, right behind fifty west burger bar. If you golf, throw the little kids bikes or scooters in your car and scoot on over to fifty west for a little more adventure and fun.

ProTip, you can order take out (online!) if you’re super hungry and don’t want to wait! Or stay to enjoy the atmosphere, shakes and beers for the parents! There is a kids sand area for kids to play in but bring your own toys!

If you want to venture out a but for a treat, be sure to either visit the creamy whip place at the corner of Newtown Rd and 32, called Dairy Corner, or venture up into the Mariemont Strand and try all the candy classics like astronaut ice cream and unique ice creams from Groovy Gumball!

September 1, 2020September 24, 2020

Highfield Discovery Garden: Adventures with Toddlers

We love Highfield Discovery Garden! This unique park offers so many things to discover and is one of our favorite shaded playgrounds in Cincinnati.

BONUS: If you wanted to get some exercise first, there is a 1.0-mile paved trail in the Glenwood Gardens, before you enter the Highfield Discovery Garden. Bring your littles in a stroller and meet a friend to get some exercise before the garden opens at 10am.

**Note: There is an admission charged, $5.25/person or buy a family annual pass to support the Great Parks.

The Magic Treehouse Playground

This is the main attraction! So much to discover in this treehouse playground. Try your hand at the matching game on the side in the green boxes or play hide & seek in the little nooks around the base of the treehouse. The structure and surroundings offer great shade!

The back of the treehouse has a ramp to enter so everyone can see the fun! This is also helpful for parents who want to join in the play but might not want duck down in the other parts of the treehouse.

The kids can scale the steps to the top and check out the a telescope lookout.

Magical Fun & Fairy Garden

Hunt fairies, have a tea party, explore the beautiful gardens and more!

There are adorable little gardens dispersed throughout the grounds to discover and explore. If you’re lucky, you’ll find some butterflies. We loved the mazes.

There’s a little tiny house, a la Alice in Wonderland, perfect for little ones to have a tea party. BYO tea as the dishes are not out, per covid precautions.

Trolley garden

All aboard! A mini train display runs throughout the Trolley Garden and kids can walk under the bridges and find all the trains! Kids can pretend they are the conductors and press the light up buttons in the train station to make it go.

During normal operation, the nature center hosts cute nature programs as well as hands on things for kids to do. Check the Great Parks website for a calendar of events here.

Stay for lunch. You can enjoy a snack or have packed lunch at the tables with umbrellas just past Nature’s Niche Gifts & Books where you purchase your ticket to enter the garden. The gift shop has some really cool, unique gifts, so be sure to take a look around. It’s air conditioned, so it’s a great place to cool off!

July 28, 2020March 3, 2021

Cincinnati Nature Center | Top 10 Things To Do

The Cincinnati Nature Center at Rowe Woods is such a treasure in our city. You can visit many times and never have the same experience twice! A yearly membership is a great investment that your family can use year-round because the center is open and there are even events during the winter. **NOTE: Make sure to check their website to see their policies on daily visit reservations and more.

Here are my top 10 favorite things to do at the Cincinnati Nature Center, in no particular order. Don’t try to do them all at once, though!

1. The Man Made Stream

This gem is inside the Nature PlayScape area, which is perfect for the littles. Even my 9 year old loves this spot. This man made stream offers mini waterfalls, a great creek stream and treasures to be found. Wear boots, water shoes or just let the kids play barefoot. Hunt for fossils, traverse down the rocks (a bit slippery) and look for creatures! There is no shade in this part, but there is a small canopy with bench nearby to watch them play.

2. The Nature PlayScape Area

The Nature PlayScape area is perfect for the littles to run and play. Kids who are just starting to walk will love this area – parents, you’ll love it too because it’s gated! Even my kids older kids (7 & 9) enjoy it, but eventually want to adventure further.

Inside the area includes:
* Little ‘trails’
* A mud pie zone (that you can easily avoid if you want)
* Benches to relax in the shade
* A cool area with logs and tree stumps to build with
*A small sand area
* Interactive maps and questions about nature, butterflies and more that you can assist with along the way

3. events in the playscape

They are often hosting really fun family friendly events in the Nature PlayScape. From nature storytime to crafty Tuesdays to nature painting and more. Heading there for an event is a great way to get familiar with the place! Check out the Calendar of Events in the PlayScape. Don’t forget to check out all the awesome events they host year round.

4. Mashburn Family Discovery Trail

We love to trek this trail starting near the parking lot of the playscape. The orange trail, the Mashburn Family Discovery Trail is a super easy, flat hike (more like a stroll, so even the new walkers can do it.) There are tons of treasures along this hike including Matt’s Pond, but be sure to hold little ones hands here because there are no railings around the deck! The trail loops around so your family will see many different things that I highlight below, including the Lotus Pond and the Log Cabin.

5. the Log Cabin & THe lotus pond

Follow the Orange trail (Mashburn Family Discovery Trail), a super easy, flat hike to find some great places to play and discover in nature including:
* Matt’s Pond
* An old log cabin. My kids could play house in this cabin for hours while I enjoy the rocking chair on the front porch.
* If you keep walking past the house and turn left, you will find the lotus pond. There are frogs for days here in this green, lilypad filled pond. And if you’re there late spring, you can’t miss them because they are loud. And I mean LOUD because it’s mating season. It’s really cool if you happen upon that timing.

6. Houses in the woods made from branches

Keep going past the Lotus Pond on the Mashburn Family Discovery Trail to find a collection of branches, sticks and tree stumps that have been made into ‘houses’. This area is nestled in the shade and really fun for kids to play and make believe in, especially if it’s hot. There’s usually an area where kids can rebuild the big houses or make teepee.

7. Classes for tots to tweens

The Covid concerns have canceled a lot of things, including some of the nature programming. But, under normal circumstances, there are weekly classes, year-round, for kids ages 1-13! Check out their schedules to see if openings are available. Also, did you know they host an accredited nature preschool? It’s a really cool hands on learning experience. Their yearly open house is usually in late January or early February if you or someone you know may be interested in learning more!

8. Hiking and creekin' on the Geology & Discovery trails

There are some really awesome hiking trails at the Cincinnati Nature Center and there’s something for everyone. If you have tots who just want a nature stroll, try the Mashburn Family Discovery Trail as I mention above.

Check out the trail map here (image below) and trail descriptions to find out which best suits your mood and skill level. My favorite trails are the pink (Wildflower) and the purple trail called The Geology Trail. They are family favorites and has a pretty easy decent into the creek. Bring water shoes or old gym shoes you don’t care get wet. Tons of fossil hunting and treasures to find in the creek.

9. feeding the fish and turtles at POWEL Crosley Lake

Feeding the fish & turtles at Powel Crosley Lake is a perfect break from hiking. We like to do the purple trail and then come back up to the Rowe Woods Visitors Center to purchase the brown bags of fish food – just from the cashier there. Bonus, there is a SUPER cute gift shop here with a range of gifts for kids and adults that are unique and not something you can find elsewhere.

The turtles and fish LOVE to be fed and get super close. Be diligent with the little ones as there is no railing on the walkway. I always make my kids sit before giving them the fish food, and then of course obsessively watch them to make sure they don’t fall in ;)! Is my mom anxiety showing?! 😉

10. Adult EVENTS You WILL LOVE

There are tons of cool events for adults to enjoy the nature center. The annual event, Hoots & Hops, is a great date night or GNO option. There are food samples from local restaurants in the lodge, plus food trucks and local brews to sample along the trails. It’s a super casual event and a great way to get to see more of the nature center, without your kids! Plus, they often host events like trail yoga, nature photography walks and more!

If you love to get out and explore and want more ideas, try my favorite shaded playgrounds in Cincinnati or hiking adventures!

Category: Sunday [Family] Funday

Fowling Warehouse Cincinnati | Sunday Funday for the Family

Family Fun | Play all day

Fowling Warehouse is Fun for kids and adults