Big list of snow day activities for kids in Columbus

The weather outside is frightful and cold, and many schools are cancelled. If you have to go out, bundle up and be careful! If you or the kids are suffering from cabin fever, check out this Big list of snow day activities for kids in Columbus. 

If any level of snow emergency is in effect, please check with the businesses to ensure they are opening before getting on the road.

Fun Snow Day Activities in Columbus

Star Lanes Polaris Snow Day Relief

Star Lanes Polaris usually offers a great Snow Day Relief deal. Bring the kids in on Snow Days from 11 am – 3 pm and they’ll get a free game card with the purchase of lunch, and an XD Dark Ride Ticket for just $5. Each table gets a plate of The Point Bar & Grill’s warm, fresh-baked cookies. Note: they close during Level 3 Snow Emergencies. Check the Facebook page for details!

100+ Indoor Play Places and Activities in Columbus

We’ve gatheed over 85 places with indoor play or fun activities in Columbus, including plenty of free and cheap options, including swimming, bowling, play areas, crafts, kids’ museums, and so much more. Note: always call or check links to verify they are open, especially during snow emergencies!

Libraries!

If you haven’t visited a local library lately, you’re missing out. And if you have young kids at home, you’re REALLY missing out. Public libraries are not just for checking out books anymore! They are a destination! Between the ever-changing themes and displays, kids play areas, storytimes, teen lounges, videogames, computers and ipads to use, 3D printers and other tech gear to use during your visit, you could easily spend a couple of hours there!

Borrow a Culture Pass

OR go to your local library to see if they have any Culture Passes to borrow! Libraries within the Columbus Metropolitan Library system and several surrounding areas off Culture passes.

These are passes that you can borrow for free with your library card for free admission into attractions around Columbus, including Columbus Museum of Art (plenty of fun for kids there), Columbus Zoo, Franklin Park Conservatory, Ohio History Connection, National Veterans Memorial and Museum, Wexner Center for the Arts, The Works, and more. 

Some attractions are only available to borrow from select locations, so check the Columbus Metropolitan Library site to see where passes are located. You cannot check them out online, but you can see availability before you leave the house to pick one up (first come, first served)

Culture Pass: Free admission to the Zoo, FPC, CMA, and more…

Museums

It’s easy to spend a day in a museum while you stay warm!

Check out our list of Free and Discounted Museum options in Columbus! 

If your family receives SNAP benefits, you may qualify for the Museums for All program discounts, which gives discounted admission or memberships to museums and attractions in an effort to make them more accessible to all!

Discounted and Free Museum Days in Columbus

Grab your sled: Sledding hills in Columbus

If there’s enough snow and you want to brave the cold, head to one of these hills.

Indoor and Outdoor Ice Skating in Columbus

Head to a skating pond, or pick a temperature-controlled indoor skating rink and get some exercise while having fun!

Fun Snow Day Activities at Home

Snow Activities with Kids: Check out these fun ideas from Living on the Cheap, including Snow Painting, Snow Ice Cream, Ice Bubbles, and more. We may have to try Tire sur la Neige.

40 things to do with your kids to avoid cabin fever, by Laura Grace Weldon on GeekMom. She includes helpful links in case you don’t know how to play the spoons or make a catapult out of craft sticks.

Living on the Cheap’s 10 DIY kids’ activities. It includes some pretty cool craft ideas that you might not have tried before and that are easy to do.

No sled? No problem. 17 DIY ideas. While we aren’t in the South, if you find yourself without a sled, here are some options. That said, make sure you buy a sled before the first big snow – they ALWAYS sell out temporarily.

36 Snow Day Activities from “Her View From Home” blog

If we get enough snow, here’s a guide from Popular Mechanics on building the Ultimate Snow Fort.

Do you have other Snow Day activities for at home or around Columbus? We’d love to hear them! Tell us in the comments!

Fun things to do today in Columbus, Ohio