Military personnel moving to Dayton Ohio to work at Wright Patterson AFB ask Their Realtor “What is there to do in Dayton for families with small children?”
If you're moving to Dayton, Ohio with a military spouse or are a mom with small kids, you may be wondering what there is to do for families with small kids. As Dayton Realtors, we have had the honor of helping dozens and dozens of military families PCS in and out of Wright Patterson Air Force Base during our 18 years real estate career. We hear the same kind of questions about the area, “Are there good daycare centers near the base?” or “How are the schools in the area?”
Today, we are going to try and answer the common question, “What is there to do in the area for families with small children?” This blog will be part one of a series. In another post, we’ll address the same question for families with older children. But today we’ll focus on the little ones!
Wright Patterson Air Force Base is located in Dayton area, and there are plenty of things to do for parents with small children around the base and surrounding communities. Read on for our top picks!
Youngs Jersey Dairy just outside of downtown Yellow Springs, OH, has been attracting kids and their parents and grandparents for years. Children love petting the goats, seeing the baby cows and pigs, climbing on the tractors for photos, playing miniature golf, and many other activities for the kids. A driving range and batting cages will challenge and entertain the teens and adults! Adults love the ice cream too!
Magic Castle – For 25 years kids and parents have been going to Magic Castle in Kettering for all kinds of family fun including birthday parties, arcade, batting cages, and miniature golf. Where fun is the MAGIC word!
Aqua Tots Swim Schools are located in Beavercreek and Springboro. Aqua Tots offer swimming lessons to kids of all ages.
Carriage Hill Metro Park is one of the area’s favorite metro parks because of its historical working farm. Visitors learn what a working farm in 1880 would have looked like. Kids will learn about blacksmithing, carving, cooking, quilting, and raising animals like cows, horses, pigs, and chickens. Check the schedule for live presentations. Horseback riding is also available at the stables.
Cox Arboretum Metro Park in Miamisburg OH is a nature lovers' park. Walking trails offer pond side tours of ducks, koi, and turtles. Bridges cross creeks and ponds for different views of the surroundings. Kids love the Tree Tower and the Bell Children’s Maze.
Boonshoft Museum of Discovery is a world-class Children’s Museum in Dayton, OH. The Boonshoft offers a wide variety of special education programs from daily Toddler time, the Discovery Zoon displaying over 100 animals and insects, and the brand new Bieser Room of Wonders (opening in Spring 2022).
Just because you're in the military don't overlook the National Museum of the United States Air Force! Kids think its cool! Free admission too!
The National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton attracts people from around the globe every year. With free admission and parking, the “Air Force Museum” as called by locals is a great place to take the family any time of the year but especially on cold, rainy, or super hot and humid days! The museum is really fantastic for the entire family. They have done a great job keeping the kids engaged with “sit-in-the-cockpit” opportunities throughout the museum!
The museum is so large it could take up the entire day or just a few hours. If you only have a few hours to spend, you’ll want to come back on other occasions!
Strap on The Skates With The Kids!
Skateworld of Kettering and Skateworld of Vandalia are the only skating rinks left in the Miami Valley! Kids still love the place! Both Skateworlds offer full week schedule of skating opportunities with special events and birthday parties!
Kettering Recreation Center/ice skating…while we are talking about skating, the Kettering Recreation Complex is the only facility in the area that offers year-round public ice skating! Nothing like enjoying the ice experience with the family!
Cool off this Summer at a Dayton Area water park!
Adventure Reef Water Park is a 3-acre outdoor aquatic facility that features the highest and fastest slides in Montgomery County. Additionally, a splash pad provides plenty of entertainment for children who want to play on land or enjoy themselves in the water with their friends while parents relax nearby! Open Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Kroger Aquatic Park at the Heights is the perfect place to spend a summer day with your family. You'll find plenty of fun water features including lazy river, very large leisure pool, sprayground, and water slides!
Spray Parks are becoming very common in many suburbs around Wright Patterson AFB, during the summer season of course.
A Great Public Park Maybe in Your Neighborhood or Nearby!
Public Playgrounds – some of the best fun a kid can have is at a community park! You can spend 30 minutes or a few hours, or however long it takes for you or your kids to run out of steam. Here are a few of our favorite local neighborhood parks with playgrounds for the kids!
Shoup Park in Beavercreek offers over 4 acres of adventure with a mound slide built into the hillside as well as sever large play structures and swings.
Fairborn Community Park in Fairborn has a great playground with bright and fun playsets. This one won’t disappoint!
Kacie Jayne park in Springboro offers 2 playgrounds and an awesome splash pad in season.
Owens Place in Beavercreek is accessed through the Rotary Park entrance. The shadow play area with colorful panels and various textures provides an activity for visually impaired children to use their sense of touch. There are also two bench swings set at wheelchair height so individuals can access them easily. The Tree House Village offers ramps, swings, swinging bridges, and a clubhouse!
Forest Field Park in Centerville offers a great playground for the kids! The park also has paved walking trails, tennis courts, and soccer field.
Indian Riffle Park in Kettering presents kids with a shaded playground and shelters! Great for outdoor birthday parties!
Iron Horse Park, another great Centerville park, offers playgrounds and picnic facilities.
Orchardly Park (Oakwood) – load the kids in the car and head to Orchardly Park to enjoy the playground for small children, splash pad, basketball courts, tennis courts, and pickleball court.
Stubbs Park in Centerville is best known for its concert amphitheater and disc golf course, but it features a great playground for children too!
Miami Valley Dream Homes, located in Beavercreek, Ohio is a highly skilled real estate duo. Miami Valley Dream Homes are committed to creating an extraordinary experience for each and every client. Buying and selling homes is their specialty and as top-rated Dayton Realtors they strive to make your house hunt or home selling enjoyable.