Free Kids Activities in Dayton, Ohio

Families with children living in, or planning to visit, Dayton, Ohio, have options available for keeping the cost of a visit under control. The city has free kids activities based around its aviation heritage as the home of the Wright brothers, as well as outdoor activities associated with the Yamhill River and Palmer Creek.

  1. Historical Museum

    • The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (nps.gov/daav) provides the opportunity to visit four museum units that educate visitors about famous Dayton residents, including poet and writer Paul Dunbar and the Wright brothers, who earned fame as aviation pioneers. The units are the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, the Wright Cycle Company, the Huffman Prairie Flying Field and the Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center. These centers typically operate from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and include such exhibits as artifacts from the Wright brothers' early flight experiments and a reconstruction of the print shop the brothers owned in Dayton.

    Public Parks

    • Courthouse Square Park lies in the heart of the city and has picnic areas, a children's play area and basketball courts. Dayton Boat Landing provides access to the Yamhill River, as well as opportunities for hiking and wildlife watching. The Palmer Creek Trail runs for approximately 2 miles along the side of the creek.

    Animal Park

    • Possum Creek Metro Park (metroparks.org) features a barnyard containing a variety of farm animals such as sheep, goat and horses. Children can pet the animals from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Covering about 556 acres, the park has a range of other free activities, including fishing, hiking and camping. It is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. April 1 to Oct. 31, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. the remainder of the year.

    Historic Locations

    • The Oregon Historic District is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city, with a history dating to 1829. A tour provides the chance to view historic buildings and interesting architecture, as well as to enjoy shops, restaurants and cafes.

      The Patterson Homestead Museum is located in a Federal-style building constructed during the 1800s, and it features exhibits and artifacts related to a famous Dayton family, the Pattersons. Generations of the family lived in the house, and they donated it to the city in 1953. The museum operates from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Thursday to Saturday.

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