Educational kids trips

[Margaritaville]

We are grandparents of a 6 year old boy and 8 year old girl. Can you suggest educational places we can take them that's:
1) reasonable distances from central Ohio
2) age appropriate
3) educational.

Last year we took them to Sauder Village in NW Ohio, where they learned about pioneer living. This year we went to Holiday World in Indiana and they loved the amusement park and camping but I am looking for some educational destinations.
Thanks for your ideas and experiences.

[Dyngbld]

We homeschool EVERYTHING is educational. 🙂

[richardwise]

Three places come to mind. They may be too young yet for Wright-Patterson Air Force museum, but the hanger with the rockets may relate to them. The Ohio Caverns in West Liberty should interest them. Roscoe Village in Coshocton is interesting, but more of tourist
thing with mostly shops, some history of canal life. COSI in Columbus would thrill them. These are all day trips from Marion. We usually do trips like these with our grandkids outside of camping season. Going to Dayton was fun for 2 boys, 8 and 12, because we stayed overnight at hotel with a pool. They both enjoyed the museum, also. MAPS air museum is Canton looks interesting, never been there and I live within an hour of it. Life is so unfair, why can't we go straight to the grandkids without having to have the kids first?

[loulou57]

DRSMPS wrote:
Coming from Central Ohio, I would recommend the following:
1. Stay at the Monroe, MI KOA and visit the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Detroit Science Center, Detroit Zoo. All are a short drive once you get set-up at the campground. The campground is good for kids with many planned activities.
2. Drive a little further out to the Port Huron KOA. Great place for kids with more activities than they'll be able to take in. Adjacent to the campground is Sawmill City. A small amusement park with go-karts, bumper boats, water slides, etc. It is close to the Thomas Edison Museum, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse.
3. Cross the boarder into Canada. Stay at the Jellystone in Amherstburg, ON. Another great campground with lots of activities for the kids. Visit Fort Malden, Jack Minor Bird Sanctuary, Colisanti's Greenhouses, Point Pelee National Park.

Have fun!

Port Huron KOA comes highly recommended by us in Ontario. Not only does it have "everything" for kids, it is very close to shopping district.

Niagra Falls, Canadian side has, marineland, Fort Erie, butterfly conservatory and downtown, about 3 or 4 days of fun. There is also a large theme hotel and waterpark.

Whatever you do/did, have fun! Enjoy!

[campersuzid]

I found this USNF page useful, particularly this time of year - http://www.fs.fed.us/fallcolors/2013/kids.shtml

[Roy_Lynne]

When I was young my parents took us on theme trips, and 60 years later I still remember how fun they were. We explored the Gold Country in California one year and learned all about the 49ers. The next year we did Native Americans of the Southwest which was really wonderful.

[TheAmRheins]

Linda, Connor Prairie is a history-based pioneer settlement which has LOTS of educational events going on. It is just northeast of Indianapolis and there is a really nice campground White River county campground nearby in Cicero. The CG is only open May-Oct, but your grands would really enjoy Conner Prairie.

[DiskDoctr]

There seems to be a lot more of this kind of info in this thread:

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/27213630/gotomsg/27214407/p/1.cfm#27214407

Enjoy!

[DRSMPS]

Coming from Central Ohio, I would recommend the following:
1. Stay at the Monroe, MI KOA and visit the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, Detroit Science Center, Detroit Zoo. All are a short drive once you get set-up at the campground. The campground is good for kids with many planned activities.
2. Drive a little further out to the Port Huron KOA. Great place for kids with more activities than they'll be able to take in. Adjacent to the campground is Sawmill City. A small amusement park with go-karts, bumper boats, water slides, etc. It is close to the Thomas Edison Museum, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse.
3. Cross the boarder into Canada. Stay at the Jellystone in Amherstburg, ON. Another great campground with lots of activities for the kids. Visit Fort Malden, Jack Minor Bird Sanctuary, Colisanti's Greenhouses, Point Pelee National Park.

Have fun!

[DiskDoctr]

deeje1 wrote:
The Creation Museum near Cincy is a winner>

+1 Great place, nice people. Though we have not yet tried a nearby CG, we'd like to soon. All has been cage visits 😉

[deeje1]

The Creation Museum near Cincy is a winner>

[Margaritaville]

Thanks all for your ideas and suggestions! Where would this world be without grandparents?

[atreis]

NRAO (National Radio Astronomical Observatory) in WV.

[TheAmRheins]

Indianapolis has a really good children's museum.

[DiskDoctr]

raindove wrote:
Harper's Ferry, W VA
Gettysburg, PA

Many years ago, my parents took us kids to Ft Legionaire - there was a fort set up like it was back in the day. I don't know if that's still there or not. That was out in western PA.

I bet you mean Fort Ligonier 😉

Take the tour, then East on Rt 30 for a bit to Flight 93 Memorial. Stop along the way to enjoy the mountain views and windmills.

It's hilly on Rt 30, so be prepared!

Further East is Old Bedford Village, a complete "town" of original log buildings (although they were brought there from around the area, not in the original locations)

You can see the Buffalo farm along the way.