Dublin, Ohio, is a suburb of Columbus, sitting just to the east of the city. The area holds a wide range of activities for children, from amusement parks to children's museums. However, parents with a tight budget might want to find free activities to keep their child engaged; fortunately, a number of opportunities for kids that carry no price tag sit within Dublin and less than 30 miles away.
Coffman Park, a free public park in Dublin, Ohio, features an outdoor amphitheatre and a picnic shelter area. The park features a children's play area and other kid-friendly spots, such as basketball courts and tennis courts. The park maintains an ice skating rink in the winter and offers pond fishing in summer. Guests also have the opportunity to walk through specialty gardens or amongst the public art pieces on display. The park offers a bike path and provides men's and women's restroom facilities. The park opens at sun-up and closes at dusk.
Avery Road Park, another free park run by the city of Dublin, features sports facilities such as baseball diamonds, tennis courts, volleyball courts and basketball courts. The park offers a kids and toddlers playground area, and ample parking for guests arriving by automobile. Avery Road Park also provides public restrooms. Among other features, public art pieces sit on display on the park grounds and bicyclists traverse the park's bike path. The park provides picnic sheltered areas and a gazebo for groups looking to have a picnic. The park opens when the sun comes up and closes at sundown.
More the just an arts and crafts store, Archivers' Scrapbooking Store offers free activities for kids and sits less than 20 minutes from Dublin, Ohio. The store houses a scrapbook workroom open to the public for free use. The store stocks the room with scrapbook supplies, tables, chairs and ample lighting, and encourages children and adults to finish their craft projects on-site. The store holds free classes on a variety of craft projects for adults and children, and offers workshops and events for a free holiday card showcase. As of October 2010, store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Less than 30 miles from Dublin, Ohio, Slate Run Living Historical Farm offers children and adults a free chance to learn about life on a farm in the early 1900s. The farm features seasonal hands-on activities such as helping to produce maple syrup or helping the farmhands shear a sheep. The farm house and barn are open to guests for touring with or without guides. The grounds also have a picnic table area with eight tables. Although closed on Mondays, the farm opens at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturdays, and opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. on Sundays.
