Are you homeschooling near Dayton, Ohio, and want to know where all the best homeschooling activities are? I asked 30 homeschooling parents where their favorite places to take their kids were, and they did not disappoint!
1. Brukner Nature Center
Brukner Nature Center offers a Nature Club to homeschooled children ages 5-11 and a RiversEdge Explorers program to homeschooled children age 12-17. Both are wildlife-based learning programs.
Address: 5995 Horseshoe Bend Rd, Troy, OH 45373
Phone number: (937) 698-6493
Things to do: Wildlife Encounter, Homeschool Programs, Hiking, Birdwatching, Art Exhibits, Nature Library
2. Fresh Water Farms
Fresh Water Farms is the largest indoor fish hatchery in Ohio. They offer tours, live animal exhibits, and more.
Address: 2624 N US Hwy 68, Urbana, OH 43078
Phone number: (937) 652-3701
Things to do: Feed Fish by Hand, Tours, Educational Exhibits and Displays, Trout Feeding Frenzy, Sturgeon Petting Zoo, Live Animal Exhibits with Interactive Critter Displays.
3. Aullwood Audubon
Aullwood Audubon is an excellent resource for homeschoolers, Pre-K-12th grade. They offer educational information related to science, natural history, and agriculture.
Address: 1000 Aullwood Rd, Dayton, OH 45414
Phone number: (937) 890-7360
Things to do: Life on the Farm Tour, The Great Outdoors Tour, Educational Bird Classes
4. Wegerzyn Gardens
Wegerzyn Gardens is a great place for kids to learn about and explore gardens, plants, and vegetables.
Address: 1301 E Siebenthaler Ave, Dayton, OH 45414
Phone number: (937) 275-7275
Things to do: Children’s Discovery Garden, Music Maze, Sensory Garden, Sandboxes, Fossil Cave, Water Features
5. Carriage Hill Historical Farm
Carriage Hill Historical Farm recreates a typical farm day to show kids what life was like in the 1880s.
Address: 7800 Shull Rd, Huber Heights, OH 45424
Phone number: (937) 275-7275
Things to do: Tours, both Guided and Self-Guided, Farm, Animals, Watch Demonstrations of Churning Butter, Wood Stove Cooking, Baking, Canning, Sewing and Weaving
6. Johnston Farm and Indian Agency
Johnston Farm and Indian Agency teach children about prehistoric Native American inhabitants of the Miami Valley and the European settlers of the 18th and 19th centuries. Kids will also learn all about frontier life.
Address: 9845 N Hardin Rd, Piqua, OH 45356
Phone number: (937) 773-2522
Things to do: Tour of the Johnston Home and Farm, Johnston Farm & Indian Agency Site Museum, and Miami-Erie Canal and General Harrison canal boat
7. Get Air Trampoline Park
Get Air is an indoor trampoline park. It is an excellent place to take cooped-up kids to get all their energy out, and makes for an excellent physical education class.
Address: 6020 Chambersburg Rd, Dayton, OH 45424
Phone number: (937) 202-4757
Things to do: Trampoline, Dodgeball, Ninja Activities, Kiddie Court, Foam Pit, Slamball, Slackline, Fidget Ladder, Massage Chairs
8. Idle Hour Ranch
Idle Hour Ranch is an animal sanctuary and conservatory.
Address: 4845 Fenner Rd, Troy, OH 45373
Phone number: (937) 339-9731
Things to do: Corn Maze, Sloth Encounter, Petting Zoo, Tons of Animals, Face Painting
9. Rosewood Arts Center
Rosewood Arts Center provides 400 classes each year. This place is great for visual and hands-on learners!
Address: 2655 Olson Dr, Kettering, OH 45420
Phone number: (937) 296-0294
Things to do: Tons of Classes, Jewelry Making, Painting, Drawing, Dance, Creative Writing, Ceramics, Language Learning, Swim Lessons, Theater, Cartooning, Clay Art, Explore Nature, Learn about the Environment and More!
10. The Narrows Reserve Nature Center
The Narrows is such a fun place to hike, with almost 6 miles of trails through the woods and alongside the Little Miami River.
Address: 2575 Indian Ripple Rd, Xenia, OH 45385
Phone number: (937) 429-9590
Things to do: Canoeing, Hiking Trails, Raptor Aviary
11. Kettering Recreation Complex
The Kettering Rec is an excellent option for indoor and outdoor physical education.
Address: 2900 Glengarry Dr, Kettering, OH 45420
Phone number: (937) 296-2587
Things to do: Indoor Pool, Ice Skating, Adventure Reef Water Park, Gym, Running and Walking Track
12. MetroParks Ice Rink
MetroParks Ice Rink is a great winter activity. It is located in Downtown Dayton near the Great Miami River.
Address: 237 E. Monument Ave., Dayton, OH 45402
Phone number: 937-275-7275
Things to do: Ice Skating, Hot Chocolate and Snack Bar
13. YMCA Adventure Guides Program
The Adventure Guides Program is great for kids and parents to have fun and learn together!
Locations: Springboro, Englewood, Kettering
Phone number: 937-886-9622
Things to do: Campouts at Camp Kern, Mini-Indy Car Building, Bowling, Scavenger Hunts, and More.
14. Sky Zone Trampoline Park
Sky Zone is a trampoline park with lots of extras like dodgeball, rock climbing, and more! This place is excellent for physical education.
Address: 976 Senate Dr, Dayton, OH 45459
Phone number: (937) 396-6600
Things to do: Freestyle Jump, Skyslam, Ultimate Dodgeball, Foam Zone, Sky Hoops, Sky Joust, Sky Ladder, Skyline, Speed Zone, Drop Zone, Free Climb, Ninja Warrior Course, Toddler Zone, Challenge Zone, Rock Climbing Wall, and Parkour.
15. Cox Arboretum MetroPark
Cox Arboretum has 189 acres to explore! Find frogs and turtles in the pond or check out the Butterfly House and beautiful gardens.
Address: 6733 N Springboro Pike, Dayton, OH 45449
Phone number: (937) 275-7275
Things to do: Butterfly House, Tree Gardens, Bell Children’s Maze, Zorniger Education Center, Pollinator Gardens, Specialty Gardens, The Barbara Cox Center for Sustainable Horticulture, Conservation Corner, Nature Trails
16. EnterTrainment Junction
EnterTrainment Junction is an indoor theme park with the world’s largest indoor train display and lots of fun mazes..
Address: 7379 Squire Ct, West Chester Township, OH 45069
Phone number: (513) 898-8000
Things to do: Trains, Railroad Museum, Marble Display, Mirror Maze, and Many More Mazes!
17. SunWatch Indian Village
SunWatch Indian Village offers educational resources to learn all about the Native American culture.
Address: 2301 W River Rd, Dayton, OH 45417
Phone number: (937) 268-8199
Things to do: View Artifacts, Learn about Indian History, Visit Reconstructed Indian Structures, Guided Tours, Sensory Activities, Museum Scavenger Hunt, and Learn Geography and Math.
18. Learning Tree Farm
The Learning Tree Farm uses nature and hands-on activities to make learning fun! They host homeschool groups as well as families and gardening clubs.
Address: 3376 S Union Rd, Dayton, OH 45417
Phone number: (937) 866-8650
Things to do: Animals, Gardens, Farmhouse to Explore, Tractors, Play Area, Homeschool Programs, Pumpkin Scramble Game, Hay Bale Obstacle Course, Hiking Trails, Observation Deck, and Tire Swing
19. Young’s Jersey Dairy
Young’s Jersey Dairy is a farm with lots of animals, tractors to play on, food and ice cream, and more.
Address: 6880 Springfield Xenia Rd, Yellow Springs, OH 45387
Phone number: (937) 325-0629
Things to do: Animals, Tractors, Putt-Putt Golf, Ice Cream Shop, Food, Batting Cages, Seasonal Events such as Corn Maze, Easter Egg Hunt, Hayrides, and More.
20. Decoy Art Studio
Decoy Art Studio is a mobile art studio with lots of artists and teachers. They partner with parks and recreation organizations to teach art classes.
Address: Mobile, Beavercreek, Ohio
Phone number: (937) 431-4838
Things to do: Pottery Painting, Clay Hand Building, Drawing, Toddler Sensory
21. National Museum of the US Air Force
The Air Force Museum offers homeschooled children and schools groups access to hands-on activities, tours, and more.
Address: 1100 Spaatz St, Dayton, OH 45431
Phone number: (937) 255-3286
Things to do: Airplanes, Guided Tours, Scavenger Hunts, Space Gallery, War History
22. Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
Boonshoft is a children’s museum, zoo, science and technology center, with natural history exhibits.
Address: 2600 Deweese Pkwy, Dayton, OH 45414
Phone number: (937) 275-7431
Things to do: Dinosaurs, Geology, Hands-On Science Experiments, Animal Demonstrations, Planetarium, Moon, Weather, STEM, Astronomy
23. Carillon Historical Park
Carillon Historical Park offers Homeschool Days, all-day programs for homeschool students.
Address: 1000 Carillon Blvd, Dayton, OH 45409
Phone number: (937) 293-2841 Ext. 127
Things to do: Access to All Carillon Historical Park Exhibits, Candle-Making, Gardening, Rug Hooking, Bread Baking, Brewery Talk, and Historic Printing Demonstrations
24. Needle, Ink and Thread
Want your child to learn how to sew? Needle, Ink, and Thread offers sewing classes for kids!
Address: 2290 Patterson Rd, Kettering, OH 45420
Phone number: (937) 490-9353
Things to do: Kids Can Sew Class
25. Dayton Art Institute
Dayton Art Institute offers Homeschool Intersections which is a structured program for homeschools students 0-18 years old.
Address: 456 Belmonte Park North Dayton, OH 45405
Phone number: 937-223-4278
Things to do: Studio Classes, Art Camps, Family Programs, Art Gallery
26. Windmill Farms
Windmill Farms is known for its Adventure Hayride through Spooky Hollow. They have 37 acres and lots for kids to do!
Address: 1454 East St #73, Springboro, OH 45066
Phone number: (937) 885-3965
Things to do: Adventure Hayrides, Animals, Pumpkin Patch, Wooden Train, Weekend Face Painting, Swingset, Popcorn, Apple Cider, Market
27. Interactive Fountains at The Greene Town Square
The Greene Town Center Shopping Mall has a splash pad right in the middle of the shopping center for kids to play. It’s the perfect easy outing on a hot summer day.
Address: 102 Plum Street Beavercreek, OH 45440
Phone number: 937-429-4961
Things to do: Splash Pad
28. Charleston Falls
Charleston Falls is a county park with hiking trails and a waterfall. They offer a curriculum-based homeschool program to groups of children.
Address: 2535 Ross Rd, Tipp City, OH 45371
Phone number: (937) 335-6273
Things to do: Lots of Programs to Sign up for, Naturalist Adventure Series, Music in the Park, Eco-Camp “Nature Week”, Intro to Geocaching, Preschoolers in the Park, Homeschool Nature Connections, and Campfire Programs.
29. Englewood MetroPark
Englewood MetroPark is situated on 1900 acres of forest, waterfalls, and wetlands.
Address: 4361 W National Rd, Dayton, OH 45414
Phone number: (937) 275-7275
Things to do: Boating, Camping, Fishing, Exploring Nature, Gardening, Geocaching, Heritage and History, Horseback Riding, Ice Skating, Paddling, Photography, Birdwatching, and Waterfalls.
30. Miami Valley Orienting Club
The Miami Valley Orienting Club offers courses about orienting.
Address: 4304 Brewster’s Run Ct, Bellbrook, OH 45305
Phone number: (937) 848-3106
Things to do: Classes to Learn about How to Read a Map, Use a Compass, Land Features, etc.
Conclusion
One of my favorite things about homeschooling is the flexibility to do activities whenever we feel like it! Whether you choose to use these ideas as a field trip or just a fun day off from school, this is a great list to inspire some ideas that kids love!
