31 Fun Things To Do And Eat In Columbus, OH!

There are 31 days in the month of May so here are 31 things to do, see, and eat in Columbus with your family! If my math serves me right, that’s something for everyday of the month. Kick the summer off with fun activities, recipes, crafts, and fun family time.

If you are like me, you are constantly googling “things to do with a 4 year old.” Now add “and a newborn” to that google search.

Luckily for both of us, I’ve gotten into a groove of activities that are fun, won’t break the bank, and fun for the whole family! If you have found this post and you don’t live in Columbus, Ohio – don’t worry, there should be something similar in your area.

Or, you should just come visit us in the Buckeye state to experience the fun!

Let us know when you check off these activities for the month, you can comment below or tag us on Instagram or use #beardandbaker.

31 Fun Things to do as a Family in May

1. Make Funfetti Cupcakes. Celebrate the beginning of a new month with some festive cupcakes! If you want an extra easy recipe, use this one that doctors up a cake mix.
2. Do the Fairy Trail in Dublin. We loved this activity so much! See our full experience here. If you start early in the day around 10am, you can finish around noon and grab lunch at any of the amazing restaurants in the area like North Market, Hen Quarter, or The Pearl.
3. Register for a Seeds of Caring Event. We love this organization that is teaching kids to create a kinder community and have done several of their volunteering events. You can see all their service projects here and register for one or multiple.
4. Watch Star Wars! May the Fourth is the official Star Wars day of the year and it’s gotten pretty fun in recent years. Turn on Disney Plus+ and have a marathon or just pick one (of the many!) Star Wars movies or shows to watch together. Bonus points if you make these Baby Yoda cocktails for Mom and Dad.
5. Make a Paper Plate Flower Garden. We made these for Earth Day and it was fun and educational. Plus, you probably already have all the supplies in your house so it’s also a free activity for May. Win-Win.
6. Do a Scavenger Hunt at Your Favorite Metro Park. We have SO many amazing metro-parks in Columbus (see below for more ideas there) all across the city. Make your own scavenger hunt or pick up a pre-made bag like this Melissa & Doug one we have then head to the park and get searching. I love this one because it also has indoor options too for rainy days!
7. Make Overnight French Toast Casserole. This is one of my favorite easy recipes. It’s something my four year old can make with me and is really fun and delicious. You can make this the night before and then whip it up the next morning for an easy breakfast paired with your favorite cartoons.
8. Visit the Olentangy Caverns. This spot near Lewis Center is SO fun. It’s where history, geology, and fun meet for a really awesome family experience. They have the historic caverns, an interactive petting zoo, mini golf, gem mining, and more. Check out this full post about the Indian Caverns from Eat Play Cbus.
9. Have a Mini Spa Day at Home. We did this for Galentine’s Day and Olivia still talks about it. This is a way more cost effective way to have a mani/pedi session and less stressful than taking little ones to the spa. This would be a very fun way to celebrate Mother’s Day too, just don’t forget the chocolate!
10. Head to the Worthington Libraries for a Free Craft. We are lucky and live right near a branch of the Worthington Library so we always make our way there for their weekly free craft! It’s usually paired with a few books of the same theme too. Follow them on Facebook for more details.
11. Make Froot Loops Sugar Cookies. I love these cookies so much and they are so fun to make… and eat! You can make a double batch and gift them to a neighbor with a homemade card for an extra activity.
12. Visit the Clintonville Farmer’s Market. Because of COVID, they’ve moved their Farmer’s Market to the parking lot of the Ohio History Center which is super spacious! Bonus idea: make a yummy dinner using only the ingredients you found at the market. You can see a list of all the Columbus area Farmer’s Markets here.
13. Make DIY Maracas. We made these last summer with my sister and had a massive dance party in their backyard. You can see the whole tutorial here then turn on your favorite booty-shaking music and go to town!
14. Attend Storytime at a MetroPark. Only a select number of Columbus parks are hosting events. You need to sign up for their weekly emails, which you can see here! Only 10 people are allowed at each event so it’s small and safe, then you can visit a storybook trail or play on the playground.
15. Search for Murals Downtown. While we might not be an Atlanta or Austin, we still have some beautiful murals across Columbus. I recommend just going for a walk downtown and seeing what you find, but here is a good article from Columbus Navigator about some mural artists for follow!
16. Make Pasta Salad for a Picnic. This classic pasta salad is my FAVORITE and is in constant rotation during the summer. Whip up a batch then toss in the cooler and head to your favorite park for a little picnic.
17. Visit the Children’s Garden at Franklin Park Conservatory. I am obsessed with this play area at Franklin Park Conservatory. It’s so incredible and worth a visit or two or three. Right now (til 2022!), they have the Paul Busse Garden Railway which is incredible, check out our Reel about it.
18. Make a Play-Doh Sensory Kit. These are literally so fun to make. We make them regularly but here is an Earth Day example and a Space Week theme on our Instagram. You can also purchase them to make your life easier from Splendid Box Co. or Sensory Dough & Play Kits.
19. Whip Up Some Brownie Parfaits. We used the Brownie Points brownie bites for these brownie parfaits and they are seriously addictive. But, you could use homemade brownies, box mix, or those perfect brownies from Sassafras Bakery!
20. Paint a Planter, Then Plant Something. It’s not a normal week in the Lewis Household if we don’t paint SOMETHING. We painted these clay pots for Earth Day and then planted some flowers that Olivia picked out at Lowe’s.
21. Visit Your Favorite Animals at the Columbus Zoo. We love the Columbus Zoo and go a few times a month! There have been so many updates over the past few years, that we always find something new to enjoy when we go. Petting the stingrays is a top choice right now!
22. Host a Virtual Bake Sale. I’ve done this a few times in the past year and love it. Pick one or two recipes and a non-profit recipient then sell your baked goods to friends, neighbors, family, etc. to raise money for a good cause! We raised over $800 for the Worthington Resource Pantry and Ronald McDonald House last year with our bake sales.
23. Eat + Explore the Columbus Commons. There are so many great restaurants right around the Columbus Commons like Dirty Franks and Market 65.
24. Make a DIY Ball Pit at Home. My sister did this at her house and Olivia was obsessed. This is definitely a germ free way to get that fun ball pit experience at home!
25. Do the Unofficial West Side Ice Cream Trail. I will never turn down a day to eat all the ice cream. Julie from What Should We Do Today Columbus has all the details on how to load up on ice cream! Don’t forget to stop at one of my favorite taco trucks while you’re over there.
26. Whip up this Sangria Mocktail. This family friendly drink is delicious and simple for kids to make! You can swap out some of the fresh fruit options for ones you pick up at the Farmer’s Market.
27. Visit the Animals at Slate Run. I can’t believe I hadn’t been here until like a year ago. This working farm is seriously so fun for all ages. Last time I was there, they had a fun paper scavenger hunt you could do too!
28. Mail a Hug. I still haven’t done this one but love the idea from The Lean Green Bean! I haven’t seen my grandparents in over a year and I know they would love this one so much.
29. Make Homemade Pizzas. We do this a lot! Olivia loves to make her own dough and pick her toppings. Plus, when you each make your own, you don’t have to share. plus, it’s WAY cheaper than getting multiple pizzas at a restaurant.
30. Head to Alum Creek Beach. There should be a day or two where it’s 80 or above in Columbus and when that heat wave hits, head to this little beach! While it isn’t the Gulf of Mexico, it’s a nice little beach experience until we can head to white sand beaches again.
31. Read a Book Everyday! Maybe I should have put this as number one. But, no matter the age of your kids, reading is so important. We read 8-10 books at night and it’s my favorite part of the day. Check out all our recommendations here.

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Now, make sure you are signed up for our email list because June is right around the corner! We’ll be sharing 30 things to do in the month of June with your family including the reopening of COSI (yay!!), splash pads, and more.