I’m a graduate of The Ohio State University and love my Buckeyes. But, tailgating pre-kids and celebrating Game Day with kids are two totally different activities! We’ve rounded up some kid-friendly ways and places to celebrate football in Columbus, Ohio.
As with all busy days, you know your family best and what they can handle whether it’s at home or out and about in the city. This list is geared towards kids ages 10 and under but some may be better for older or younger kids. We hope it’s helpful so you can enjoy Game Day in Columbus, Ohio!
Kid Friendly Game Day Restaurants
There are so many restaurants in Columbus that have specials for football Saturdays but they aren’t always geared towards kids. Here are some of our favorites that have room to rove, a kid-friendly atmosphere, and food that is child approved. Plus, a lot of these have private rooms at no additional cost so why not have your own watch party there, easy cleanup!
- Rusty Bucket Restaurant & Tavern – 10 Columbus locations
- Olentangy River Brewing Co.
- Henmick Farm & Brewery
- Combustion Brewery & Taproom – 2 Columbus locations
- Nocterra Brewing Co.
- Rooster’s – multiple Columbus locations
- 16-Bit / Weenie Wonder
Kid Friendly Game Day Recipes
If you would rather stay at home and avoid any Game Day traffic (I don’t blame you!), we pulled together some kid friendly game day recipes to enjoy!
- Buckeyes (obviously!)
- Slow Cooker Honey Buffalo Wings
- Air Fryer Pepperoni Roll Ups
- Crunchy & Cheesy Cheeseburger Bites
- Bourbon, Root Beer, & Peach Ice Cream Floats (this one is for the adults!)
- Brownie Parfaits
- Honey Adobo Chicken Wings
- 150+ Crockpot Recipes
- Walking Tacos
- Football Sugar Cookies
Kid Friendly Game Day Crafts + Activities
Crafts are a constant in our household. We have an entire wall decorated with our daughters artwork and I’ve basically invested in Artkive books (save $20 here!). These crafts are perfect for football and then perfect to gift to a friend or lucky grandparent!
- Make a “Play Doh” Kit!
- This one is for Earth Day but swap the items for football themed!
- Buy a Mindfulness Kit from Too Yoga
- Read a Football Themed Book
- Make a Handprint Ohio State Buckeye Canvas
- Play Corn Hole
- Bonus: let your kids paint the boards for an extra activity!
- Create or Purchase a Football Scavenger Hunt
- Make a Paper Plate Helmet
- Make a Buckeye Necklace
Kid Friendly Game Day Clothes
It’s a sea of red (scarlet) when you walk around Columbus, Ohio when the Ohio State Buckeyes are playing for all ages. Every Saturday morning, I find myself searching for the most on theme outfit even if we aren’t leaving our house. Here are a few of my favorite outfits and accessories for a kid friendly game day outfit!
- Tru Man Brand
- State and Third
- Homage
- Knotty Girl LLC
- Cub & Crew for Custom Stitched OSU Gear
- Mums and Babes
- Well Thy Mama
