3 Great Kids Attractions for Winter

Legoland Discovery Center: See famous Ohio landmarks made out of Lego bricks, watch 4D movies (complete with wind, snow and rain effects), bring to life the actions of favorite characters or speed around a racetrack with a car you designed yourself. Columbus’ Legoland Discovery Center is geared toward kids ages 3 through 10, but it features activities everyone can enjoy. Preschoolers can construct colorful flowers or just wiggle around in Duplo Farm, named after the large, soft blocks Lego created for little ones. Older kids will love the interactive rides. “This is the largest Lego box you will ever walk into,” says Legoland Discovery Center general manager Jacob Kristensen. “We catch you learning while you’re playing.” 157 Easton Town Center, Columbus 43219, 614/407-7721, columbus.legolanddiscoverycenter.com

Little Buckeye Children’s Museum: There aren’t many levers to push or buttons to press at this Mansfield museum. Instead, imagination fuels the fun. The first floor resembles a city’s main street and is filled with dozens of opportunities for kids to get creative, from a bank that offers money-management lessons to a post office with pretend mail to sort. Upstairs, children can be teacher for the day in an 1800s-era, one-room schoolhouse. “We get back to the basics here and promote play the old-fashioned way,” says Fred Boll, the museum’s executive director. “[There was a time when] parents let you out to play, and you came home when the streetlights came on. We have created that playground for kids here.” 44 W. Fourth St., Mansfield 44902, 419/522-2332, buckeyeimaginationmuseum.org

Mighty Children’s Museum: Young visitors to this Chillicothe museum race boats as a way to learn about water and pick pretend produce as part of a farm-to-market experience. The Dig Site, sponsored by the National Park Service, gives budding archaeologists a chance to dig for fossils and learn about local history. Classes offered include Story Time with a Hero, a reading partnership with the police department, and Sensory and Song, offering socialization for infants and hands-on activities for elementary-age students. “When you say ‘museum,’ in your mind, you think of a place where you can’t speak, you can’t touch and you have to be quiet,” says Kelcie Pierce, the museum’s executive director. “Mighty is the complete opposite.” 21 E. Fourth St., Chillicothe 45601, 740/773-6444, mightymuseum.org