Little Buckeye Children’s Museum

little-buckeyeThe brand new Little Buckeye Children’s Museum in Mansfield, Ohio, offers young kids a terrific space for creative play. Set up in a number of open-ended exhibits, the museum is designed for children up to age 12, but I suspect it will be most popular among the preschool set. My boys (ages two and four) moved from exhibit to exhibit, delighting in pretend play in the miniature versions of a bank, a doctor’s office, a grocery store, and a veterinarian’s hospital. My older son eventually hunkered down in the “Super Scientists Laboratory,” proudly donning a lab coat and protective goggles and experimenting with combining different colored liquids. My two-year-old headed straight for the agriculture center where he planted flowers, picked wooden apples from a Velcro tree, and carted his harvest around in a pint-sized wheelbarrow. My baby daughter, meanwhile, was content to play with age-appropriate blocks and books in the “Little People Lounge.”

The environment at the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum was friendly, cooperative, and surprisingly calm. Kids were not only encouraged to explore and play, but also to take responsibility for the materials they were using. The staff was warm, welcoming, and easy-going; they were available when we had questions and encouraged the children without directing their play.

We had a great visit to the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, a terrific place to recharge your batteries while your kids play and learn. The second floor of the museum is still under construction; my kids can’t wait to return someday to see what else is in store!

Tip: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is located a block away from another great pit ptop: Richland Carrousel Park.

Closest interstate: I-71 (The museum is located 10 minutes from the highway.)

Cost of admission: $6 for ages 2 and up

Hours of operation: Thursdays, 10-5; Fridays and Saturdays, 10-8; Sundays, 1-5

Dining options: There are a number of fast food and casual dining restaurants located near the highway exit and in downtown Mansfield near the museum.

Directions: Little Buckeye Children’s Museum is located at 44 West 4th Street, Mansfield, Ohio. Take Exit 169 of I-71. Head north on OH-13 for 4.8 miles. Turn right on E. 1st St. Turn left onto S. Diamond St. Turn left onto 4th St. Ample parking is available on the street and in a nearby free public lot.

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