Free and Fun Educational Programs for Kids This Summer

Illustration by Klaus Kremmerz

It’s summertime, hooray, but parents everywhere are tasked with finding ways to entertain their children until August and the school year rolls back around. Luckily, many local museums offer free educational or creative programs for kids to continue to flex their brain muscles while out of school and, just as importantly, to keep them occupied.

For the Artsy Ones

Get crafty at one of the local museum programs geared toward creativity, like the Contemporary Arts Center’s Yay! Play! program. On select Saturdays, children ages 2–10 can explore sensory stations designed to help them connect with their parents through conversation and play. The American Sign Museum’s Sign Crafting Saturdays (every fourth Saturday of the month) will teach your young one how to be a sign-making professional. The Taft Museum of Art’s next Free Family Fun Day takes place on July 27, when kids get the chance to create art inspired by furniture maker Wharton Esherick.

For the Science Lovers

The Cincinnati Museum Center’s STEM Girl Program invites girls in grades 3–8 to meet women in various science/technology/engineering/math fields and learn about their jobs through hands-on activities. You can find upcoming dates and themes on the Museum Center’s website. Aerospace Camp at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is a one-day camp open to children in grades 5 & 6, with various dates throughout June. Students learn about the basics of rocketry and build their own model rockets. Registration is required prior to attending.

For the Theater Kids

Little Acts, Big Impact: Mini Upstander Play Sessions at Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center features games and songs in partnership with Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati focused on teaching kids about their unique strengths and how they can use them to stand up for others. While the kids are entertained, parents can take a free tour of the Holocaust & Humanity Center’s galleries. After the program (every second Saturday of the month), attendees get free admission to the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Children’s Museum for the day.