Cleveland’s Best Stuff For Young Kids (5-8)

May 27, 2011 9:54 PM

Credit: glsc.org

Your 5- to 8-year-old wants nothing to do with “baby” activities. Don’t worry. Here’s some of the best stuff in Cleveland for this age group. – Tonya Vinas

williammather Clevelands Best Stuff For Young Kids (5 8)

Credit: glsc.org

Steamship William G. Mather

601 Erieside Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 694-2000
www.glsc.org/mather_museum.php

What would life be like on a working Great Lakes freighter? To find out, take your 5- to 8-year-old on a tour of the William G. Mather, a restored 618-foot flagship freighter used in the heyday of industry in Ohio. The ship is permanently docked near Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center and has been turned into a museum. You can view guest quarters, the four-story engine room, the cargo holds and the pilothouse. Seasonal hours: May, September, and October — weekends only, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; July, July and August — Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Halloran Skating Rink

3550 West 117th Street
Cleveland, OH 44111
(216) 664-4187
www.city.cleveland.oh.us

Get your 5- to 8-year-old out and moving at the Halloran Skating Rink. During the winter months, ice-skating includes all-ages open sessions, lessons, and times set aside for adults with toddlers. Halloran also has Friday-night skate with a live deejay twice a month and an annual ice show. The rink is run by the Cleveland Recreation Department and can also be a roller-skating rink during summer months. Check the schedule by calling. The price is right, too: 50 cents if you bring your own skates, $1 if you rent.

Tower City Center

230 West Huron Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
(216) 623-4750
www.towercitycenter.com

Tower City is a great place to take a 5- to 8-year-old shopping because you have to park only once, and everything else is under one roof. Kids this age will especially like to shop at three stores geared toward kids: the lower-level candy store, the major league teams store and the Disney store. Different activities, including singing, juggling and other performances, are planned throughout the year. Each floor of Tower City has a guest services area and security guards in the event your 5- to 8-year-old gets separated from you. As for food, a food court has a wide variety of choices, and Tower City also has several restaurants, so everyone can find something they like. Tower City is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.