COSI is a must see when you are visiting Columbus, Ohio. Heck, COSI is a must see when you live here. As a newbie or returning fan, you will experience new and exciting things that will keep you coming back for more. My family has a membership and we take full advantage of the wonderful things COSI offers once or twice a month. It is really easy to go frequently because COSI’s little kidspace is full of entertainment for kids around the first grade age and younger. I let my 3 and 1 year olds loose and literally they are entertained for hours. There is a pretend play area that allows your kids to be doctors, cooks, helicopter pilots, or truck drivers; a treehouse with slides and viewing “room” of pretend bugs, playhouses, blocks, push toys, a water room complete with raincoats to keep them as dry as possible, and a sound room. Some days the reptiles, amphibians, and spiders come out so the kids can learn more about turtles, snakes, chameleons, frogs, etc.
Many times I’ll bring lunch and we munch away in the kidspace area. There are tables for littles and plenty of chairs…and a few high chairs for the very littles. If you forget lunch there is a cafeteria on the first floor that offers plenty of nutritous options. COSI has family bathrooms and nursing stations as well. I really appreciated the nursing stations when my son was a little baby, because there was plenty of stuff to keep my daughter occupied while the baby nursed and I changed him.
COSI hosts traveling exhibits as well, so be sure to check their website to see what is new. Currently, the traveling exhibit is
Lost Egypt. I was invited for a sneak peak of the exhibit, which was actually produced by our own Columbus COSI people! COSI worked with the Science Museum of Minnesota to create an exhibit that educates visitors about archeology, utilizing the scientific process, and connecting past cultures to today. COSI sponsored a crew of archeologists and sent an incredible photographer to capture the dig and the culture. The photographs alone are worth a trip. The exhibit is recommended for children 9 to 13, and I have to agree. I took my two little ones and their attentions spans weren’t long enough for mommy to read through everything….of course, I am fascinated by archeology, so I could have spent hours there. There is also an area that covers mummification that was scary for my 3 year old, and explaining the mummy…yes, a real mummy!…was kind of difficult. So, if you want to see it and need to bring the kids, come with a second adult so you can switch out.
Plan your trip to COSI:
- If you are a resident of Central Ohio I suggest getting a yearly family membership. It seriously pays for itself if you go twice…and with exhibits, kidspace, and Ohio winters, you can easily go more than twice a year.
- You can use your stroller. There is plenty of room to maneuver around.
- They have lockers if you have coats or other things you want to store.
- You’ll need cash for parking.
- Plenty of family bathrooms. There is a nursing station in kidspace.
- Dippin’ Dots…yes, Dippin’ Dots. Weird little things that kids love…and I always need that “mommy bite.”
- Check the website for the days COSI is open. Various times of years they are not open Mondays and/or Tuesdays.
