10 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues in Columbus

Happy New Year! 2021 is finally here and I am feeling cautiously optimistic. But, I am realistic enough to recognize that things will not be changing over night. With that in mind I have compiled a list of ways to stay busy and safe this winter here in Columbus.

Hunt for Bison at Battelle Darby Creek. The bison are in the winter field which makes them a short walk from the parking lot. Finding your way there can be a bit tricky, so be sure plug 1415 Darby Creek Dr into the GPS and park by the Nature Center (which is temporarily closed).

Volunteer with Seeds of Caring to help your kids realize their potential to make an impact in the Columbus community. Seeds of Caring provides opportunities specifically designed to engage children ages 2-12 in service, social action, and community-building. They are currently offering limited in-person outdoor service projects and a wide variety of at home service projects so you can continue to experience the meaningful, reflective volunteer opportunities that Seeds of Caring is known for.

Pick up a COSI Connects Kits, a kids science box with five days worth of themed STEM activities and science experiments for kids delivered right to your front door.

Bundle up for the Annual Winter Hike Series with Columbus Metro Parks. This year, the winter hike series takes on a new look as your ticket to travel through 18 different parks and hike miles and miles of trails. Starting in December, visitors can hike in six different parks per month and have their ticket to travel booklet stamped. After seven hikes, visitors can return their completed travel ticket to receive a unique 2020/2021 Winter Hike patch.

Go in search of a Dublin River Boxes, artist-created vessels that are inspired by the hobbies of letterboxing and geocaching which combine map-reading or GPS skills and artistic pursuit with delightful ‘treasure hunts’ in beautiful, scenic places. Print off and bring along a Riverboxes Passport Booklet, stamp it at each Riverbox, and turn it in to the Dublin Arts Council for a prize.

Take part in the Winter Letterbox Adventure with Preservation Parks. Print off a Letterbox Booklet and follow the clues to guide you on a winter exploration of 8 different parks. Once you’ve solved all of the clues, fill out the form with the correct phrase to receive the code to the lockbox at Gallant Farm.

Find something to do with Piccadilly.Choose from a craft & activity kit, art materials, or register for a Culinary Institute of Piccadilly cooking class.

Participate in the Columbus Metropolitan Library Winter Reading Challenge.The annual program challenges individual students or classrooms to track their progress as they read for six hours and complete six activities on their digital game boards, at which time they will earn a book they can keep, as well as a bookmark and a mechanical pencil, plus a Raising Cane’s coupon and a Donatos coupon booklet.

Take a walk on a Story Walk. The Storybook Trail is open at Alum Creek State Park as is Grandview Public Library’s Story Walk at C. Ray Buck Park.

Discover the Art Unites Cbus Murals displayed at locations around Franklin County. The Greater Columbus Arts Council has installed nine exhibitions this fall of the temporary murals painted on plywood earlier this year in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The free, outdoor exhibitions throughout Columbus will consist of more than 100 murals, curated into sets of various sizes, installed at the following locations: