Indoor Things to Do with Kids Near Youngstown (When It's Cold or Rainy)

When the Valley turns gray and the playground is a mud pit, you still have good options that don't involve handing a tablet to everyone and calling it a day. Here's a local list of indoor spots for kids near Youngstown — science, art, nature exhibits, libraries, trampolines, bowling and ice — with hours and prices pulled from each place's own site on Nov. 6, 2026. A few things (especially skate times and trampoline hours) shift, so double-check before you leave the house.

At a glance

Drive times are rough estimates from downtown Youngstown with light traffic.

OH WOW! Children's Center for Science and Technology

If you've got a rainy Saturday and kids who need to touch everything, start here. OH WOW! (the Roger and Gloria Jones Children's Center for Science and Technology) is downtown on the first floor of Central Square, with hands-on STEM exhibits for weather, engineering, sound and light, plus an early-childhood zone.

• Where: 15 Central Square, first floor, Youngstown, OH 44503. Phone 330-744-5914.
• Hours: Wednesday–Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday noon–5 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday, plus major holidays.
• Admission: Adults and children ages 2–14, $12; seniors 65+, educators and veterans, $11; infants and toddlers 1 and under, free. Members get in free. Buying online can save a bit.
• Museums for All: Eligible SNAP/EBT families pay $2 per person for up to four people (buy on site with proof of benefits; not valid for special events or rentals).
• Parking: OH WOW! points visitors to free parking at the West Commerce / Phelps ABM lot (20 W. Boardman St.) and to street spots on Federal Street a block east and west of the museum.

Heads up: They're closed Mon–Tue, so plan a midweek or weekend visit. Ticket reservations ahead of time are suggested on busy days.

Butler Institute of American Art (free)

The Butler is one of Youngstown's best free indoor stops. "America's Museum" holds more than 22,000 works of American art, and admission and parking are always free. Kids won't last as long as they do at OH WOW!, but scavenger hunts and Family Days still beat another hour of cartoons.

• Where: 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown, in the cultural district by YSU. Phone 330-743-1107.
• Hours: Tuesday–Saturday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sunday noon–4 p.m. Closed Mondays and major holidays.
• Cost: Free. Free parking lot next to the building.
• With kids: Family Days (tours, demos, scavenger hunt, art-making) run monthly September–April. Next one is Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026, 1:30–3 p.m., free and open to the public. The Butler also runs Sensory Sundays and Young Friends Adventure for ages 2–5 — check the calendar for dates.

Pair it with our longer list of free things to do in Youngstown if you want more no-cost ideas.

Ford Nature Center (free indoor nature)

When it's cold but you still want a park feel, Mill Creek MetroParks' Ford Nature Center is the indoor answer: nature exhibits, a history room, a bird observation room and short accessible trails right outside when the weather breaks.

• Where: 840 Old Furnace Rd., Youngstown, OH 44511. Phone 330-740-7107.
• Hours: Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Mondays and observed holidays.
• Cost: Free, year-round.

If the sun peeks out afterward, you're already in Mill Creek Park — trails, the Suspension Bridge and Fellows Riverside Gardens are minutes away. The Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellows (123 McKinley Ave.) is also open Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. if you want a warm stop at the gardens end of the park.

Tyler History Center and Memories of Christmas Past

The Mahoning Valley Historical Society runs two downtown museums. Right now the Arms Family Museum (648 Wick Ave.) is closed for holiday setup through Friday, Nov. 13. The Tyler History Center at 325 W. Federal St. is open Tuesday–Sunday, noon–4 p.m., with rotating community history exhibits and family programming.

Starting Saturday, Nov. 14 through Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, Arms reopens for Memories of Christmas Past — White Christmas costumes, Santa's Village for younger kids, the Crystal Tree and more. Holiday hours: Tuesday–Sunday noon–4 p.m.; Saturdays in December noon–7 p.m.

• Holiday admission: Adults $10; seniors 60+ and college students with ID $9; kids 3–18 $8; under 3, members and active military/veterans with ID free. Museums for All is $1 with SNAP EBT. Same-day admission covers all MVHS sites.

More December plans: our holiday events guide and Christmas tree farms near Youngstown.

Public libraries (free, warm, and full of story times)

Don't sleep on the library when it's nasty out. PLYMC has 14 branches, kids collections and free early-learning programs. Story times rotate by branch — check the weekly list on libraryvisit.org.

• Main Library: 305 Wick Ave., Youngstown. Phone 330-744-8636.
• Big-branch hours (Main, Austintown, Boardman, Canfield, Poland): Mon–Thu 9 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri–Sat 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Smaller branches vary.
• Bonus: 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, Imagination Library (free mailed books until age 5), plus Libby and Hoopla kids ebooks.

Trampoline parks: Extreme Air (Niles) and Fun City (Austintown)

When the kids need to bounce it out, two indoor parks cover the Valley. Extreme Air's Boardman location is temporarily closed for building maintenance; the Niles park is open.

Extreme Air — Niles

• Where: 5555 Youngstown Warren Rd., Niles, OH 44446. Phone 330-652-9247.
• Hours: Tuesday–Thursday noon–8 p.m.; Friday noon–10 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–10 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Closed Monday.
• Jump prices: $17 for 60 minutes, $22 for 90 minutes, $26 for 120 minutes, plus $4 jump socks.

Fun City Adventure Park — Austintown

• Where: 6000 Mahoning Ave., Austintown, OH 44515.
• Jump prices: General $20 / 1 hour, $24 / 1.5 hours, $27 / 2 hours; toddlers 42" and under $17 / $20 / $22 for those same lengths. Jump socks $3.50. Waivers required.
• Hours: Not fixed on the homepage — check Fun City's Google listing or site the day you go.

Parents: Both parks need signed waivers. Bring or buy grip socks.

Westside Bowl

Bowling is still one of the easiest indoor family plans. Westside Bowl on Mahoning Avenue mixes lanes, food and (sometimes) live music under one roof. It's all-ages most of the time; on event nights you may need a show ticket to bowl, so peek at the events calendar first.

• Where: 2617 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown, OH 44509. Phone 330-792-7675.
• Hours: Open daily 11 a.m.–midnight.
• Bowling: Sunday–Thursday $5 per person per hour, or $10 unlimited; Friday–Saturday $10 per person per hour. Specials show up on their social channels.

Deep Freeze Ice Arena (Boardman)

Year-round indoor ice at 360 McClurg Road means public skate is still an option when the ponds aren't safe. Deep Freeze posts public skate and cosmic skate calendars on its site; times move around with hockey and figure-skating schedules, so don't trust last month's flyer.

• Where: 360 McClurg Rd., Youngstown, OH 44512 (Boardman). Phone 234-719-5000.
• Typical pattern (confirm on the public skate calendar): Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and evening, and Sunday midday sessions are common. Cosmic skates show up on some Friday and Saturday nights.
• Prices: The arena says pre-registering and paying online can save up to 33%, and walk-up prices may vary — check deepfreezeicearena.com/public-skating before you go.

A little farther: Akron and Cleveland

When you've already done the local loop and want a bigger indoor day, these two are the cleanest drives.

Akron Children's Museum

• Where: 216 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44308 (use 51 W. State St. in GPS for the parking deck). About 50–55 minutes from Youngstown.
• Admission: $8 per person; infants under 1 free; veterans get $1 off. Museums for All: $2 per person for up to four with EBT/SNAP/WIC and matching ID.
• Parking: O'Neil's / State Street deck is $2 with museum validation on weekdays; free on weekends (members park free).
• Hours: Shift by day and season — use the current hours link on akronkids.org/visit before you drive.

Great Lakes Science Center (Cleveland)

• Where: 601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland (by the Rock Hall). About 1 hour 15 minutes from Youngstown.
• Fall/winter hours: Tue–Wed 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thu 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed Mondays and Browns home games. Sensory-friendly Sundays 10 a.m.–noon.
• General admission (exhibits + NASA Glenn Visitor Center): adults $19.95, youth 2–12 $14.95. DOME and special exhibits cost extra. Garage parking about $9 with guest validation.

For more drives, see our day trips from Youngstown and Cuyahoga Valley guide.

How to pick on a bad-weather morning

• Monday: Museums and Ford are mostly closed. Try a library, Westside Bowl or Fun City. OH WOW! and Extreme Air Niles are closed Mondays.
• Tuesday: OH WOW! stays closed; Butler, Ford, Tyler and Extreme Air Niles reopen.
• Little kids: Ford Nature Center, library story time, Butler Family Day, or a short OH WOW! visit.
• Big energy: Extreme Air Niles, Fun City, bowling, or Great Lakes Science Center.
• Zero budget: Butler, Ford, the Davis Center at Fellows, and any library branch.

For dated weekend picks, see things to do this weekend (Nov. 6–8).

FAQ

What's the best indoor place for kids in Youngstown?

For a dedicated kids museum, OH WOW! downtown is the main answer. For free indoor time, use the Butler, Ford Nature Center or a library branch.

What indoor activities are free near Youngstown?

Butler Institute of American Art, Ford Nature Center, Fellows Riverside Gardens' Davis Education & Visitor Center, Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County branches, and Butler Family Days. Parks trails are free too when you're willing to bundle up — details in our free things guide.

Is Extreme Air Boardman open?

Not right now. Extreme Air says the Boardman location is temporarily closed for building maintenance. The Niles park at 5555 Youngstown Warren Road is open on the hours above.

Where can kids ice skate indoors near Youngstown?

Deep Freeze Ice Arena on McClurg Road in Boardman runs public skate sessions most weekends. Check their public skate calendar for the exact times that week.

What's a good indoor day trip within about an hour?

Akron Children's Museum is about 50–55 minutes and $8 a person. Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland is about an hour and 15 minutes with bigger exhibits and a higher ticket price.