Liberty Center
7100 Foundry Row
Liberty Township, Ohio 45069
Liberty Center is one of the more unique areas in Southwest Ohio. There are eateries, shopping, and entertainment options such as the CineBistro.
It’s a downtown that seemed to spring up overnight.
And so far – it seems to be doing pretty well for its self.
Tucked within Liberty Center’s main building is the Discovery Center which is sponsored by Children’s Hospital.
It’s a bright and cheery play area and it’s free.
Play Structure
The main attraction at the Discovery Center is the giant pig structure. It’s a very unique shape. It has steps around the back side to help younger climbers more easily reach the slide. The inside of the big is composed of levels to climb. These levels are difficult for children under age 3 to navigate. The suggested age for this structure per signage is 5+, however, my 2 year old enjoys the slide accessed via the steps and my 4 year old is able to navigate the levels within the pig easily. The slide is an enclosed pink slide – curly like a pig’s tail. It also has a fun “oinking” sound effect.
There is a station to control various aspects of the pig. For example – it is a Cincinnati Flying Pig so press a button and get those wings flapping!
Other Attractions
Discovery Center boasts a few other activities. They had large blue foam blocks for creating architectural masterpieces. There is also a ball-tunnel apparatus. Children can place small blue balls in various parts of the display and watch as they zoom through the tunnels. There are typically many balls available – so no fighting over who gets to put the balls through the tubes.
Visibility, Safety and Seating
Great visibility here. The pig is closed only be a screen – so it’s easy to locate your child within the climbing structure easily. There is only one way out and one way in and plenty of seating for adults while children play. No safety concerns.
Make a Day of It
I only suggest making a day of it. If you are looking for a place to visit just to play – look elsewhere. Visit the play area, enjoy story time at the library, and then get a sweet treat from one of the many vendors available in Liberty Center. My personal favorites are Graeter’s, Le Macaron, and Great American Cookies.
During the summer months, there is a splash area available outside within the main courtyard area of Liberty Center.
In November, they have a Christmas parade and a tree lighting ceremony.
Complaints
I have visited this play area many, many times. I typically do not go out of my way to go here. It’s a great free play area if you just need to burn some energy while you are already visiting Liberty Center for other reasons. But my biggest complaint is that items here tend to be in disrepair. I have visited several times when the tubes do not function and that is half of the fun. On my visit today (and my previous visit), the pop the pig game was not working correctly. Considering how nice the rest of Liberty Center is maintained, you would think this would receive the same amount of attention.
In Summary
In short, pay it a visit with children ages 2 to 6 if you are already doing some shopping at Liberty Center but is definitely not a destination to be sought out for stand alone play. It is a great free resource to utilize when trying to get those errands completed!
