Discovering Happiness and Excitement in Dayton's MetroParks

Five Rivers Metroparks continually grows families' experiences with nature in the Dayton area. This goes beyond picnics with loved ones. Families can build relationships and new experiences in nature.

After almost a decade of exploring with their loved ones, one family can attest to the necessity of the parks. The family frequents cox Arboretum Metropark, Eastwood Metropark, Possum Creek Metropark, and riverscape metropark. Not every memory is about big moments, though.

They laugh about collecting fresh eggs from chickens at possum creek, skating at Riverscape when the air is sharp and cold, or stumbling on a giant spider while geocaching, sometimes the “treasure” is actually a heart-pounding surprise hidden in a tree. The parks are classrooms, too, but you never feel stuck behind a desk.

While geocaching or checking out displays, people discover Dayton’s history, how it helped shape automotive technology and engineering. Kids don’t even feel like they’re learning.

Tips for park visits

Parents say, “they turn learning into an adventure.” You wander, you play, and you take in something new about the world without even trying. One young visitor pointed out, “they make you see that your choices matter for the environment. It’s so clean and beautiful that you want to take care of it.” The family couldn’t imagine the community without these natural spaces. “Things would be busier and just sort of… chaotic,” says visitor.

This family has been able to experience the educational programs and events going on at the different parks, particularly at the Aullwood Audubon Center. Some of the most notable events that the family has enjoyed while visiting Aullwood include: the native plant sale (to help to create more native plant gardens and to provide food for pollinators), farm activities, the ongoing "junior fairy garden" project (where kids can walk along the fairy trail looking for fairy houses), and the newly designated "giant trolls" art installations found along the paths in the woods. The family summed up their experiences very well.

They say, "all the woods have trolls spread out amongst the woods, you are hiking, and suddenly you see this giant troll, it’s just awesome." Each family trip generates memories that each will treasure.

However, not all of their memories are from the big moments. They laugh about the time the two youngest children almost dropped the rollerblades in a creek when trying to wade in the creek. They were saved by their father who jumped into the water to rescue both kids' rollerblades.