For many families, taking the children on excursions or finding ways to entertain them is the purview of the nanny. Toronto, New York, and London are replete with this type of family, but here in Fort Wayne most families take a whole-home approach to parenting, which means parents are always on the lookout for fun things to do together. Families looking into buying Fort Wayne real estate will be interested in the many family friendly activities that occur in the city because meeting up with these other families at events and venues often results in lasting friendships for both parents and children. Here's a quick overview of some of the more popular activities.
Educational
There's no rule that says education has to be boring. Here in Fort Wayne, history takes on more life than Nanny Windsor's rambling stories about the old days. See how World War I aces blasted each other out of the air at the Aviation Museum at the airport or learn how fires were fought long ago at the Firefighters' Museum. For younger children, there's the hands-on science center at the Jack D. Heim Wildlife Museum of Natural History, where kids can get down and dirty just like the bugs and animals that live around Fort Wayne. Of course everyone loves a trip to the zoo. Fort Wayne's was voted 5th best in the nation by Parents magazine.
Festivals
There are some special events occurring in Fort Wayne that you won't want to miss, even if you have to carry around a whole package of diapers for your infant. For food-loving families, bring your bellies down to Headwaters Park in June. First is Germanfest, followed by BBQ Ribfest and Greekfest, each of which have special dishes, dances and contests. Summer tops off with the Three Rivers Festival in July, which includes games, races, fireworks, and a parade. If your family likes to exercise, walk or run in the Fort-4-Fitness 4 mile marathon. Do some arts and crafts as the Johnny Appleseed Festival in late September. Finally, the winter Holidayfest in November features light displays and ice skating.
Art and Music
Your kids may not be interested in opera, but there are plenty of plays and concerts in Fort Wayne they will not only sit through but like. The Arts United Center hosts a youth theater they might enjoy watching or participating in while the annual FAME festival at the Grand Wayne Center showcases elementary school talent. Broadway plays, musicals, and major concerts featuring popular, R&B, Hip Hop music, and other types of music come to the Embassy Theater.
Sports and Outdoor Recreation
Though there are no major league professional sports teams in Fort Wayne, families often enjoy taking in a minor league or college game or playing together in a soccer or hockey tournament. Ontario families will be happy to hear that many of the things they enjoyed about Ontario parks such as hiking, biking, and skateboarding are popular here as well. Fort Wayne's parks, especially the River Greenway trail, are expansive and award winning, providing lots of opportunity for family picnics and adventures.
| 