Our eldest, Jimmy, recently attended the first official show choir camp for kids through Findlay City Schools choral department. As a former FFE member and Findlay High School graduate, I could not have been prouder of him. The smiles he kept throwing our way while on stage made it all worthwhile! It also reminded me of why we chose the Findlay area as the place to raise our children. After all, my husband and I could choose to work from anywhere with our jobs, and there are loads of places we love to visit over and over again! But there’s just something about Findlay, Ohio when it comes to raising families.
The Findlay community puts supports the arts – beginning with youth and all the way up to community theatre!
Maybe it’s the school systems. Hancock County is home to one of Ohio’s largest school districts as well as several county schools. After Jimmy’s performance, my dad actually reminded me why he and my mom relocated our family here from a much smaller county. This community’s attention to the arts and social sciences as well as their dedication to post-secondary options beyond the classroom really allows for each child to shine. Aside from Advanced Placement Programs, FCS Elementary Schools focus on enrichment programs like “Leader in Me” and they place an emphasis on in-classroom extracurricular ‘clubs’ focused on each student’s individual interests (STEAM, agriculture, gardening, Lego building, cooking, sewing, etc.). Students learn to develop their unique skillset alongside their peers who have similar interests.
Findlay and Hancock County is home to a great school system – and great teachers!
Maybe it’s all the outdoor activities. Honestly, as soon as the weather passes for ‘nice enough’, you can find my boys and me at a park. There’s a park for every age bracket here and several hiking trails! We love the All-Star Playground and Miracle Park and Playground because one space offers things to do for ages 2-11 and for those with special needs. It’s cool to see kids of all those age ranges and abilities enjoying playing alongside one another! We also love walking around the reservoir in the early mornings or picking up our golf clubs and walking a few holes at the Findlay Country Club in the evenings. You may also find us taking our scooters or bicycles around the Story Walk at Riverside. Sometimes it’s more of a race-to-the-next-page than reading the pages, but it gets their energy OUT, one way or another.
Get out and enjoy the outdoors at places like the Findlay Country Club!
Maybe it’s all the indoor activities. In the fall through winter months, we start enjoying more time playing pretend at the Children’s Museum or attempting to ice skate at The Cube. On school days, I am grateful to take my pre-K guy to the Findlay Family YMCA where I can fit in a workout and he can play with other kiddos. If it’s raining outside and I have all three of my boys, you will absolutely find us at Main Street Deli Bar and Arcade for a snack or some lunch so they can enjoy their variety of free play games! They love it and I get a chance to relax a little or I can get some work done while they play.
Findlay has many opportunities to have fun indoors, like ice skating at The Cube!
Maybe it’s all of these things and more that have brought us to Findlay and have kept us here! There’s never a shortage of things to do thanks in part to the City Parks & Recreation Department and Hancock Parks, the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, and many private businesses and organizations. We count ourselves fortunate to have such wonderful facilities and enriching programming for our growing family to enjoy.
No matter where you turn there are great events and programming throughout the community!