Ottawa Hills High School is now the No. 1 high school in Ohio, according to the recently released annual U.S. News & World Report rankings. The survey places the school as the 92nd best high school in the United States, out of nearly 18,000 ranked, up from last year when Ottawa Hills High School was ranked No. 5 in Ohio and 136th nationally. Ottawa Hills High School has 322 students in grades 9-12.
TAP FAMILY FAVORITES RESULTS 2019
Family Favorites is one of our most read features every year — and for good reason. Thousands of Toledo area parents weigh in annually on the businesses, places, and people they love, which benefits both local families and businesses. Parents rely on our list to help them choose pediatricians, find the perfect birthday venue, and grab the most delicious meal. Thank you, Toledo area families, for making this another memorable year of Family Favorites! Supporting local means more now than ever.
PLACES AND SPACES
Overnight Trip with the Kids
Frankenmuth
Runner-up: Kalahari Resorts
Family Activity
Country Lane Tree Farm
Runner-up: The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Family Day Trip
Country Lane Tree Farm
Runner-up: The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Indoor Playspace
Imagination Station
Runner-up: Sylvania Playland
Favorite Library Branch
Way Public
Runner-up: King Road (TLCPL)
Place to Worship
Christ the King Church, Toledo
Runner-up: CedarCreek Church
Kid-friendly Museum
Imagination Station
Runner-up: Toledo Museum of Art
Sporting Event for Families
Toledo Mud Hens
Runner-up: Toledo Walleye
Place to Volunteer
Toledo Area Humane Society
Runner-up: Metroparks Toledo
Animal Encounters
Country Lane Tree Farm
Runner-up: The Toledo Zoo and Aquarium
Garden/Nature Center
577 Foundation
Runner-up: Toledo Botanical Garden Metropark
TIME TO PARTY
Party Entertainment
Laurel’s Princess Parties
Runner-up: Glass City Moonwalk Rentals
Place to buy a birthday cake
So Many Sweet Somethings Desserterie
Runner-up: Crowned Cakes by Jess
Locally owned place to buy a gift
Fiddlestix Boutique
Runner-up: Learning Express Toys
Place for an indoor birthday bash
Ohio Skate
Runner-up: Sylvania Playland
Place for an outdoor birthday bash
Country Lane Tree Farm
Runner-up: Wildwood Park (Metroparks Toledo)
DELICIOUS EATS
Cupcakes/Bakery
So Many Somethings Desserterie
Runner-up: Cake in a Cup
Candy Shop
Boyd’s Retro Candy
Runner-up: Maumee Valley Chocolate and Candy
Family-Friendly Restaurant
Schmucker’s Restaurant
Runner-up: Mayberry Diner
Healthy Family Restaurant
Balance Pan-Asian Grille
Runner-up: Fowl & Fodder
Kid-friendly coffee shop
Maddie & Bella Coffee Roasters
Runner-up: SIP Coffee
Frozen Treats Shop
Mr. Freeze
Runner-up: Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt
Local Pizza Place
Original Gino’s
Runner-up: Pizza Cat
Place Where Kids Eat Free
Fricker’s
Runner-up: El Vaquero
SHOP LOCAL
Locally owned place to buy kids’ clothing
Once Upon a Child
Runner-up: Makers on Main by Joys of the Heart Christian Boutique
Baby boutique shop
Bowinkles
Runner-up: Piper Jean Bowtique
Mom-owned business
Courtney Lee Photography
Runner-up: Finn Photography
Family Photographer
Rikki Renee Photography
Runner-up: Lindsey Brown Photography
Bike Shop
Wersell’s Bike and Ski Shop
Runner-up: Cyclewerks
Place to buy children’s books
Gathering Volumes
Runner-up: Learning Express
DIGITAL AGE
Local Parent Facebook Group
Toledo Moms: Community + Conversations
Runner-up: Toledo Thrifty Moms
Local Online Influencer
Toledo Moms: Community + Conversations
Runner-up: Mom on the Go in Holy Toledo
WATCH ME SOAR
Preschool
Elizabeth Wayne Preschool
Preschool 2nd: Saint Joseph Parish Preschool
Teacher
Jeny Mazza – Elizabeth Wayne Preschool
Runner-up: Julie Hite – Saint Joseph Sylvania
School Principal
Cristy Seely – Elizabeth Wayne Preschool
Runner-up: Steve Urbanski – Christ the King
Elementary School
Saint Joseph Parish School
Runner-up: Christ the King
Middle School 1st: Saint Joseph Parish School
Middle School 2nd: Christ the King
Charter School
Toledo School for the Arts
Runner-up: Autism Model School
Parochial School
Saint Joseph Parish School
Runner-up: Christ the King
Private School
West Side Montessori
Runner-up: Maumee Valley Country Day School
After-School Program
YMCA
Runner-up: Girls on the Run Northwest Ohio
Tutoring Center
Sylvan Learning
Runner-up: Kumon Math and Reading Center
Special Needs Service
Capable Kids
Runner-up: Brain Bright Therapy
Daycare
Maria Early Learning Center
Runner-up: Children’s Discovery Center
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Acting and theatre classes
Children’s Theater Workshop
Runner-up: The Liz Baldwin Studio
Dance studio
Toledo Ballet
Runner-up: Dance Expressions
Kids Art Class
Toledo Museum of Art
Runner-up: Create: Art Studio and Workshop
Gymnastics Class
YMCA
Runner-up: Toledo Gymnastics Academy
Music Lessons
Forte School of Music
Runner-up: The Liz Baldwin Studio
Martial Arts Program
Jon Penny’s Black Belt Academy
Runner-up: Toledo Tae Kwan Do
Swim Lessons
SafeSplash + SwimLabs Swim School
Runner-up: YMCA
Horseback Lessons
Country Lane Tree Farm
Runner-up: Oxford Farm – Equestrian Center
DOCTORS’ ORDERS
Pediatric Practice
Franklin Park Pediatrics
Runner-up: Promedica Physicians – Perrysburg Pediatrics
Urgent Care
Promedica Urgent Care
Runner-up: Mercy Urgent Care
Place to Give Birth
Promedica Toledo Hospital
Runner-up: St. Luke’s Hospital
OB/GYN
Dr. Sarah Puckett – ProMedica Physicians Obstetrics I Gynecology – Sylvania
Runner-up: Dr. Kristel Ward – ProMedica Physicians Obstetrics | Gynecology – Maumee
Midwife
Mercy Midwives
Runner-up: Erin Marten
Family Doctor
Dr. Travis Rasor – Fallen Timbers Family Physicians
Runner-up: Dr. Donald Vogel, Promedica Physicians Family Practice of Toledo
ENT Doctor
Dr. Vincent Toma – Promedica Physicians
Runner-up: Dr. Stephanie Cole – Promedica Physicians
Optometrist / Ophthalmologist
Dr. Robert Rhee – Pediatric Ophthalmology Consultants
Runner-up: Dr. Joseph Marra – Dr. Marra & Associates
Chiropractor
Innate Health Chiropractic
Runner-up: Turning Point Chiropractic
Allergist
Dr. Razi Rafeeq – Promedica Physicians
Runner-up: Dr. Ghassan Safadi – Allergy Clinic Ohio
Dentist
Dr. Jon Frankel
Runner-up: Dr. Erin Knierim
Orthodontist
HLS Orthodontics
Runner-up: Kay & Paulus
Speech/language therapy
Brain Bright Therapy
Runner-up: Promedica Total Rehab
Family Mental Health & Counseling Services
Harbor
Runner-up: A Renewed Mind
Natural Homeopathic Health
Health Foods by Claudia
Runner-up: Bassett’s Health Food
Veterinarian
Brannan Veterinary Clinic
Runner-up: VCA SylvaniaVET
GET ACTIVE
Place to Go Ice Skating
Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter
Runner-up: Ottawa Park
Place to Play Mini Golf
Perry Falls Mini Golf
Runner-up: Par 2 Golf
Park or Playground
Wildwood Park
Runner-up: Oak Openings Preserve Metropark
Waterpark
Kalahari Resorts
Runner-up: Great Wolf Lodge
Family-Friendly Gym / Fitness Club
YMCA
Runner-up: Promedica Wildwood Athletic Club
Soccer Program
Springfield Parks & Rec
Runner-up: Soccer Shots
Youth Sports League
CYO
Runner-up: Anthony Wayne Youth Foundation
Sports Camp
YMCA Summer Camp
Runner-up: St. John’s Summer Sports Camp
Summer Day Camp
Country Lane Tree Farm
Runner-up: Imagination Station
Kids Fitness Class
Toledo Parkour
Runner-up: YMCA
ME TIME
Date Night Restaurant
Alexander’s
Runner-up: Te’kela Mexican Cocina
Girls Night Out
The Heights
Runner-up: Board & Brush Creative Studio
Workout for Mom
YMCA
Runner-up: Fit Body Boot Camp
Spa Day for Mom
Serenity Health & Wellness Center
Runner-up: Spoil Me Royal
City Talks – Lynn Casto, Head of School Maumee Valley Country Day School
This episode Lynn Casto, Head of School Maumee Valley Country Day School speaks with TCP co-Publisher Mark Jacobs on what changes had to be made to accomodate the safety of all students during the COVID19 pandemic.
Tune out the “Breaking News” for boots-on-the-ground commentary from Toledo-area business owners, service providers and government officials braving our current climate of uncertainty. As a new audio series, City Talks provides a brief local take on our situation, as well as advice and ideas for how to spend the new downtime we’ll inevitably have to spend somehow..
We’ll keep posting; you just keep listening. Want to be interviewed or know someone who would? Pass us names and contact info at editsubmissions@
Toledo Parent Sept/Oct 2020 Cover Kid Contest
Make Your Child Toledo Famous!
Would you like your little one to be on the cover of an upcoming Toledo Area Parent? We are searching for the area’s cutest kids to participate in a contest to be featured on our September/October 2020 cover! Readers will vote to determine which local child will win the top spot, receiving a FREE photo session from our sponsor, local newborn and family photographer Tiana Lashae! Check out her website at Motherhood Portraits by Tiana Lashe: tlashaephoto.com.
How It Works
Readers can submit photos of their kids through June 28. Voting on the submissions will open on July 1 and will continue to August 5. The winner will be notified shortly after and will be required to participate in a photo session in Toledo prior to August 15.
Rules and Guidelines
Entrants must reside in Lucas County. The child(ren) must be age 12 or under. One entry per family. The photo should feature your child(ren) only. Provocative or otherwise questionable content will not be considered. The publisher retains sole discretion to determine the appropriateness of content. By entering the contest, entrants agree to have their submitted name displayed in our magazine and website and used by us for any purpose, at any time, without any fee or other form of compensation. You may vote once per day.
Outside Is Open for Exploration at Metroparks Toledo
It’s that time of year in Northwest Ohio–the sun is shining and the weather is warming up–and Metroparks Toledo can offer endless outdoor (socially distanced) opportunities for families. You might be familiar with our parks and trails, but let me offer you some suggestions to change it up a little bit for you and the kids. Even though our playgrounds are currently closed due to the coronavirus, there are still plenty of ways to engage your children in nature.
- Take your adventures to a new park. There are 17 parks across Lucas County with open spaces and 180 miles of trails. Visiting a new park sparks curiosity and exploration. If you have a favorite park, change it up by walking on a different trail or exploring a different location.
- Have a picnic. If you don’t want to be out on the trail because of the ages of your children, bring a blanket to the park and enjoy a family picnic.
- Hunt for shapes in the clouds and animals in the park. If there are clouds in the sky, lay down and point out the different shapes they see. You can also have your little ones point out what they see around them: birds, bugs, rabbits, squirrels. Or make it an animal hunt, searching the trails for your child’s preferred mammal or reptile. Metroparks Toledo has a Face Your Fear Scavenger Hunt that allows children to find things that are typically viewed as “scary.”
- Read outside. Bring along a favorite book and read it outside, cuddling under a tree or enjoying some vitamin D in the sun.
- Turn a hike into a sensory experience. If your children are old enough to get out on a trail, turn it into a sensory experience for them. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend an hour on the trail or even hike the entire thing, but collect sensory images from nature: take time to observe the sights, sounds, smells and textures of nature.
- Color scavenger hunt. Children can look for different colors in nature, too. For example, they can look for the color red and try to spot a cardinal, or the color blue of a blue jay, or the yellow in a dandelion. You can create your own, tailored for your child(ren) or one of the many scavenger hunts provided online by Metroparks Toledo. Keep in mind that everything you find in the park needs to stay there; removing plants or animals is not allowed.
- Write a nature journal. For children who are a tad older, have them create a nature journal where they can record what they around them, write a nature poem, or draw what they are observing in nature. This could even be turned into something they can do once a week to document the changes in seasons and habitats. If writing or drawing their nature experience is something your child enjoys, sending it to a loved one or a local senior community would bring great joy to the receiver.
- Nature report. If you have a child who likes plants or animals, have them pick one species and learn everything they can about it, then report back to you.
Research shows that spending time in nature is beneficial to our mental and physical wellbeing, and even though we need to still practice social distancing, it’s important for our mental health to stay connected to each other and to nature. Outside is always open, and Metroparks Toledo is open every day of the year from sunup to sundown for your next adventure.
Editor’s Note: Kelly Milewski, an Environmental Education Specialist with Metroparks Toledo, graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in environmental policy and analysis. Kelly lives in Monclova Township on 12 acres of restored Oak Opening habitat.
#BuildWithUsToledo
The Arts Commission and Imagination Station invite you and your family to get creative. We want you to recreate architecture and 
sculptures around the City of Toledo in any building material you want such as Legos, K’nex, Lincoln Logs, foam core, found items, etc. You are only limited by your imagination! Submissions can also be created with LEGO Digital Designer (LDD), free software that lets you build models with virtual LEGO bricks.
The Glass City has an impressive collection of public art and architecture with over 50 large-scale sculptures, murals, and functional structures by noted artists from across the country. Many of these pieces were acquired through the pioneering 1977 One Percent For Art ordinance that set aside one percent of Toledo’s Capital Improvement Budget for the purchase, conservation, and public education of art. You can see more information about this project here or watch the YouTube video here.
ELIGIBILITY:
Everyone, regardless of age, is eligible to participate. A parent or guardian must submit on behalf of a minor.
HOW TO SUBMIT:
- Build your version of a sculpture or architectural feature found in the City of Toledo in your choice of building material, or create your own sculpture or building inspired by Toledo public art and architecture.
- Take a photo of your creation and upload the image to Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #buildwithustoledo. Tag The Arts Commission on Facebook using @ArtCommission and Instagram using @theartscommission. Tag the Imagination Station on Facebook using @imaginationstationtoledo and Instagram using @istscience. By tagging The Arts Commission and/or Imagination Station you are giving permission for your photo(s) to be republished.
- Make sure to “like” or “follow” both The Arts Commission and the Imagination Station on Facebook and Instagram so that we can share and see your posts.
- If you don’t use social media, you can email the images to [email protected] with the email subject “Build With Us submission” and we will share them to our social media feeds on Fridays.
- In the post, please include the name of the public art piece, piece of architecture or Toledo landmark you are recreating. You can also give a brief description of how you made your recreation.
Please upload images between June 1 and June 30, 2020.