What to do with kids in Dayton over Christmas break, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We read the holiday hours posted by four museums, zoos and play places: none of them opens on Christmas Day. Plus 13 dated outings on Christmas Eve and the days in between.
Dec 24 · Dec 25 · Jan 1
Holiday hours from each place’s own page, side by side. Many are standing rules (“closed Christmas Day”) that hold year to year, but a quick check that morning is worth it.
“Not posted” means the place’s own page doesn’t say. Call or check the morning of.
Day by day
Pick a day to see what’s on. Many places close early on Dec 24 and Dec 31, so check each card’s times.
Dayton Mall · 2700 Miamisburg-Centerville Rd., Dayton, OH 45459
Good to know: Reservations open now.
Day Air Ballpark · Dayton, OH
Good to know: Meet Santa and photos, letters to Santa, ornament craft, North Pole Express kiddie train.
Land of Illusion · Middletown, OH
Good to know: Christmas Village with Santa's Workshop and Polar Petting Zoo; village closed Dec 26–30 (drive-thru only).
The Mall at Fairfield Commons · 2727 Fairfield Commons, Beavercreek, OH 45431
Good to know: Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 3 evenings (Dec 7, Dec 14, Dec 21).
The Greene Town Center · 4382 Juniper Way, Beavercreek, OH 45440
Good to know: Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot).
Historic Clifton Mill · Clifton, OH (Greene County)
Good to know: Mon–Thu much less crowded; Saturday busiest. Miniature village, Santa Claus Museum, covered-bridge light show, new 20-ft tree.
Carillon Historical Park · 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton, OH 45409
Good to know: Carillon Tree of Light, train rides, Santa. Preview party Nov 21.
Day Air Ballpark · Dayton, OH
Good to know: Walk-thru around the ballpark concourse.
Land of Illusion · Middletown, OH
Good to know: 3.8 million lights on a 2-mile Christmas Around the World route; 45-ft tree; about 35 minutes south.
Countryside Park · 895 Miamisburg-Centerville Road, Dayton, OH 45459
Good to know: Washington Township's 35th year. The walking path is shorter this season because of park construction.
Smith Park · Middletown, OH
Good to know: A volunteer-run drive through Smith Park that stays open on holidays and in any weather.
Caesar Ford Park · 520 South Stringtown Road, Xenia, OH 45385
Good to know: The drive winds through themed displays and ends with a wave to Santa, and donations are accepted at the exit.
RiverScape MetroPark · Downtown
Good to know: Family season pass (up to 5 people) $150, skate rental included. Weekly theme nights.
West Carrollton Civic Center lobby · 300 E. Central Ave., West Carrollton, OH 45449
Good to know: Crafts, quiet games, a silent disco, snacks and a balloon drop at noon. Run by West Carrollton Parks and Recreation.
Greene County Public Library – Fairborn Community Library · 1 East Main Street, Fairborn, OH 45324
Good to know: For ages 3–8: ring in the new year early with a countdown to noon.
Washington-Centerville Public Library – Centerville Library · Centerville
Good to know: A family program with festive activities and a ringing-in of the new year at noon.
Day Air Ballpark · Dayton, OH
Good to know: Walk-thru around the ballpark concourse.
If it snows
Every hill here depends on snow, so check the park’s status page the morning you go. Tubing hills set height minimums, listed on each card. The full list is on sledding hills and snow tubing near Dayton.
100 E National Rd, Vandalia, OH
Along the dam in the West Park. Steep, with room for more than one start.
Official page ↗6206 Boomershine Rd, Germantown, OH
About 20 minutes from Dayton. Five Rivers calls it arguably the best MetroParks hill.
Official page ↗1200 Brown School Rd, Vandalia, OH
Gentle grade, best for little kids
Gentle grade, grass, a few bumps, no obstacles, and a 400–500 foot run. Entrance on the east side of Brown School Road, south of US 40. Five Rivers notes this hill as accessible.
Official page ↗
Rainy-day backup
These don’t post holiday hours yet, so check before you go. More on our indoor play page.
Keep planning
November: things to do in DaytonEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in DaytonEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in DaytonFree days, free events and places that never chargeIndoor play in DaytonIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with prices
Library storytimes in DaytonStorytimes for ages 0–6, by day and branch
Ice skating in DaytonHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and pricesSledding in DaytonSledding hills and snow tubing, with height rules
Thanksgiving weekend in DaytonParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Noon Year’s Eve in DaytonKid-friendly countdowns, home by nap
Christmas parades in DaytonParades and tree lightings with dates and start times
Christmas trains in DaytonPolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in DaytonBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in DaytonChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas tree farms in DaytonChoose-and-cut farms, wagon rides and kid notesTree lighting in DaytonDates, times and what the organizer posts for kids
More things to do with kids in Dayton this weekDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every ThursdayGood questions
Of the four places we checked, none posts Christmas Day hours as open; Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark, Cox Arboretum MetroPark and Carillon Historical Park are closed. A park or a drive past the lights is the easy plan.
On the calendar: Visit with Santa (book ahead), Santa at Deck the Diamond, Santa's Workshop at Christmas Glow and Santa Photos at The Mall at Fairfield Commons.
None of the places that post New Year’s Day hours says it’s open.
On the calendar for Jan 1: Deck the Diamond. Check each one’s own page before you go, since holiday hours can change.
Englewood MetroPark, Germantown MetroPark and Taylorsville MetroPark. All of them need snow, so check the park’s status page first. The full list, with height rules, is on sledding hills and snow tubing near Dayton.
Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill, A Carillon Christmas, Deck the Diamond, The Christmas Glow drive-thru and Woodland Lights. Check each one’s calendar for the exact nights; some close on certain days.
The month’s dated listings are on the December page, and rink dates and skate aids are on the ice skating page.
Choose-and-cut farms within about 40 miles, with wagon rides, Santa, cocoa and kid notes, are on the Christmas tree farms page.
Dates, times and what each organizer posts for kids are on the tree lighting page.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 21, 2026, and we recheck them in early December and again the week before Christmas. How we choose and check.
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