Toddlers on the Town
An evening walk among the holiday lights on Public Square can be big
fun for a small child. But when the wind is whipping down from the
lake, an over-bundled toddler may be too uncomfortable to really
appreciate it. Fortunately, there are other magical places that are
just right for very little people to enjoy holiday time in the city.
The Cleveland Playhouse Festival of Trees (8500 Euclid Ave.) is an
amazing sight. Seventy trees line the halls and lobbies of the theatre
complex, which is open from 9 am - 10 pm through December 22. Sponsored
by local agencies and organizations, the trees are decorated in themes
ranging from silly to elegant. There’s no charge to visit the Festival
of Trees; parking is also free until an hour before performance times.
If the crowd at Showtime at High Noon is too much for your toddler or
preschooler, try the Trinity Cathedral Brownbag Concert Series. Unlike
at Playhouse Square, eating is actually encouraged here, which helps
keep young audiences from getting the fidgets. You can buy a box lunch
for $5 at the cathedral (located at the corner of East 22nd and
Euclid) or pack your own. This month’s schedule includes one
particularly child-pleasing program: Csardas, a professional Hungarian
folk dance company, will perform on Wednesday, December 4, from 12:05 -
12:55 pm. Both the action of the dance and the colorful traditional
costumes will keep your toddler entranced for the short performance.
If you’re shopping anyway, make it an outing rather than a chore. The
West Side Market is already a child’s delight, and it gets even better
in December, when Saturday mornings often find carolers on the balcony
and good cheer in the aisles. For a special toddler treat, the helpful
staff at City Roast will prepare a steamer (best flavors: banana or
hazelnut) in your own sippy cup if you bring one with you.
I know, I know, I mention this every single winter. But in case you are
a new reader, don’t forget the lovely, quiet, toddler-friendly and
absolutely free City of Cleveland Greenhouse at Rockefeller Park (750
E. 88 St.) and its fabulous holiday floral display. Every time we go
here, I am dumbfounded that such a little treasure has somehow survived
through all manner of Cleveland hard times. Go. Write nice comments in
the guest book. Make sure your councilperson knows you value it.