Tag: Hands-On Learning

High atop the list of our favorite things to do throughout the course of our homeschooling experience has always been agricultural experiences. Specifically, spending time on a farm, or in a field, picking fresh produce. We love going to the heart of the source of fruits, veggies, and other goodies! So, finding a U-Pick Orange Grove at Showcase of Citrus in Clermont, Florida, just outside of Orlando, was such a delight! Walking through the endless lines of orange trees, finding just the right shade of orange, and getting that satisfying pluck from the branch when you decide to make it…

I guess I’m a bit of a U2 Fan Girl, and that tends to show itself when I’m in the Desert Habitats of the Western US and find myself with the opportunity to dance amongst the Joshua Trees! Yucca brevifolia are a unique, intriguing, and absolutely iconic plant to enjoy! And the Joshua Trees do grow in abundance in Red Rock Canyon State Park! And that just goes to show, Everything in life can be educational! Get out there and explore! And, you know, it never hurts to have a good soundtrack for the adventure!

It’s amazing how much you can learn just by exploring one certain trail, or area, or habitat. Geology, Earth Science, Weather, Plants, Botany, Human History, Wildlife, Biology… And so much more! The Hagen Canyon Nature Trail in the Red Rock Canyon State Park has it all! We can (and often do) literally spend HOURS just examining plants, seeds, leaves, roots… Studying the parts of the flowers. Or maybe the insects that live in them. Or their place in the food chain of their surrounding habitat. If you want your kids to learn, just go for a walk! Get out into the world,…

Geological Formations are greatly impacted by the process of erosion, and exploring the creek beds in and around Hagen Canyon at Red Rock Canyon State Park is a great way to experience real-time erosion. Get up close and personal to observe how the water gently trickling through the creek bed effects the mineral grains as they pass. Just a little hands on geology learning fun while enjoying the Canyon Trails! Your little rock hounds will have a blast exploring!

Nothing makes me happier than time spent exploring red sandstone formations! Buttes, cliffs, curtains, spires, and more! We definitely want to come back and experience even more of this stunning unit of the California State Park System. Hagen Canyon Trail in the Red Rock Canyon State Park is AWESOME!

You’re never too old for hands-on learning! Toddlers, teens, and everyone in between! National Parks are some of the greatest places for multi-generational learning! Heck, bring the Grandparents along on YOUR next National Park Adventure! If you’re passing through Boulder City, Nevada on your way to Hoover Dam, be sure to stop by the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center to learn even more about the plants, animals, geology, and engineering technology behind the Colorado River, Lake Mead, and Hoover Dam areas!

Chancing across the Bonneville Salt Flats and the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway was another unexpectedly awesome gem of a find on the slow but lovely ride back East! Over 30,000 acres of wide open salt fields surround Interstate 80, just East of the Nevada / Utah Border. Remnants of Pleistocene-Era Lake Bonneville, this is the largest area of salt flats west of the Great Salt Lake. And it definitely looks and feels like you are traversing ancient lands, or even the alien surfaces of distant planets! The area is open to the public for general frolicking and enjoyment. There…

We were fortunate enough to see several Musk Ox in the wild, north of the Brooks Range, almost to Deadhorse, Alaska on Prudhoe Bay, while traversing up the Dalton Highway. However, if you want an up-close-and-personal experience where you can see, feel, and actually PET Musk Oxen, while learning about them in a safe, educational environment, you DEFINITELY want to check out the Musk Ox Farm & Museum in Palmer, Alaska just outside of Anchorage, Alaska! Musk Ox Farm & Museum www.muskoxfarm.org12850 E Archie Rd Palmer, AK 99645(907) 745-4151

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Minnesota History Center – Saint Paul, Minnesota The Minnesota History Center, located in the Capital City of Saint Paul, Minnesota, offers exhibit after exhibit of hands on activities for kids to learn about the history, culture, weather, and people of this fabulous state! We’ve broken down our albums to focus on each exhibit! Click on any of the following links to explore our albums for each exhibit! Click on any other links you see to learn more about each item! Main Album Page: A SPGFAN Guide to Exhibits at the Minnesota History Center Minnesota’s Greatest Generation Weather Permitting Then Now…

Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO® Bricks at the Science Museum of Minnesota Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO® Bricks at the Science Museum of Minnesota Towers of Tomorrow includes some of the most iconic architectural marvels from all over the world! From North America, you will find Toronto’s CN Tower; Philadelphia’s Comcast Technology Center; Los Angeles’ Wilshire Grand Center; Chicago’s Willis Tower; Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza; New York City’s Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building; and more! Famous skylines across Asia and Australia come alive with LEGO creations of Taiwan’s Taipei 101; Kuala Lumpur’s twin Petronas Towers; Marina Bay Sands…

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville at Mall of America – Bloomington, Minnesota From animatronic Rainforest Animals, to Minnesota Twins history, to Jimmy Page’s guitar… Mama always said, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere!“ Check out this Dining Guide for your next family outing to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota! Just a few fun choices: Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.MargaritavilleRainforest Cafe (As of 2021, Hard Rock Cafe is closed) Love From MinnesotaMinnesota Twins MLB Team Site Check Out Our SPGFAN Minneapolis, Minnesota QUIKLIST! For ALL the Things to Do in Minnesota, CLICK HERE! See Everything Our Family Has Done in Minnesota! Dining Out With…

Minnesota Twins A Little Minnesota Twins baseball history right beneath your feet… Somewhere in Mall of America! Can YOU Find It? Check Out Our SPGFAN Minneapolis, Minnesota QUIKLIST! For ALL the Things to Do in Minnesota, CLICK HERE! See Everything Our Family Has Done in Minnesota! Click HERE or on Any Photo Belowfor Great Gift Ideas for the Minnesota Twins Fan in Your Life!

Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America! From the twirling, whirling excitement of Dora the Explorer and the Backyardigans, to the loopty-loops of the giant coasters… From the pineapple under the sea, to the whooshing of zip lines overhead… Nickelodeon Universe at Mall of America! has crazy FUN for EVERYONE! And it’s all INSIDE! The LARGEST mall in the United States! You HAVE to see it to believe it! So, bring the kids to hang out with all their nostalgic Nickelodeon childhood besties, and enjoy almost 5 million square feet of dining, shopping, and riding the rails… All under one GINORMOUS…

The LEGO Store at Mall of America! Floor to ceiling awesomeness starts in the LEGO Store, and epic LEGO character adventure extends all throughout the Mall of America! Larger-than-life LEGO creations reign supreme far above your heads! Let YOUR Young Creator feast their eyes upon ALL THINGS LEGO, as they build to their hearts’ desires! Fashion custom outfits for Mini-Figs for the take-home, race bespoke vehicles with your new friends… And let all the colors and pieces transport you to a land only YOU can make-believe! Build It! And they will have FUN! The LEGO Store at Mall of America!…

Crayola Experience Mall of America Crayola Experience Mall of America Check Out Our SPGFAN Minneapolis, Minnesota QUIKLIST! For ALL the Things to Do in Minnesota, CLICK HERE! See Everything Our Family Has Done in Minnesota! Click HERE or on Any Photo Belowto check out Super Cool Crayola Products for Kids and Adults!

Visiting the American Swedish Institute is an absolute plethora of educational experiences for everyone in the family! From the opulence of the Turnblad Mansion, to the ever-changing selection of Special Exhibits… But, for the littlest members of your family, they can enjoy all kids of hands-on fun in the Family Playroom! Serve up yummy pretzels in Ulla’s Bageri, score some hockey goals, create artistic masterpieces, or carve to your heart’s content in the woodworker’s shop! Let your child’s creativity soar with these amazing themed activities, perfect for tiny hands and HUGE imaginations! Be sure to check out the Calendar of…

The exquisite details of Swedish craftsmanship inside the Turnblad Mansion take on an entirely new depth of meaning when the post-apocalyptic beings of Finnish Sculptor Kim Simonsson take up residence for this VERY special exhibit! See our post about the Moss People Exhibit at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Click on any image below to learn more about The Fantastical Worlds of Finnish Sculptor Kim Simonsson CLICK HERE for more information about visiting the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Explore the rest of the Turnblad Mansion with us in THIS POST. See ALL our photos from the…

Charles A. LindberghThe Boy and the ManSculptor Paul T. Granlund 1985Saint Paul, Minnesota Another statue on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol Building, this lovely sculpture serves as an inspiring memorial to Charles Lindbergh, local hero, and well-known aviator. This statue features a young Lindbergh dreaming of flying, and Lindbergh again as a man, making his dreams a reality. The following Lindbergh quotes are memorialized in the monument: “I used to imagine myself withwings on which I could swoopdown off our roof into thevalley, soaring through the airfrom one river bank to another.” “The accumulation of knowledge,the discoveries of…

This is the kind of place I live for! Just some random sign or brochure you happen to see while doing something else… And you go check it out! And you learn some cool stuff! And you get to eat cool stuff! The Wisconsin Cranberry Discovery Center is just a hair off the beaten path, but well worth the very slight detour! Inside this quaint little history museum, you can learn all about the fascinating Wisconsin cranberry industry! And the gift shop is absolutely loaded with EVERYTHING cranberry you could possibly think to try! Cranberries, candy, coffee, honey, jelly, sauces,…

We’ve been through several areas of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore prior to this trip, but this marks the first chance we’ve had to get into this National Park Visitor Center. We added stamps to our books, grabbed our Junior Ranger Booklets, and enjoyed some of the birding and wildlife exhibits and activities. *As of February 2019, Indiana Dunes has officially graduated to a National Park from its previous National Lakeshore designation! National Park Collector’s Edition Stamp Book

No visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is complete without a visit to Canal Park to see the Soo Locks in action along the St. Mary’s River, connecting Lake Huron and Lake Superior. The US Army Corps of Engineers Soo Locks Visitor Center offers lots of kid-friendly, hands-on, interactive exhibits, models, and signage so your family can learn more about how the locks function, and their importance in the Great Lakes shipping industry. Check out the indoor exhibits to learn more! And then be sure to catch a freighter passing through the locks!

One of the most geologically active cave systems in the United States, Raccoon Mountain Caverns makes a great family-friendly activity while visiting the Chattanooga, Tennessee area. Cave Tours allow you to get up close and personal with all the underground rock formations. The gift shop offers a plethora of geologic specimens; beautiful handcrafted jewelry; and fun, educational souvenirs for the take-home. If you’d like some real hands-on learning activities the whole family will enjoy, try the mineral panning experiences. They offer many different specimens, via your choice of gems, emeralds, fossils, and even arrowheads. Dig, sift, sort, or pan your…

Oh, what a fabulous way to spend an afternoon! Early Works Children’s Museum is a HUGE history museum, focused on the timeline of the State of Alabama, but geared specifically for kids! Hours upon hours worth of fascinating hands-on exhibits throughout a VERY well done series of rooms themed by historical era. Run an old-fashioned general store market, hear legends from the Story Tree, make music, dress up in period costumes, cook a meal over an open hearth… Spin cotton, board a wagon towards new discoveries, work on a flatboat… Immerse yourself in Black and African History, and honor the…

When visiting Alabama Constitution Hall Park and Museum, be sure to check out their schedule of guided tours and interactive experiences. We were fortunate enough to have a lovely tour guide share such an intimate hands-on Workshop Tour and Old-Fashioned Toy Experience with us today! We got to see how things were made, and had plenty of time to enjoy the toys ourselves! So much fun! Alabama Constitution Hall Park and Museum is a unit within the Early Works Family of Museums, which also includes Early Works Children’s Museum, and the Historic Huntsville Depot. All the units together can make…

Alabama Constitution Hall Park and Museum is a unit within the Early Works Family of Museums, which also includes Early Works Children’s Museum, and the Historic Huntsville Depot. All the units together can make a busy day of fun, or even a full and fabulous educational weekend getaway. One membership gets you admission to all 3 locations! I find this group of museums to be fairly unique in scope to have such a focus on history that is very specifically geared towards younger children. Sometimes history can feel dry, or boring, but not within the Early Works Family of Museums!…

A beautiful Spring Day calls for a lovely hike in the woods! We hit up the Bandy Creek Loop in the Big South Fork NRRA between Jamestown and Oneida, Tennessee. Lots of unique birds and insects, as well as colorful wildflowers were also making their way out into the warm and pleasant sunlight! Check out this adorable grouse! And an even cuter tiny human!

Cave Tours are the big draw to Mammoth Cave National Park, in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. But, before or after you’ve done yours, make sure you spend some time relaxing, having fun, and letting the kids be kids! Working on a Junior Ranger Badge will have you exploring caves, trails, museum exhibits and the grounds… And in between making progress in their books, the kids were having a blast in the sunshine! These are the best moments in life. No rushing, no worries… Just the natural moments of joyful play, siblings loving one another, and LOADS of happy shenanigans! These ARE…

The St. Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri is a great way to spend a day exploring all kinds of animals in close-up environments! Admission to the zoo itself is FREE, but you do pay for parking. And, of course, there are loads of add-on activities to enhance your visit if you are interested in even MORE fun! Click on any photo below for books, toys, or resources for learning more about each animal! If you are planning a field trip to the zoo for your family, here are some of our favorite Zoo Journals and learning resources! Our absolute…

Up close and personal with insects of all sorts in the Monsanto Insectarium & Butterfly House at the Saint Louis Zoo! Located inside the zoo, the insectarium showcases unique insects and beautiful butterflies from around the world! Hands-on activities await! And admission is always FREE! Click on any link or image to learn more about insects!

The Utah State Park System has a great Junior Ranger Program, just like those in the National Park System, that allows the kids to explore each park, and earn a REAL badge when they complete a book of awesome activities! Antelope Island State Park has a beautiful, state-of-the-art Visitor Center, full of hands-on exhibits and unique learning opportunities. And the park itself is loaded with plants, wildlife, birding, hiking, rock scrambling, and beach exploration along the shores of the Great Salt Lake! After you arrive at Antelope Island State Park, make sure you grab a Junior Ranger Book for each…

The Natural History Museum, situated in a gorgeous building on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, is an extremely well-done set of exhibits, encompassing many disciplines of science. From habitat dioramas, to microbiology, to halls of preserved animal specimens; and so much more! If your kids love science and natural history, this is a GREAT destination for your family! Spend an hour, or spend a day! There is something here for everyone! And, best of all, the UK Natural History Museum is on the ASTC Passport List offering FREE admission to ASTC Reciprocal Members! How cool is…

Such a great experience to watch real paleontologists working on dinosaur fossils and specimens at the UK Dino Lab inside Science City! Kids can see, first-hand, various stages of packing, preparation, research, and more! Lots of hands on activities throughout the lab area allow kids to touch, feel, and view a variety of fossils and molds!

At any LEGOLAND, Logan’s favorite activity is building and racing a myriad of vehicles. Although, he was definitely loving the LEGO Friends Karaoke today! Trillian took a Master Builder Class, and got to demonstrate the strength of her LEGO structure to the class. There is always tons of fun to be had at the LEGOLAND Discovery Centers. From rides, to 4D movies, to building, racing, singing, climbing, and MORE!

If you have seen the movie Dolphin Tale, you will recognize the Clearwater Marine Aquarium as the home of Winter the Dolphin. If you haven’t seen the movie, definitely check it out! Here are some fun shots from our visit to the CMA! We got to hang out with Winter, Panama, and Nicholas! Click on any photo below to learn more about Winter the Dolphin and the movie Dolphin Tale! Be sure to visit Clearwater Marine Aquarium if you are in the Clearwater, Florida area!

Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure is a brand new, state-of-the-art facility displaying props and story boards from the film, Dolphin Tale. (This album is very dark, because of my broken flash; but this museum is too neat not to share!) If you have seen the movie Dolphin Tale, you will recognize the Clearwater Marine Aquarium as the home of Winter the Dolphin. If you haven’t seen the movie, definitely check it out! Winter the Dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium Winter the Dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium For all our adventures visiting Winter at the CMA, CLICK HERE! Click on any photo…

Snorkeling in these perfect, warm, crystalline waters was an experience like no other! The kids had a blast splashing, playing, and enjoying the vast marine ecosystems beneath their toes! Hands on Marine Biology, for the win! You CAN bring your own snorkeling gear if you like, or you can use the gear provided by the Yankee Freedom staff!

Biscayne National Park was #2 out of 3 on our South Florida Trifecta Mission! We had a lot of fun interacting with the specimens on the touch tables, as well as walking the boardwalks outside. There is a LOT more to do at Biscayne if you have your own boat! But we still enjoyed seeing Pipefish and other unique aquatic species as we learned about the South Florida Coastal Reefs. Earning our Junior Ranger Badges here was an awesome experience!

Having a little Letterboxing fun! The thrill of the hunt! Always a great way to keep kids engaged and excited!

The Birthplace of Jell-O!The Jell-O Museum and Gallery in LeRoy, New York! As unassuming as it might sound, LeRoy New York is the Birthplace of Jell-O! If you have time to swing through this quaint area, you can visit the Historic LeRoy House, as well as the Jell-O Museum and Gallery! We actually had an incredible time here, and really enjoyed both places! The Historic LeRoy House offers an intimate exploration of historical artifacts from the time-period; with plenty of hands-on activities for kids in the basement. Relax and enjoy, while the kids dress up and cook, bake, and clean…

Historic LeRoy House in LeRoy, New York About an hour south of the Niagara Falls Region of New York, you’ll find the quaint little town of LeRoy, New York. As unassuming as it might sound, LeRoy is the home of Jell-O! If you have time to swing through, you can visit the Historic LeRoy House, as well as the Jell-O Museum and Gallery! We actually had a tremendous amount of fun exploring both places. The main levels of the home offer a glimpse into the cultural history of the time and area; and the basement beckons to the younger crowd…

While the title doesn’t sound very exciting, we actually LOVE the experience offered here with a tour of the Niagara Power Vista – NYPA Niagara Power Project Visitor Center. I mean, basically, with all the exhibits, it functions like a full-on science museum. And, you get a birds eye view of the hydroelectric power facilities below. If you’ve ever toured Hoover Dam while on a trip to Vegas, you should absolutely add this self-guided tour to your Niagara Falls itinerary. And even if you haven’t been out that way, this is still a quick, fun, and FREE educational stop along…

Another FABULOUS experience you truly MUST do when visiting Niagara Falls… Is Cave of the Winds! Cave of the Winds, essentially, is a trip down the elevator, from inside the walls of the gorge. At the bottom, you can actually walk out TO Bridal Veil Falls, from the lowest levels possible on foot. And then, you ascend the stairs, back up the falls, through the full force of Bridal Veil Falls blowing into you! It’s an intense experience. And, it can be a little overwhelming. But, wow… Few experiences in life will ever rival the euphoria you get from the…

Another fabulous Children’s Museum for your consideration, is the Duke Energy Children’s Museum, one of several fascinating museum units located in the Cincinnati Museum Center. Go for a full day of fun, or stop by to let the kids engage in some open-ended play and creativity after spending the earlier portion of the day learning in the Museum of Natural History & Science or the Cincinnati History Museum. A fully stocked kitchen, grocery store, post office, and more. Ride-on toys, water-play, an art center, trains, dinosaurs, LEGO, and even a full-sized nature-themed indoor climbing structure! Keep the kids engaged in…

One of our all-time favorite museum experiences for kids, is hands-down, the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History & Science. This phenomenal collection of exhibits is just one of the museum units located within the Cincinnati Museum Center Complex at Historic Cincinnati Union Terminal in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The beautifully preserved old train station houses some of the most interactive environments we have yet to experience. Real live cave and glacier simulations for kids to climb through; amazing geological collections specific to the Southern Ohio area; and even loads of hands-on docent-led activities located all throughout the museum. We learned all…

What a collection of Marinelife! Fish, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, mammals, birds, and so much more! Jellyfish, sea stars, penguins, frogs, crabs, sharks, gila monsters, and even alligators! All under one roof at the Newport Aquarium in Newport, Kentucky, just on the other side of the Ohio River at Cincinnati, OH! Countless species, all easily viewable, reside here in the Newport Aquarium. This facility offers such a variety of hands-on learning opportunities and many ways to interactively engage with the multitude of animals that call this place home! Touch tanks, bird feedings, animal meet-and-greets, and other activities allow kids to truly…

We’ve taken a lot of Swamp Tours in our time. Among the swamp tours more readily available, Bryan Champagne of Champagne’s Swamp Tours would definitely be ranked the highest. Bryan was fantastic with the kids. He engaged them with a lot of wonderful, wise, and witty dialogue, and then allowed them a lot of hands-on interaction with different plants, grasses, trees, reeds, seeds, and even a baby alligator! There are multiple tour companies and guides from which to choose in this area. And there are lots of locations in the Southern Louisiana region that offer commercial tour packages. But, we…

We’ve never really been much for swimming in the open water. And, on a day like today, February in the Gulf of Mexico, it was a little too cool for bathing suit weather even for people who do enjoy a little salt water swimming. But that doesn’t mean you can’t run, jump, splash, and play the day away in the gentle rolling tides! Nothing says FUN like a soggy, sticky, sandy, salty mess! And Holly Beach was an awesome place to do just that!

Put your little scientists to work at the beach by searching for and collecting fun shells! Grouping, sorting, classifying! Building sand castles and decorating with the finest details! Imagination comes alive with PLAY! And the beach is one of the best places to engage with your natural environment! Talk about the animals that lived in those shells! Think about where they came from and how they got to that very beach! Touch them! Smell them! Admire their colors and textures! The list is endless! Click here, or on any photo, to learn more about shells!

Another GREAT idea for good, old-fashioned fun? BUBBLES! They’re not terribly expensive, or you can even make your own! Throw in a variety of bubble wands, or get creative on trying out different materials that might lead to some pretty unique bubbles! And, then, BLOW! How awesome are these HUGE bubbles floating above the Gulf of Mexico? We had SO much FUN today spending Valentine’s Day on Holly Beach!

Over the years, the types of activities available in conjunction with a visit to the John C. Stennis Space Center have changed. Since the visit you see pictured below, they have now opened the INFINITY Science Center, and have a plethora of indoor and outdoor exhibits and activities available at what used to be the Visitor Center. We have not yet had a chance to explore the new INFINITY Center. If you have, be sure to let us know what you think! It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump off I-10, near the Mississippi / Louisiana state line! A…

In Biology Lab, we have dissected squid and owl pellets. If you are interested in hands on learning, you can order these supplies for your own Homeschool Biology Lab! Individual owl pellets start at just a few bucks. And group sets are an affordable way to get friends and family in on the learning fun! Click on any photo for materials and resources for YOUR Homeschool Biology Lab! Great for in home or co-op use!

When homeschoolers get together, all kinds of learning can happen! Our homeschool co-op classes this semester include Physical Education, LEGO Engineering, Play-Doh Building, World Cultures, Spanish, Dance, Group Games… And just hanging out with our friends!

The best part about the Ringling Brothers, Barnum, and Bailey Circus is the hands-on, interactive PreShow Meet ‘n Greet Experience! Getting to talk to the clowns, dancers, performers, and aerial artists personally; interact with them; try on costumes; play with show props; participate as a volunteer; and see up-close-and-personal performances… All before the actual show even starts! How cool is this! Click on any photo for some Circus Fun Ideas for YOUR Family!

Just checking out the sounds of Music City with these hands-on instrument displays in the Nashville Visitor Center inside the glass tower of the Sommet Center! EDIT: The Sommet Center became known as the Bridgestone Arena in February of 2010.