I have to say that I was intrigued when Dawn (@MommaKnows) of 5 Kids and a Dog announced that she was starting the ABCs of Homeschooling. I’ve already joined a few other blogs with the ABCs of Disney, so this seemed like a perfect fit.
This week, of course, starts with “A”. I thought for a short while about what “A” words play an important part in our homeschool and decided that the perfect “A” word is “adventure”.
To us, “adventure” is taking our learning out on the road, whether it be to a National Park or to a local museum. Here are a few “adventures” that we have had over the years.
In one area that we have lived, there was a wonderful nature center. They had special rangers talks, Smokey the Bear, and nature “experiments” for kids. One evening, a much younger DD11 and I had the pleasure of dissecting an owl pellet.
While the Harlem Globetrotters are just plain fun to watch, something tells me that there has to be a physics lesson somewhere in this picture.
It is always a joy to go to St. Louis and take the kids up the Gateway Arch. There is a wonderful museum under the Arch, and because it is a part of the National Park Service, it also has the Junior Ranger program.
DD11 has always loved history, so the Laura Ingalls Wilder homes in Mansfield, Missouri was a must. What we found so amazing is that Rose Wilder Lane had a rock house built for her mother. The new house had electricity and running water, but Laura preferred the house pictured above to the new-fangled house that Rose had built.
This was the view the first time that the kids (and their dad) saw the Grand Canyon. I had to promise them that there was actually a large hole in the ground somewhere below the clouds and snow.
This was the view the next day after the snowstorm.
Who would believe that a group is building a medieval fortress in Arkansas, using only period tools and methods? Well, we had to see it to believe it! It is definitely amazing and worth the trip if you are traveling near there. The kids were able to help make rope and split stones. A stone wedge was found in the wall of a castle in Europe that was dated to around the time that the castle was built. This wedge is being used to split the stone to make this castle, so both kids had the chance to use this wedge.
As was said many times in the movie UP, “Adventure is out there!” We like to take this approach to our homeschooling. But at the end of the day, homeschooling is only adventurous if it is done together as a family!
Ohhhhhh WOW can I say I am jealous? I want so badly to be able to take the kids on the road and travel! It looks like you HAVE had some fantastic adventures! Has me wondering if I can steal, er, borrow my Dad’s motorhome sometime soon…
We have moved quite a bit, so quite a few of our adventures have been day trips, camping trips, moving, and normal vacations. I hope that you get to borrow your dad’s motorhome because there is so much to see!
Wonderful post! We used to live in STL and always loved going to the arch.
Loved seeing your pictures, especially since there are a few of those places I’m hoping we can get to in the next few years.
I’m glad that I posted some that you are looking forward to seeing. If you ever need any info on some of these places, please feel free to contact me.
What great photos – definitely an adventure!
WOW! you have been to some gorgeous places, what a great gift for your kids.
Thank you so much! We really enjoy seeing as much of the country as we can!
Wow! That first picture of the Grand Canyon is amazing!!
A couple years ago, my brother and I decided to hike down to the Indian Gardens in the early spring (we’ve done it before, but at a different time of the year). Unfortunately, we didn’t realize that crampons were a must! We slid down part of the trail. I think we made it 1/3 of the way down before deciding we should head back up. That was a crazy adventure. I would never do it again! There’s nothing like sliding on the ice when you have a drop off 2 feet to your left…
Wow! What an adventure! I can’t believe you tried it without crampons…
A for adventure – I would definitely agree. We love taking trips as well and it is so much easier and enriching when we homeschool. Great pictures! Thanks for stopping by BTW.
Trips make the learning fun!
OH WOW! What wonderful adventures you’ve had!! I saw “adventure” and I was nodding and saying, “yes, yes” and then I saw all the amazing adventures you’ve had and I suddenly feel adventure inadequate. 😉 But you’re right.. it’s definitely and important element of homeschooling, whether the adventures are big or small. =)
We’ve been fortunate enough that most of the adventure was within just a few hours of us. Adventure can be hours or days away, or adventure can be in the backyard. It all boils down to how you “make” the adventure happen!