When you are planning your year, do you forget (like I often do) to incorporate learning outside of the home? I do tend to skip this part initially, and then remember there is an abundance of learning to be had around us! And I’m not just talking about getting out into nature! Even if you aren’t a homeschool family, these are all experiences that you can offer your children. Homeschoolers don’t have a corner on this market!
I took the initiative to start curating a master list by category of all of the available opportunities we have locally. In this post I will be sharing general jumping off points in four main categories: nature, the arts, science, and history. Use these ideas to search in your own cities and states to begin to create your own master lists! You can add to it along the way, and start to fill in days on the calendar to take advantage of these great assets in your own areas!
As homeschool communities continue to grow, I’m looking forward to even more experiences popping up over time. For instance, it’s always exciting to see new homeschool specific classes and such being offered at local zoos, museums, libraries, symphony halls, etc.
NOTE: In addition to the general ideas I’m sharing here, I am also including specific local Tennessee options via the links that I have started to add to my own personal list.
Parks, Nature, and Adventure
When it comes to getting out of our four walls, the first thing that typically comes to mind is just plain getting outside. Here I have listed some ideas to get you started!
State & Local Parks – Check your state and local park websites for educational programming and calendar events. When I checked some of mine, I found they had things like birding gatherings, rock climbing, Junior Ranger programs, dark sky viewing, disc golf, geocaching, and more! In some places you can even schedule a group event with a ranger for your homeschool group, or just a gaggle of your friends!
National Parks – If you are blessed to have one of these in your backyard, I’m almost sure you’ve already utilized that, but as a reminder, even if it’s an hour away, definitely make plans to visit these. The National Parks website also includes national scenic trails, historic sites, river & recreation areas, military parks, battlefields, historical parks, parkways, etc. Our national park here in Tennessee is the Great Smoky Mountains! Really close to North Carolina too! Don’t forget your National Parks Passport to get a stamp, and take advantage of the Junior Ranger programs as well.
Greenways – “Greenways and trails often follow either a natural corridor, such as a riverfront, stream valley, ridge line or overland corridor along a converted railroad, canal, scenic road or other route.” [TN Department of Health – Greenways & Trails] You can look for a map of your area online and probably find a lot of options close to you! Here are a couple sites that are helpful for Middle Tennessee: here and here.
Hiking Trails – In addition to greenways, there are most likely lots of options for hiking trails in your area. A great website to check these locations anywhere you are is All Trails. If you are in Tennessee like me, you could also check out the Tennessee Trails Association website and the Tennessee state hiking section of their website.
Botanical Gardens & Arboretums – Chances are you probably live in a place where you can take advantage of the flora and fauna of the seasons at beautifully manicured botanical gardens or arboretums. We have the beautiful Cheekwood Botanical Gardens in Middle Tennessee, but there are also several other garden and arboretum options nearby as well (here, here, here, and here). Some of these types of places even have memberships which include educational programming, some of which may be homeschool specific.
Local Farms, Orchards, Vineyards – Don’t forget to check out local farms that open their properties to experiences, pick-your-own-produce, seasonal classes, and the like. The vineyards are for educational purposes of course! A few in my area are here, here, here, here, and here.
Wild + Free Groups – You may have heard of this international group in your homeschooling circles, but it’s more than just books, magazines, content bundles, conferences, and retreat centers. Wild + Free is an organization that seeks to bring together “mothers and homeschoolers who want their children to not only receive a quality education, but also to experience the adventure, freedom, and wonder of childhood” [source]. Wild + Free groups can be found in lots of areas, and chances are there is already an established group in your neck of the woods. These groups primarily focus on getting out into nature together and creating lasting bonds of friendship and comradery. Check out their website to see if there is a group in your area!
Music, The Arts, and Libraries
These experiences have my heart as I come from a more musical and artistic family background. My sister and one of my brothers were very much into theater as kids, and my brothers and I learned instruments and loved to jam together. We grew up attending lots of concerts and music festivals. I even worked for a few bands at one point. I love a good musical, play, or concert and I love getting to introduce these things to my children! Other members of my family (not so much me, ha!) are also very talented in the areas of painting, drawing, crafting, and the like and exposure and access to these kinds of arts is important to us. Let’s take a look at some options you may have near you in these fields!
Symphony Halls – One of the easiest ways to introduce your children to beautiful music is by visiting a local symphony. We have the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall here in middle Tennessee and they offer a Young People’s Concert Series every year. We’ve learned about the parts of the orchestra, the birth of Jazz, and the magic of music and film just over the last year! The Nashville Symphony also has Curb Open Dress Rehearsals which allows kids (and guardians) an opportunity to attend the symphony dress rehearsals for many of their productions! If you don’t have a “proper” symphony group in your area, you can also seek out bands or orchestras of professional volunteers. Sometimes universities will provide these types of experiences to the community.
Candlelight Concerts – An experience my husband and I recently discovered are Candlelight Concerts! These are hosted in over 100 countries all over the world and bring local musicians together for a truly unique experience. The entire concert is lit only by candlelight (faux)! We saw a string quartet play a tribute to Adele in Charleston, SC in a beautiful, old church and it was truly magical! Tickets are about $30 a piece, which could be cost prohibitive, but as a special treat this would be a really memorable experience.
Performing Arts Centers – Many larger, and even some mid-size and smaller cities, have performing arts centers/groups to take advantage of. One we have here in Tennessee is TPAC (Tennessee Performing Arts Center) and they have a specific selection of offerings every year for young people. There is also a child specific theater group here called Nashville Children’s Theatre. They even have discounted tickets for homeschoolers on certain days.
Country Music Hall of Fame – Now, this one is definitely middle Tennessee specific, but I’m going to drop this here. Nashville, Tennessee is home to country music, and therefore, the hall of fame rests here as well. We have actually never been ourselves, but I hope to remedy that in the future. They offer educational opportunities for everyone from field trips to songwriting camps! They even offer once a month Homeschool Days for $15/non-member family. Even if you aren’t a super-fan of country music, I think this would be well worth the visit if you live in or are visiting the area with kids.
National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) – Another middle Tennessee specific music experience, but this is worth checking out as well if you are in the area! I just learned about it myself. The NMAAM is the “only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans”. This is going on my list of must-visit places with the kids!
Puppet Theaters – Ok, go with me on this one. When we lived in Columbia, South Carolina there was an amazing local professional puppet theater company. We probably attended 4-5 times and the kids had a blast each time. The shows were retellings of classics mostly like Beauty and the Beast and The Wizard of Oz. For a fun weekend activity, or as a weekday excursion, these were family friendly and pretty affordable. It also felt good to support the local arts! Here in middle Tennessee, the Nashville Public Library Main Branch offers puppet shows, story time, and occasional puppet truck visits at other local branches (or you can make private requests). Make sure to check your local areas for similar theaters.
Art Museums & Galleries – Most places offer a local art museum or two near a metropolitan area. If it’s a really good one, they will have educational programming for children and traveling exhibits to keep things fresh. About two years ago our local large art museum hosted a Beatrix Potter exhibit and it was incredible! The Frist Art Museum is located here in middle Tennessee and they always have a larger exhibit going with an interactive space to learn more with children.
Ballet Companies – If you live near a metropolitan area (or sometimes even if you don’t), you can probably take advantage of ballet performances throughout the year. I sometimes forget about it after Nutcracker season, but the ballet offers more than Christmas-time events! For example, The Nashville Ballet is performing The Sleeping Beauty this season!
Shakespeare Performance Groups – Do you read through Shakespeare with your children? If so, or even if you don’t as a practice, seeing Shakespeare performed live is such a fun experience! We took our children to see Hamlet last spring and they loved it. Even the then five-year-old! (He may have asked at intermission, “When does everyone die?” My response: “Soon, soon.”) I have even seen free “Shakespeare in the Park” type performances advertised as well. You just have to do your research. The Nashville Shakespeare Group is a great resource if you live in middle Tennessee.
Local Libraries – Last, but certainly not least in this category, the local library offers so many untapped resources! I will admit, in the county we are currently in there isn’t as much, but we aren’t far from a larger Nashville Public Library system and we are able to take advantage of that thankfully. Beyond the expected story times, local libraries can offer clubs, classes, and so much more! For instance, our own local library systems offer LEGO clubs, game clubs, knitting/crocheting clubs, music enrichment, and FREE weekly history and science lectures. Definitely look into what your own libraries have to offer!
Science & History Experiences
To round out this article, I will conclude with the various science and historical experiences that may be in your area that are worth checking out. I will also list several middle Tennessee options in case you are in the area or happen to live here too!
Science and history are meant to be experienced, and sometimes that means heading out and finding those opportunities away from home. This can be especially impactful if your children are studying something specific and then can have an in-person encounter with that very thing. Perhaps one or more of the following ideas is an option in your neck of the woods!
Local Zoos – Everywhere I have lived has included an awesome zoo. Columbus, Ohio where I grew up, is home to none other than THE Jack Hanna. Fun fact: My sister had his sister-in-law as a fourth grade teacher. The Columbus and Cincinnati Zoos are both excellent. Then when we lived in Columbia, South Carolina, we also had the privilege of an amazing zoo close by. Now, in middle Tennessee we have the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Make sure to check out your local zoo’s educational programming because most of them now have homeschool days for a low fee! We did that in South Carolina and the kids loved it.
Science Centers – When I was homeschooled in high school, I volunteered at a science center called COSI (Center of Science and Industry) in downtown Columbus. Fun fact: It used to be located next door to the original Wendy’s restaurant. Anyway… I was stationed on the “historical progress” floor and dressed in period apparel and taught visitors how to make paper and candles. Fun times. Even though those memories are vague, I still love a good science (and history) center/museum. Some can be duds, I will admit that, but it’s worth looking into because they can also be a lot of fun! Here in middle Tennessee there are two that come to mind: the Adventure Science Center and the Discovery Center (in Murfreesboro). Both offer homeschool specific programming too if that is something you are looking for.
Aquariums – Not to be left out… you can visit an aquarium for marine life learning! I know there are several good ones sprinkled across the U.S. and some are absolutely incredible. I’d love to hear about yours if you have one near you. The closest one to us is the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, TN. We haven’t been, but it’s on my list of places to make a trip to.
State Museums – State specific history and natural history museums can be really engaging and educational for children (and adults). Some include permanent exhibits alongside temporary exhibitions so it’s worth visiting at least once a year to see what’s new. In our last state of residence, our state museum offered free admission to homeschoolers! Our current state museum has exhibits ranging from a “time tunnel”, first peoples, civil war and reconstruction, and Tennessee furniture to art in Tennessee prior to 1900. Make sure to check for homeschool discounts or special homeschool days if you are a homeschool family.
Living History Museums – A living history museum is a place where you can see history come to life! I think this is one of the most memorable types of field trips you can take with your children. The great thing about these types of experiences is that they can be found just about anywhere across the United States. Locations like colonial Williamsburg create a sense of wonder and curiosity in a child to be able to experience what life was like well before modern conveniences. Several in our area that I want to try to get to with my own children are: Sadie Ford Heritage Farm & Cultural Arts Center, Fiddlers Grove Historic Village, Museum of Appalachia, and Sam Houston Historic Schoolhouse. For a list of living history museums near you, a quick Google search should suffice, or check out this article here.
Historic Battlefields & Forts – Although a sad part of history, battlefields and forts are found throughout the American landscape. Visiting helps us to remember our past to hopefully help us make better choices in the future. If you and your children are studying a particular part of American history, visiting a historic battlefield and/or fort may be an impactful way to present these parts of our history. In our general area, the following sites can be found: Nashville Battlefield and Fort Negley, Mansker’s Fort, and Stones River National Battlefield.
Other Historic Sites – Make sure to check your local state websites for additional historic sites in your area that could be worth checking out. These could be homes of famous people in history, old homes that have been preserved, railroad exhibits, etc. For those in Tennessee, the state website has a list of places to visit here.
The Parthenon (A Nashville honorable mention) – An anomaly in historical places to visit in the United States that doesn’t really belong to us is the Parthenon replica in downtown Nashville, TN. This Parthenon is the only exact-sized replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Nashville is the “Athens of the South” and the first rendition of the replica (not the current building) was first built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exhibition. This was intended as a temporary structure, but became a permanent fixture in 1931 (restoration complete in 2001). If you are studying ancient Greece, this would be an awesome stop on a U.S. road trip!
Get out there!
As you can see, there are lots of opportunities near and far to expand the experiences and education of your children AND you! Ask your friends, teachers, Google search, and sign up for local event emails to keep a running list of places you want to take your children to widen their perspectives, enrich their learning, and grow closer as a family through shared experiences.
I’d love to hear about some of your favorite places to visit! Drop me a comment below or email me at hanna@thewhisperingglen.com.