Visiting Tellus Science Museum, GA

A trip to visit family over Thanksgiving brought us to north Georgia and a day at the Tellus Science Muesum.

As with most science museums, they had a nice balance of hands-on exhibits as well as  visually interesting but not fully interactive. Mining for gems was a hit as well as walking through the dinosaur exhibit.

Our little guys even sat through the planetarium show!

I have found that it works well to balance a trip by alternating the time the kids are able to play. After the planetarium show we went to the My Big Backyard exhibit so they could run and explore. Here kids can play with light, rainbows, mirrors and more in the greenhouse. The shed is filled with sound experiments, and the garage is a great place to discover the properties of magnets and work with electricity.

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Tellus Science Museum, GA

A trip to visit family over Thanksgiving brought us to north Georgia and a day at the Tellus Science Muesum.

As with most science museums, they had a nice balance of hands-on exhibits as well as  visually interesting but not fully interactive. Mining for gems was a hit as well as walking through the dinosaur exhibit.

Our little guys even sat through the planetarium show!

I have found that it works well to balance a trip by alternating the time the kids are able to play. After the planetarium show we went to the My Big Backyard exhibit so they could run and explore. Here kids can play with light, rainbows, mirrors and more in the greenhouse. The shed is filled with sound experiments, and the garage is a great place to discover the properties of magnets and work with electricity.

The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast

The Children’s Museum of the Treasure Coast is located in Indian Riverside Park. You can easily spend a day at the museum, then play on the beach and in the fountains.

The kids loved the pet vet exhibit.

The building room.

The body exhibit.

The giant play ship!

Publix shopping exhibit.

They played for hours and then some. Another day well spent.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta

The Atlanta Children’s Museum is located in downtown Atlanta just down the street from the Georgia Aquarium and Coca Cola. We parked in a parking garage across the street and walked our way in and then purchased tickets for about $14 each. There are many permanent exhibits as well as an array of hands on programs throughout the day. One program we were able to participate in was a science class where they demonstrated how electricity moves through circuits using a van de graafft generator.

You know, that machine that makes your hair stand up? 

Next we visited the Let Your Creativity Flow exhibit where you can build sand scupltures and put them on display.

Here you can even paint on the walls!

In the Leaping Into Learning exhibit, children enter a forest where they can cast their rods and catch colorful fish and even go under a waterfall without getting wet.  My nephew loved catching fish and playing with nets in the water.

The overall favorite was definitely the Tools for Solutions exhibit.

We spent a lot of time working the crane. They had to move the balls through the unit with simple machines using creative thinking and teamwork. They played here for hours. Other programming includes story time, music and motion, and crafts shown here below.

Another fun area was the Publix delivery truck, loading dock and store. Options for play seemed endless.The Museum also hosts special programs such as Home School Days, Summer Camps, Meet the Holidays (events where kids celebrate holidays from around the world), as well as opportunities for children on the Autism Spectrum during early hours and rental rooms and packages for birthday parties.

We will definitely be making a return trip next time we’re in town.

Children’s Museum of Atlanta

The Atlanta Children’s Museum is located in downtown Atlanta just down the street from the Georgia Aquarium and Coca Cola. We parked in a parking garage across the street and walked our way in and then purchased tickets for about $14 each. There are many permanent exhibits as well as an array of hands on programs throughout the day. One program we were able to participate in was a science class where they demonstrated how electricity moves through circuits using a van de graafft generator.

You know, that machine that makes your hair stand up? 

Next we visited the Let Your Creativity Flow exhibit where you can build sand scupltures and put them on display.

Here you can even paint on the walls!

In the Leaping Into Learning exhibit, children enter a forest where they can cast their rods and catch colorful fish and even go under a waterfall without getting wet.  My nephew loved catching fish and playing with nets in the water.

The overall favorite was definitely the Tools for Solutions exhibit.

We spent a lot of time working the crane. They had to move the balls through the unit with simple machines using creative thinking and teamwork. They played here for hours. Other programming includes story time, music and motion, and crafts shown here below.

Another fun area was the Publix delivery truck, loading dock and store. Options for play seemed endless.The Museum also hosts special programs such as Home School Days, Summer Camps, Meet the Holidays (events where kids celebrate holidays from around the world), as well as opportunities for children on the Autism Spectrum during early hours and rental rooms and packages for birthday parties.

We will definitely be making a return trip next time we’re in town.

Revisiting St Augustine

We are a family who homeschooled for 20 years. Though both my girls have now graduated High School and are in college, I have never outgrown the lure of adventure that awaits someplace that we haven’t yet explored. I also enjoy revisiting places that held great memories, either by taking a return trip or via a walk down memory lane in photos.

Today is a photo trip : )

Did you know that St. Augustine is the oldest city in the nation? It was founded on September 8th,1565 which was 42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before Plymouth. Next year, 2015, will mark the 450th anniversary of this Spanish settlement. The city is already gearing up for a big celebration.The “Old City” is home to the national monument of Castillo De SanMarco. It also boasts the oldest wood school house in the USA, now conveniently located near an ice cream shop.

The St. Augustine Light Station tour included a trip to the top of the lighthouse and some nautical hands-on exhibits on the grounds around the lighthouse.

Mostly though, we just enjoyed time away with the family that weekend.

Throwback Thursday: Revisiting St Augustine

We are a family who homeschooled for 20 years. Though both my girls have now graduated High School and are in college, I have never outgrown the lure of adventure that awaits someplace that we haven’t yet explored. I also enjoy revisiting places that held great memories, either by taking a return trip or via a walk down memory lane in photos.

Today is a photo trip : )

Did you know that St. Augustine is the oldest city in the nation? It was founded on September 8th,1565 which was 42 years before Jamestown and 55 years before Plymouth. Next year, 2015, will mark the 450th anniversary of this Spanish settlement. The city is already gearing up for a big celebration.The “Old City” is home to the national monument of Castillo De SanMarco. It also boasts the oldest wood school house in the USA, now conveniently located near an ice cream shop.

The St. Augustine Light Station tour included a trip to the top of the lighthouse and some nautical hands-on exhibits on the grounds around the lighthouse.

Mostly though, we just enjoyed time away with the family that weekend.

Florida Oceanographic Center

A visit to the Florida Oceanographic Center affords you unlimited access to a stingray tank and much more, though the stingrays remain the favorite. The Center offers daily feeding times where you can grab a shrimp by the tail and a stingray will come along a suck it out of your hand. Awesome, but not if you’re allergic to shrimp. If you are, like me, then please maintain a shrimp-free experience. If you are a preschooler, you might also be just as interested in the sensation of water as you are the stingrays, which is just a win-win as far as I’m concerned.

Also there to explore are touch tanks with star fish, anemones, snails and such. The “one finger only” rule applies here. Note: If your preschooler likes to carry a toy with them, try not to have the toy visit the touch tank. It happens.

Hands on exhibits can be found outside under a shaded area and inside as well. The grounds are accessible to strollers and wheelchairs alike. You can bring coolers for lunch at a picnic table. If not bringing lunch, definitely bring drinks to stay hydrated. If you forget, there are vending machines for drinks but no snacks for sale.

The second most watched exhibit was the Lagoon Fish Feeding Program. There is a large man-made pond that houses a variety of local fish. At feeding time, they come out to play. There are more fish on display inside in small tanks and aquariums. Keep an eye out for the moray eel.

We like to walk the trails on our trips and many trails in Florida lead to a view of the water, in this case, the beautiful Indian River Lagoon.

The Center offers many educational opportunities throughout the year and hosts a popular summer camp as well. There are numerous opportunities to extend the learning experience, or just take a simple day trip like we did. Either way, a visit to the Florida Oceanographic Center is a day well spent.

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Visit Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center for more information. Print out their Animals on Display page and create your own scavenger hunt form!

Visiting The Florida Oceanographic Center

A visit to the Florida Oceanographic Center affords you unlimited access to a stingray tank and much more, though the stingrays remain the favorite. The Center offers daily feeding times where you can grab a shrimp by the tail and a stingray will come along a suck it out of your hand. Awesome, but not if you’re allergic to shrimp. If you are, like me, then please maintain a shrimp-free experience. If you are a preschooler, you might also be just as interested in the sensation of water as you are the stingrays, which is just a win-win as far as I’m concerned.

Also there to explore are touch tanks with star fish, anemones, snails and such. The “one finger only” rule applies here. Note: If your preschooler likes to carry a toy with them, try not to have the toy visit the touch tank. It happens.

Hands on exhibits can be found outside under a shaded area and inside as well. The grounds are accessible to strollers and wheelchairs alike. You can bring coolers for lunch at a picnic table. If not bringing lunch, definitely bring drinks to stay hydrated. If you forget, there are vending machines for drinks but no snacks for sale.

The second most watched exhibit was the Lagoon Fish Feeding Program. There is a large man-made pond that houses a variety of local fish. At feeding time, they come out to play. There are more fish on display inside in small tanks and aquariums. Keep an eye out for the moray eel.

We like to walk the trails on our trips and many trails in Florida lead to a view of the water, in this case, the beautiful Indian River Lagoon.

The Center offers many educational opportunities throughout the year and hosts a popular summer camp as well. There are numerous opportunities to extend the learning experience, or just take a simple day trip like we did. Either way, a visit to the Florida Oceanographic Center is a day well spent.

Visit Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center for more information. Print out their Animals on Display page and create your own scavenger hunt form!

Oxbow Eco Center

What’s it like inside the Oxbow Eco Center?

There’s so much to explore and get your hands on and your eyes around at a nature center. We are blessed to locally have “The Oxbow.” I love to watch the wonder in a child’s eye when they experience something for the first time, like standing eye to eye with an otter.

Ever lay your hand across the back of a bobcat? Curious about a crane’s beak?

Then head to the Oxbow. Your experience can be different every time. On our last visit, the staff had just received a nest of baby birds that had fallen out of a neighboring tree – we were mesmerized as their little beaks chirped up at us.

Peek through the glass at the snakes and turtles, run your fingers through the sand at the sensory table, take a hike on the trails…all part of a day well spent.

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