In today’s electronic age, many families spend their leisure time at home and on a device. Instead of staying indoors, you can get out of the house and have a great time together. These four ideas will allow you to exercise your mind and body. These places also present opportunities to learn and explore the world around you.
National Parks
The National Parks Service operates many incredible parks. These parks offer free or low-cost admission and make for a great weekend trip. You can camp at many of the national parks. Ride a horse for a long tour or pack hiking boots to go on foot. Yellowstone is one of the most popular national parks. Located around the caldera of an ancient super volcano, the park features bubbling springs, geysers, mud flats and more. You can spot grizzly bear. If you do not have a national park within a day’s drive of your home, consider a metropolitan or state park. These places allow you to explore, hike and learn about the plants and animals that live close to your home.
Family Fun Centers
Family fun centers are ideal to visit any time of the year. These places offer fun activities for kids and grown-ups alike. From ski ball and video games to laser tag and climbing structures, these are great places to challenge each other. You can play as a team in family fun centers or challenge each other to see who can score the most points in ski ball or laser tag. At the end, you may be able to redeem your tickets or coins for fun prizes. Many family fun centers even have an in-house snack bar or restaurant in case you work up an appetite during your visit.
Science Museums
Science museums are hands-on, interactive places to learn about how things work. You and your kids may be able to see which things float and which things sink in a pool of water or try your hands at building structures out of different types of blocks. Before visiting a science museum, check the schedule to see if there are any cool live demonstrations going on that day. Columbus, Ohio’s Center of Science and Industry (COSI) museum is one of the nation’s most popular science museums. COSI features a submarine that you can climb into, a high-wire unicycle to ride, an expansive little kids’ space for youngsters and an IMAX theater. The museum also has many other permanent exhibits and rotating exhibits such as Legos and the RMS Titanic.
Zoos
Zoos allow you to see animals that are only rarely spotted in the wild. Most zoos have animals from around the world. If your kids are fascinated with lions, tigers or elephants, a zoo allows them to see the creatures up-close. While at the zoo, you can ask the docent any questions that you have about the animals, such as whether or not tigers can purr (they do) and why koalas only eat eucalyptus leaves. If you explore the North American section of the zoo, you may be able to see more activity during the winter months of the year, such as when the moose start rutting or when the otter pups play in the chilly water. Many zoos offer learning programs and special events, such as holiday lights displays. If there is a zoo nearby, consider paying for a membership. The membership allows you to visit at any time for a much lower price.
Getting out of the house as a family is an adventure. Each of these ideas will allow you to spend quality time together. These places are affordable, casual and aimed at children and grown-ups of any age.
