Showing posts sorted by date for query field trip ideas indiana. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query field trip ideas indiana. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query field trip ideas indiana. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query field trip ideas indiana. Sort by relevance Show all posts

What to do at Purdue West Lafayette IN with Kids: 30 Things

Visiting Purdue: 30 Things to do Lafayette Area


If you're planning a road trip to West Lafayette, Indiana, you will find lots of family things to do with the kids. Visiting Lafayette, West Lafayette, and Purdue University is a great field trip idea and can get your kids excited about attending college. So, what's to do at Purdue in West Lafayette with the kids? If you haven't been to West Lafayette in awhile, you're in for a big surprise. The growth is incredible! My kids especially liked the bananas (once you visit, you'll know what I mean.) Keep reading for our 30 best things to do family activities and road trip ideas.


What to do at Purdue in West Lafayette with Kids: 30 Things


In Lafayette you can tour North America's only Subaru Factory. This factory tour takes 1-1.5 hrs. It is completely free and worth every penny. :) Even our Mayhem enjoyed the tour. Asthmatics may want to wear a mask or keep their inhalers handy. Some parts of the tour are smellier than others. Outside of the entrance the paint fumes are strong and inside the factory the die section had some fumes. Overall, it is an incredibly clean factory with an amazing safety record (just like their cars.) For homeschoolers, it is a great way to learn about all of the possible positions you can learn to do within the automotive industry. Purdue University even has a hub there. We toured on a Monday. Keep in mind, that while Monday is a great day for the tour, many other things to do in Lafayette our closed on Mondays. Plan accordingly. 5500 Indiana 38, Lafayette, IN 47905

Note: Cameras and Phones are not allowed on the tour.

Subaru Factory Tour: Micah Wright/Autos Cheat Sheet

Explore STEM at the Imagination Station hands-on science museum. (Closed Mondays, Open Tuesday- Sunday) Check the website for hours of operation, they are only open a few hours per day. Weekdays = 2-5 p.m. Tickets are only $5 per person. 600 N 4th St, Lafayette, IN 47901

McCord Candies offers an old-fashioned soda and sandwich shop. In November and December, you can tour the candy shop as they make candy canes. Be sure to try the chocolates! Closed on Sundays. 536 Main St. Lafayette, IN 47901

Triple XXX Family Restaurant or Route 66? Both restaurants are owned and operated by the same people. Which should you choose? It depends on what you want to accomplish. For nostalgia and atmosphere, Triple XXX is best! Don't let the name discourage you. Triple XXX is their specialty brand of root beer. They tout themselves as Indiana's first and oldest drive-in family restaurant. From what I can tell, it's no longer a drive-in. Even Guy Fieri stopped by, check it out on their website. Expect to be packed in like sardines (with lots of college students and retirees) and wait outside for a seat to become available. For the true diner experience, this one can't be beat. A super important note, as of 2018, they are CASH ONLY- yikes. They do have an ATM inside the restaurant. As for Route 66, they are off the beat and path, not nearly as busy, and have plenty of parking. Shakes are a little pricey, but hey everything is handmade. They even hand cut and grind the steakburgers. 2 N. Salisbury, West Lafayette, IN



Triple XXX Family Restaurant West Lafayette


Columbian Park Zoo Lafayette this cute little zoo is part of Columbian Park, where you'll also find play ground equipment, picnic areas, and a small water park. Tropicanoe Cove opens the end of May. The zoo opens mid to late April. The zoo includes a farm animal petting zoo. 1915 Scott Street Lafayette, IN 47904




Museums at Prophetstown Learn about 1920's farm life at Prophetstown. Prophetstown is named for Tecumseh's younger brother the prophet, Tenskwatawa. What was once a Shawnee Native American village is now a state park5545 Swisher Road West Lafayette, IN 47906

Just outside of Lafayette, don't miss Battle Ground, home of the Tippecanoe Battlefield Museum.  It marks the site of the November 7, 1811, Battle of Tippecanoe between the United States’ forces, led by William Henry Harrison, and representatives of Tecumseh’s Native American confederation. This one is closed on Wednesdays. 200 Battle Ground Avenue, Battle Ground IN 47920

Fort Ouiatenon Trading Post and the Feast of the Hunter's Moon, seasonal, fall. 
3129 South River Rd, West Lafayette, IN 47906 

Battle Ground Wolf Park  see a wide variety of wolves, coyotes, and foxes. Winter season through April 30, closed Sunday through Friday. Open season starts May 1, closed Mondays. Read our review Visit Wolf Park, Battle Ground. 4004 E 800 N Battle Ground, IN 47920

Relive the Battle of 1812 in Mississinewa. This is a great immersion history program. See battle reenactments, military encampments, rivertown, Indian village, food and more. Fun for the whole family. One weekend a year. Check the map for location. 6000 N. 300 W 27, LaFontaine, IN 46940

This one is in nearby Delphi, Indiana. Wabash and Erie Canal Museum includes canal boat rides. Closed Mondays, and winter months. 1030 W Washington St. Delphi, IN 46923

While on Campus, there are many things to do with kids (Triple XXX Restaurant is near campus.)

The Purdue Bug Bowl is in mid April. This is a fun event that offers tons of insect activities, like cricket spitting and an insect petting zoo. Bug Bowl is part of the Purdue Spring Fest.

Purdue Family Fun Day is in March in the Union Ballrooms.


Purdue Convocations are open to the public. Get tickets (some events are free) to a music concert, a musical, or a lecture. Not sure it is family friendly enough? You can catch shows like Curious George: The Golden Meatball. Click here to see the Purdue schedule of events


Got a future Boilermaker? Check out this list of Purdue Summer Camp opportunities. Warning: These are pricey! In July, they also offer a free one day engineering camp for girls.

Purdue Grand Prix go kart race. Click here to see the Grand Prix schedule of events.
West Lafayette, IN

There's always something cool going on at the West Lafayette Public Library: Kids Activities.

Get Air Trampoline Park 3540 State Road 38 East, Suite 400, Lafayette, IN

Elite Air Trampoline Park 3832 Fortune Dr Lafayette, IN 47905

Riverside Ice Sating Rink 100 Tapawingo Dr N West Lafayette, IN 47906

Mike Auby's Arrowhead Bowling includes Cosmic Bowling and an Arcade. Lafayette, IN

Market Square Lanes includes Cosmic Bowling Jerilee's Pub. Lafayette, IN (close to West Lafayette)

Landmark Lanes includes Cosmic Bowling and Roddy's Sports Bar. (closer to West Lafayette)

Puccini's Pizza and Pasta 300 Brown Street, West Lafayette, IN

Dog N' Suds Drive In 401 Sagamore Pkwy, West Lafayette, IN

Mary Lou's Donuts 1830 S 4th St, Lafayette, IN 47905 (Catch the food truck on campus.)

French Lick Family Vacation Ideas

Family Vacation Ideas: French Lick, Indiana


Planning a family vacation for the holiday or a quick family field trip? French Lick and West Baden are the perfect destination for families. A French Lick family vacation during the holidays is a magical gift. You'll make long lasting family memories. We recently visited and plan to make it a holiday tradition. From the Polar Express Train to the Springs to the Casino, there's truly something for everyone.

This post contains affiliate links.


Polar Express French Lick Railway activities
French Lick Railway train station during the Polar Express.


The famous hotels are historical and just as in years past, the area is filled with vacationers from all over the United States and abroad. The West Baden Springs Hotel is touted as the eighth wonder of the world. Is it upscale? Is it pricey? It can be. We've got some tips on how to enjoy the magic of French Lick on a budget. A French Lick family vacation is within reach when you plan ahead. Keep in mind, that on Thanksgiving weekend, all the prices go up, but everything is extra special.


French Lick Springs Hotel Family Vacation Ideas
French Lick Springs Hotel Family Vacation Ideas.


When you start to plan a French Lick family vacation it may seem overwhelming. The maps online are somewhat confusing, but all of these amenities are less than a 5 minute drive from each other - most are a 5 minute walk! I've rounded up the best things to do in French Lick and listed them here for your convenience.

French Lick Railway - Polar Express or other themed ride depending on the season. These tickets sell out quickly. You'll want to book in advance for the best seats. That means, if you're planning a trip for next Thanksgiving weekend, better get your tickets as soon as possible. Tickets must be paid in advance and are non refundable.

If you wait until the last minute there are a few options. If the website is sold out, the partner hotels may still have tickets. I didn't book train tickets at the same time I made hotel reservations because I was waiting to see how many family members would attend. When I finally got around to it, both hotels where we had reservations were sold out of train tickets for Friday night. I was able to get my train tickets at a nearby Comfort Suites. The hotel was a five minute drive from the French Lick resorts. They held them at the front desk and I picked them up the day of the Polar Express train ride.

We got to ride the train, but we were in the last car. It's a bumpy ride with lots of diesel fumes. On a happier note, when the train heads back to town, it becomes the first car.

There's coach (think of an old school bus), first class (tables and chairs), and dome class (an upper, glass enclosed seating area.) During the ride, the staff tells the story through song and dance. They even serve hot, hot, hot chocolate and cookies! True to the story, you get a visit from Santa who gives every child their first gift of the season.







Check our Instagram for fun French Lick Railway Polar Express vacation videos.

At French Lick Springs Hotel, you'll find a Kids' Activity Area right next to the Casino! This is drop-in child care for hotel guests. The activities are recommended for children 6-12 yrs. old. There's an additional fee for all children's activities. It includes special events like bounce houses.




Old-fashioned trolley rides are free and go back and forth between the French Lick resort and West Baden Springs resort. There's also a trolley on a track that goes around the Casino and back to West Baden making this fun for family field trips!




West Baden Spring Hotel Resort Family Vacation Ideas



At either French Lick Springs or West Baden Springs, the hotel concierge will book Carriage Rides, Horseback Riding, and Golf outings for an additional fee. You can also rent bicycles, surrey carts and other outdoor activities. There's a family golf option called Foot Golf that plays like regular golf but with a soccer ball.







During our stay, over Thanksgiving weekend, the hotels were celebrating 50 Days of Lights with festive decor inside and out. While the hotels have been restored and the common spaces are spectacular, the hotel rooms are nothing special. They are small, the hotel was built in the late 1800's - so think historical. A double queen room includes a wardrobe, a television, and a mirror. There isn't a microwave, refrigerator, or a bathtub. You may want to pay a little extra for a suite.


French Lick Traditional Guest Room.















French Lick Springs Hotel offers a family-friendly area that is open to the general public. So, no matter what hotel you stay in, you can visit the arcade, pizza shop, and bowling alley. Hotel guests have the added benefit of charging the very pricey activities to their rooms. My best tip on this one, it is very small. The bowling alley is 5 lanes cramped together. Be sure to get your name on a waiting list and be prepared for an expensive game. Pluto's Pizza - reviews don't lie. There's not a lot to do in town, so they have somewhat of a monopoly on these type of activities.



This is one quarter of the arcade room. There's a Foosball table in the middle.

The little town village and the hotels offer an array of eating options. From tiny Mom and Pop cafes to the upscale 1875 Steakhouse in the French Lick resort, there's something for all budgets. We dined at the steakhouse when everything else had closed. The staff is reminiscent of the old days when FDR would have dined there. They take care of you, but it'll cost you. If you are a family on a budget, skip this one. If you want an experience to remember and a taste of the Pluto Factory's tomato juice, expect to spend at least $75 per person.


To my surprise, French Lick Springs Hotel does not include breakfast or much of anything else for that matter. Swimming is included, but everything else is an additional fee.

Plus: The rooms are very clean. The shower is nice and big.

You can eat breakfast at the Grand Colonnade Room's Breakfast Buffet, but for what they offer and the fact that they require the tip upfront when you pay a cashier, I'd skip this one. The food isn't any nicer or better quality than anywhere else. You can make lots of trips, but we didn't want to. The wait staff isn't exceptional, the seating is tight... spend your money somewhere else.





You don't need to wait for Thanksgiving, the seasonal activities and themed family weekends are available for fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more. During our stay, both French Lick resort hotels were offering Thanksgiving Buffets. We chose to make our reservation at French Lick Springs because it offered a non-traditional children's buffet with macaroni and cheese and chicken tenders. Here, the Thanksgiving feast is traditional fare. We enjoyed the food. The room was beautiful but a little chilly, be sure to dress warmly. For a family of 4 (3 adults and 1 child, children are 12 and under) we spent $225 including tip. This can be charged to your room or paid after dinner. No need to stay in either hotel to make a dinner reservation for Thanksgiving dinner. They also do Christmas Dinner with carolers throughout the hotels!

Tip: if you want a special Thanksgiving dinner, eat here and stay up the street at the Comfort Suites. You'll get to enjoy all of the splendor of the hotel without the extra cost. A surprising plus, both hotels are pet-friendly.


Big Splash Indoor Waterpark - Tickets and breakfast are included - it's cheaper to stay here than stay somewhere else and just visit the park or just eat in the restaurant. The rooms are much larger than the French Lick resorts, but not as clean. That's to be expected with all of the families in and out. This hotel also offers family suites in various sizes. Our room, 4 waterpark passes, and breakfast was $20 less than just the room at French Lick Springs resort. We were just as comfortable, but there wasn't as much service. If you're used to being pampered, this isn't the hotel for your stay.

Breakfast was surprisingly good. The buffet was small but loaded full of french toast sticks, scrambled eggs, sausage, cereal, ham, and juices. The trade off is the restaurant is crowded and the wait can be long. My family was too lazy and wanted to skip breakfast so I went down by myself. Rather than taking up an entire table, the hostess allowed me to fill up some to go boxes and take them back to my room. Of course, when I brought the food back, everyone was suddenly starved. We all agreed the food was just as good, if not better than the Grand Colonnade room at French Lick Springs.


Big Splash Indoor Water Park French Lick Family Vacation Tips
Big Splash Indoor Water Park French Lick Family Vacation Tips.

My best tip for visiting this or any indoor water park is to heed the warnings. The windows and roof are closed when it is cold, so the gases build up quicker and can cause flu-like symptoms, rashes, or problems with Asthma. Due to our Asthma, my daughter and I both needed a break after an hour. The pool staff recommends taking frequent breaks every 2 hours.

We headed to the park at the best time, there were no lines, so we all got to do everything in an hour. My favorite was lounging in the lazy river, but I did try one of the tubes. That was an experience. Fun and terrifying at the same time! In the main swimming pool, don't miss the the whirl pool. Our passes were good for the day of check-in and the night of check out! Great deal.




Big Splash also offers an outdoor pool.

The decor in the entry of Big Splash is also a game.



The darker tubes are dark inside. Some tubes require an intertube to slide down.

Whether you stroll or drive through town, you'll find some surprising shops. There's a Denny's across the street from French Lick Springs and a Dollar General across the street from West Baden Springs. In front of Big Splash is a mini golf and laser tag facility. If you're on a tight budget, there's also a McDonald's, CVS, and Jay's Grocery in town. If you don't want to pay $4.00 for a pop, walk over to the Huck's Gas Station across the street from the resort areas. Around the corner from the gas station, tucked away off the street, is a small movie theater, Spring's Stadium.

Don't miss a visit to the French Lick West Baden Museum to learn all about local history and be sure to take a guided historical tour of the resort hotels. Don't miss area attractions like a zip line a few miles outside of town, you can bathe elephants and go on other outdoor adventures at Wilstem Ranch.


Recommended:

History of French Lick Resorts

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Family Vacation Ideas




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French Lick Family Vacation Ideas







Indianapolis Firefighter Museum: Things to do in Indy

Firefighters Museum Downtown Indianapolis

As homeschoolers, we're always looking for fun, educational things to do for field trips. Downtown Indianapolis is full of great things to do on a field trip or family vacation. If you're ever on Mass Ave, stop and explore the Firefighters Museum. It's free! Live in Indiana? You can take a staycation to downtown Indy and spend the day or the entire weekend exploring.

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.


Indianapolis Firefighter Museum: Things to do in Indy


The Fire Fighters Museum is located in downtown Indianapolis at  748 Massachusetts Ave. This museum is newly renovated. In fact, they're still adding exhibits. If you're studying Indiana history, this is an ideal way to immerse yourself. The museum is free and includes a guided tour with open hours from 9 to 5.


Field Trip Ideas for Homeschoolers Indiana

If you choose to walk through the space without a guide, you're welcome to do so. Our guide was a retired fireman who knew all about the history of Indianapolis Firefighters - such a great opportunity to learn! On a side note, this museum is very small. You could walk through on your own in 15 minutes. We spent about 20 minutes touring the exhibit and another 15 playing checkers. So, you'll want to pair this with another Mass Ave activity. We suggest the Sub Zero Ice Cream parlor (they serve lunch too.)


Firefighters Museum Downtown Indianapolis




Upstairs in the museum, check out this cool display of knots while you try on some fireman's gear. Then, you can peek down the fire pole - it's blocked so you can't slide down it. Bummer.

Plus: Clean Restrooms!

We enjoyed our homeschool field trip to the Indianapolis Firefighter Museum in downtown Indy. It was a nice side trip for our day on Mass Ave. What's your favorite Indianapolis field trip? Tell us about it in the comments.


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Indianapolis Firefighter Museum: Things to do in Indy





Homeschool Curriculum Resources

Supplemental Resources for Educators


Thanks to Oriental Trading for these curriculum resources.

Whether you're a homeschool parent or a classroom teacher, these curriculum resources from Oriental Trading are a great way to supplement learning. From the hundreds of items in the Oriental Trading catalog, we chose these items to supplement our homeschool curriculum. If you're looking for supplemental homeschool curriculum resources, be sure to check them out.

This post contains affiliate links.

Homeschool Curriculum Resources
Airbrush Marker Set, Money and Time Flashcards, Fraction Spinners, Ruler Tape, and World Map.


Last year, both kids attended Indiana Connections Academy online. We started our homeschool journey with them and after a few years of homeschooling on our own, decided to enroll again. It allowed both kids to take assessment tests. We discovered they both had jumped another grade level. However, Mayhem had some math learning disabilities and special needs.


Supplemental Resources for Educators


Homeschool Curriculum Resources 


Connections Academy was great about testing her and getting her the help she needed, but this year we decided it would be better to once again go it on our own. This way, we can better address her mathematics learning gaps.

So, Jake will attend INCA as a 9th grader... Did you get that? He's officially in high school this year. Yikes! Mayhem is officially a 7th grader. By age, they should be in 5th and 7th. Which makes me skeptical about that assessed math disability.

There's certainly an issue, but she works very well at 4th & 5th grade level math. Her language arts assessment was college level and science and social studies were all above grade level, which is why they placed her in the 6th grade last year.

Homeschooling on our own allows us to tailor the curriculum to her specific grade level needs. We are using MobyMax to help with that. MobyMax finds and corrects learning gaps.


math game for multiplication and division
Tri-Facta math game for multiplication and division memory.


We ordered this educational math game, Tri-Facta, from OT. It's sort of like Scrabble for numbers. Even though Jake is a math whiz, he enjoyed the game.

It's a nice alternative to flashcards. We also got Time and Money flashcards, cool ruler tape, and fraction spinners. Everything You Need to Ace Math in one Big Fat Notebook is an awesome math book for reluctant mathematicians. It's written in note taking form and explains math concepts in a fun, easy to understand manner. Click here to find the resources at Oriental Trading.

If your kids like to color, this World Chart map (pictured below) is a great supplemental activity for geography and social studies. It comes with a booklet of facts. The idea is to find the fact's map location and then color it. We also got an airbrush set for future art lessons.


Social Studies Lesson: Color Chart the World Map.


Social Studies Resource from MindWare, Color Chart Map.


Just for fun, Teacher a.k.a. Mom, drug the kiddos out of bed for a 'I just woke up' shot to share on social media. Everyone always shares their back to school first day of school pictures and we didn't want to be left out.

For us, the first day of school means getting up a little earlier- okay, a lot earlier, but not as early as a traditional school day. No new haircuts, no new backpacks, no new shoes, no new school clothes. Just old pajamas. Well, really, old comfy clothes for sleeping. No matching necessary. We'll get dressed if we run out of food and need to make a trip to the grocery store. A trip to a fast food restaurant doesn't require getting dressed...






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