Visit Telescope Indiana: IU Link Observatory

Homeschool Science Field Trip: Visit the Link Telescope


If you are looking for something different to do in Indiana, visit the IU Link Observatory Telescope between Mooresville and Martinsville, Indiana. It's a one tank trip from most places in Indiana, and it makes a great homeschool science field trip. Psst... It's not just for homeschoolers and science junkies. Architects, historians, and gardeners will love it too! Keep reading to find out why.

The Link Observatory is a magnificent piece of architecture in a beautiful setting. It sits atop a hill adjacent to a Daffodil garden. Completed in 1939, for Dr. Goethe Link, the domed structure is made of local wood from the property. The dome swivels for a panoramic view of the night sky. Until the 1980's the observatory was used for astronomical research. However, as the the city lights of Indianapolis grew, it made star viewing increasingly difficult.

The adjacent Daffodil garden is the perfect setting for a family picnic, to catch up on reading, to walk your dog, or to paint the gorgeous landscape. The day we visited, an artist was painting a lovely watercolor painting of the dome.

And this happened in 2018, Indiana native, David Wolf, electrical engineer, medical doctor, and astronaut, joined the Link Observatory Space Science Institute staff as Chief Science Officer. Dr. Wolf works with the Institute on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) educational programming, public engagement, and fundraising.

Link live events take place at area libraries. You can also invite them to do a program at your school, camp, or other event. Check the Link Telescope Event Calendar for activities at the observatory and within the surrounding communities. The Link Observatory is free to the public on the 1st Saturday of each month for night sky viewing and the 2nd Thursday of each month from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm for daytime tours of the telescope and facility.

We visited on a free Thursday. The docent was full of fun facts, science humor, and shared the interesting history of the observatory. It seems Mrs. Goethe planted and cultivated the Daffodils. There are several different species, still blooming after all of these years. 


Tips for your Visit:

Don't expect anyone to greet you at the door. Just walk in and head up the steps to see the telescope.

If you visit during the day, pack a picnic lunch. You can tour the facility in under 20 minutes, but be sure to let the guide share the telescope's history with you. We even got a demonstration of the dome pivoting around its track.

When you're done, head over to Martinsville to visit the Martinsville Candy Kitchen or the Martinsville Farmer's Market.



Recommended:

Indiana: Between Camby and Moorseville on State Rd. 67 visit the Dr. Who Store and Museum

For more one tank trips and family friendly vacation ideas follow us on Instagram or check out our  Things to Do on Vacation page.

Click here to find some cool kids telescopes.

Summer Camp at Home Themes, Schedules, and Tips

Themes and Activities for Summer Camp at Home

Want to give kids the experience of a great summer camp? Whether you do summer camp for your neighborhood, for a church youth group, or your local community, these summer camp at home themes, schedules, and tips will help you create the best, most fun summer camp for kids from six to sixteen! 

Post contains affiliate links.

Work in a retirement village or nursing home? Activity directors can adapt the activities for any age group. The objective is fun! Our website is full of fun, free camp activities, circle time activities, and group games. If you want everything at your fingertips (or on your clipboard) grab a copy of any of the books in our companion book series. These books are designed to help you organize and create an amazing youth group program or a simple, summer camp at home. 

Each books stands alone or get all 3 books for an organized summer camp, after-school program, or extra activities for vacation bible school. 

Our latest book, "Summer Camp at Home Handbook" has a total of five weeks of camp themes and activities. Each week includes: songs to sing, science experiments, group games, art activities, and fun themed snacks. It also includes a welcome pledge, icebreaker game, filler activities, planning calendars, printable today's birthday poster, activity schedule, daily menu poster, registration forms with allergy and photo permission features, and sample letters and forms to create a professional, organized camp program. If you want to do a full-on community summer camp, the only thing you'll need to add is insurance. Some small programs forego insurance for waivers and good luck. It's a good idea to get a short-term summer insurance policy if you plan to include your neighborhood or others outside of your close circle of friends and family.

Do you need a license to operate summer camp? That depends on your city and state. Check with your local government agencies, especially the board of health. Many churches (depending on state laws) are exempt and do not require visits from board of health or other agencies. Often, if the campers are participating in the prep of food it falls under different rules than if you are providing snacks. This is why the Summer Camp at Home Handbook includes theme snack activities and edible art. An easy way to avoid any trouble is to only provide prepackaged snacks and beverages (stay away from milk.) At the least, always have parents sign waivers, waivers, waivers. They won't completely protect you if someone decides to sue, but they do give everyone a heads up and let everyone know you are thinking ahead. Always have parents sign field trip waivers (you can make one for the entirety of camp and list out all pre-planned activities.) Also, be sure you have records of food allergies, immunizations, and authorized pick up persons. Finally, be aware of your state's childcare laws which vary based on the age of children in your care. To play it safe (when doing summer camp at home,) don't have more than five children that are not related to you in each camp session and always have another adult or camp counselor 18+ at your side.

Another thing to consider is first aid and safety training. Staff should be trained to recognize child predators in all childcare, summer camp, youth group, and school settings. In today's world, you can never be too safe or too prepared. That being said, if you are simply doing summer camp at home for your family, close friends, or homeschool group, not all of these steps may be required. However, it's better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you run background checks on anyone that will be regularly helping with your program. That includes your parents, aunts, and older children! This is a safety precaution designed to protect you in case something comes up. In your letter to parents, mention that all adults working with children have undergone a background check. Your local government probably has a background check option on their website.

A big safety consideration is water. Children may find pools and nearby bodies of water enticing. Always, always, keep count of the children in your immediate care. A good rule of thumb is to count kids every 20 minutes. If you are on a field trip or involved in a hectic group game, count them every 15 minutes. If you plan to include swimming in your camp activities or have a pool in your backyard, be aware that special precautions are needed and insurance rates will be higher.

Are you ready to get started hosting your own summer camp at home? Great! You'll want to start with our book, Summer Camp Handbook. This book is full of everything you need for five weeks of awesome summer camp.

Summer Camp Weekly Themes:

• It's all Rainbows: Rainbow Trails Song, Rainbow Snacks, Leprechaun Rainbow Skit, Rainbow Science Activities (Color and Prisms), and Get Moving Games.

• Silly Spaghetti: On Top of Spaghetti Song, Crunchy Spaghetti Recipe, Spaghetti Strength Science, Spaghetti Relays, and lots more.

• Eat Worms: Herman the Worm Song, Worm Theme Snacks, Snakes vs. Worms Game, How to Build a Worm Farm, Slurpin' for Worms, and lots more Worm Theme Games and Activities.

• Do Monkey Around: The Monkey Song, Banana Snacks, Banana Experiments, and Get Moving Games for Monkeys.

• Sharks vs Chickens: Baby Shark Song, Chicken Feed Snack, Egg Science Experiments, Shark and Chicken Hats, and lots of Games to Play as Sharks and Chickens.

With a blank, printable monthly calendar included in each weekly camp theme chapter and extra filler activities in case of a time emergency, the Summer Camp at Home Handbook is an essential tool whether it's your very first summer camp program or you are a seasoned camp director. Don't wait any longer, get on your way to the best summer camp ever today!

Our companion books are also available on Amazon in 8 x 10 paperback book format. These books give you extra credit as a camp director or activities director. Get organized with our 365 Planner. This handbook includes printable planning calendars, daily journal space with shareable quote of the day for note taking and planning, printable lesson/activity planning sheets, birthday logs, printable today's birthday poster, menu and activity schedules, and more. 

The 365 Activity Planner Journal, is a great companion handbook to Summer Camp at Home. It's also a great classroom resource planning tool for teachers. Whether you make copies of the printables to reuse again and again, or cuddle up on the sofa with the book to journal your activities, this handbook will help keep all of your thoughts and ideas organized with the added benefit of motivational quotes to keep you going strong. Get your 365 Activity Planner Journal now by clicking on the image.

And, if you are looking for fun games to play in a circle setting check out our Circle Time Handbook. This book includes 39 of the best ever games kids love. Tried and true, we played all of these games in our camp and after-school programs. This book is ideal for teachers who need to fill in some transitional time, afterschoolers who want to have a daily group rap sessions, preschool programs who realize the importance of circle time group activities, and summer camp programs who need filler material for rest breaks and other down time.

Ready, Get Set, Go! You can get all 3 books for under $40 on Amazon. 

Recommended:

Circle Time Activities on the Blog

Games for Kids

Homeschool Lessons and Activities

Free on the Blog, 50 Group Games for Preschool

Caregivers and Educators, check out Lora's Recommendations on Amazon 

and Follow us on Instagram for more fun ideas for children.

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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.

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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.

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!

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.

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

Follow Kids Creative Chaos on Instagram for more Family Fun Tips

Family Vacation Ideas




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