During the second part of the first grade year, we took several field trips in Colorado around Denver, Boulder and Colorado Springs. Here are a few of the highlights:
To see a full list of field trips available to homeschoolers along the Front Range of Colorado, visit Homeschool Treasury.
Butterfly Pavilion
The Butterfly Pavilion is like a zoo for invertebrates. More than butterflies, it has spiders, beetles, bees, lobsters, starfish and others. You can pet starfish, hold a tarantula, count the bees flying out of the hive or go to watch the butterflies in their tropical habitat. Located in Broomfield.
Sunflower Farm
This place is a diamond in the rough. It’s a place where kids can be kids in nature. The stress of the world melts away on this charming farm in Longmont.
Hudson Gardens
Another place of relaxation and taking a break from the world is the Hudson Gardens. This oasis is located in Lakewood. Free year-round, there’s always something beautiful and breath-taking to be found here.
Triceratops Trail
Hidden away in Golden, lies Triceratops Trail where tracks can be seen that formed when the ground was wet and palm fronds existed in this area. It’s a little hard to find, but once you are able to find it, it’s a short 1 mile walk around the trail. (Go south through the parking lot, to about the middle of the lot and there will be an open pathway in the fence. Follow it to the right and up the golf course path and the trail will begin on your right.)
NCAR
The word has gotten out. NCAR is the place to be for field trips! We went to several Boulder-based NCAR field trips last year, but this year I tried to schedule a trip and the ENTIRE YEAR is booked until next fall! Yes, they’re that good! The kids learned about the different types of clouds and the sun. Maybe next year…
Children’s Museum of Denver
The Children’s Museum of Denver has changed since we visited it several years ago. They’ve expanded their activities to include an area with a zipline, climbing net, tower, balloon, classes and other things. We didn’t get to stay long this trip, but will need to go back!
Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Learn about birds and bird watching at RMBO, now Bird Conservancy of the Rockies! The kids drew birds in their journals, listened to bird calls, and bird watched. They also has other great programs at their observatory like Archery! If you make it to Brighton, look them up. Reservations required.
Wildlife Experience
The Wildlife Experience is an animal lover’s dream. While there are not many live animals, besides some aquatic life, the Wildlife Experience in Parker has a great movie theater, and walk-thru museum. They also had a great class for the kids. Where else do you get to pet a snake?
Sparkfun
Every Friday at 3pm, Sparkfun offers a tour through their facility where you get to see the latest and greatest projects that their team is working on. They’re an online technology company in Boulder, that sells their own quality arduino, inventors kits, and other electronic components. See how they’re made!
Wings Over the Rockies
If you love planes, Wings Over the Rockies in Denver has a lot of them — from bi-planes, and tri-planes, to WW2, and even an X-Wing replica. Walk around, under, and in some of the planes. See what the pilots wore, ejection seats, and watch a movie by Harrison Ford. Did you know he was a pilot?
What a great selection of field trips you found!