Once school is out and the summer months arrive, many families look for educational activities to keep their students engaged. Educational family field trips are great opportunities to continue learning throughout the summer months. These educational summer road trips can include visits to National Parks, the Lewis and Clark Trail, or presidential museums and libraries.
Here are three educational summer road trips to get your entire family excited about learning this summer:
Educational summer road trip #1: National Parks
Visiting America’s National Parks with your family can be a very rewarding experience. It can allow you and your student to embrace nature, and to gain a deeper understanding of the protected lands in the U.S. In total, there are 59 National Parks spread across America, providing plenty of opportunities for exploration. You can camp, hike, and take advantage of other recreational activities.
The National Parks Service also offers the Junior Ranger program for children. Through this program, students are able to spend the day as a junior ranger, completing various activities and interacting with official park rangers. The National Park Service also has a list of park ranger badges that your student can earn at home. If you are unable to participate in the Junior Ranger program during your visit, you can still incorporate the topics of these badges into your road trip.
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Educational summer road trip #2: The Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail spans the majority of the country. Along their trail, Lewis and Clark made many discoveries, including ecological and geological findings that are discussed in the present day.
Many sites on the Lewis and Clark Trail feature locations on the National Register of Historic Places. These include caves, forts, and various historic districts. These sites could provide a roadmap of educational locations to visit. The National Park Service offers a Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail map that you can use as guidance on your educational summer road trip.
Educational summer road trip #3: Presidential libraries and museums
Presidential libraries and museums can provide students with a deeper understanding of U.S. history. These museums offer:
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Interactive exhibits
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Films
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Memorabilia
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A closer look into the life of former presidents
Many of these museums and libraries offer educational programs that are open to the public.
If your student is interested in the lives of American presidents, you can also visit presidential homes. These sites include tours of the houses that presidents grew up in or lived in before or after their presidency, sometimes inside a historic district.
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There are many opportunities to keep your student engaged in learning over the summer months. Educational summer road trips can not only introduce your student to areas of the country he or she might not be familiar with, they can also further understanding of its history.
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