School's Out: Education Activities On A Budget

Nothing captures the exhilaration of summer vacation quite like blasting Alice Cooper’s famous hit and hearing the hook: “... School’s out for summer! School’s out forever!” For children, the anticipation of summertime is like nothing else. Long days of no school to do whatever you want: play with friends, watch TV, play video games, go on family vacations – even trips to visit grandparents. It is the best time of year.

However, for parents, the approach of summer can be anxiety-ridden. How do you possibly entertain your children for the next two months straight? Not to mention, filling their summer with educational yet economical activities that are not only adventurous but also that will keep their mind energized and ready for the approaching school year.

Discovery Science Place Deputy Executive Director, Vel Williamson, explains that it is important to incorporate educational activities into the summer months. “Studies show that, due to the ‘summer slide,’ teachers spend the majority of the first semester of each new school year bringing kids back to the current grade-level thinking,” Williamson said. “By providing activities that encourage a child’s natural curiosity, we are able to keep children’s minds active and hopefully engage some of the educational principles that have been or will be taught in the upcoming school year.”

And these activities aren’t only beneficial because of the educational implications. They can be important bonding experiences for parents and children. Zoe Lawhorn, Public Relations/Marketing Coordinator for the Tyler Museum of Art said that doing educational activities with your children can open other doors. “By being a part of your child’s educational experiences, you can build on the experience by creating projects to do at home. By participating with your child, you show them by example that education is a priority and that you are a partner for your child in his or her education.”

“We have incredible resources here for families and I think that some of the top destinations are the Discovery Science Place, the Caldwell Zoo, and of course, the Tyler Museum of Art,” Lawhorn informed. “There’s just nothing like having an interactive experience with art, science and biology!”

Enrolling your child in an educational day camp is another great way to keep older children occupied during the summer months. Lawhorn offers tips for parents new to summer camps or the area. “My advice would be to start with organizations who have great reputations and who consider educational programming to be a foundational element of their mission all year-round, not just over the summer.” She emphasized that organizations such as TMA, DSP and the Caldwell Zoo have educational staff members that develop curriculum for campers, which Lawhorn said gets the children a top-notch experience. Here are educational activities that are both fun for the family and won’t break the bank.

Brookshire’s World Of Wildlife Museum & Country StoreSummer Hours: Tues.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,
General Admission: FreeFeatures: Indoor Museum, Outdoor Playground, Country Store
www.brookshiresmuseum.com

Boasting an afternoon of air conditioning with economical and educational exhibits, the Brookshire’s World of Wildlife Museum and Country Store contains over 450 preserved animals in their natural habitat that are close enough to touch (but please don’t). The original exhibit began in 1975 in the lobby of the Brookshire Grocery Co. office complex to display animals from from Wood T. and Louise Brookshire’s African safaris. In 1990, the current museum was opened. In 2003, it was remodeled and additional animals were added from collections of Wayne Scogins and the late Dr. Dan H. Eames.

The museum has a special focus on North American and African animals including a North American Bird Exhibit, African Animals Exhibit and an Aquatic Exhibit. Just some of the life-size animals include polar bear, caribou, seal, elk, mountain lion, ostrich, lion, giraffe, zebra, leopard, dolphin and sailfish. Over 40,000 visitors tour the museum every year and are able to view the exotic and native animals in natural surroundings.

The newest animals on exhibit include a roadrunner, three baby armadillos, a ring-tailed cat, and an indigo bunting bird and a painted bunting bird. Another great feature, is the adjoining park that is available for picnics and parties. The Museum also features a 1920s Country Store filled with regularly-stocked goods from the era.

Brookshire Museum Supervisor, Tina Saxon, says lots of groups from all over the area (YMCA, church groups and day cares) come to visit the museum, which is open every day but Mondays and Sundays. The Museum is available for birthdays parties by reservation only, and guided tours. Groups of 15 or more are requested to make reservations. The playground area includes a 1952 firetruck and a restored train caboose and a 1926 tractor. The outdoor playground also includes a shaded picnic area.

Caldwell Zoo
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (through Labor Day)
General Admission: ages 3-12 $6,
ages 13-54 $9.50
Features: Ed-Zoo-cation Ed-venture camps,
Zoo-niversity Camp, daily activities scheduled
www.caldwellzoo.org

Wether you want to plan a family day or you are interested in summer camps, the Caldwell Zoo is a longtime attraction of generations. A vision of David King Caldwell, which began in 1937, the official Caldwell Zoo opened its doors in 1953. Some of the animals in the original Caldwell Zoo included a chimp and a lion, both retired television professionals. Since its opening, the zoo has undergone many additions both to its grounds and its inhabitants. The zoo has also collaborated with other institutions on several projects and in 1991 produced the world’s first cheetah cub conceived through artificial insemination. Currently, the newest addition to the zoo is the Black Bear Exhibit which opened in March.

In 2010, over 288,595 visited the over 2,000 animals located on the 85-acre zoo. However, the wonderful thing about Caldwell Zoo is it has innumerable educational camps, activities and special events for almost any interest/inquiries a child might have into the animals at Caldwell. Their Summer Ed-Zoo-cation Ed-ventures are age appropriate “ed-ventures” that include animal information, time on zoo grounds, art activities, games, and close encounters with touchable small animals.

Half day camps are held from 9 a.m.-noon ($60 members, $75 non-members). Full-day camps are held from 9a.m.-3p.m. ($100 members, $125 non-members). Numerous camps are geared to specific age groups from ages 4-5 all the way to 12-16. Just some of the camps available: “Lions, Tigers and Bears! Oh My!” which introduces ages 6-8 to the big animals at the zoo; “What’s cookin” lets ages 9-11 cook up eats for the animals and each other.

One of the most popular camps, Zoo-niversity Camp, is a three-day and two-night camp for high-school aged students and is an opportunity to work alongside the professional zoo staff. Art camps sponsored by the Tyler Museum of Art and Caldwell Zoo are also held throughout the summertime. Registration and information is updated daily at www.caldwellzoo.org.
Scott Maddox, Assistant Director for the Caldwell Zoo offers an insider’s tip: he encourages zoo patrons to call ahead and find out what is scheduled at the zoo that day (schedule changes from day-to-day so it is not posted on the web). The daily schedule includes meal times: such as penguin and alligator feedings, as well as chances to meet the the zoo keepers.

Discovery Science Place
Hours: Mon.-Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m.
General Admission: $6
Features: Scientific hands-on exhibits, Camp Discovery
www.discoveryscienceplace.org

Recognized as one of the Top 25 Science Centers in the nation by Parents Magazine, DSP offers year-round experiences developed to ignite curiosity in young minds through fun and hands-on exploration. The 20,000 square foot museum features three exhibit halls with over 200 hands-on activities. DSP is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and began as a project of the Junior League of Tyler, Inc. The museum is currently affiliated with the American Science Technology Centers (ASTC) and the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) and has been ranked by Parents Magazine as one of the top 25 Science Centers in the nation.

Just some of the exhibits on display right now include: Dig Pit Adventure: DINOSAUR, a Mesoamerican Rock Climbing Wall, and the Joyce Buford Hometown USA, which is a child-size community where children can role-play and explore. For the summer of 2011, the museum is featuring a traveling exhibition, Amusement Park Science, which features 12 hands on activities including Create-a-Coaster, bumper cars and interactive kiosks. Perfect for the whole family, this exhibit explores the physics behind the fun at amusement parks.

Another summer activity offered by DSP is Camp Discovery. Open to children ages 4 through 12, Williamson explained that in the camp, children learn endless ways to explore and engage in dynamic hands-on math and science-based activities. This week-long day camp runs June 27 through Aug. 12 for the summer of 2011.

Tyler Museum Of Art
Hours: Tues.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 1-5 p.m.
Exhibition Admission: Free
Features: Indoor Exhibits and Activities, Summer Art Camps,
Family Day Activities and the Museum Café
www.tylermuseum.org

Channel your child’s enthusiasm for comic books and superheroes at TMA’s newest exhibit Remember When: Marvels and Memories from the Collection of Dr. James Clark. The exhibit includes over 500 items ranging from movie posters and memorabilia from the 40s and 50s to era movie posters and memorabilia to historical items from World Wars I and II. "Remember When" will be on exhibit through Aug. 14. Visitors are always invited to stay for lunch at the Museum Café (open Tues. through Fri. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) and browse through the TMA Gift Shop. The museum also has Family Days on the second Saturday of every month with free art activities for children from 2-4 p.m. Lawhorn said one of the greatest things about this activity: it’s indoors in air conditioning.

The Museum’s 40 year operation began as a project of the Tyler Service League, now called the Junior League of Tyler. They officially opened the doors of the Museum in 1971 and TMA operates as a non-profit with a Board of Trustees. The museum contains two exhibition galleries (along with a gift shop and café, with it’s permanent collection including over 1,200 paintings, prints sculpture and photographs.

In addition to featured exhibits, TMA also offers 11 camps during the summer months that educate in both the visual arts and fine art techniques. Campers choose from two camps: one camp is held at the TMA and incorporates the current exhibitions of Remember When and Legacy Of Love & Freedom: Quilt Paintings by Sedrick Huckaby. The second camp takes campers through the TMA and the Caldwell Zoo. Camp details are listed at tylermuseum.org.