New Mexico is a land of plateaus and mesas, of vibrant colors and gorgeous landscapes, of delicious food and amazing national parks. It was also the destination of our spring trip in 2023. We left San Diego, CA and drove straight east across Arizona and into New Mexico.

Our two main hubs for this trip were Los Cruces and Albuquerque. These put us decent driving distance from the main places we wanted to see on our trip. Santa Fe could have easily substituted for Albuquerque. They are only about an hour apart so either city works as a hub for the more northern sites.

affiliate links are included in this post.

White Sands National Park

White Sands National Park was my personal favorite park on this trip. I loved the soft, brilliant dunes that stretched as far as the eye can see. We did the Backcountry Trail and went sledding on the dunes – both I would absolutely recommend.

The backcountry trail is a loop over the dunes that is about 2 miles. The only downside is that the “trail” given the nature of the dunes can only be marked with posts. I’m sure the rangers do their very best to keep it marked, but again given the nature of sand, many of the posts had fallen down so I’m not sure how closely we actually followed the intended path. Nevertheless, we walked from orange post that we could see to orange post and I love every minute.

Sledding was probably the highlight for my kids. We brought sleds from home but you can also purchase sleds in the gift shop. It looked like you could return them when you are done for a partial refund and it’s also possible to purchase used sleds. We did buy the wax and applied that to our sleds, kind of like you do for surfing. All four of us had a blast sledding down the dunes. We sledded on the dunes near the parking lot of the trail head for the Backcountry Trail but there are lots of spots around the park where people were sledding.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park was my kids’ favorite park on the trip. It is definitely one of the most unique National Parks we have visited.

From the visitor center you can either take an elevator into the caverns or hike down a “natural path” which is what we chose. In the visitor center they warn you that it is “strenuous” but I wouldn’t say it’s super difficult. It is almost entirely gently downhill and a couple of miles long. You do have to be careful because portions are slippery and it is lit, but still quite dark. With younger kids I would probably recommend the elevator down but elementary schoolers and up would likely be fine walking down the path.

Once you’re at the bottom, you hike a loop around the “big room” which is massive. This part probably took us about an hour. There are tons of fascinating geological formations. For kids to get the most out of it, I recommend the Junior Ranger Packet which you can pick up in the lobby of the ranger station before you head down and/or learning about caves and cave formations before you visit.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Guadalupe Mountains is in Texas, not New Mexico, but as I learned on this trip – to go from CA or Los Cruces, New Mexico to Carlsbad Caverns you actually leave New Mexico, drive through El Paso, Texas, past Guadalupe Mountains National Park and then back into New Mexico.

These are beautiful mountains that are kind of a surprise in the desert of western Texas. There are various difficulties and lengths of trails in the park. You can also camp here, which I would choose over camping at Carlsbad Caverns personally. In the Spring when we visited, the wild flowers are pretty. From pictures it also looks like Fall would be a gorgeous time to visit.

My kids love the ocean and were fascinated to learn about the early history of this area and how it used to be underwater. We had recently read One Million Oysters on Top of the Mountain which wasn’t specifically about this park or mountain range, but did teach my kids a lot about the science of how this is possible and also how geologists have uncovered this fact.

Chaco Culture National Heritage Park

Chaco Culture National Heritage Park is set into a canyon and preserves portions of an ancient pueblo site. These are fascinating to walk around and through. We’ve been learning about ancient history this year and had recently learned about the Maya civilization. It was fun to hear my kids compare and contrast the two as we explored. I love how this experience brought ancient cultures and civilizations more to life for them.

My one caution about this park is that you have to take dirt roads to get to the park. This is fine, but when it starts to rain these dirt roads because very hard to maneuver mud roads. If you’re able to pick a day where the skies are clear it would be a much more safe and pleasant experience.

Valley of the Dreams Hike

The Valley of the Dreams hike has similar caveats. This is a hike that my husband had been on with a friend on a previous trip. Getting there involves some off roading, some navigational faith, and maybe even some luck. That being said, it was pretty awesome. There is no official trail here. You “start at the abandoned car” (his exact words) and then head down into the valley and loop around. It is a incredible area that feels almost other worldly and very remote.

Albuquerque

Albuquerque was more of a hub for us. There are actually quite a few things to do in Albuquerque. Top on my list was the Nuclear Science Museum but for various reasons we had to shorten our trip and exploring this city more was one of the things we had to cut out. We stayed in the Uptown area near the mall though and found it incredibly convenient. There were lots of restaurants nearby along with a Trader Joe’s and a Target.

Santa Fe

Santa Fe has a distinct feel. Kind of western, kind of quirky. It is its own thing. We explored the main touristy area, popping in and out of shops. We all loved the Collected Works Bookshop and Coffeehouse.

Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf is really hard to explain. It is billed as an immersive art experience intended to inspire creativity. I would really recommend visiting their site to read more and watch their about video to get an idea of what it is. It was quirky and fun. My kids both really enjoyed it and as kids who love fantasy and creativity I would say they found it inspiring. There are four locations right now, but Santa Fe is the original home of Meow Wolf.

Georgia O’Keefe Museum

The Georgia O’Keefe Museum is tiny but completely dedicated to the artist and has a well rounded collection of her work along with a good background of her development as an artist. I prepped my kids beforehand by reading about Georgia O’Keefe, studying some of her art, and doing a little O’Keefe inspired art. You can find more information and reserve tickets (not required but recommended) on their website.

Petrified Forest National Park

The Petrified Forest National Park is in Arizona, not New Mexico but it was on our route home from Albuquerque to San Diego so it was impossible to resist stopping. This park was different than I expected but I absolutely loved the Blue Mesa Trail. It was my second favorite hike of the trip and absolutely worth the stop and added hours to our trip home in my opinion. It’s a loop down into a canyon with layered mesas all around you.

I recommend stopping at the northern Ranger Station to pick up Junior Ranger packets. The rangers there were also super helpful and eager to share tips on the park. Then drive south through the park stopping occasionally and at the bottom there is another Ranger Station where you can get your Junior Ranger badges and walk the Petrified Log loop out back.

Homeschooling on the Go Around New Mexico

For us, this was a learning experience. I would argue all travel is a learning experience. The parks, the geography, the museums – they all offer experiences that provide exposure, learning opportunities, etc. To deepen that learning both before the trip and during the trip, I would also recommend the following resources.

• Junior Ranger Packets at National Parks. These are often so well done and offer a range of history, geography, science and more for kids. You don’t necessarily have to do the whole book or go back to get sworn in for a badge if your kids aren’t interested, but I would suggest you at least pick one up. I always learn something from going through these packets with my kids. I think they do a good job of deepening your understand and often appreciation of the park.

• Geology plays a huge role in what is so cool about New Mexico. I felt like I saw layers in mountain and rock so much more clearly here than other places and we saw a huge variety of different rock as we explored. Learning about the underwater, coral reef history of Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains also makes much more sense in the context of some understanding of geology. If your kids are interested either before or after the trip, here are some things we’ve done and used to study geology in the past.
• Read about Georgia O’Keefe. There are a lot of children’s books about Georgia O’Keefe. This one is a good general overview for younger kids. The Who Was series also has a good early chapter book about Georgia O’Keefe. My personal favorite is Georgia in Hawaii which is about when she was commissioned by the Dole Plantation to paint a pineapple in Hawaii. Some of the resulting paintings were at the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe which was kind of fun.

• Great American Artists for Kids activity book. For each artist there is a brief bio and then a hands on art activity for kids to do. We used this book when we studied the 50 states, we’ve used it before going to see a specific exhibit at the museum or in this case a museum about a specific artist. Soon we will use it again when we do more United States history. I haven’t loved every single activity, but most of them have been fun to try and give the kids an idea about the artist and how they work. Find Online

Balboa Park sits in the heart of San Diego, just east of downtown. As accurately stated on their website, Balboa Park is “Where culture, science, and nature collide.” It is home to the world famous San Diego Zoo, but also numerous museums, gardens, and trails. It is a beautiful, historic and not to be missed, whether you all San Diego home or are visiting for the sunshine.

Balboa Park certainly markets itself well and I do not work for them in any capacity, so that isn’t the point of this post. This post is for families who want to make the most of the park. We absolutely love Balboa Park so I simply want to share what we’ve learned, enjoyed and how we’ve made the most of the park. Where are the best places to visit with kids? Which museums work and which can you skip? How do you get the best deals?

affiliate links may be included below.

3 Options for Visiting Balboa Park

1. Stick to Free Days

The first and obviously least expensive option is to stick to free days. If you are a San Diego resident, Balboa Park offers Resident Free Tuesdays to various museums in the park on a rotating schedule. You can check out the schedule on their website. Many of the museums and the zoo are also free to kids in the month of October – you can learn more about that here.

2. Individual Museum Fees & Packages

The second option is to simply visit a museum and pay the entrance fee. If you’re particularly a lover of art or have a kid who loves science, then going to just that museum or paying for a single membership to a museum is an option.

3. Explorer Pass

If you want to visit more than one museum then the Explorer Pass is 100% the way to go. You can get an annual, one day or multi-day Explorer Pass, so regardless of whether you are a resident or just visiting for a couple of days I would still recommend one of these variations. My main reason is this – while together, the area, the gardens, the playgrounds, the trails, and the many museums are extraordinary, I do not personally think that any of the individual museums is spectacular or particularly large. There are really good ones. Ones we’ve been to many times and I will get into some of that below, but really what is so great about Balboa Park is the diversity of experiences that you can pop into and out of.

We get the annual Explorer Pass. 365 Days. 16 Museums. 1 Pass. The only thing not included is the Zoo, which although adjacent to the park is a separate entity. I personally think this pass makes for a great holiday gift idea if you like gifting experiences.

Follow the Kid Friendly San Diego Facebook Group!

What to do in Balboa Park with Kids

So now that you are on board for a morning or day at Balboa Park, where do you go? I will admit to being completely overwhelmed by that question the first time I visited. A few tips first, before we start picking out museums:

• Parking, especially on the weekend, can be difficult. I usually try to arrive early (always my advice, especially if you’re already up with little ones or trying to fight your body over the time change). We usually park near the Air & Space Museum which is on the opposite side of the park from the zoo and is a large lot, so it seems to fill up a little more slowly.
• Another good parking option if you’re there early enough is behind the Fleet Science Museum which situates you close to some of the best museums and near the playground on that end of the park as well.

About Balboa Park

Balboa Park was set aside by the city in the 1800s and was beautified in the 1890s, largely in preparation for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and largely by a woman named Kate Sessions. If you’re a book person, like I am, you might enjoy sharing this wonderful picture book about Kate Sessions. It is about how one woman who loved trees completely transformed San Diego from a desert into what it is today. It’s one of our favorites and really affected how we see the park and our city.

What to Do in the Park with Kids

Now the biggie. What do you actually do in the park with kids. Balboa Park’s website does have a list of kid friendly things to do in the park and it’s a good one, but if you’re trying to figure out priorities, here are some thoughts.

Japanese Friendship Garden

The Japanese Friendship Garden is one of our family’s favorite parts of Balboa Park. We have visited it more times than anywhere else in Balboa Park and it is beautiful any time of the year.

The Cherry Blossom Festival is their biggest event of the year. We went the first year we lived here and did enjoy it, but the garden is SO crowded during this time. Personally I think it is much more pleasant on a normal week day or even early on a normal weekend day.

Best for: All ages, Families who love gardens, nature.
Kid Tip: Don’t miss the two large coy ponds and the opportunities to walk over the stream on all of the bridges.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

My kids love the Fleet Science Center. There are lots of hands on activities and they often have a fun visiting exhibit (that costs a little extra money). I wouldn’t say it is the best science center we have ever visited but it is a fun way to spend a few hours and one of my twins’ favorite parts of Balboa.

Best for: Toddlers and up. Great for families who love science.
Kid Tip: This one has a decent food area adjacent that has kid friendly options.

San Diego Air and Space Museum

Having been to both amazing space museums in Washington DC, I find it hard to be impressed by other Air and Space Museums. This one does have some interesting parts about Naval and Air Force history. The best part about this museum is probably the visiting exhibits – so pay attention to the calendar and try to get over there when something good is visiting.

Best for: there is a space for little kids, but I would say this is best for kids who are 5+

San Diego Art Institute

It isn’t huge, but I was impressed with this little Art Museum. It has good and diverse (albeit small) collection and is very family friendly.

Best for: ages 3+, families who love art. Highly, highly recommend bringing your kids something to do – their own drawing materials, a scavenger hunt, etc.
Kid Tip: make sure to check out their free family events. My kids always love these opportunities to create and it gets them more excited about the exhibits at the museum afterwards. These were temporarily suspended during Covid19.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

If you know someone who loves trains, this is a not to be missed museum. Tucked into the lower level of the Casa de Balboa Building on the Prado in Balboa Park is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Don’t let the basement entrance fool you, at 27,000 sq. ft., it is the largest such indoor model train exhibit in North America, and one of the largest in the world. Read Full Post

Best for: all ages. This is a great one to visit with grandparents.
Kid tip: for the kid who loves trains, make sure to go ride the miniature train afterwards. Check the hours first to avoid disappointment!

San Diego Museum of Man

This is a fun museum full of interesting exhibits. We loved the ones about Monsters and Living with Animals. Note: Going up in the tower and the special exhibit are not included in the main cost.

Best for: kids 5 and older.

San Diego National History Museum

The Natural History Museum is a lot of fun for kids who like animals, dinosaurs, or science – my kids happen to like all three. There are lots of exhibits that engage kids. It isn’t a children’s museum in the sense that it’s super hands on, but there are still plenty of things to touch and manipulate and explore.

Best for: Kids who are 5+ and interested in one of the topics covered at the museum.

Mingei Museum

I explained this museum to my kids as an art museum full of art that people actually use. The museum website calls them “arts of daily life.” It is a small, but beautiful collection.

Best for: 5+ The museum is not interactive but the “every day” aspect – beads, quilts, etc. is appealing on a broader basis than other art museums might be.

All in all, we love Balboa Park. While there isn’t a single amazing museum, together if you have the explorer pass and view them as one big museum – together they are impressive. We love spending days in the park wandering in and out of different museums or popping in for an hour to our favorites.

Balboa Park itself is a beautiful place to walk around and there are always interesting things to see and people to watch.

Read More San Diego with Kids Tips HERE

In fourth grade every kid in the United States can get a FREE family pass to the National Park system. This seems to be a incredibly well kept secret. I am in no way affiliated with the National Park system, but I adore the incredible diversity and beauty of the parks. We often plan family vacations around parks we want to visit and the idea that you can do this for free for a whole year (or more if you have several children) feels like an incredible gift.

affiliate links may be included in this post.

Our Fourth Grade Park Adventures

Our twins were in Fourth Grade in 2020-2021 school year. This felt like a huge disappointment to me because all of my plans for big National Park road trip adventures were suddenly more complicated. Everything was more complicated in 2020.

I know a lot of people actually did more local travel and more road tripping to National Parks in 2020 because it was an outdoor, reasonably safe alternative to traveling abroad. In our case, my husband works on a US Navy base and was under orders to stay within 300 miles of the base unless he was deployed. Sure, we could have gone off just me and the kids on a longer road trip but I always hesitate to do that since we are already away from him a lot. However, we did have some National Park adventures in Fourth Grade. So, here are the Parks we explored.

Get your FREE Fourth Grade Pass Here

Joshua Tree

Located just a few hours from San Diego, Joshua Tree National Park is a great option for southern California families. If you’re okay with a long day, this can even be done as a day trip. We have day tripped, camped in the park, and stopped as part of longer road trips. We love this unique park.

More about Joshua Tree

Sequoia & Kings Canyon

During fourth grade we took a road trip up to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. We loved both parks. They are absolutely stunning. Kings Canyon was our favorite, so make sure you don’t skip it despite Sequoia being the more well known.

More about Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

You May Also Like:
All About California Unit for Fourth Grade

Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo is located in San Diego and one we visited frequently in fourth grade. The lighthouse and display about Spanish explorers is fun to learn about, the park offers incredible views of San Diego and the ocean, and if you’re able to come when the tide is low, the tide pools are some of the best in this part of the country.

Learn More about Cabrillo

How to Make the Most of the National Park with Kids

The National Parks are great for all ages. There are things to marvel at and enjoy no matter what your interests or ages. For the purposes of this post I am going to focus on the things we did to make the most of the National Parks for our fourth graders (9-10 year olds).

Get your FREE Fourth Grade Pass Here

1. Dress for the weather – When you’re packing, make sure to pay attention to what the weather is like in the park. For example, where we stayed near Sequoia was always a good 10+ degrees warmer than up in the park where there was still snow on the ground in some parts in the Spring. The Redwoods National Park had rain off and on while we were there so raincoats were essential. Being warm, cool or dry enough while you’re exploring is essential to happiness.
2. Bring Adventure Supplies – exploring a National Park can feel like the ultimate adventure for kids. There are mountains to climb, streams to cross, great dunes of sand to slide down, unfathomable trees to view. I always bring some variation of these Adventure Supplies when we go on an adventure. Having at least one tool (binoculars, camera, journals) to deepen your explorations and being stocked and prepared for any needs helps to keep everyone happy and engaged.
3. Junior Ranger Program – my kids love the Junior Ranger program at the National Parks. Some parks have better guides for the kids than others, but all of them have taught us something about the wildlife or geography. Often they give us a great guide to what to do in the park, if not the park rangers are a great resource. Before you hit the trails, pick up a Junior Ranger packet for each kid. Some parks, like Joshua Tree, have these at the front gate when you drive in. Other times you have to stop at the Ranger Station.
4. National Parks Activity Books – we keep busy in the car with a variety of audiobooks, games and activity books. On our National Park road trips in fourth grade my kids loved reading this Lonely Planet guide about the different National Parks and doing the activities in this National Geographic Kids Junior Ranger activity book. Depending on the park you’re visiting, there are also some wonderful children’s books about the parks. For example, we read REDWOODS by Jason Chin before our trip to the Redwoods and he also wrote this award winning, absolutely stunning picture book about the GRAND CANYON.
5. Stamp Your National Park Passport – lastly, don’t forget to stamp your passport! My kids both have National Park Passports like these. You can buy them beforehand on Amazon or the Ranger Stations always have some in stock as well.

More National Park Guides

Although we didn’t explore as many parks during fourth grade as I’d hoped, we have visited a lot of national parks with our kids. Here are some more guides to our favorites:

Redwoods National Park (CA)

Death Valley National Park (CA)

Cabrillo National Monument (CA)

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)

Chaco Culture Heritage Park (NM)

Golden Gate National Recreation Area (CA)

Guadalupe Mountains National Park (TX)

Fire Island and the Sunken Forest (NY)

Petrified Forest National Park (AZ)

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes National Seashore (MI)

Washington DC Mall Monuments (DC)

White Sands National Park (NM)

ALSO READ:
30+ Unforgettable Trips with Kids

“Can we go there!?” Driving up to the North Shore of Oahu towards our rental for the week, we heard this exclaimed from the backseat several times. Beautiful beaches, the Dole Plantation, and various other sites had us all feeling giddy with excitement. A few blocks from our rental for the week we spotted Shark’s Cove. Nestled between rocks, this little pool of water was full of people exploring. Kids were playing on the sand, people of all ages were wading into the water, and we could even see some people snorkeling.

affiliate links may be included below.

Snorkeling is something we’ve done with our kids several times in San Diego. For kids who love the water, are good swimmers, and are fascinated by the ocean and/or animals, there really is nothing better. If you haven’t tried before and you think your kids might like it, I highly recommend you give it a try. Here is my best advice on how to get started, what you need, and where to take kids snorkeling in Oahu, Hawaii.

Where to Snorkel

The first time we went snorkeling, we started in a pool. I wanted my kids to feel comfortable with how to use a snorkel before we tried in water with more movement. From there we practiced in the bay near our house where the water is calmer than the ocean, but still has some small waves.

Once you’re ready to wade into the ocean, there are a few spots along the North Shore and western side of the island of Oahu that are popular for snorkeling.

Our Favorite Snorkel Spots

• Shark’s Cove – this is part of Pupukea Beach Park was our most visited spot. Partly because we were staying close by, but also because it was consistently a good spot to see all kinds of fish and occasionally a sea turtle. This is also where we saw my favorite sunsets of the trip.
• Turtle Bay – located in Kahuku this is another protected cove that is great for seeing humuhumunukunukuapuaa (the former state fish of Hawaii – also a fun song from High School Musical 2 that my kids couldn’t stop singing the whole time) and a whole host of other fish and sometimes sea turtles. The downside of this one to me was that the beach was a little crowded because it is located adjacent to a hotel.
• Paradise Cove Public Beach – if I had to pick a favorite this might be it. I think we saw the most diverse fish in Shark’s Cove, but we saw sea turtles up close here and this beach is a little piece of heaven. This is an especially good spot if you have younger kids. It’s a shallow, calm cove with a little quiet beach. The downside is that there aren’t any bathrooms.
• Waimea Bay – we did not snorkel here, but I have been told by friends who lived on Oahu for years that this is a great spot in the summer months when the surf is much calmer on this side of the island.

When to Go

Thankfully I had a few years to figure this out in San Diego, before we went to Hawaii because I think this is one of the most important parts about successful snorkeling trips with kids and the least explained. While yes, you can snorkel on pretty much any day at any time on Oahu – a successful snorkeling trip is more likely if you go at the right time. These are the things I look for:

• Clear, sunny day with low wind
• Low tide (you can check the local tide online. There are some different options but Surfline.com is usually where I look)
• Calmer waves (this is also reported with the local tide)
• Go early or just before sunset.

The weather and tide you can check a few days in advance. I always check again that day or the night before to double check, but tides and surf conditions are forecasted like the weather and are pretty reliable. Going earlier or later usually offers less crowds and calmer water. Both of which are ideal when you’re trying to spot sea life.

Snorkel Gear to Bring

Snorkeling doesn’t require a ton of gear, but there are some things you definitely need. There are a lot of places around Oahu to rent gear if you don’t have your own or want to travel with your own. Personally I prefer to bring our own. My kids are comfortable with their gear and I know that it’s in good shape. Here is what I pack when I go snorkeling with my kids:

Each Person Needs

• Swim Suit
• Snorkel and Mask – there are a lot of options. Read the reviews. Not all snorkels are created equal. All four of us have full face snorkels like these but one of my kids often uses a more traditional set like this one.
• Fins – optional but helpful
• Towel – I really love these. They dry quickly and they aren’t as bulky to pack.

I also bring:

• Lifejacket – this is somewhat optional now that my kids are a little older, but when they were younger, a life jacket was essential. There is no way I could have taken them both snorkeling without life jackets and even though my kids were good swimmers when we tried snorkeling for the first time, it still makes it much easier for them to float along the surface and focus on using the snorkel and seeing sea creatures.
• Waterproof Bag – I use this bag if there are additional things, like my phone, I want to make sure will stay dry at the beach.
• Underwater Camera – I actually use this Underwater Phone Case for my iPhone which works amazing.
• Goggles – depending on the conditions, my kids like having the option of having swim goggles so I always throw a couple pairs in with our snorkeling gear. These are my kids’ current favorite goggles.
• Snacks and Water – my kids are always starving afterwards

Did you know that A. A. Milne’s infamously inspiring wood is actually 500 acres? The 100 acre wood is based on the 500 acre Ashdown Forest in East Sussex.

affiliate links are included below.

Beforehand

The Ashdown Forest is a pretty place for a ramble, but knowing the stories of Winnie the Pooh definitely makes it more magical. Before you hike, really familiarize yourself with the Adventures of Pooh. If you’re doing it with this hike in mind, you might want to really talk about the different spots in the woods or with older kids, make a map together of how you envision the woods.

Read about Pooh’s Adventures
The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie the Pooh
Buy Online

or Listen to the Audiobook
The Collected Stories of Winnie the Pooh
Buy Online

Watch Winnie the Pooh.
Available on Amazon

Hike in Ashdown Forest

Ashdown Forest
Wych Cross
Forest Row RH18 5JP
United Kingdom

• Brochure with More Info about the spots that inspired Pooh stories.
• Mapped Walks with more info.

You have to use your imagine to see the woods through his eyes, but what a gorgeous spot to hike and pretend.

The brochure included about has spots or places around the loop trail that inspired some of the stories in the Winnie the Pooh adventures. You can see: the river where Pooh saved Piglet, Eeyore’s gloomy spot, the Hefflelump forest and tree trap and more.

None of these are labeled in the forest, you need to either print the map or have it pulled up on your phone. I always think it is best to warn your kids that this isn’t like a Disneyland view of Pooh. This is the real place that Milne hiked and they have to be prepared to use their imagination like he did.

Afterwards

Pooh Corner. Sussex.

After your hike, if you have time you can also visit Pooh Corner. This is a small spot at the edge of Ashdown where there is a little museum and you can pop in for tea.

More about Pooh Corner

Home Activity Ideas

Back at home, if your kids are excited about the hike and all things Pooh they might enjoy:

• Re-read some favorite stories or watch Winnie the Pooh again. You can take it one step further by encouraging your kids to act out their favorite story with Pooh Character Puppets like these ones.
• Write your own Pooh story. Older kids who love to write (or homeschoolers who want to add a little writing to your adventure) could write their own story about a spot in the forest.
• Matching Game. Kids under 5 would love this adorable matching game inspired by the characters and stories of Winnie the Pooh. Find Online
• Make Winnie Pooh Honey Snacks together. You can use this easy recipe.

You May Also Like:
Great Britain Literature Inspired Unit
(has lots of bookish adventure ideas!)

Photography was our first art unit of fifth grade. In a world of watercolors and oil pastels, that might seem like a strange place to start but it leaned into my kids’ natural interest in photography and our heavily science based curriculum.

As with most things, we taught photography in a variety of ways but focused on getting out of the house and practicing their photography skills in the real world. (You can read all about my philosophy on learning and teaching in Little Walks Big Adventures

affiliate links are included in this post.

Photography 101 Essentials

You do not need a lot to teach basic photography. I recommend:

• Cameras ( my kids both have one of these cameras with a waterproof strap to hook on their wrists to limit dropping )
• Photography Journals or some other place to keep and share their photographs. We are using sketchbooks like this to paste their photos into because it will be their art journal for the whole year.
• Computer & Printer – to upload and print photos.

Photography Neighborhood Walk

Our first field trip was a walk around the neighborhood with our cameras.

Before you go:

• Go over basics of how to use your cameras. How to turn them on. How to take a picture. Go over any safety recommendations. For example, I encourage my kids to wear the wrist straps whenever they’re carrying their cameras to avoid lots of dropping.
• Talk about photography. Before we went on our Photo Walk, I had them go online and find a photo that they liked. Just one. It could be a photo of anything that interested them – buildings, flowers, animals. One photo that they found interesting. We printed it out, added it to their photo journals and then shared what they liked about the photo. This led to a conversation about some photography basics. In our case, light and perspective were both discussed. I kept this brief and basic, but we talked about how they photo might have been taken and why they liked the way the subject had been approached.
• When we went on our walk I brought these up again as they were taking photos by saying things like; I wonder how the light would change if you took a photo of that flower from a different angle? or I remember you liked the photo that was taken from a low perspective, have you tried taking a photograph of that tree from that same perspective? or I see you taking a picture of that flower, I wonder how many different interesting ways you could photograph that same flower?

Afterwards:

• We learned how to upload photos onto the computer.
• They reviewed the photos they took and chose a few favorites. Those were printed and then added to their art journals with a sentence about their photo.

Visit an Art Museum

• Visit an art gallery or photography museum.
  The Getty Center in Los Angeles has a building devoted to photography. They also have a lesson plan for middle schoolers about photography. Here in San Diego, Balboa Park has the Museum of Photographic Arts.

We visited the Getty Center which is an amazing free art museum in LA. The architecture and garden is amazing. Make sure to set aside time to explore the garden. That was the part my kids loved best. I also highly recommend the kids scavenger hunts that are available next to the front desk.

There is also a full building devoted to photography which is where we focused our art viewing for this trip.

Ideas to Increase Engagement:

• Check online before you go to see what exhibits are currently showing. Take some time to learn a little more about the artists you’ll be seeing
• Use the info on their website to create a quick scavenger hunt for the photography section of the museum.
• Another option is to have your kids look around and then sketch their favorite photography in their art journal or write about they are inspired to try after viewing the photos.

The Getty
1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049, USA
Open 10a-5p Closed Mondays
Entrance is FREE but you must pay $20 to park and have a reserved timeslot to enter.
Website

Additional Resources for Learning about Photography with Kids

• Great American Artists for Kids
  We are using this book all year to study different styles of art. It covers a range of art forms and artists throughout American history. Ansel Adams and Sandy Skoglund are the photographers included. Each chapter has a little about the featured artist and then an activity related to that artist’s work for your child to try. Buy Online
• Combine Photography and Poetry with this Best Part of Me photography project.

Read More Photography Tips

Mythology hooked my kids in fourth grade. They dove into gods and goddesses, primarily in Greek culture, but learned about mythology from around the world. Here are some of our adventures and resources as they explored the magical world of mythology.

affiliate links are included below.

Field Trip to the Getty Villa

Getty Villa

While in Los Angeles for a weekend we visited the Getty Villa. This is one of the two Getty Museums in LA. It has Greek and Roman antiquities housed in a re-created Roman country home.

The Getty Villa makes a huge effort to be family friendly. There are a lot of activities for families at the museum. The super cool thing for kids who love mythology is that you can take an immersive audio tour of the museum.

My kids absolutely loved having the characters in their ears as they explored the museum on their own personal quest. Access the audio tour here or ask for more info at the information desk.

Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, USA
Open 10a – 5p, Closed Tuesdays
FREE to visit, $20 to park.
Must reserve a time slot online beforehand.
Website

Percy Jackson

Percy Jackson was our way into Mythology and I expect we’re not alone. Once my kids had read THE LIGHTENING THIEF, especially my daughter, they were hooked. Suddenly they wanted to know all about all kinds of mythology.

Percy Jackson Inspired Activities

• Make sure you visit the Rick Riordan website. There is a wealth of information including these Teacher Guides.
• There is a Lightening Thief Unit Study on Proverbial Homemaker.
• Fabulous Classroom has a huge list of resources about Percy Jackson learning inspired by the release of Sea of Monsters on DVD but they would work for a general unit as well in most cases.
• Here are some fun ideas if you want to have a Percy Jackson bookclub meeting from Adventures in Mommydom.

Book Recommendations:

There are SO many Percy Jackson books and related books, but in case your voracious mythology fan needs some more ideas here are some more series we’ve enjoyed.

• Hopeless Heroes series by Stella Tarakson
• Zeus the Mighty series by Crispin Boyer
• Thunder Cluck! Chicken of Thor by Paul Tillery and Meg Wittwer
• Goddess Girls series by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
• Heroes in Training series by Tracey West
• Nico Bravo graphic novel series by Mike Cavallaro
• Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland

Mythology

Once my kids were exposed to mythology via Percy Jackson, they seemed to thirst to learn all they could.

Books to Read

• Usborne Illustrated Stories from the Greek Myths
• Myth Atlas: Maps and Monsters, Heroes and Gods from Twelve Mythological Worlds by Thiago de Moraes
• National Geographic Kids: Everything Mythology by Blake Hoena
• Gods and Heroes: Mythology Around the World by Korwin Briggs

Activities

• Impressive and diverse twelve week mythology study that covers all the curriculum areas on Redhead Mom.

Mythical Creatures

Mythical Creatures are some of the most fascinating parts of mythology, especially for kids who are huge animal fans like mine. If you want to go down this rabbit hole, here are some books and activities to explore.

Books to Read

• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J. K. Rowling
• Mythopedia: What A Beast by Sophia Kelly
• Miss Turie’s Magic Creatures by Joy Keller – This is a cute picture book. If you’re diving into Mythology and Mythical Creatures with an early elementary schooler I definitely recommend this one.
• Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland is all about dragons that have to save their magical world. These are also good on audio.

Games to Play

• Createures Drawing Deck: This is game / art activity that is loads of fun if your kids enjoy drawing.
• Runes & Regulations: This is a strategy game that’s funny and also plays with mythical creatures.

Read About More Fourth Grade Units

Tucked into the lower level of the Casa de Balboa Building on the Prado in Balboa Park is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. Don’t let the basement entrance fool you, at 27,000 sq. ft., it is the largest such indoor model train exhibit in North America, and one of the largest in the world.

Trains have been an interest in our house for a long time. My son fell in love with Thomas the Tank engine when he was about two and from there he dove into all things trains. By 3 he could tell you not just the name and type of every engine on the island of Sodor, but also everything from how a diesel engine worked to how fast a bullet train could fly down it’s rails. Whether you have a Thomas the Tank engine fan or a grandparent with a lifelong love of model trains or someone somewhere in between, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum has something for everyone.

Also Read: In Depth Look at Balboa Park for Families

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

If you have a train fan in your family, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is not to be missed. It is wonderful for all ages – from toddlers all the way through grandparents. All train enthusiasts are welcome.

Basic Information:

San Diego Model Railroad Museum
1649 El Prado
San Diego, CA 92101

Check the website for current hours and pricing. Right now (Summer 2021) they are only open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11am – 4pm. Note: there is a military discount and the SD Model Railroad Museum is included if you have the Balboa Explorer Pass.

Website: https://www.sdmrm.org/

Tips for Visiting with Kids

• Come early. Like all things, it is less crowded the earlier you go. There was a small line when we arrived shortly before opening but once inside, even on a summer day, it didn’t feel overly crowded.
• If you have kids over about 7 years old, I highly recommend the scavenger hunt. You can pick it up just inside the entrance, after you’ve paid. There is a little stand in front of the end of the first exhibit when printed scavenger hunts. It helped my kids slow down and really look at all the incredibly detailed miniature worlds.
• Bathrooms are located outside the entrance, down the hall from the Model Railroad Museum. I had my kids try before we entered.
• If you’re there with smaller kids who don’t have the attention span to check out every single inch of the museum, make sure you don’t miss the outside area with the tram and the toy train room. Both are at the back of the museum.
• In the toy train room Thomas runs around the bottom of one of the exhibits. He’s the perfect height for tots and there’s a button you can take turns pushing to make him go.
• The whole museum is very kid friendly with interactive elements and steps for kids to get up higher for a better view.

Trains of all sizes. Fantastic details in the scenes around them. Interactive elements. Enthusiastic employees and volunteers. It is a really fun place to visit.

Terrific Train Ideas for Kids Who Love Trains

When my son was a preschooler he could not get enough of trains. We read all the train books. We rode all the nearby trains. He toddled around in his Thomas the Tank Engine boots and train engineer hat everywhere we went. If you have a kid in this phase, then a visit to the San Diego Model Railroad Museum is perfect, but what about when you get home? Here are some of our favorite ways to extend train play and learning after a fun field trip like visiting SDMRM.

Ideas from San Diego Model Railroad Museum

1. The San Diego Model Railroad Museum has a special page on their website for kids. It has storytime videos you can watch, coloring pages to print and more.
2. Thomas Fans! There is also a Thomas Page on their website that allows you to explore the Island of Sodor and More.

Literacy Activities

3. Read books about trains. This Ultimate List of Picture Books about Trains from My Storytime Corner is a great place to start.

4. Alphabet Train from Teach Beside Me

5. Freight Train Name Craft from Clare’s Little Tots

6. DIY Foam Train for Easy Bathtime Fun and Learning from Bambini Travel (also works with numbers!)

Math Activities

7. Train Carriage Counting Game from Rainy Day Mum

8. Transportation I Spy and Graph Printable from School Time Snippets

9. Chocolate Train Cookies from Inspiration Laboratories

10. Geometric Shapes Train from Mama Smiles

11. Train Track Card Game for Preschoolers from Preschool Powol Packets

Science, Technology and Engineering Activities

12. Transportation Playdough Mat from The Moments at Home

13. Transportation Sand and Water Play from My Bored Toddler

14. Fingerprint Train Ornament for Kids from The Educators’ Spin On It

Art & Fine Motor Activities

15. Freight Train Drawing Prompts from My Storytime Corner

16. Painting with Trains on Canvas by Play Trains

17. Build a Train from School Time Snippets

18. Train-Themed Unwrapping by Craftulate

19. Transportation Connect the Dots by Craftulate

Movement Activities

20. Easy DIY Paper Train Table for Kids from Toddler Approved

21. Polar Express Storytime with Yoga Routine from My Storytime Corner

You May Also Like:
50+ Kid Friendly Things to do in San Diego

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have been on my go-list since we moved to California. We absolutely loved our trip to the Redwoods National Park and I really wanted to see how they compared. We visited Sequoia and Kings Canyon during the pandemic, so there are some parts of the trip that maybe were a little different than a typical year but that didn’t stand in the way of us having an awesome trip.

California Geography and the history of National Parks were also part of our Fourth Grade curriculum. I can’t emphasize enough how grateful I am to bring alive pieces of our curriculum for my kids in our homeschool.

affiliate links are included below.

Before Your Trip

Print Junior Ranger Packets
We got a head start on our Junior Ranger Packets. You can’t always do this, but the Sequoia & Kings Canyon packets have a lot that you don’t need to be in the park to do. We stopped at the Ranger Station in Kings Canyon (MUCH quieter than the one in Sequoia) for our kids to take their oath. You can print them out online here: https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/kidsyouth/beajuniorranger.htm

Learn about California Geography, National Parks, or John Muir
There are a lot of resources for any of these topics depending on your area of interests or if this fits in your homeschool curriculum. We learned about John Muir in our history curriculum, CA History for Kids and watched a BrainPop video about the National Parks.

Even if you’re just going to Sequoia and Kings Canyon as part of fun, family adventure I recommend at least reading Sequoia by Tony Johnston to get your kids excited about the unique and amazing trees they’re going to see in the parks.

Also Read: How to Make the Most of Your Fourth Grade National Park Pass

Where to Stay

There are a lot of options when you’re deciding where to stay near Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. We stayed in an AirBnb in the town of Exeter, CA about 30 minutes from Sequoia National Park. It did involve a fair amount of driving each day, but with audiobooks my kids were fine and we liked being able to cook regular meals each night.

One word of warning, regardless of where you stay – driving into Sequoia National Park is not for the faint of heart. It is a long, windy drive from the front gate to the main attractions / hikes in the park. My kids both needed Dramamine and even then most of us felt a little nauseous at one point or another.

Favorite Hikes

Now, the best part! The parks.

One thing to note is that we were here in early Spring when the highest altitude places in the park are still closed due to snow. We still had plenty to do, but I would recommend visiting in September or October if you’re able to avoid the heat and crowds of summer and then snow and cold or early Spring.

Here is a more complete list of hiking trails in the parks with lengths and further descriptions. Note, some of these were closed in early Spring.

Sequoia Hikes

Sequoia is a truly incredible place to visit. I don’t think you could really do any hike and be disappointed but here’s what we liked the best.

General Sherman – this is worth the visit. The hike down to Sherman is cool, just to help gauge the elevation change and appreciate how big Gen Sherman is. However, it is also the most crowded. I highly recommend driving here on a weekday and absolutely as the first thing you do in the park that day.

Big Trees Trail – I think this was my favorite. It is a loop around a field with some massive Sequoias. The parking lot is teensy but the trail was less busy, it’s peaceful, and an easy flat loop for kids.

Kings Canyon Hikes

Sequoia definitely had the most impressive chances to see the Sequoia trees, however I think Kings Canyon National Park was actually my favorite of the two. You didn’t have to suffer through the windy drive into the park for one, but more important to me it was less busy and still incredibly beautiful.

General Grant – is no less impressive than General Sherman. This is a nice little loop trail with a log you can walk into and lots of huge gorgeous trees.

Big Stump Trail – the name of this one cracked us up because there are SO many big stumps. You can walk a short ways to one big stump (the one pictured above) but if you keep going on the trail there are several more. It’s a little less flat than some trails, but our nine year olds didn’t have any trouble with this one either.

Hume Lake – This was my favorite part of either park. It was absolutely gorgeous. There is a trail that runs all the way around Hume Lake or you can walk a ways down and then walk back, which is what we did. This is where we ate our picnic lunch when we were in Kings Canyon. The water is clear and stunning. The views are beautiful.

Some of our favorite spots where just places we pulled over to look at the view. My daughter’s favorite spot in Sequoia National Park was a pull off on the right hand side a little after Hospital Rock where you could walk a little ways down to a waterfall. We stopped there both days we were in the park.

No matter where you decide to go in either park, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Check out ALL of our National Park Adventures HERE

Great Britain is one of our around the world units for fourth grade. There are a lot of reasons for this, including the wide amount of global history that was impacted by Great Britain expansion, but my kids are part English and that was my main motivation.

We touched on Great Britain colonialism. My fourth graders are HUGE Hamilton fans (You can find our Hamilton Unit ideas here) so they often think of the English as the enemy. I don’t shy away from the uglier parts of history with my kids, but I also want them to see both sides and the British have done more than march around the world colonizing things.

You May Also Like: Germany Unit for Fourth Grade

Our unit centered on literature. I consider this to be one of, possibly the, greatest gift that Great Britain has given the world. From Shakespeare and Austen, to Dahl and JK Rowling and everything in between the British are remarkably entertaining and prolific.

Whether you are learning about Great Britain in a classroom or homeschool or planning a trip abroad, this unit is a fun place to start learning more about Great Britain.

affiliate links are included

Books to Read

• Harry Potter series
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
• The BFG or any books by Roald Dahl. Many of these also have movie versions that can be fun to compare to the books.
• All Creatures Great & Small and then watch the new series or the original from the BBC
• Finding Winnie – the true story of Winnie the Pooh
• Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen – a picture book biography
• Flibbertigibbety Words – a picture book about William Shakespeare
• For younger siblings, make sure to read Peter Rabbit and plenty of Winnie the Pooh.
• All Aboard for London Bus – a collection of poems

Activities about Great Britain inspired by Great Books

First, here’s a good Intro to Great Britain week of activities with a printable map from Unremarkable Files. It’s a good place to start and here are some London Themed coloring sheets.

• Harry Potter Unit
• Narnia Unit from Homescholar and watch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie.
• There are lesson plans for THE BFG and other books on Roald Dahl’s website.
• Cute Winnie the Pooh themed unit from We Are Teachers.
• I also loved this post from We Are Teachers on Using Picture Book Biographies with a class. It’s applications extend across curriculum areas and beyond this unit.

Plan a Trip to the United Kingdom

This is the dream right? Learn about somewhere and then go there. It is definitely high on our list of places to visit. Here are some helpful posts to aid you in planning a trip.

• Best Places to Visit in the UK with Kids – this is a great well rounded trip or collection of trips to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from Travel Melodies.
• Child Centered Trip to London – from Our Family Passport. This one is focused on London solely, but it is quite detailed.
• A Family Guide to London – this one is from the Wanderlust Family and I always find their posts useful. This one loads of practical information.

Book Inspired Locations I Want to Visit

• Scotland’s The Isle of Skye is considered Giant Country since The BFG movie was released in 2016. It is also where other famous things have been filmed in Scotland such as Game of Thrones.
• AA Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood: Ashdown Forest, Sussex. You can pick up a map of the forest allowing you to follow in the great bear’s footsteps from the visitor center. The path culminates at Pooh’s much-loved bridge where you can take a moment to play Pooh Sticks. Read about our Hike in the 100 Acre Wood here!
• Aylesbury which is home to the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery or Great Missenden which is home to the Roald Dahl Museum.
• Beatrix Potter’s home is also in the Lake District and you can tour Hill Top Farm and beautiful gardens that inspired Peter Rabbit.

There are so many more – Lord of the Rings, Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, The Borrowers, The Secret Garden, and so many others.

Harry Potter Locations You Can Visit:

• York’s historic Shambles, which dates as far back as the 14th century, has grown in popularity amongst Harry Potter fans over the years. It is remarkably similar looking to Diagon Alley in the films.
• King’s Cross Station in London where platform 9 and 3/4 is located. This is also where parts of Paddington Bear, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins and A Little Princess were set.
• Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire is where many of the interior shots set at Hogwarts were filmed.
• There is also a Harry Potter themed hotel in London – you can read a review on Sunny in London.

Get more unit ideas here.