Tag: travel with kids

History, Travel

Secret San Diego … with Kids part 1

Kirsten W. Larson
USS Midway

San Diego Zoo? Check.

San Diego Air and Space Museum? Check.

Beach? Of course!

LEGOLand? Love it!

The San Diego area is a short drive away from us, so we visit at least once a year. On this visit, we decided to check out a couple of destinations off the beaten path. I’ll review them over the next couple few days.

First up, is the USS Midway. This was hands down my favorite part of the trip. I thought we would spend a couple of hours aboard this post-World War II aircraft carrier. Wrong! We stayed aboard for more than four hours. Our ticket included  an audio tour, and we followed the green, family-friendly path.  We had picked up a Junior Pilot Program worksheet, and the boys had to answer questions at several stops along the way to earn their Midway pilot’s wings.

We had a fascinating glimpse into life aboard this “city at sea.” We learned that water is so scarce aboard ship, that seaman take a two-minute “Navy shower.” We learned that just one link of the anchor chain weighs 130 pounds. And we learned that the it took 6 galleys (kitchens) and 10 tons of food daily to feed the 4,500-member crew.

The boys got to try their hand at tying knots. They tested out the bunks, called “racks.” They even had a visit to the ship’s jail, called the brig. They also “flew” a variety of aircraft that once called the Midway home.

Just a few thoughts for family visits. First, only the flight deck and stroller deck are stroller accessible. Below deck is a series of narrow passageways, stairs and “knee knockers” — raised thresholds. Our four-year-old did fine, but this may be tough for younger children. Children have to be five for the audio tour. Fortunately, the audio clips were short, so we were able to share with our four-year-old. Also, only older children are allowed on the bridge. Our four-year-old did not make the cut, but our six-year-old did. I am guessing most five-year-olds would probably be tall enough for the tour.

After our ramblings, we headed over to Seaport Village for an ice cream. It was just a short walk away, and a wonderful way to end a fun day.

Homeschool, Science/Math, Travel

Earthwatch: Hands-on Learning in the Field

Kirsten W. Larson
Stock photo. Unfortunately, I can’t get hubby’s pics off his phone.

Long story short: my husband recently returned from an archaeological dig in Tuscany where he discovered pottery and human remains at an Etruscan necropolis. While the thought of being married to Indiana Jones is appealing, hubby isn’t a whip-wielding academic. But through Earthwatch.org, he plays one on vacation.

Earthwatch.org pairs scientists from a number of disciplines with volunteer vacationers, who conduct science in the field. Study elephant behavior in Thailand. Protect sharks in Belize. Journey to China to help giant pandas. Oh, and here’s one of my favorites…study vineyard ecology and biodiversity in Bordeaux.

Even better, Earthwatch has special expeditions designed for families and teens. For family expeditions, children must be at least 10 years old and accompanied by adult family members. But children can work side-by-side with archaeologists to explore Roman England or with marine biologists to track marine mammals off the coast of California, for example. Yes, I am already counting how many years until we can do something like this for our family vacation.

Check out Earthwatch’s 40th anniversary video here to learn more about this fantastic organization.

Have you ever engaged travel experiences with your kids focused on hands-on learning? I’d love to hear about them!