As a parent, you want your child to have exciting learning experiences all through the year. Whether you decide to discover new things with your child outdoors or indoors, these learning experiences will bring many benefits. So let’s look at seven educational activities in Nevada and the benefits of learning outdoors.
How Can I Expand My Child’s Learning Outside of School?
A great way to expand your child’s learning is to go on day or weekend trips outside of school! Summer is also the perfect time to turn these excursions into extended family vacations! These excursions will bring the excitement of newness to your child and expose them to different activities that can foster learning.
You can try taking a trip outside of your city to go to a more historic town and enjoy the old buildings, or going out to a ranch and learning horseback riding. As long as you expose your child to something new and positive, they will learn, whether it be historical information, a skill, or something else!
Benefits of Educational Activities Outside of School
Going on educational activities outside of school throughout the year benefits students while in the classroom as well by fostering a love for learning while being in real-world contexts! Students who experience these activities may also see increased self-esteem, and other benefits of learning outside the classroom like:
- Improvement in classroom behavior
- Boost in classroom engagement
- Greater personal development
- Improvement in social & emotional development
- Better attitude toward cultural differences and diversity
- Increase in curiosity
Educational Activities in Nevada
Nevada has a surplus of fun learning activities for parents looking to expose their children to more varied educational opportunities outside of school. If you are looking for something fun and educational for the whole family, explore these seven ideas!
1. Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary
This 38-acre animal wildlife sanctuary houses predators native to North America. The great thing about this park is its special programming events and educational tours to teach your little ones about ecological principles and wildlife. Each animal in this sanctuary gets housed in an enclosure with trees and native vegetation, so they feel at home.
If you or your child find an animal that strikes your interest, you can be sure they will stick around for your next visit, as this sanctuary only keeps non-releasable wildlife who’ve been injured or abandoned.
2. Belmont Ghost Town
Ever wanted to visit a ghost town? The Belmont ghost town was once a busy city but now stands as a well-known abandoned Nevada town. This city used to be busy because minerals were found close to the town in 1865. Take your kids to explore this area with 150-year-old buildings scattered across the premises. This will be a fun opportunity for your little ones to learn about what old mill sites and miner cabins used to look like and how important they were.
3. Big Bend of the Colorado Recreation Area
Camping offers many unique opportunities for the whole family, so why not camp on the southern tip of the Colorado River in Nevada? You’ll get to enjoy the wildlife and the sandy shoreline, plus you can participate in various activities at the recreation center like boating, swimming, fishing, bird-watching, hiking, and picnicking.
4. Boulder City-Hoover Dam Museum
The story of the Hoover Dam is just as pertinent and impressive today as it was when it was built in the 1930s. If you want your kids to have a valuable learning experience, this museum is the perfect place. They’ll see the stunning Hoover Dam and learn about those who dealt with the challenging conditions of the southern Nevada desert to construct it. Within the museum, you’ll find visually captivating interactive exhibits and displays about the dam construction.
5. Carson City Ghost Walk
The Carson City Ghost Walk is perfect for you if you’re looking for a family-friendly activity! Located in downtown Carson City, it’s great if you’re interested in the supernatural. Take a walk through this historic district with a host, and you’ll learn more about the Victorian era in Carson City, including spirits, hauntings, paranormal stories, and town gossip.
Each tour lasts about two hours, includes characters and legends from Carson City’s past, and walks through historic homes and businesses. If you’re looking to partake in this walk, it’s open from June through the middle of October, and you can purchase tickets in person or online.
6. Cowboy Trail Rides, Inc.
Yeehaw! Any cowboys out there? If you’re looking for a horseback ride in Nevada, head to Cowboy Trail Rides, Inc. This family-owned company is just a short drive from the Las Vegas Strip in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Whether you’re looking for a quick one-hour horseback ride or a 5-hour excursion, this company will be there to provide you with fun journeys through the desert, where you may see Joshua trees, prickly cacti, cottontails, quails, and squirrels. Keep in mind this destination is best for children six years old and up.
7. Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park
This historical park is open every day of the week during the daytime, so if you’re looking for somewhere to go on short notice, this is the perfect place. Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park was one of the first ranches in Nevada, and it’s home to several historical buildings that you can learn all about through a tour guide. You can even attend special events hosted on the park grounds, such as summer festivals, rummage sales, and holiday events.
The Joys of Learning
The Joys of Being Outdoors
Educational activities outside of the classroom don’t have to take place outdoors, but they often can! Research has shown that kids are two times as active when they are outside instead of sitting inside with electronic devices to keep them company. Exercise is beneficial for the mind and body, and exercising outside has its own added perks for mental health.
For example, studies have found that children with ADHD had better self-discipline and were able to concentrate more effectively if they had green spaces near their homes. Parents of children with ADHD also reported that their children’s symptoms reduced when they performed outdoor activities versus indoor activities.
If your child has challenges with concentrating, expanding their learning to fit the outdoors could be the perfect weekend activity. Learning outdoors has also been shown to benefit children’s mental health by reducing their stress levels. Being in nature means more exposure to natural light, which has been reported to elevate mood. This can ultimately lead to you enjoying more of your child’s laughter and smiles.
Another benefit of learning outdoors is that your child’s performance in school might improve. Research has shown that children with regular outdoor learning experiences have stronger writing and reading skills, as measured by higher standardized test scores, better attitudes about school, improved behavior in school and improved attendance. Also, studies have suggested children use more of their intelligence when learning outside. Researchers have concluded that this wider use of intelligence is due to hands-on experience and the relevance of the activity to what the child is learning about.
Overall, learning outdoors supports a child’s behavioral, emotional and intellectual growth. In particular, learning outdoors helps a child enhance their creativity, sense of self, independence, motor skills, initiative, self-discipline, empathy toward others and problem-solving skills. So, get outside!
Learn More With Schola
Here at Schola, we can help your child get matched up with the best school for them, so their classroom experiences can be just as excellent as their experiences outside school.
At Schola, we work to help families find the perfect PreK-12 school for their children. To determine the best school for your child, we connect with various schools and produce the most fitting match so that you can enroll your child in their ideal educational setting. When finding this best fit, we consider your child’s interests, needs and desired learning style rather than just your location.
If you want to learn more about us and what we can do for you, check out our online blog.
