20 field trip destinations for KC homeschoolers

Guest post by Traci Matt

MPE provided numerous resources and blessings during our 20 years of homeschooling, but none as important as our small cluster group.

Each family in our little group planned and executed an annual field trip or activity, and by the end of each year we had taken in quite a few sights and learned about topics we had not imagined studying.

From the beginning, one of the more industrious moms compiled yearbooks documenting our adventures.

Back in the day, that was quite a chore of gathering up photos and hard copies of each page and carting them to the printer! Thankfully she persevered each year and we ended up with a priceless record of our time together.

I’ve published Let’s Go! Field Trips for Teachers, Homeschoolers and Active Families, a generic compilation of tips organized by field trip category, based on our experiences.

It is intended to be a guide for learning activities in any locale, but I thought our Kansas City homeschooling friends might be interested in some of our very favorite spots to visit.

Of all the field trip destinations, the most requested one was, hands down, the indoor gym Emerald City (formerly known as Bump City). My perennial favorite was (and still is) the Steamboat Arabia Museum, where the backstory and displays are compelling even for those who don’t fancy themselves museum lovers.

Here are 20 Kansas City-area destinations our family and homeschool cluster group enjoyed immensely:

• Harry S. Truman Library and Museum & National Historic Site
• Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm Historic Site
• Lanesfield Historic Site
• Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site
• The National Museum of Toys/Miniatures
• Steamboat Arabia Museum
• National Airline History Museum
• Kansas City Museum
• Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum
• American Jazz Museum
• Folly Theater Kids’ Series
• K.C. Strings
• Puppetry Arts Institute
• Moon Marble Company
• Creative Candles
• Wolf Creek Nuclear Operating Corporation
• KCPT
• Kauffman Stadium
• Emerald City
• Overland Park Arboretum

Before visiting any of these intriguing places, check out Let’s Go! Field Trips for Teachers, Homeschoolers and Active Families for pre- and post-trip suggestions, key learning points, and pitfalls to avoid.

So what are you waiting for, Kansas City? Let’s go!

Traci Matt is an experienced journalist, editor, marketing copywriter, social media manager, and homeschool teacher. Her first book, “Don’t Waste Your Time Homeschooling: 72 Things I Wish I’d Known,” features reflections on 20 years of homeschooling. Traci also blogs about other random topics such as colorblindness and social media at tracimatt.com.

This post was originally published in May 2015. We have updated it for timeliness and detail.