Ideas for Where to Escape During Your Child's Fall Break

Since summer is about fun in the sun, why not make your fall break a bit more educational. Just because you child is out of school does not mean that they have to escape learning and culture all together.

Best of all, it does not matter where you go, or if you leave town at all this fall. Almost all major cities boast the basics, such as a museum, a science center, a zoo, and a theater. While some children might be too young for all of these options, there is at least one choice that will be fun for your family. If you do leave town during fall break, a little pre-planning will help ensure that you are able to have fun and explore all vacation long with your child.

The Museum

There are so many types of museums and one is bound to fit your child's taste. There are museums for sports, art, history, music, and more. Going to a museum is not expensive and it will help expand your child's world. It can be a new adventure, full of things that they have never seen. Let their imagination take them away to explore and learn. The atmosphere and culture can only be rivaled by another museum. In addition, you can escape to a historic home or site, which, much like a museum, will help your child explore history through a preserved way of life. Indoor/outdoor venues, such as these, are always beautiful in the fall with the color of the leaves changing and the brisk wind competing with the warm sun.

One of the best things you can do for your child during fall break is to let them have fun and escape to a different place and time. A museum can help you travel to that world, if only for a short time. You may find, as your child grows and changes, that each year their interests change too, giving you new places and museums to explore. You may also find that your child is already passionate about one thing and that as they grow they want to continue visiting places that reinforce their love of and expand their knowledge of their passion.

The Science Center

The science center can be fun for the whole family. Although much of the information is science-based, it is presented in a fun and interesting way. In fact, your child may find that they know more about science than they realized. Most centers host different exhibits throughout the year so even if you have been recently, there is sure to be something new for you to view.

In some cities, such as St. Louis, science centers are free to the public. Others charge a modest fee. Regardless, it is not something that you do every day and the price is well worth a day of fall fun with the family.

The Zoo

If the weather is still warm in your area, you may choose to explore the zoo. No child can ever get enough of the zoo, no matter what age they are! This fall, take your family to the zoo, where they can escape to a world filled with lions, tigers, bears, elephants, and those lovable, but strange flamingos.

Again, some zoos are free to the general public and others charge a limited fee. Often times, many city zoos will have special days that allow you to come at a reduced rate or visit a special exhibit. You should be able to find this information beforehand, which will allow you to enhance the fun during your visit to the zoo this fall.

The Theater

Oh, the theater. Whether you are visiting a theater for a musical or dramatic production, it is sure to be one that enlightens your child to the finer things in life. Or, they could just have a really good time during their time off from school.

Depending on your child's age this fall, you may pick a children's theatre production. Some theaters have age restrictions to ensure the quality of the performance for other patrons. Now, before you get defensive, it is a reasonable request. Yes, your child may not cry all show long, but they may want to ask questions (and rightly so) or may have to use the restroom one too many times. It is not a big deal. There will be plenty of time for them to take an "escape" to the theater as they get older. Plus, the content of some adult productions is not appropriate or interesting to children.

Going to see a show does not have to be about a stuffy performance that is not child friendly. Children's theater takes classics and presents them in a way that children can understand and enjoy. There are also shows that go around, such as Dora the Explorer, which puts on large productions that are interactive for the crowd. These shows allow your child to escape reality and explore the world of the show all from their seats. While these might be a bit more expensive, they are entertaining for you and your child!

The Experience

A vacation, no matter where or for how long, is about the experience. If you take the time and put in the effort to escape this fall from your every day life, you will have fun no matter what happens. And, if you have a horrible time, at least you have those memories from the "worst vacation ever" that you took that one fall!

But, it will not all be bad. One added benefit of hanging out at an educational venue for a day is that your child may get a chance to gain some extra credit when they get back to school. If not, they will still be excited about what they learned and, hopefully, excited to get back to school. There, they can share their new information and experience with friends.

The most important thing during fall vacation is to spend time together as a family. Put a photo album or scrapbook together to preserve your memories. Then, they can show their pictures to their class, along with any tickets, brochures, or additional information that they picked up during the outing.