Local Resources

Welcome to our local resources and “hidden gems” guide for homeschoolers. We hope that you will find something fun and educational for your family. We have five states listed below. To submit the local attractions for your state, please email us and be sure to include links.

INDIANA
South Bend

• Splash Universe (Wanna Waves) has a homeschooler day the second Monday of the month…admission is 1/2 price
• Health Works Museum: you can spend a day learning about the body (touchy-feely kinda stuff)
• Cinemark Dollar Theater has showings for only 50cents on Mondays
• First Friday of the month, the city of Goshen has different activities ranging from ice sculpture festivals to free acting classes
• Grace Community Church has a FREE open gym time where on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Fridays, you can go play basketball, or the kids can play while Mom gets a workout in the workout room or walking around the upstairs track.
• National New York Central RR Museum
• The Milford Library is very homeschooler friendly. They will automatically renew any and all items for you for up to 5 times (that means 5 weeks for videos and 10 weeks for books!) and that’s all free. They have a movie day the 3rd Friday of the month where they show a (family friendly) movie and serve popcorn (FREE)

LOUISIANA
Baton Rouge

• Children’s Museum of Acadiana, This museum is a hands-on participatory museum serving children and their families by providing interactive exhibits, special services, performances, and workshops. $5 per person, 12 and under free.
• Highland Road Observatory, On Saturday mornings, the Observatory offers a year-round program for children ages 8-12. Included in these sessions are hands-on science and astronomy activities. Science Academy is held 10 a.m.-12 p.m., and the cost is $5 per child per week (in-parish residents) and $6 per child per week (out-of-parish residents). Previous topics include comets, gliders, star colors, balloons, the Earth and the Moon, parachutes and meteors.
• Alligator Bayou, Cruise into the wild beauty of the Spanish Lake Basin, a primitive wilderness of swamps, bayous and lakes teeming with alligators, birds, cultural history and the Cajun joie de vivre for which Louisiana is famous. Experience the riches of the Cajun culture and others that settled this wetlands paradise 300 years ago.
• Rural Life Museum, The Rural Life Museum, located on the 450-acre Burden Research Plantation, provides insight into the largely forgotten lifestyles and cultures of pre-industrial Louisiana. Home to extensive collections of tools, household utensils, furniture, vehicles, and farming implements, the museum preserves an important part of the rural heritage of Louisiana and the nation.
• Baton Rouge Zoo, Only $1 on Wednesdays.
• Iberville Museum, (Amy Bayliss’ grandfather, MGSgt. Wm. C. Grant’s Korean and Vietnam war artifacts and uniforms are exhibited here) The museum has artifacts and photographs of life in the parish around the early 1900’s. There are two permanent exhibits: Iberville at War and Turning with the Century. Iberville at War is an exhibit exploring America’s wars and the parish’s participation. The exhibit features a Norden Bombsight from World War II as well as bayonets from the American Revolution. Turning with the Century explores life in Iberville Parish in the early 1900’s. This exhibit features a wedding ensemble from 1900 t hand carved cypress models of early boat transportation along the bayou. Children (6-12) $1.00 Adults (13 & older) $2.00 School groups of 20 or more students are half price, teachers free.
• Louisiana Arts and Science Museum, From art exhibitions and workshops to hands-on science exhibits and treasures from ancient Egypt, LASM has something to inspire everyone. Learn more about the museum on this site and plan a visit soon.

OHIO
Columbus

• COSI, the science museum and hand-on discovery center
• Ohio Historical Museum
• Homeschool Gym classes with Coach Chris
• Grossology classes through the Children’s Hospital
• Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
• Davis Performing Arts Center (shows are only $3.00!!)
• Galaxy Games and Golf is a giant indoor play area that is only $1.95 on Tuesdays, and $3.95 M, W, Th, and F.
• Free concerts (or cheap) through Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware.
• The Delaware Arts Castle has reasonable classes for art, drama, music and dance. They have a homeschool art class that covers the curriculum guidelines for the state.
• Recreations Outlet in Powell is a large indoor play space. It is relatively inexpensive especially if you purchase a card for the year. It is a great place to get PE time during the winter.Homeschool Hockey classes at The Chiller, home of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
• Indoor Adventure Center
• Indian Village
• Morris Alpaca Farm
• Slate Run Living Historical Farm
• Franklin Park Conservatory
• Columbus Museum of Art holds Family Events on Sundays for free
• Groveport Recreation and Aquatic Center

• Christian owned and operated, this site provides all sorts of information for Houston Homeschoolers.
• A homeschooling group for South Houston area run by Joanne Juren, owner of the HEP bookstore. Offers supplemental classes for homeschooled students on a variety of wonderful subjects! Also offer a graduation walk.
• Children’s Museum of Houston
• Southeast Texas Home School Association for Greater Houston and surrounding areas.
• Galveston (Texas) Homeschool Performing Arts Co-op
• Houston Museum of Natural Science (also has IMAX)
• Holocaust Museum Houston: Education Center & Memorial
• Houston Zoo
• Home Education and Responsible Teaching (HEART) features special activies and events for families in the Humble/Kingwood area.
• Smoothing Way (in Houston) is dedicated to serving parents new to homeschooling. Veteran homeschoolers guide newbies.
• Museum of Health & Medical Science (Houston)
• Houston Arboretum & Nature Center
• The Menil Collection (Art)

• The Seattle Childrens Theater
• The Pacific Science Center
• The Seattle Aquarium
• Woodland Park Zoo
• Point Defiance Zoo, Tacoma
• Pioneer Farms
• Point no Point light house
• Miracle Ranch Homeschool classes
• Museum of flight in Seattle
• Battle Point Astronomical Association
• Clear Creek trail
• Washington State History Museum
• Tacoma Nature Center
• Tacoma Art Museum
• Rainy Dayz Playcenter, The under-5 set will love the colorful, soft climbing and gym toys available during open play at this Gig Harbor preschool — while mamas and papas enjoy a coffee or tea on the house.
• Northwest Trek, Don’t ignore the Trek during the rainy season. The Cheney Discovery Center is packed with interesting natural history items for kids to examine, from animal pelts and teeth to puppets and coloring projects for little ones. You could happily spend a morning here. $6-$15.