We live in North Central Arkansas about 15 minutes from Missouri and we are trying to locate people from our area for field trips and get togethers. Our children are 5 and 7. If there's anyone in the area that would like to get togther I would love to speak with you.
I don't homeschool, but I wanted to tell you that I live in Springfield! There is so much to do around here, particularly outdoors. We come down to Buffalo River Natl Park 2-3 times a year.
That's cool, I used to live in Springfield when I was a kid. We try to get up there but not often enough. IT's about a 3 hour drive through the good old backroads. My kids went to grandma's for the summer and we have to meet them outside st. louis to pick them up so we're hopeing to do some sightseeing up there. And there's a great bookstore in Rolla that we want to hit on our way back through. Do they have a good kids museum in Springfield? It's been over a decade since I lived there so I don't remember.
The Discovery Center is really cool! They have a lot of science-oriented exhibits. It's downtown--close to the University Plaza Conv. Center and Hammons Tower. I took my niece and nephew there last summer, and my kindergarten class one year. Here is the website so you can look it up: http://cobalt.discoverycenter.org/entrance.asp Only prob. is that it's kinda pricey when you take the whole family! $5.00 for children ages 3-12 $6.00 for senior citizens $7.00 for adults There is also a new wildlife museum by Bass Pro... It has live animals. http://www.wondersofwildlife.org/NEWSITE/HTML/accessible/mainpage.htm It's even more expensive, but still cool to see. The Discovery Center is a better deal. Then there is the Dickerson Park Zoo... They have a new reptile house, and there are a few other improvements. It's still a good bet for the kids. http://www.dickersonparkzoo.org/ I don't know if they had the Nature Center when you were here, but it's a great place, too, and FREE! They have educational programs, hiking trails, and a small museum area in the visitor center. I have taken several field trips there. There's also a park up the road where you can use the playground and eat in the pavilion. http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/areas/cnc/springfd/
The only place that you listed that I remember is the Zoo. I loved it at Halloween time. My mom used to take us trick or treating there every year. Thanks for all the great places. I'll definetly have to check them out.
