Continue Your Child’s Education This Summer With These Fun Colorado Field Trip Ideas

 
Taking your children on field trips is an excellent way to provide unique learning experiences for them. Children learn best when they have the opportunity to experience what it is that you’re trying to teach them, and field trips provide that opportunity. The arrival of summer is the perfect time to start planning these kinds of educational excursions to continue their education without having to hit the books during summer break. And it’s a great time for year-round homeschoolers as well because the good weather allows for many more outdoor learning experiences than you could find or enjoy in the colder months.  

Ready to learn and explore? Here are some fun educational destinations that you may want to add to your plan for summer break this year, but before heading out check with your local library to see if there are any free or discounted passes available. 

Museums

Museums are the perfect way to learn about our past and bring history to life.

• Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
• Littleton Museum. 
• Molly Brown House Museum
• Fort Collins Museum of Discovery
• Colorado Railroad Museum
• The Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave
• Dinosaur Journey Museum
• Denver Art Museum
• Museum of the West
• History Colorado Center
• Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum
• Centennial Village Museum
• Golden History Museum and Park
• United States Olympics and Paralympic Museum
• Wings Over the Rockies Official Air and Space Museum
• National Museum of World War II Aviation
• Western Museum of Mining & Industry
• ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the Western Cowboy
• Penrose Heritage Museum
• Buell Children’s Museum
• Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum
• Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls & Toys

 

Historical Sites

• Cross Orchards
• Brent’s Old Fort National Historic Site
• Rock Ledge Ranch Historic Site
• Santa Fe Trail

Animals

Animals capture the hearts of many, and there are plenty of opportunities to learn about them and observe them, and perhaps even have a close encounter with them.

• Denver Zoo
• Downtown Aquarium
• Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge
• Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center
• The Wild Animal Sanctuary
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
• Butterfly Pavillion
• Colorado Gators Reptile Park
• Shepperly Farm Petting Zoo
• The Urban Farm

Tours

• Amazon (Live Virtual Tour)
• Hammond’s Candy Factory
• Garbage Garage Education Center
• Morning Fresh Dairy Farm
• Mineral Springs Walking Tour
• Cripple Creek & Victor Narrow Gauge Railroad
• Colorado State Capitol
• Amy’s Donuts
• Dion’s Pizza
• Pueblo Riverwalk
• Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine
• Dinosaur Ridge
• Denver Mint
• Call a local grocery store or restaurant and ask for a tour.
• Tour your local library.
• Ask for a backstage tour of a local performing arts theater.

Nature and Environmental

• Environmental Learning Center
• Paint Mines Interpretive Park
• Cave of the Winds Mountain Park
• Royal Gorge Bridge and Park
• Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center
• Denver Botanic Gardens
• Bear Creek Nature Center
• Rocky Mountain National Park

Just For Fun

• The Historical Penny Arcade
• Hot Air Balloon Rides
• Adventure Playground and Skate Park at Sandstone Ranch
• Glenwood Hot Springs
• Ubergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag
• The Edge Ziplines & Adventure
• Water World

This is just a small sample of all the amazing field trip options available here in Colorado. Check out the Official Colorado Tourism Site or contact one of Colorado’s many Welcome Centers for even more great field trip ideas.

What field trips are you planning this summer?