6 Ways Your Town Is Already Fun!

I heard someone say, "the world is boring only to boring people." I thought about the depths of the meaning of that anonymous quote, and the reality is that statement is so very true! The way we see our world creates our emotions and outlook on the world and its inhabitants. It's all about perspective. There are at LEAST six (6) activities near you right now that you may not have thought of as fun field trips!

I know that's much easier said than done, but it's disturbingly true sometimes. It's just like the old adage, "is the glass half empty or half full?" It really depends on your choice to be optimistic or pessimistic. But, I didn't invite you here to read some heavy speech on how we need to get ourselves together and buck up and so on and so forth. I mentioned "the world is boring only to boring people" quote because I believe that if you're blessed to have the opportunity to homeschool your children, then the possibilities for activities and projects, discoveries, field trips, outings, and explorations are abysmal! They are way too infinite for homeschool to ever be "boring."

What if you only THINK your city or town is boring because you just hadn't thought about how many things around town can be viewed as learning adventures, or even academic explorations, games, and fun? Well, here's where ArtEase! comes into play. We're here to offer a few unique ideas on how to MAKE fun in places you'd least suspect.

Try taking a trip or two to some of these places.

1) University or College near you - Take a tour of the campus. I graduated from the University of Memphis a while ago, and I thought it would be a nice adventure to show my son all the places I used to study, take classes and hang out. To my dismay, this impromptu trip turned into an amazing trek into newly unchartered territory! Almost EVERYTHING I remember had been changed, re-arranged, updated, removed, or replaced! It was unbelievable. Anyway... Consider taking a walk around your local campus and:

• locate the campus library, the student hall, and the registration office
• find the campus art museum or theater
• locate the registration office and encourage your student to think of a question to ask the front desk person while on your way
• this is a great outdoor adventure during the nicer, cooler months

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2) Airport - there are SO MANY active, fun things to do at your airport. The Memphis International Airport offers free parking for the first 30 minutes (and $2.00 for the next two hours, I think). Ever since my son was little, he's been fascinated with cars and airplanes. We've been taking trips to the airport for many years, just to:

• ride through the parking lot to see how many Porsches' or exotic cars he could count
• park and walk around inside, read directions, titles, maps
• find a lookout spot and watch the planes take off and land
• visit the gift shop and check out the latest miniature airplanes and toys
• find and hop on an elevator or escalator
• locate the baggage claim and other areas
• grab some treats at Starbucks on our way out, or sit in while snacking and chatting about our day
• since our airport makeover a few years ago, we now have outdoor waterfalls, beautiful flowers, unique paintings and scenery, and the wonderfully engaging moving sidewalk
• If you do nothing more than take gorgeous outdoor pictures at your airport on a beautiful spring day, just for your annual memory book, it's worth the trip
• Read more about our recent article on "12 Exciting Ways to Explore Your Airport"

You don't HAVE to be headed out of town just to visit the airport. After all, most of us are rushed only to get on and off the plane when were en route to vacation. Try enjoying all that your airport has to offer that mostly out-of-towners seem to notice or appreciate.

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3) Autozone (or auto parts store) - since my son emphatically loves cars and everything about vehicles, we discovered that a trip to the local auto parts store can be an adventure for us. He would:

• find and read about his favorite car parts, mostly the steering wheel, brake pedal, etc.
• hold specific replacement parts, feel, smell, and imagine how he can design his own version of each
• the auto store has a distinct scent; he enjoys feeling like he's big enough to work under the hood of a real car, so we visit just to keep his dreams close at bay
• he also enjoys looking through the car parts catalogs, looking at old cars and their make and model, then comparing them to the same car of today's version (they carry some of these same books at the library)
• we try to discover at least one new thing, read about what it does, and add it to our vocabulary lists
• the auto store has lots of cool trinkets now, too, like a "dollar store" section, with keychains, pocket size tools, air fresheners, mini-flashlights, etc.

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4) (Exotic) Car Dealership - Go for a test drive in a NICE(R) car! As you know by now, my son truly loves the Porsche luxury sports car line, especially the 911 Carrera S! Well, we are not in the market to purchase or lease such a beaut just yet, but we have repeatedly visited the car lot. When we visit, we not only sit in them to marvel at the sleek precision in craftsmanship, but we actually test "ride" them including the Carrera and the Panamera. Talk about exhilarating! Going from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 3 or 4 seconds is unbelievable. I let the salesman do all the driving and demo-ing, but it is fascinating. Needless to say, my youngster can't seem to get enough of visiting the Porsche dealership! (Read more about how we "follow" our son's career interests here.)

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5) Model Homes - this is one of my personal favorites, even if it's not "Vesta Home Show" season. There are always new homes available in driving distance that we like to visit and tour the newest floor plans, new layouts, modern upgraded features, and newness in every room. We've even been inspired so much afterwards that when we got back home, we've drawn pictures of our own upgraded home improvements.

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6) Downtown - just the idea of being downtown (if you don't already live here) is always upbeat, rushed, active, and chock-full of site-seeing events.

• take a nature walk downtown, and see how many land/markers you can spot (we have tons of historic markers in downtown Memphis, that you can only find on foot
• eat at a restaurant you've never explored but has been there all along
• park and walk to the capitol or government buildings and learn about its history & purpose
• have a picnic in the park - take a lunch, blanket, and each other and enjoy the outdoors

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There are MANY more unsuspecting (and FREE) things to do in your town on those "boring" days that you may not feel like hitting the books. There are always museums, or just the gift shops at the museums which are generally free to visit without touring the venue. Children are usually excited about looking at toys and trinkets and gadgets. Try finding a few new gift shops around town and just take a gander. You're not obligated to buy, unless you just can't say no to your little one. :)

Here's a new article, "6 Ways to Travel Without Moving," which is a blog about exploring your very own, in-town, local Welcome/Visitor Centers! And, here's an article about the wonderful ways to explore your public library for free called "10 Free Educational Treasures You're Missing at Your Public Library." 

I hope these ideas spark new ideas for you to sprinkle a bit of magic on your perspective of your town. Remember to take lots of pictures! Let us know in the comments section below some places you've found to be wonderful in-town jewels of entertainment for your family, or educational hubs and quick get-aways.

For additional fun, easy, artistic and educational activities, projects, or outings, friend and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Enjoy! :)

​"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says “I’m possible”!"
​Audrey Hepburn

6 Reasons to Explore Your Welcome Center

10 Free Educational Library Treasures

12 Exciting Ways to Explore Your Airport