My husband and I have talked about taking our girls to India for a very long time. This summer we finally made it happen, the stars aligned and we were able to visit India for a month. The best part was that it was a family reunion with my sister-in-law’s family and brother-in-law’s family visiting there too along with their parents at their family home in Faridabad, India.

The whole house was filled with cousins, fun, and memories of a lifetime. 

Here’s a peek at what we fit into our 4 weeks of traveling in India with all 13 of us.  

Planning for an international flight can be quite an adventure, ours was a direct flight from New York for 15 hours to New Delhi. We first had to make a few connecting flights out of our tiny town in North Florida with all our luggage. 

After arriving, we spent a few nights in Aerocity, near the airport at the Novotel hotel, and enjoyed ourselves as the girls transitioned into the Indian culture… very slowly. It was the perfect way to deal with jet lag for a few days after our 30-hour journey.

And we got the chance to begin our India culinary adventure with tons of restaurants in WorldMark and the amazing Indian buffet at the Novotel Hotel.

We had lots of places to visit on our agenda but the main focus for me was simply for us to experience everyday life in India.

This was my 5th visit and I still feel quite humbled each time I go to this magical country. The scale of economic diversity in one location is hard to put into words. The sounds, smells, and sites are unlike any other place I’ve visited. Here’s a peek at my other visits to India.

After being home for just 24 hours, it feels so quiet and simple here in our Florida home.

Did you know that over 32 million people call the city of New Delhi home? One of the biggest changes since visiting nearly 14 years ago, was the Delhi metro, it’s changed how easy it is to get around town and enjoy the landscape of one of the largest cities in the world.

Here are helpful tips for tourist sites near Delhi Metro Stations.

The bonus of our trip was realizing that India Google Maps exists now (My last visit was 14 years ago) I was able to understand more easily where everything is and how to get there.

Take a moment to explore India using Google Earth, it’s pretty cool.

We traveled either with the metro, the new e-rickshaws or we hired a private driver to take the whole family to key locations, which is pretty easy to do there and budget-friendly. By the way, they even have OLA and Uber, and a few other mobile app options for getting a ride.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Top Places to Visit in New Delhi with Kids

On our list of things to visit were historical landmarks, tourist attractions, and a few temples that are located in New Delhi. These are the places we visited with many locations left on our list for our next visit to India. We learned very quickly you can only fit so much in when traveling with grandparents and kids and a large group of people.  

Most of these key attractions are located within the city with a few that are a day trip option to visit, including the city of Agra. One of my goals was to see as many Indian UNESCO sites as we could.

Historial Landmarks

One of the unique things about visiting India is the historical landmarks that were built by the various dynasties thousands of years ago. There’s so much to learn about the Mughal dynasty as you explore these breathtaking sites.

• Qutab Minar
• The Red Fort
• Raj Ghat
• Humayun’s Tomb

A quick day trip you can head to Agra to visit this top places…

• Taj Mahal
• Agra Fort
• Sikandra Fort
• Fatehpur Sikri Fort

Tourist Attractions

There are a few hidden gems in New Delhi to explore with your family. The nice part is so many things are just a short e-rickshaw ride away from one another if you plan it right.

• Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya
• National Science Centre
• Nehru Planetarium
• India Gate
• National War Memorial
• Parliament House

These attractions were on our list to do but life got a bit busy with all of us, no worries it’s on our bucket list for the next visit.

• Waste to Wonder Park
• Garden of Five Senses
• National Gallery of Modern Arts
• National Zoological Park 
• Lodhi Gardens
• Snow World
• e-o-d Adventure Park
• National Rail Museum

Temples

Exploring the temples in India and learning more about religion and how it is so connected to daily lives is something unique to experience. These are a few temples that we visited based on our family members preferences. Before entering a temple everyone is required to remove shoes. Be sure to remember to dress accordingly, for both men and women, this generally means not wearing shorts and keeping the shoulders covered.

• Lotus Temple
• Akshardham Mandir
• Chatarpur Temple
• Bangla Saab Gurudwara
• Hanuman Temple
• Mangal Mahadevan Birla Kanan
• Dev Sthal Mandir
• Gurudwara Sachkhand Sahib

Typically you should also avoid taking photos inside of temples. Here are a few more things to know about visiting a Hindu temple or a Sikh temple (Gurdwara).

Places to Shop

It’s not a trip to India without doing some shopping. Here are a few of our favorite local places to find traditional Indian clothing, jewelry, and local artwork. We took our kids to both market street vendors where bargaining is expected and to some extremely large malls with set prices and great food courts.

• Lajpat Nagar
• Janpath
• Ambience Mall
• Crown Interiorz Mall
• Connaught Place
• DLF Mall of Noida
• Khan Market

TIP… I learned from my husband’s last trip, Amazon India can be a resourceful place for shopping for items from India too. On this trip, we were able to get a few traditional Indian Kurta With Palazzo And Dupatta. Plus some items to decorate for Diwali. Plus they offer cash on delivery.

Ideas for Family Time in India

Because we were spending time in India with all of our family members, experiencing everyday life through food and play was really important to us. Walking in the footsteps of my husband’s childhood was important to me for our kids to experience, it’s part of them now as they begin the next generation.

We were so lucky to be invited into the homes of our family members and neighbors throughout our stay. This was actually our daughters’ favorite thing from the trip, to connect with everyone and see into their daily lives. We wish would have had even more time with each of them and are so grateful for the support they provide to my inlaws when they are in their home in India.

There were so many delicious Indian meals and snacks, I can’t wait to spend more time learning and teaching my kids how to make Indian Food.

Here are a few of the fun things we included in our family time in India.

• Visiting aunties, uncles, cousins, and neighbors’ homes for chai and snacks
• Hosting a party for family and friends
• Taking many E-Rickshaw rides
• Visiting my husband’s old private school in Delhi
• Showing the kids his childhood home (We knocked and they even let us in)

• Getting Henna done
• Inviting Priest to do Havan ceremony in the inlaw’s home
• Breaking open and enjoying delicious coconut
• Enjoying monsoon season on the balcony
• Observing the Full Moon on the rooftop
• Rooftop adventures of Indian Kite flying

• Enjoying both the popular Haldiram and Bikanerwala Restaurants (many times)
• Going to a Movie (ticket prices are cheap compared to the US)
• Experiencing ordering Turkish Ice Cream
• Going out for Dominos Pizza
• Buying fresh produce from street vendors’ carts passing our home
• Feeding the Cows at the front gate
• Watching neighborhood monkeys
• Looking for peacocks and parrots
• Game time with cousins (Carom Board, Chess, Badminton, Cricket)
• And lots and lots and lots of ice cream

We can’t wait to return to do these all again very soon with all 3 of my kids and husband.

Tips for Taking Kids to India

• Weather – I’m not going to sugarcoat it, visiting India in the summer is HOT and HUMID. But if you’re traveling with kids, it’s the best time during the kids’ summer break from school. If you can swing it, winter break is much much cooler but sadly the pollution seems to be the worst during this time. To help with handling the heat, pack things like a neck fan and a cooling towel.    
• Foreigners Tickets – Just so you know ahead of time, foreigners tickets are far more expensive than local tickets for tourist attractions. Just be sure to budget accordingly.
• Indian Food – Start eating at Indian restaurants and cooking Indian food at home to prepare for your trip. Here’s one of our favorite in Indian Dishes. It includes a kid-friendly recipe too. Many of the dishes there can be on the spicier side, even for us. Keep a backup for your child. You can always find a Haldiram and Bikanerwala nearby, both delicious options with a large variety of dishes.
• Books about India – Read books about India to get ready for your adventure. Here are a few of our favorites.
• Drink only purified water– Water sanitation is an issue in India. Even if you get water from a nice restaurant, ask for bottled water. You just can’t trust what comes out of the tap, especially for little tummies. Avoid ice as well for this reason.
• Give yourself time for jet lag – With little ones adjusting to a new time zone can be hard at times.
• Plan for sickness – When planning your travel schedule, keep in mind that you or your child may also be dealing with Delhi Belly. No matter how careful you are, travel tummy bugs can happen, even at Disney. Keep in mind, that you may even get a cold or cough from the air pollution.

Here are a few more travel tips if you’re planning to travel to India with Kids.

Explore now our 30+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Activities About India for Kids

Here are a few activities to explore with your child to learn more about India. From books to crafts to even kid-friendly Indian recipes, we have many options available for you.

Things to Do in New Delhi with Kids

On our next trip, we plan to leave the crazy busy city of New Delhi and venture out into the vast space of India as one of the top 10 largest countries in the world.

On my India Travel bucket list are Jaipur, Shimla, Kashmir, Goa, Kerala, Mumbai, and a few others. We hope to take advantage of the Indian railway system and short flights to tour the beautiful terrain of India.

Do you have a favorite location in India to visit on your vacation? Share with me in the comments below…

With only 18 summers in a child’s life, it’s very important that you make an effort to plan for something special to capture those childhood memories with your kids and if possible extended family.

Have you ever considered a vacation with your extended family?

I personally recommend planning for a summer vacation getaway with your children and children’s grandparents. Planning it at the end of the summer somehow seems to make summer feel longer. It’s also a special way to end the summer making memories before the business of the school year starts.

For our family, it’s our way of pressing pause and really enjoying moments with our children and with our parents.

Disclosure: Wyndham provided us with a complimentary vacation condo during our stay. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post. All opinions expressed are my own and my family’s.

Planning a Trip with Extended Family

We planned a multi-generation stay in Orlando with grandparents who are visiting us from India.
This summer trip we were invited as guests at the WyndhamBonnet Creek Resort in Orlando. Here’s a sneak peek of our stay at this gorgeous resort along with some tips we’ve learned after traveling with our whole family for many years.

These tips can help you plan your next adventure with your extended family to your favorite destination.

As you begin to plan for your family vacation getaway it’s always best to get together and find a system that works for everyone. Here are a few online tools that we use as a family with my parents, my husband’s parents, our siblings and their families, and even close friends when we plan vacations with a large group.

We’ve planned quite a few trips with kids that include family members and I’d like to share some tips that work best while planning. It takes a little time and finesse to plan all your fun vacation activities.

Pick a Destination

This is probably the hardest task of them all!

As a family, we keep an ongoing list with our extended family of places we’d like to explore.
We each try to find budget-friendly deals at those locations when possible. We’ve traveled to the beach, mountains, and even a cruise together with multi-generations but pretty much any location can work.

We have a Pinterest Board filled with Places to Travel if you’re looking for inspiration. This summer we wanted to be in Orlando with a variety of options to choose from.

{Click here} for my post about places to Visit in Orlando.

Find a Destination to Accommodate a Large Group

As you are choosing a vacation destination I recommend looking for a location that can hold a large group with multiple rooms. Booking a large space at times can be more budget-friendly too.

We all need space at times during the extended trip, especially when you have little ones who need naps too so having separate sleep areas can help. Be sure that it provides a full kitchen. With a large group on vacation, you can save a lot of money making meals at home together. Many larger places require a week’s stay so keep that in mind while you are searching.

We planned our trip at Wyndham Bonnet Creek in Orlando at the end of summer because of the choice of having 1, 2, or 3 bedrooms with your vacation condo. The condo had a large common area for all of use to spend time together and at the same time also had the ability for us to each get ready in our own areas and for the kids to have some playtime together too. 

The full size kitchen and eating area was a helpful feature so that everyone could sit down to eat together at mealtime. There’s something very special about having all of your family eating meals together for a period of time that helps to build connections and memories.

One thing to keep in mind as you schedule is to give your family time to just enjoy the space that you’ve booked for the week. Many facilities have great amenities to keep your family entertained. Our resort, Wyndham Bonnet Creek, had far more amenities than we could ever have anticipated. Plus they have a daily activities calendar too. We enjoyed discovering all of the features together each day. 

They had 5 pools, splash park, 2 lazy rivers, private cabanas, hot tubs, kids’ playground, volleyball court, ping-pong tables, pool tables, walking path, fitness center, game rooms, picnic area with grills, kids craft center, and much more! We packed a few family games that we knew everyone loves to play too for back in the room too when we need downtime to refresh.

Honestly the lazy river, near our condo in Tower 5, attracted our family the most and we spent several hours there floating around the pool in our tubes. I loved that there were grandchildren, grandparents, aunts, uncles and parents all doing the same thing with smiles, laughter and relaxation.

We floated and swam around it as we enjoyed the castle features and cannons that splashed us. We packed a snack and drinks in our cooler so that we could stay there a bit longer. A few of the pools even had water slides, one even looked like a pirate ship!

One of the highlights of our trip at Bonnet Creek was each night to be in our room on the balcony when it was time for Disney’s Fireworks. Since the resort is on Disney property you are so close! From our balcony all of us joined together to watch them at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They were gorgeous reflecting over the water.

Create a Vacation Board on Pinterest

• Research Local Attractions together as a whole family and add pin ideas onto a shared Pinterest Board.
• We usually make our secret board so no one needs to see what we’re planning outside of our family.
• Plus then we can type below in the comment section opinions about things and why they are ideal.
• You could even add the price of the venues on the pin description so you can budget accordingly.
• We make ours a Place Board so we can also highlight where the locations are that we are pinning. Makes it so easy to find when you are at your destination.

One tip is to start with a hotel’s feature page. Many Hotels have already done the search for you on what’s close by. Many hotels and visitors bureaus have also started creating their own Pinterest Boards too.

Ideas for Things to do in Orlando

We did spend quite a few days at Bonnet Creek Resort however since we were there for a whole week we also had days to go on adventures together in the mornings or afternoons. We spent time at Downtown Disney Area near the Resort. Then we drove up to International Drive to explore the new Sea Life and the Orlando Eye.

We also drove over to the Florida Mall to go to the new Crayola Experience. No trip to Orlando is complete without a beach trip so we drove up to the Central Florida Zoo on our way to Daytona Beach. It was so much fun exploring these locations together as a whole family. 

Plus we had our good friends who are local join the fun a few times too! The more the merrier!

Of course, with the resort on Disney property, we could have easily spent time visiting the Disney amusement parks.

We’re saving that for our next time visit this fall when it’s a bit cooler. Here’s our Planning for Disney Pinterest Board we can’t wait!

Perhaps a quick trip to SeaWorld too, we loved it last holiday season.

Create a Google Calendar-

One way that we’ve found to be effective is to use a Google Calendar to schedule out our days. Once you add multiple people to an experience it’s helpful to be sure everyone in on the same page and has felt that their interests are being expressed.

You could even add in a link from your Pinterest board pin to be sure everyone knows what’s planned.

Communicate on a Google Document or Facebook Group–

Find one method that works for your family to discuss the trip. We’ve done both ways and either way using a Google document or a Facebook group with files works well. It’s a way that no matter where you log in, you can view it and add to it when needed. It also keeps an Audit track of who added what notes.

Share Responsibilities with Everyone–

We took turns being the person who does various roles such as cooking dinner. It’s a vacation and trust me it takes a little bit of work with so many people in one spot to be sure one person doesn’t feel that they need to take care of the whole family. The kids really get into helping when they know what’s expected of them too. 

We hung the task list up on the fridge so everyone could remember what they committed to. Having so many family members in one space it’s important to keep things organized.

Create a Vacation Meal Plan Together-

We all have our own little things that we enjoy eating so take time before the trip to plan out what needs to be added to the grocery list. My suggestion is to only send one person or two to the store to grab all the items on the list.
It can be overwhelming if everyone joins the shopping adventure.

Take a peek at the area you are visiting and find a few select restaurants that you want to save as special experiences together. With larger groups see if they take reservations so that your family isn’t having to wait for long periods of time for a table. Bring something for ALL the kids to do so that they are entertained. Bigger tables tend to take a little bit longer for service, especially when all the grown-ups are having fun talking.

Discover Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort

Our vacation at Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort had a variety of options to keep our family entertained and make lifelong memories together. The property was well maintained with active and friendly staff. The landscaping surrounding the entire property made you feel like you were in a tropical paradise. Our condo itself was beautifully furnished with everything you need for your family to live there for a week but still make it feel like a special experience in an upscale family friendly space.

The Vij Family Review

Our family had an amazing vacation at the resort that we will never forget. I’ve already asked my parents to look at their calendars to see when we can book a trip with them and the kids to return. The kids’ favorite was the lazy river feature. The view from our room in Tower 5 on the 10th floor made our experience extra special each morning and night.

Grandparents Review

Our favorite was the fireworks each night with our grandchildren and the evening walks around the beautiful lake.
Being able to spend time together as a family was priceless.

Aunt and Uncle’s Review

It was such a fun trip for our extended family to stay together and enjoy quality family time at Wyndham Resort. Kids enjoyed the lazy river with cousins and activities offered by the resort. Watching fireworks from the balcony was one of the memories that will stay with us forever. We can’t wait to plan our family reunion again there.

We hope you find these tips helpful as you plan your next vacation getaway with extended family. With the convenience of online tools, you’ll be set for success and able to spend quality time with your whole family making memories that last a lifetime.

Have a tip for vacationing with extended family? Please tell us below in the comment section.

Thank you Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort

Thank you to our new friends at Club Wyndham for inviting us to be their guests for the week. Club Wyndham is a leader in providing world-class vacation ownership experiences, with more than 75 resorts found in America’s most popular destinations.

Be sure to follow them on Facebook,Twitter,Instagram,Pinterest and visit their siteto check out how you can book your next trip

Club Wyndham** LIKE IT? PIN IT!**

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Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets in exchange to share our personal review of the OdySea Aquarium. All opinions expressed are my own. 

OdySea Aquarium

As you enter the aquarium you’re immediately surprised by your adventure… LOOK UP!  You’ll discover nine massive globe-shaped aquariums, sparkling overhead filled with colorful schools of fish. An engineering marvel, I still can’t figure out how they take care of these amazing tanks.

One of the welcoming staff insisted we head to the restrooms first, which this momma was thankful for the reminder, however we were quite surprised to discover we were not alone in the restroom, the sink area features a window instead of mirrors which highlights a view of the Deep Ocean, including sharks and stingrays.

This one of kind bathroom view earned them the claim to fame of Voted the Best Restroom in America, seriously!

Here’s some fun facts about the OdySea Aquarium

• 6,000 Animals Call OdySea Home
• 300 Species to Meet
• 65 Exhibits to See
• 200,000 Square Feet to Explore on Multi-levels

From sea turtles, sharks and penguins to octopus, sea lions, otters, and more, we were surrounded by some of the most fascinating aquatic life from around the world.

Our biggest surprise while visiting was the giant submerged escalator which allows guests to descend deep into the ocean while surrounded by thousands of sea creatures including sharks, stingrays and sea turtles.

Tickets INFO for OdySea Aquarium

Gallery Areas to Visit at the OdySea Aquarium

• OdySea Voyager
• Aqua Lobby
• Rivers of the World
• Otter Banks
• SeaTrek
• Touch Pools
• Penguin Point
• Kid’s Cove
• Deep Ocean
• Bizarre & Beautiful
• OdySea Aquarium Theater
• Reef Jewels
• Ocean Art

There are Daily events at OdySea Aquarium which include feedings, caretaker interactions with the animals, and Q&A sessions with aquarists. You can take a break for a snack or beverage, by visiting the Lighthouse Cafe through an actual lighthouse.

The Kid’s Cove is located near the Lighthouse cafe for even more fun for the kids for a little playtime!

Rivers of the World

I was highly impressed by the scale of the The Rivers of the World gallery featuring 19 diverse freshwater fish exhibits in over 100,000 gallons of freshwater. Helping your child explore, locate and learn about the world’s rivers through an interactive map. Freshwater turtles and crocodiles will greet you as you watch them dive, swim, and bask in the warmth.

Touch Pools

Roll up your sleeves and head over to their four touch exhibits: Russian Sturgeon, Stingray Shores, Stingray Bay, and Tidal Touch. With these exhibits you’ll get to see species like sturgeon, sea stars, pelagic rays, benthic rays, and anemone up close.

There are over 25 rays from four different species waiting to interact with your family.

Deep Ocean

As we headed toward the sign to move downstairs we expected just a simple escalator but were to in complete awe as we stepped into a fully enclosed Deep Ocean Escalator and which transported us through the Sharks of the Deep Aquarium. The first of its kind, this fully enclosed escalator draws you deeper and deeper into an underwater world where you’re completely surrounded by thousands of mysterious ocean creatures.

On your ride, you’ll observe the giant rays flying overhead and white tip reef sharks. There were numerous rescued sea turtles, 8 shark species, and 3 different large schooling fish! We truly felt like we were under the ocean in a remote destination observing the sea life.

The OdySea Aquarium Theater

We looked at the schedule and discovered there was a 15-minute 3-D film which offers a close-up look at the lives and behaviors of Humpback Whales, Manta Rays, and Whale Sharks. The movie highlights a journey to meet this three Underwater Giants.

The fun surprise is at the end of each screening. The curtains behind the screen open up feature a wall of this beautiful Deep Sea Aquarium that we just enjoyed as we rode the escalator down through it.

OdySea Voyager Ride

As the movie finishes the staff member encourages you to head to ride the OdySea Voyager, I had no idea the journey we were able to embark on. The journey begins at the Great Barrier Reef where guest enter the OdySea Voyager Research Station. Guest then step aboard The Voyager and embark on a journey through the sea. Guests take their seats in a stadium-seating style theatre with 46 ft. viewing windows for the “world’s only revolving aquarium experience.”

As the journey begins, you are then “submerged” into a “submarine” and taken through a narrated twenty-minute storytelling adventure where guests to OdySea Aquarium are invited to join the crew of the OdySea Voyager as they launch one of their five submarines to observe ocean life and search for answers in the deep blue! Along the journey they will encounter sea life varying from Sea Turtles and Broad Rays to giant Lemon Sharks and Sea Lions! It reminds you of a ride at Disney World’s Carousal of Progress and former 20,000 Leagues under the Sea rides which were the inspiration for this exhibit.

Click to plan your visit to the OdySea Aquarium 

OdySea Aquarium Curriculum

To prepare for your trip to the Aquarium I encourage you to take a look at the Aquarium Curriculum for Parents and Educators. They have field trips available as well for schools and homeschoolers.

Ocean Themed Activities for Kids

After a visit to the OdySea Aquarium you can choose from a few of  our favorite ocean themed activities to do with your child to continue the learning and fun at home. So many fun ways to connect and learn more about our aquatic animals and what we can do to protect them for our future.

• Ocean Animal Busy Bag
• 38 Ocean Activities for Kids to Play & Learn
• Host an Ocean Themed Playdate 
• Hunting for Shark Teeth 
• Fish Art Project for Kids 
• Alphabet Fish Game
• Swimming Letters with Dory Sensory Bag
• Sight Word Fish Sensory Bag 
• A House for Hermit Crab Activities 
• Ocean Party Ideas & Crafts for Kids 

OdySea Aquarium Review

My two girls and I had such a great day together at the aquarium learning about aquatic life from around the world. A treasure of this large scale is quite a special treat, especially hidden in the desert in Arizona. My family is so lucky living in Florida to be surrounded by lakes, rivers and ocean life but we still need a reminder of how precious this life is. The OdySea Aquarium is an unforgettable experience for families as we discover all the hidden life and beauty in the waters of our world.

Which aquatic animal would your child want to see the most at the Aquarium? SHARE! 

Click to Learn more about the OdySea Aquarium

Click here for more fun ideas for traveling with kids! 

Summer Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Summer is HERE! The kids are home from school! As much as we’d like to travel all summer long that’s not an option due to work and budgets. So the next best thing is to take tons of kid-friendly summer virtual field trips with your child!

We’ve packed this list full of fun summer adventures PLUS themed activities to go with them.

Are you ready to explore these summer adventures?

Oceans

• Virtual Tour – Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
• National Graphic Virtual Field Trip of Ocean
• 360° Underwater National Park – Buck Island Reef – America’s first protected marine monument.

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Host an Ocean Themed Playdate or Create a Writing in the Sand Sight Word Game.

Seashells

• Snorkeling for seashells in Navarre Beach, FL
• Seashells on the sand bar on Captiva Island
• Collecting Sanibel Beach Seashells
• What Do You Hear in a Seashell?

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Explore these Shell Themed Learning Activities, including how to make Rainbow Shells. You can also make your own Mermaid Necklace.

Coral Reefs

• Exploring the Coral Reef
• The Great Barrier Reef in Australia
• The Coral Kingdom with National Geographic Kids
• Who Lives on a Coral Reef

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Create Watercolor Puppets of Coral Reef Animals which includes a movement game.

Ocean Animals

• Ocean Animals for Kids
• Turtle Time with National Geographic
• The Brave Sea Turtle
• The Outrageous Octopus
• Humpback Whale
• Fish
• Crabs
• Shark Dive with National Geographic
• Discovering Dolphins with National Geographic
• Swimming with Giants in the Ocean with National Geographic
• Ocean View | Ready, Set, Zoom!
• Kids Sail and Snorkel in Kaua’i – See Dolphins, Turtles and Tropical Fish

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Get outdoors to with tips for Finding Shark Teeth with Kids or visit your local Aquarium. You can explore these Shark Themed Activities and books!

Boat Adventures

• Learn how to Sail: Step by Step Guide to Sailing
• Boats for Children with Blippi
• How Do Ships Float? | Things Explained: Buoyancy
• Why do ships float?
• National Maritime Museum Greenwich, London
• Australian National Maritime Museum
• Maritime Museum of San Diego, California
• Touring A Modern Day Cargo Ship

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Get ready to race with these Pool Noodle Sight Word Boats OR Explore water since with a creative Sink or Float Experiment.

Amusement Parks Rides

• Splash Mountain – Disney World
• Space Mountain – Disney World
• It’s a Small World – Disney World
• Expedition Everest – Animal Kingdom
• Big Thunder Mountain Ride – Disney World
• Mako Roller Coaster – Sea World
• Kraken Roller Coaster – Sea World
• Manta Roller Coaster – Sea World
• Journey to Atlantis – Sea World
• Infinity Falls – Sea World

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Test your building skills with this Newspaper Engineering Challenge or Explore our favorite STEM Activities.

Rafting

• Extreme Kayaking in the Grand Canyon
• Rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon

Rock Slides

• Sliding Down the Natural Waterslide at Slide Rock State Park – Sedona, Arizona
• Sliding Rock, North Carolina
• 8 Natural Water Slides of California

ACTIVITY IDEA: Get ready for snacktime with this Edible Sedimentary Rock Cycle Activity.

Hiking

• Redwood National Park
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park
• Half Dome at Yosemite National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park – Rim to Rim
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Skyline Trail Mount Rainer
• Rocky Mountain National Park

Camping

• Blippi Visits a Camp Site
• Tobee Goes Camping

ACTIVITY IDEA: Play this Muffin Tin Camping Game to work on reading skills.

Fishing

• Fishing Virtual Field Trip
• How to Fish – Fishing Camp Field Trip
• How to Teach Kids to Fish

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Get counting with this fish themed math game OR make your own fish art!

Natural Springs

• Top 10 Springs in Florida
• Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
• Ponce De Leon Springs
• Ginnie Springs, Florida
• Wekiwa Springs State Park
• DEEP in Wekiwa Springs, Wekiva River, and Wekiva Island
• Rock Springs and Kelly Park
• Kelly Park Rock Springs Ariel View
• Blue Spring State Park Tour
• Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
• Blue Spring Florida Manatees State Park
• Blue Springs with Florida Travel

Ice Cream

• Easy Homemade Ice Cream
• How is Ice Cream Made?
• Make Your Own Ice Cream
• Learn How Ice Cream is Made With Scholastic News

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Here’s our Step by Step instructions for Kids for How to Make your Own Ice Cream.

Watermelon Farms

• Watermelon Farm Tour
• How to Grow Watermelons
• World’s Largest Watermelon Farm

ACTIVITY IDEAS: Explore these 30+ Gardening Activity for Kids

Printable Virtual Field Trip Log

There are so many fun ways to explore these summer virtual tours for kids! Once you’ve gone on your adventure be sure to grab our Virtual Field Trip Log to track your summer adventures.

Summer Virtual Tours for Kids

Which summer virtual tour will you pick first to take on an adventure this summer?

Tell us in the comments below which one was your favorite trip!

Summer Activity Ideas for Kids

• The Best Summer Books for Kids
• Tips for Making Summer Memories with Your Kids
• Summer Bucket List Ideas for Kids
• Printable Summer Bucket List Planner
• The Best Summer Science Activities for Kids
• Screen Free Activities for Summer Fun
• Rainforest Virtual Field Trip
• First Day of Summer Vacation Interview

DOWNLOAD OUR SUMMER ACTIVITY CALENDAR BUNDLE

Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Looking for more Virtual Field Trips for Kids? Try these…

Which popular Washington, D.C. destination will you explore first?

TIP: Use this Table of Content to help you navigate which locations you want to take a virtual tour of.

Explore 30+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Washington DC Virtual Field Trip for Kids

Are you planning a trip to Washington, D.C. with your child? You might be wondering what are the best things to do in DC?

Here’s the honest truth, kids of all ages will love visiting here but only if you keep it at a pace that’s set for them and their age group.

The first tip is to start with a Virtual Field Trip to Washington, D.C.

There’s something quite magical about a child discovering a real-life building or statue after seeing it in a short video online. Somehow all the details are enhanced for them and they search to find the interesting elements of each historic building. It almost becomes like a real-life I-Spy game!

I’ve put together a collection of Virtual Tours within Washington, D.C. to prepare your child for their visit to our nation’s capital.

This collection of Washington, D.C. Virtual Field Trips will include locations that…

• Honor Past Presidents
• Honor Those That Have Served
• The Seat of Power in the United States
• National Treasures
• Must-See Sites in Washington, D.C.

Grab our virtual field trip log to track your virtual field trips.

Facts About Washington, D.C. for Kids

Washington, DC, the United States capital, is a compact city on the Potomac River, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. It’s defined by historical monuments and buildings – including the iconic ones that house the federal government’s 3 branches: the Capitol, White House, and Supreme Court.

It’s also home to iconic museums and performing-arts venues. Many of the most popular destinations are located on the National Mall.

Let’s get exploring our Washington, D.C. Virtual Field Trip starting here at the National Mall, the center of the capital.

The National Mall

The National Mall is basically a long, rectangular public park stretching from the U.S. Capitol Building on its east end to the Lincoln Memorial on its west end. It is 1.8 miles long by .3 miles wide. It consists of iconic monuments and memorials on 1,000 acres of green space in Washington, D.C.

National Mall and Memorial Parks is responsible for more than 1,000 acres of parkland, including 14 individual units of the National Park System. Here’s a map to take a closer look.

National Mall and Memorial Parks monuments and memorials honor the bravery, sacrifices, and beliefs of those who have served their nation, its people, and all humanity.

The National Park Service

Discovery Education and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden welcome students to a behind-the-scenes Virtual Field Trip to experience the history and beauty of our nation’s capital.

• National Mall 360* Guided Virtual Tour

You can track your virtual tours with our Printable Virtual Field Trip Log!

The U.S. Capitol Building

The U.S. Capitol is home to the U.S. Congress and its two legislative bodies, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. It’s considered to be a monument to the American people. It is where the issues facing the nation are considered, debated, and written into law.

The U.S. Capitol also houses an important collection of American art and is an architectural achievement in its own right.

Did you know that the Capitol campus is made up of more than 18.4 million square feet of facilities, and 570 acres of grounds?

As you plan a visit to the U.S. Capitol, students can learn more from these guides.

• State Statue Guide in U.S. Capitol
• Virtual Resources for the Capital Campus
• Virtual U.S. Capitol Tour
• The Tiny Doors in the U.S. Capitol
• Capitol Video Tour for Middle School Students
• Capitol Hill & Library of Congress Walking Tour

Here are some resources for parents and kids to learn about advocacy and our U.S. voting system.

The White House

The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800.

• Google Maps Virtual Tour of White House
• The People’s House – Inside the White House with the Obama’s
• What’s Inside the White House
• The White House for Kids
• White House Facts and History – Fun Facts for Kids

“The White House is where the President and First Family of the United States live and work — but it’s also the People’s House, where we hope all Americans feel a sense of inclusion and belonging.”

The White House

Supreme Court of the United States

Although located off the National Mall, we want to include all three branches of our US Government with the Supreme Court Building. The construction, begun in 1932, was completed in 1935 when the Court was finally able to occupy its own building. Here are the current members of the Supreme Court.

• Capitol Hill Tour (& Library of Congress + Supreme Court)
• Activity Booklet and Coloring Booklet for Kids
• Explore the Online Exhibits at the Supreme Court

The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is one of the nation’s most recognizable structures in Washington, D.C.

Built to honor George Washington, the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States, the Washington Monument was once the tallest building in the world at just over 555 feet. The monument to America’s first president still holds the title of the world’s tallest stone structure and obelisk. At its base are 50 American flags, one for each state.

• Photo Gallery of The Washington Monument
• Inside the Washington Monument
• Washington Monument Visitor Tips
• What’s inside the Washington Monument?

Lincoln Memorial

The iconic Lincoln memorial was built to honor the 16th U.S. president and is a must-see for every visitor to the nation’s capital. There are 36 columns, each one representing one state in the U.S. at the date of President Lincoln’s death. The memorial itself is 190 feet long and 119 feet wide and reaches a height of almost 100 feet. The statue of Lincoln stands 19 feet tall.

The walls have carved inscriptions of Lincoln’s quotes including the Gettysburg Address, one of the most famous speeches in U.S. history.

• Photo Gallery of the Lincoln Monument
• The Lincoln Memorial for Kids
• Lincoln Memorial, Washington [HD]

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial honors America’s founding father and primary author of the Declaration of Independence. The location and architecture of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial make it stand out among DC’s amazing array of monuments and memorials.

This memorial is our family’s personal favorite in DC.

• Park Ranger Jeff Jones briefly describes the significance of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial
• Thomas Jefferson Memorial Visitors Guide

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the movement he led, and his message of freedom and equality. A wall of quotes from Dr. King’s long civil rights career presents his ideals of peace, democracy, justice, and love. 

The memorial is the first to honor an African American individual on the National Mall, as well as the first on the National Mall to honor a citizen activist, rather than a United States President or war hero. 

• Martin Luther King Memorial ~ Washington DC
• Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

The FDR Memorial uses elements of stone, water, and landscaping to tell the story of FDR’s presidency in a more approachable way. Quotes are at eye level and the statues are at or close to ground level and were meant to be touched.

• Tidal Basin Tour of FDR, MLK & Jefferson
• National Parks Expedition Challenge: FDR Memorial

“Memorials play a part in both remembering and forgetting major events and historical figures. The meaning of memorials—such as the Statue of Liberty, the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, and the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor—may change significantly over time and across generations.”

Susan Crane, a UA historian

World War II Memorial

56 pillars surround a central fountain, commemorating the efforts and sacrifices of those who served, supported, and died in World War II. Each gold star represents 100 Americans who died in the war. Just over 4,000 of these stars clearly reflect the loss of 405,399 Americans in this struggle. In the center of the memorial visitors find themselves surrounded by statements from  President Franklin D. Roosevelt, President Harry S Truman, author Walter Lord and commanding officers of the U.S. military.

• Photo Gallery of World War II Memorial
• Virtual Tour: World War II Memorial narrated by Tom Hanks
• World War II Memorial, Washington

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Honoring the men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists the names of 58,318 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country.

• Listen to Park Ranger Jeff Jones describing the significance of this monument
• The History of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• How to Visit the Vietnam Wall

Be sure to stop by the Vietnam Women’s Memorial while you’re there.

Korean War Memorial

The memorial commemorates the sacrifices of the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed services during the three-year period of the Korean War.

The triangular monument consists of Walls and a Pool of Remembrance, and 19 stainless steel statues that are approximately 7-feet tall and represent an ethnic cross-section of America.

• Korean War Veterans Memorial 

“Our nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met“

Dedication Stone at Korean War Memorial

Arlington Cemetary

The Arlington National Cemetery is the country’s largest military cemetery and serves as the final resting place for more than 400,000 military veterans and their immediate family from the fronts of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as World Wars I and II, the Korean conflict, Vietnam, the Cold War, and America’s Civil War. This cemetery consists of 639 acres.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is Arlington National Cemetery’s most iconic memorial. Here is where you will witness the Changing of the Guard ritual—an elaborate, somber ceremony.

• Interactive Arlington Cemetary Map
• Arlington National Cemetery Education Program

U.S. Air Force Memorial

Three stainless steel spires reach a height of 402 feet above sea-level. It is adjacent to the Arlington National Cemetery and overlooks the Pentagon.

• Air Force Memorial
• US Air Force Memorial, Washington 

Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial)

The United States Marine Corps War Memorial represents this nation’s gratitude to Marines and those who have fought beside them. While the statue depicts one of the most famous incidents of World War II, the memorial is dedicated to all Marines who have given their lives in defense of the United States since 1775.

Watch a video about The story of what the US Marine Corps War Memorial symbolizes

• Iwo Jima Memorial, Washington 

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps, and manuscripts The Library of Congress serves as the main research arm to committees and staff of the U.S. Congress, other government agencies, libraries throughout the country and the world, and the scholars, researchers, artists, and scientists who use its resources.

It is the home of the U.S. Copyright Office.

• Virtual Views of Library of Congress
• The Library of Congress Is Your Library
• Visiting the Library of Congress

National Archives Museum

The National Archives Museum in Washington, DC, is home to the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.

• How to Visit the National Archives in DC
• National Archives
• We the People: The National Archives

National Gallery of Art

The National Gallery of Art, founded as a gift to the nation, serves as a center of visual art, education, and culture. Our collection of more than 150,000 paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, photographs, prints, and drawings spans the history of Western art and showcases some of the triumphs of human creativity.

For your young artist, take advantage of their Learning Resources for Art.

• Take a 360 Degree Virtual Tour
• Five Must-See Masterpieces at the National Gallery of Art

National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial is a national memorial dedicated to the tragic events that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. The memorial has an emotive power that few other memorials have, even to the youngest of visitors.

• Interactive Map

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is a living memorial that encourages visitors to remember, reflect, and act to confront hate and promote human dignity.

This is one that you’ll want to discuss with your child prior to visiting and decide what’s appropriate for their age group.

• The museum has created a Virtual Field Trip for students about the Holocaust
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• Holocaust Museum Washington DC

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is an American landmark and former plantation of George Washington, the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. The estate is on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia.

• Virtual Tour of Mount Vernon with video and clickable 360 views
• Explore Mount Vernon Online Learning Resources
• George Washington’s Historic Mount Vernon
• The Home & Estate of George Washington 

Washington National Cathedral:

Stonemasons and builders erected the cathedral beginning in 1907, completing it 83 years later in 1990. Carved from Indiana limestone, the structure boasts a 30-story-tall central tower, an interior nine-bay nave and 215 stained glass windows, including one embedded with a moon rock.

• Explore the timeline of the National Cathedral in U.S. History
• Fly Through Washington National Cathedral
• Tour Washington National Cathedral & Bell Tower

National Museum of Natural History

The National Museum of Natural History is organized into seven departments: anthropology, botany, entomology, mineral sciences, invertebrate zoology, paleobiology, and vertebrate zoology. The museum holds more than 146 million objects and specimens, making it the largest natural history collection in the world.

• National Museum of Natural History – Student Orientation Video
• Highlights of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum
• A Day at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

National Air and Space Museum

The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum maintains the world’s largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts, encompassing all aspects of human flight, as well as related works of art and archival materials. It operates two landmark facilities that, together, welcome more than eight million visitors a year, making it the most visited museum in the country.

The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC is temporarily closed through fall 2022.

• Take a Virtual Tour
• National Air and Space Museum – Student Orientation Video
• National Air and Space Museum – Washington DC – What to Expect

National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The Udvar-Hazy Center displays thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Discovery and a Concorde, in two large hangars

Take a look at their Programs and Activities for Kids

• National Air and Space Museum – Udvar-Hazy Center – Student Orientation Video
• Visit the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
• Virtual Tour of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

U.S. Botanic Garden

Established by the U.S. Congress in 1820, the U.S. Botanic Garden is the oldest continuously operating botanic garden in the United States. Since 1934.

• 360 Degree Virtual Tour of U.S. Botanic Garden
• Explore their educational resources for kids in the garden
• United States Botanical Garden Virtual Tour in Washington, D.C.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a place where all Americans can learn about the richness and diversity of the African American experience, what it means to their lives, and how it helped us shape this nation.

The museum’s collection of artifacts is astounding: 3,500 are on view, with another 35,000 or so in the collection.

• Explore their Digital Learning Library
• Inside the National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Inside the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Walk Through Smithsonian Museum of African American History

National Museum of American History

• National Museum of American History – Student Orientation Video
• Welcome to the National Museum of American History
• Smithsonian National Museum of American History

National Zoological Park

Lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, and the zoo’s beloved giant pandas are just some of the 1,500-plus animals that call the 163-acre park home. The zoo’s habitats feature animals from 300 different species and about 25 percent of the zoo’s residents are endangered.

All of the animals at the National Zoo – which is also a global research center and conservation center – are cared for by world-class zoologists and veterinarians.

• Explore their At Home Zoo Activities
• Take a look at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Youtube channel
• Smithsonian’s National Zoo Tour & Review with The Legend

The Smithsonian

We listed out several of these locations individually on this Virtual Field Trip guide but thought it would be good to see how many options are available in Washington, D.C. through the Smithsonian.

When you visit the Smithsonian, you’re entering the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with approximately 155 million artifacts and specimens in its trust for the American people. The Smithsonian Institution includes 19 museums and the National Zoological Park.

• Anacostia Community Museum
• Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
• Arts and Industries Building
• Freer Gallery of Art
• Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• National Air and Space Museum
• National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (Chantilly, Virginia)
• National Museum of African American History and Culture
• National Museum of African Art
• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Museum of Natural History
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Postal Museum
• Renwick Gallery
• Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Smithsonian Institution Building (“Castle”)

Explore their Fun Stuff for Kids section on their site for cool things to do.

The Smithsonian has its own Education channel on youtube, take a look!

International Spy Museum

The International Spy Museum is a private non-profit museum that documents the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage. It holds the largest collection of international espionage artifacts on public display.

• The museum has interactive virtual field trips available at cost.
• International Spy Museum | Things to Do In Washington, DC

Newseum

Sadly the Newseum has closed (2019), which was quite interesting to experience. Luckily they are maintaining an active online news curriculum packed full of resources to explore with your child.

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

They also have a National Law Enforcement Officers Museum which offers online workshops for kids.

• National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial tells the story of one of America’s greatest leaders of the 20th century.

• Take a look at the photo gallery
• Eisenhower Memorial unveiled after 20 years
• Eisenhower Memorial Virtual Tour

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Tips for How to Discuss Monuments and Memorials with Kids

Children may experience an overwhelming feeling at DC, that many of the monuments and memorials are dedicated to significant citizens in U.S. History that we’ve lost. You’ll want to talk about it before and after you visit virtually or in person.

We don’t often discuss death in our typical daily life, which can impact your experience at these memorials and monuments.

The topic of death and the topic of war look different at various ages. A few times over the years as a mom and teacher, I’ve observed visiting a large number of locations in a short period of time focused on famous and heroic people in U.S. History, which may weigh heavy on their hearts.

One positive way for many who visit Washington, D.C. is that they feel motivated to get involved.

Here are some tips and resources for parents and kids to learn about advocacy and our U.S. voting system. Plus a few ways to support and honor military members.

Virtual Tours of Washington, D.C.

• Virtual Field Trip – Washington, D.C. by VirtualFieldTripsnet
• Washington D.C. Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia
• Rock the Park – Washington DC Tour (For more mature viewers)
• Washington DC – US Capitol for Children (For younger viewers)
• Visitors Guide to Washington DC’s National Mall – How To Do It, What To See, Fun Facts
• Washington DC Night Tours 

Washington, D.C. Printable Lessons for Kids

• Washington, D.C. Unit for Kids
• If I Were President Printable
• Virtual Field Trip Log
• A Virtual Field Trip to Washington, D.C. Afterschool Companion Guide
• Helping Your Child Learn History

Children’s Books about Washington, D.C.

• This is Washington, D.C.: A Children’s Classic by Miroslav Sasek
• Capital!: Washington D.C. from A to Z by Laura Krauss Melmed
• Mr. Boddington’s Studio: Washington, DC ABCs by Mr. Boddington’s Studio
• Exploring the White House: Inside America’s Most Famous Home by Kate Andersen Brower
• N Is for Our Nation’s Capital: A Washington DC Alphabet by Marie Smith
• 1,000 Facts About the White House by Sarah Flynn
• My Little Golden Book about Washington, DC by Rich Volin
• Larry Gets Lost in Washington, DC by John Skewes
• My Little Golden Book About The White House Jen Arena

Ready to Go in Person? How to Get Around Washington, D.C.

In this virtual field trip guide to Washington, D.C. I shared my tips for how to go site-seeing in our country’s capital with your child, even if it’s just virtually for now.

Pick a few of each family member’s favorite locations from this virtual field trip and plan a visit there. The good thing is most of the museums in DC are free.

Be sure in person to balance out indoor and outdoor times to keep them entertained. Parents may want to read all the signs, but kids will give you about 20 minutes in one spot at most.

Washington, D.C. Mall area is a very compact space. If you’re ready to walk, this whole area is walkable. You’ll need to plan your adventure and give yourself at least 3 days to be able to see your top picks, especially when traveling with kids.

Washington, D.C. has so many famous sites that it’s difficult to keep track of all there is to see and do. One of the best ways to explore this city is on an Old Town Trolley Tours or the classic Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour, seeing the sites from an open-top red bus and getting on and off wherever you choose.

Washington, D.C. has so many locations to visit, which one will you visit first? Which virtual field trip location was your favorite?

Did I miss your favorite? Leave a comment below and let me know your favorite location to site see in the nation’s capital.

Looking for more virtual field trips for kids? Try these…

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets to Butterfly Wonderland in exchange for sharing our review with you.  All opinions expressed are my own. 

Butterfly Wonderland is a gorgeous display of color through butterflies and plant life in a tropical oasis in Scottsdale, Arizona. Featuring the largest butterfly rainforest a large variety of species on flying freely in the butterfly conservatory. The experience of 3000 fluttering butterflies is quite magical!

We found true beauty and peace in the butterflies and flowers in the rainforest at the Butterfly Wonderland. The Butterfly Rainforest is so colorful and calming as you walk around, every turn in a new type of butterfly or plant with gorgeous flowers. In the center of the butterfly conservatory, it features a large waterfall and pond that even has Koi fish. As you explore indoors the experience continues even more with rainforest animals in the reptile, insect, and aquatic animal areas. Plus a food court for when you need to grab a bite.

Click here to learn more about Butterfly Wonderland

Butterfly Wonderland

There’s something so magical about watching a butterfly flying from flower to flower! We visited the Butterfly Wonderland featuring the largest butterfly conservatory in the country with over 3,000 fluttering butterflies. I’m excited to share with you all of the fun exhibits here.

Considered to be the largest butterfly conservatory in the country, this luscious exhibit transports guests of all ages to the rainforest by immersing them in the world of butterflies and other rainforest animals. Live exhibits connect people to nature through a sensory experience that educates and entertains guests for hours.

As you enter the Butterfly Wonderland you emerge into the world of butterflies with a short 3D movie “Flight of the Butterfly” about monarch butterflies’ lifespan and their yearly migration to Mexico.

Once complete you step into an emergence gallery area to experience one of the large amount of live chrysalis on display awaiting for them to emerge into beautiful butterflies and fly freely in the butterfly conservatory. Some of the chrysalis look like gold, others like dried leaves and many had butterflies emerging before our eyes.

There’s even an education cart with hands-on items for the kids to explore, including the shipping containers the chrysalis arrive in, a neat space for visitors to wait their turn to go step into the butterfly world. 

One suggestion I would love for them to include in their daily schedule is Butterfly Release time during the day, a favorite feature at our local Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of History.

Entering the butterfly rainforest is quite magical. The entire area is swarming with butterflies you almost don’t know where to start to enjoy the amazement of it all.  We did several circles around the whole rainforest and every time was a different experience.

Plan to spend time here to enjoy and observe the mesmerizing experience of it all simply. There were a few benches towards the back, but I wish there were a few more spread out throughout the conservatory.

The sounds of the waterfall in the middle and the mist falling from the sky made a tropical oasis that honestly the kids and I didn’t want to leave. The Native American Flute Music was a special surprise that made it so relaxing.

It was very well-managed crowd control, they don’t let too many visitors in any one space at a time so everyone can enjoy. It was very beautiful and informative including the butterfly, insect, reptile and aquatic exhibits.

TIP: The number of butterflies you see flying around largely depends on the time of day. Mornings are best to see lots of butterflies flying. Later in the afternoon, butterflies tend to settle on trees and bushes, where they are better camouflaged.

The Glass Garden at Butterfly Wonderland

Throughout the garden on display for a limited time is The Glass Garden exhibition of Hand Blown Glass Art by Newt Grover. They were absolutely gorgeous, my pictures don’t do them justice. (Available for limited time on display)

Rainforest Reptiles at Butterfly Wonderland

Butterfly Wonderland has a special exhibit room called Rainforest Reptiles. This Exhibit features reptiles and amphibians that are from all around the world!

Take a glimpse into tropical wetlands, woodlands, and tree canopy habitats of Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia and you’ll discover camouflage experts like the Asian Water Dragonor Green Tree Python. Then explore the Amazon, with Blue and Black Dart Frogs of many brilliant colors, Caiman crocodiles and a Mata-Mata turtle. The next stop is the tropical island of Madagascar – filled with incredible animals including the panther chameleon, tomato frog and giant leaf-tailed geckos.

Animals that dwell above & below the forest floor

Learn about the lesser known, but no less spectacular creatures that call the rainforest their home. Orchid Mantids and scorpions that glow, a giant bird-eater Goliath tarantula, as well as other strange, fascinating and unusual creatures.

Spineless Giants at Butterfly Wonderland

Meet some of our world’s largest arthropods! From moths and butterflies to millipedes and walking sticks. Many of our insect friends have changed very little (except for their size) since prehistoric times.

Tropical Waters of the World at Butterfly Wonderland

Discover underwater treasures from the Amazon in our large, freshwater aquariums that house African Cichlids, Amazon Pacu fish and other colorful exotic fish. My girls enjoyed the education cart with items that they could touch from the ocean.

I suggest spending a couple of hours and then grabbing lunch at one of the fun restaurants (keep your ticket for re-admission) and taking another stroll through the butterfly hatching room (100 chrysalis) and of course back through the garden (probably saw about 50 hatched butterflies if not more).

Click here to learn more about Butterfly Wonderland Tickets 

Can’t make it in person? Explore these Butterfly Virtual Field Trips for Kids!

Final Thoughts on Butterfly Wonderland

Our visit to Butterfly Wonderland was truly a magical and peaceful escape into nature. From the moment we stepped into the conservatory surrounded by thousands of butterflies, to exploring the rainforest animals, glass art, and interactive exhibits, it was an unforgettable experience for the whole family. Whether you’re visiting Scottsdale or live nearby, this is a must-see destination that blends beauty, education, and wonder all in one place. We left feeling inspired, relaxed, and full of appreciation for the natural world—and we can’t wait to visit again!

I would encourage you to look into the combo tickets that are available for all of the attractions at the Odysea in the Desert. We did a combo ticket to the OdySea Aquarium to save money. Here’s a peek at our visit.

The Butterfly Wonderland is a treasure in the Arizona desert in Scottsdale. Thanks to Butterfly Wonderland for having us as your guests at this gorgeous location in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Bring Back the Butterflies Resources to help you invite butterflies to your own backyard and help to build a small garden in an effort to reverse the ongoing destruction of butterfly habitats in their local area. Here’s a peek at our Butterfly garden we started in our yard.

Here’s a few butterfly activities to continue your butterfly exploration at home…

Butterfly Crafts for When You Visit a Butterfly Rainforest

• Caterpillar to Butterfly Science Activity with Balloons
• Butterfly Art Project for Kids 
• Retelling The Very Hungry Caterpillar with LEGOS 
• Growing your Own Butterfly Garden

Are you ready to explore Ukraine?

As I sit in shock watching the news of the Russian military invading Ukraine, I feel incredibly helpless and filled with such sadness and fear for those impacted by this event. My heart is with those families, especially the children, trying to seek safety and protect their loved ones who live in these territories.

It can be hard at times to assure your child everything will be okay. There are some things to consider on how to talk to kids about tragic events.

In an effort to send positive energy to a country and region that needs our thoughts and prayers during this time of war, I thought it might be helpful for each of us to learn as much as we can with our children about this beautiful historic country and its Ukraine citizens.

I want my children to learn more about Ukraine.

I’ve put together a virtual field trip guide with a free printable field trip log for you and your child to do together. (Adults will learn a few new things too)

Are you ready for a virtual journey to Ukraine?

Fun Facts About Ukraine for Kids

Ukraine is an Eastern European country known for Kyiv’s churches, the port of Odessa & the Carpathian Mountains.

It is the second-largest country by area in Europe.

Ukraine also shares borders with Belarus to the north; Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary to the west; Romania and Moldova to the south.

It has a coastline along the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

The capital is Kyiv.

Ukraine has some of the world’s longest caves – the world’s longest caves in gypsum. These unusual caves have beautiful crystals, stalactites, and other cave formations.

It’s population is 43,302,531 (2022)

The Ukrainian flag consists of two horizontal bands of yellow and blue, the colors represent the wide blue skies and the yellow represents the wheat fields that characterize the country.

The national flower of Ukraine is the sunflower.

Ukraine proclaimed its independence on August 24, 1991.

The Ukrainian President is Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Virtual Field Trip of Ukraine for Kids

I’ve created a virtual guide to Ukraine for Kids. It includes famous landmarks, virtual tours, children’s books, and recipes from the Ukrainian culture.

Think of this as a virtual field trip to Ukraine. Are you ready to explore from your computer?

PLUS! You can track your virtual tours with our free Printable Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Log!

Popular Landmarks in Ukraine

Here are many popular landmarks in Ukraine. You’ll find many of our virtual tour videos of Ukraine feature these specific locations. There are many churches and castles to explore!

• Akkerman Fortress – historical and architectural monument of the 13th-14th centuries
• Dniester Canyon National Park – includes two of the longest caves in the world.
• Feofaniya Park – landscape art park-memorial of national importance
• Golden Gate – Reconstructed medieval city gate
• Independence Square – Historical hub for political rallies
• Kamianets Podilskyi Castle – Classic medieval fortress
• Kherson Cliffs – known as the grand canyon of Ukraine
• Khotyn Fortress – complex of fortifications on the hilly right bank of the Dniester
• Khreschatyk Street – Shopping & historic buildings
• Kyiv Pechersk Lavra – Landmark monastery & cave system
• Kyiv’s Founders Monument – erected to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv
• Lutsk High Castle – one of the largest, oldest and best-preserved castles in Ukraine
• M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden
• Mariyinsky Palace – serves as the official ceremonial residence of the President of Ukraine
• Mezhyhirya: Former Presidential Palace
• Motherland Monument – War museum & sword-bearing statue
• Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War
• National Art Museum of Ukraine
• National Opera and Ballet of Ukraine
• St. Andrew’s Church – Green onion-domed Orthodox church
• St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery – Lavish complex of Orthodox buildings
• St. Sophia’s Cathedral – 11th-century Orthodox church & museum
• St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral – 19th-centery mother cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
• State Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine
• Sudak Fortress – complex of the monuments of medieval archaeology and architecture of the 6th – 16th centuries
• Swallow’s Nest – decorative castle located at Gaspra

Take a look at the Seven Wonders of Ukraine that their experts voted for in 2007!

Here’s a look at the Best Castles in Ukraine.

Make a loaf of this Ukrainian Babka Bread to enjoy while you’re watching the virtual field trips! Babka Bread is a Ukrainian sweet, leavened bread made with a rich dough (often containing golden raisins).

Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Videos

Discover the various popular sites to see in Ukraine by watching these kid-friendly videos of famous landmarks in Ukraine.

• The Most Beautiful Churches in Kyiv
• The Most Beautiful Places of Ukraine
• Virtual Tour of Ukraine
• Ukraine Country Tour | City Kiev, Odessa, Lviv, Carpathians
• Kyiv (Kiev)- The Capital of Ukraine
• Kyiv Pechersk Lavra , Monastery Of The Caves In Ukraine
• The Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra | Kyiv’s Architecture: History And Myth
• St. Andrew’s Church Kiev, Ukraine
• St Michael’s Golden Domed Monastery
• The Story Behind Europe’s Tallest Statue: The Motherland Calls
• Taking a Tour of the Mother Motherland Statue
• Swallow’s Nest Castle, Ukraine
• St. Volodymyr’s Cathedral
• Dniester Canyon | Unexplored Ukraine
• Northern Bessarabia | Unexplored Ukraine
• Wild Polissya | Unexplored Ukraine
• Museum of Folk Architecture and Life in Ukraine
• Chernivtsi Museum of Folk Architecture and Life Shows Ukraine in the 19th Century
• M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden
• Travel To Kherson Ukraine – 6 Awesome Things To Do In Kherson
• Ukraine Trip – Kherson Region
• LIFE in the Ukrainian Village
• Ukrainian Seventh Wonder: The Askania Nova
• Dzharylhach from above – Ukraine
• Exploring the Carpathian Mountains – Ukraine
• Top 10 Places To Visit In Ukraine
• Ukraine: A Journey Back in Time
• Kyiv, Not Kiev. Why Ukrainians care so much about their capital’s spelling
• The Story Behind Europe’s Tallest Statue: The Motherland Calls | National Geographic
• HOPAK: Traditional Ukrainian Folk Dance
• Sunflower fields, Ukraine
• Ukrainian Dance: A Short Documentary
• Exploring Ukraine’s Secret Crystal Caves

For a little outdoor fun, you can recreate one of these famous Ukrainian landmarks with this Sidewalk chalk Art Project. Explore math and art as you create a unique masterpiece replicating an iconic building in Ukraine.

Use these Videos for our Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Log

• Monument to Duke de Richelieu
• Holy Dormition Cathedral Poltava, Ukraine
• Kyiv’s Founders Monument
• National Opera and Ballet of Ukraine
• Exploring Khotyn Fortress
• St. Sophia’s Cathedral
• Kyiv Golden Gate

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT : Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Log (FREE)

To help your child track their virtual adventure to Ukraine, you can download this printable unit. It includes pages with information about the Ukraine flag, Ukraine map, Historic Ukrainian landmarks, European map and virtual field trip logs to track each place they explore and share their favorite parts about them.

Google’s Authentic Ukraine Project

The Ukrainian government together with Google created the “Authentic Ukraine” project. A unique space in which you can find texts, descriptions, audio and video materials, illustrations, 3D images and virtual tours of Ukraine.

There is also a lot of visual information about the Ukrainian Identity – folk tales, songs, rituals, traditional crafts.

Here’s a fun project to do with your child, learn about how to decorate eggs the traditional Ukrainian way.

Current Events About Ukraine for Kids

Want to discuss with your child the recent events and history of Ukraine? Here are some age appropriate suggestions to consider from Dr. Laura Markham founder Aha! Parenting.

These videos are mom-approved and teacher-approved to view with your older child.

• Ukraine Russia Conflict Explained
• The Animated History of Ukraine
• Russia Invasion of Ukraine Explained
• Ukraine Geography
• War in Ukraine – TIME for Kids
• Russia-Ukraine War

Here are some additional tips for How to talk to children about war: An age-by-age guide.

This explanation shared by Yvette Dawson-Phillips of the current events in Ukraine provides a very kid-friendly version for younger elementary school children. It breaks it into a “playground version” that I just thought did a good job of trying to put to words what’s happening between Ukraine and Russia.

If your child asks, this is a map of where the Ukrainian refugees are heading and how many of them from ABCNews.com. Over 1 Million refugees have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion, according to the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to books on Amazon.

Ukraine Books for Kids

This is a collection of books written about Ukraine. Many include popular Ukrainian Folktales for you to enjoy.

The Mitten by Jan Brett (Listen to Read Aloud)

The Mitten: Coloring Book (Tales from Ukrainian Folklore) by Svitlana Yakovenko

The Mitten: A Classic Pop-Up Folktale by Jessica Southwick

The Sparrow and the Bush & The Little Straw Bull: Coloring Book by Svitlana Yakovenko

My Ukrainian American Story by Adrianna Oksana Bamber

Who Lives in the Wood?: An Illustrated Ukrainian-English Bilingual Story for Kids – by Chatty Parrot

A Christmas Spider’s Miracle by Trinka Hakes Noble (Listen to Read Aloud)

Secret of the Glass Mountain and Other Folktales from Ukraine by Maria Zemko Tetro

A kid’s guide to decorating Ukrainian Easter Eggs by Natalie Perchyshyn

The Fabulous Lost & Found and the Little Ukrainian Mouse by Mark Pallis

Big Book of Ukrainian Alphabet for Kids: English-Ukrainian Book for Kids by Chatty Parrot

My First Ukrainian Book. Ukrainian-English Book for Bilingual Children by Anna Young

The Magic Egg and Other Tales from Ukraine by Barbara J. Suwyn

Ukraine: A Beautiful Travel Photography Coffee Table Picture Book by Dalili

Travel Dreams Ukraine – Social Studies Fun-Schooling Journal by Sarah Janisse Brown

Exploring Ukraine by Matthew Sorenson

Colors of Ukraine by Camille S Campbell

Finding Freedom: A Ukrainian Tale of Home by Maryna Kariuk

Sister Goat / Сестра коза by Antonina Novarese

A New Home for Leo/Новий дім для Лео by Olena Kalishuk

Our World: Ukraine by Kateryna Yehorushkina

Popular Ukrainian Recipes

This is a collection of popular recipes in Ukraine. Which one will you cook first?

• Borscht
• Paska (Easter Bread)
• Varenyky
• Holubtsi
• Deruni
• Olivier Potato Salad
• Holodets
• Kapusta
• Golubtsi
• Ukrainian Pierogies
• Chicken Keiv
• Okroshka
• Banush
• Nalesniki
• Walnut Stuffed Prunes
• Kutia
• Pampushky

Ukrainian Street Food in Odessa’s Oldest and Largest Market

Explore the world with food! For more ideas take a look at our Around the World in 12 Dishes Recipes.

Printable Ukraine Unit for Kids

Track your virtual tours with our free Printable Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Log!

Ways to Support Ukraine Refugees

• UNICEF
• Doctors Without Borders
• Project HOPE
• CARE International
• International Rescue Committee
• UN Crisis Relief
• Convoy of Hope
• Rescue.org
• National Bank of Ukraine
• Women Veterans Foundation
• Come Back Alive

And, to our foreign friends: We are no longer in the headlines every day, but please do not forget us. We need all of you ― not just your governments ― to do everything you can to help us secure our democracy and protect the West from Russia’s aggression. (Read More)

Maria Zavialova, Ukrainian journalist living temporarily in exile

Looking for how to help those affected by the Russian invasion? As with any crisis, women, children, and the poor will be those most affected.

The estimates are that the war in Ukraine has led to the displacement of 4.3 million children – more than half of the country’s estimated 7.5 million child population. This includes more than 1.8 million children who have crossed into neighboring countries as refugees and 2.5 million who are now internally displaced inside Ukraine. in the months since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, according to UNICEF data.

Here are some meaningful ways you can help Ukraine from Global Citizen.

You can print this and color a Stand with Ukraine Poster (free).

The flower became a symbol of peace for Ukrainians in the 1990s and still is today. You learn how to make sunflower coasters.

There are so many amazing locations to explore in Ukraine. Our hope is that this will be a resource for you to use to discover what makes this country so unique.

You can explore more countries and famous locations in our Virtual Field Trips for Kids.

Where do you want to travel next virtually?

Want to explore the world more? Try these popular Virtual Field Trips for Kids.

Disclosure: We received complimentary passes from Florida Historic Coast – St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau in exchange for sharing our experience. All opinions expressed are my own.

St. Augustine Nights of Lights

We are a family who loves to travel. We were so excited to spend time in St. Augustine to enjoy their world-famous Nights of Lights this winter break for a special Christmas Activity.

The historic city is draped from the rooftops to the sidewalks with millions of tiny white lights for visitors to experience. It’s quite a magical experience for your family to experience at least once during the holiday season.

The event is free and open to all! Walk through and enjoy all the lights in the historic district. It’s a delightful holiday outing for families, couples, and solo travelers in Florida.

National Geographic listed St. Augustine as one of the world’s top ten holiday light displays. Southern Living declared that it’s The Ultimate Southern Christmas Town. Trust me it’s that good!

The Saturday before Thanksgiving kicks off the Nights of Lights. It typically runs through the end of January. The 2024-2025 Nights of Lights takes place every evening from November 23, 2024 to January 26, 2025. There’s still time to visit!

You can view the Nights of Lights Online Calendar here.

The holiday lights highlight the city’s Spanish Colonial architecture, providing a gorgeous backdrop for festive activities.

One of the main reasons it’s so magical is that to participate businesses and residents can use only clear colorless or white lights for their exterior display of holiday lights within the historic districts.

Homes, businesses, and even carriages and trolleys throughout the city are adorned with lights, trees, ornaments, garlands, wreaths, bows, and more during this time, creating a Christmas storybook atmosphere.

The festival draws inspiration from an old Spanish tradition where residents would place a white candle in their windows during the Christmas season, symbolizing warmth and hospitality.

Ways to View Nights of Lights

There are a variety of ways to experience the lights

• Old Town Trolley Tour
• Ripley’s Red Train Tours
• Carriage Rides Tours
• Private and Shared Golf Carts Tours
• Boat Tours from the Water

Can’t make it in person? Explore our Christmas Virtual Field Trips for Kids!

Best Spots to View Nights of Lights

After experiencing the event for several nights, I’d have to tell you that my two favorite spots for the best views and Nights of Lights photos are:

• The Plaza de la Constitución
  Head to the center of town to the oldest public space in America to admire a large Christmas tree and more than a dozen giant oaks covered with holiday lights.
• The Bridge of Lions
  Walk the bridge to gaze back at the sparkling reflection of the lights along the water. The seawall along the Matanzas Bayfront is perfect for a waterfront stroll with a few benches to sit and soak in the view.

There are several adorable Bed and Breakfasts just off the main streets around historic Downtown, I’d highly recommend walking around to explore the quieter side of Nights of Lights too.

The historical homes and Victorian homes adorned with lights are truly stunning. St. Augustine Architecture is absolutely charming, and it becomes even more breathtaking when illuminated.

Did you know Aviles Street is the oldest street in America? While you’re there the pedestrian only St. George Street is a must. Be sure to also stroll down Cedar Street, Cordova Street, and Spanish Street for an extra special experience.

Look out for the annual Photo Contest of Nights of Lights for a chance to see stunning captures of the event.

Best Time of Day

The best time to arrive is before sunset to enjoy the golden hour light. Watching the sunset from the Bridge of Lions was magical. As the sky lights up with beautiful colors, the holiday lights begin to glow, creating a breathtaking view.

The boats returning from sunset cruises, decorated with holiday lights, add even more charm. Watching the drawbridge rise is also a fun sight! The reflections of lights off the water will forever remain vividly imprinted in my memory of our trip.

Best Days to Attend

I’ll admit, it does get a little crowded during the peak times of the holiday break in St. Augustine. It’s still worth the visit but be prepared for a lot of people there. If your schedule permits I’d recommend off-peak days. We returned the first week of January and it was a lot quieter to walk around and enjoy the lights.

Want to learn more about St. Augustine’s history? Check out the informative video by Chad Gallivanter, which covers fascinating historical facts about the city.

Holiday Events during Nights of Lights

St. Augustine hosts many exciting Holiday Events during Nights of Lights, including:

• Regatta of Lights Boat Parade
• St. Augustine Christmas Parade
• Lighthouse Illuminations at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
• Nights of Lights Holiday Market
• St. Augustine Bed & Breakfast Holiday Tour
• Light Up the Night! New Year’s Eve Fireworks Show

Check out the holiday events calendar to see when each event is scheduled.

Our Family’s Experience at Nights of Lights

Nights of Lights was a magical experience for our family, like stepping into a charming Christmas movie. Experiencing it in America’s oldest city only amplified the charm!

Timing matters. Since we stayed for over a week, we experienced both weekends and quieter weeknights. While both were wonderful, the off-peak days were more relaxed. Be sure to plan ahead for parking and restaurants, as it can get busy.

We also were in town for their famous New Year’s Eve Fireworks at St. Augustine Beach, our family’s favorite! You have to experience it at least once in your lifetime! It’s worth it.

Whether you’re strolling through the twinkling historic streets or enjoying the glowing waterfront views, St. Augustine’s Nights of Lights offers a holiday experience you’ll treasure for years to come.

Start planning your visit today and make unforgettable holiday memories with your loved ones!

You may also enjoy these travel destinations…

Which Christmas Virtual Field Trip will you go on first?

I thought it might be fun to expand our popular Winter Virtual Field Trips with its own special Christmas Virtual Field Trips just for you this holiday season.

Virtual Field Trips of Christmas Around the World

There are some amazing Christmas locations and holiday traditions that I’d love for my kids to experience around the world, but realistically we won’t be traveling there for now. Here’s a fun way to do just that, travel the world at Christmas virtually with these fun kid-friendly virtual Christmas tours.

You can use these virtual field trips along with our activity ideas for December Holidays Around the World.

To make it extra special, use these easy Christmas simmer pot recipes to fill your home with Christmas!

Reindeer Themed Virtual Field Trips

• Magical Finland Sleigh Ride with a Reindeer!
• Reindeer! Learn facts about Reindeer
• Living with Reindeer
• Reindeer Herding In Snowy Mongolia
• How to Draw a Reindeer

Take our Reindeer STEM Challenge!

Christmas Tree Farms Virtual Field Trips

• Largest Christmas Tree Farm in the World
• Planting Christmas Trees Virtual Field Trip
• Let’s Find A Christmas Tree!
• Christmas Tree Farm – Nat Geo Kids

Grab some Christmas Tree Science Experiments here!

The Nutcracker Ballet

• Nutcracker Ballet – Classical Ballet & Opera House
• The Nutcracker – The New York City Ballet
• The Nutcracker | Radio City Christmas Spectacular
• The Nutcracker in 10 minutes! – DanceLine Ballet
• The Nutcracker | Vooks Narrated Storybooks

Read one of our favorite versions of the Nutcracker book.

Living Nativity

• Living Nativity at Westside Baptist Church
• O Wondrous Night | SeaWorld Orlando Christmas Celebration
• The Living Nativity | Radio City Christmas Spectacular
• The Christmas Story – The Fully Animated Reading
• The Christmas Story for Kids

Make this sweet nativity craft after watching a virtual tour.

Amusement Parks at Christmas

• Magic Kingdom Christmas Experience | Walt Disney World Orlando Florida
• Disney World Music & Ambience – Christmas on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom
• Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade
• EPCOT Candlelight Processional with Neil Patrick Harris
• SeaWorld Sea of Trees
• O Wondrous Night | SeaWorld Orlando Christmas Celebration
• Winter Wonderland On Ice – SeaWorld Orlando
• Holiday Reflections: Fireworks and Fountains Finale at SeaWorld
• Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks | Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World
• Christmas Show at Hogwarts – Universal Orlando
• A Christmas Fantasy Parade 2022 Disneyland

Here’s a sneak peek of our family’s experience at Christmas at SeaWorld.

Gingerbread House Displays

• Time Lapse: Grand Floridian Ginger Bread House | Walt Disney World
• Ornament honors gingerbread White House tradition
• Time-lapse video shows the Construction of Gingerbread White House
• The LARGEST Gingerbread VILLAGE in the World Comes to New York City
• World’s Largest Gingerbread House
• Life-Size Gingerbread House in Fairmont San Francisco

Try one of these adorable Gingerbread Activities for extra holiday fun.

Christmas Sweets

• How Candy Canes are Made
• Ribbon Candy for Christmas
• Homemade Christmas cookies at a large factory
• Making Gingerbread Houses

Use this kid friendly recipe to make your own Christmas cookies!

Holiday Lights Virtual Field Trips

• The World’s Most Magical Christmas Towns
• Best Places To Celebrate Christmas Around The World
• Best Christmas Trees Around the World
• Night of a Million Lights” at Give Kids the World Village
• The World’s Most Amazing Christmas Trees
• New York Walk – Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
• NYC Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Walking Tour
• Climbing The World’s Tallest “Natural” Christmas Tree in Dortmund
• Holiday Decorations “We The People” at the WhiteHouse

You may also enjoy these Christmas kids activities!

Christmas Displays Around the World

• Christmas in Quebec
• Winter in Montreal
• Winter Wonderland in Leavenworth, WA
• Giant Lantern Festival (San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines)
• Top 10 Most Incredible Christmas Celebrations Around the World
• The World’s Most Magical Christmas Towns
• German Christmas Markets for kids
• Hamburg, Germany, Christmas Market Walking Tour
• Swedish Christmas
• Old Quebec Christmas Walk
• Noël à Paris – The city of a thousand lights!
• Christmas Lights: Walk in Moscow, Russia
• Santa Claus Village in Finland

Expand your holiday fun with one of these 50+ Christmas Activities for Kids.

Virtual Tours of Christmas Around the World

I hope you’ve enjoyed taking an adventure around the world for Christmas. There are so many amazing displays of lights and Christmas traditions to enjoy. You can track your Christmas adventures here in this downloadable virtual field trip log.

Do you have a favorite Christmas location you like to visit each year? Share with us in the comments below. We’d love to add more Christmas Virtual Field Trips to our list of tours.

You may also enjoy these Christmas Activities and Books for Kids!

Disclosure: We received complimentary passes to the Museum of Northern Arizona in exchange for sharing about our experience. All opinions expressed are my own.

Our family learned quite a bit about the geology, animals, and native cultures found in Northern Arizona throughout history. In my opinion it’s one stop you need to make before heading to the Grand Canyon with your kids. Here’s why…

Click here to learn more about The Museum of Northern Arizona

This gorgeous museum has something for all ages. Kids will enjoy seeing the dinosaur bones and interactive displays which includes some fun hands-on exhibits with volcanic rocks and The Peoples of the Colorado Plateau Exhibit. Then there are several other sections that everyone will love with Native American art and artifacts, many of which are on rotation.

As you explore the museum building you’ll discover that the rooms connecting in a circle, with displays from Geological and Archaeological to Native Peoples of the Colorado Plateau. It contains an impressively display of Ancient Pottery, Tapestries, Carvings, Ceramics, Jewelry and more. Plan to spend at least a couple hours if you want to see it all.

The Peoples of the Colorado Plateau

One of their most beloved exhibits is the brand new exhibit, “The Peoples of the Colorado Plateau”. It tells of the various Native American tribes in their own words. The museum is definitely a must-see in Flagstaff. Below you can see a few of the hands-on displays that the kids enjoyed.  Be sure to watch the video at the beginning of the exhibit welcoming you from various tribe members who helped to put this whole exhibit together with over 350 items from ten different native american tribes.

Have you check out our Arizona Activities for Kids?

Museum of Northern Arizona

The Museum of Northern Arizona is located in Flagstaff, Arizona at the base of the beautiful San Francisco Peaks, this 200 acre campus includes an exhibit building, research labs, and state of the art collections facilities for more than five million Native American artifacts, natural science specimens, and fine art pieces.

Founded in 1928, the Museum of Northern Arizona’s mission is to inspire a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau through collecting, studying, interpreting, and preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage.

The two art pieces featured above were my favorite from the art exhibit at the Museum of Northern Arizona.  The depth of color and warmth is something so unique to native american artwork.

Here’s an example below of a Hopi Kiva that would have been traditionally created underground and used for a family’s religious purposes.

Discover the Colorado Plateau

The Museum has evolved into a regional center of learning with collections, exhibits, educational programs, publications, and research projects that serve thousands of people each year. It plays a vital role as interpreter of the Colorado Plateau and the people that have lived here.

One thing that as a child growing up in Arizona I wish I would have learned more about is the Colorado Plateau, so glad there are places like this for me to bring my children to understand the people and uniqueness of the land.  While touring the museum and exploring all the discoveries it only confirms how magical this region of the world is and how much we need to work on celebrating it and preserving it.

From dinosaur fossils, petrified wood and meteors and volcanic rocks this regions highlights so much of our earths geological history.

For a peek at the Colorado Plateau’s beauty take a peek at this collection of photos on their website.

For you and I both to remember, the Colorado Plateau is a geographic province located in the Southwestern United States. It is known for the tablelands, volcanic peaks, and deeply etched plateaus that were created by the Colorado River and its tributaries. The Colorado Plateau consists of 130,000 square miles of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. It’s elevations range from about 1,200 feet (at Lake Mead) to 12,365 feet (Humphreys Peak, San Francisco Mountain).

It is home to one million people, including 10 Native American tribes and numerous rare species of animals and plants.

Their newest exhibition called Tapestries by D.Y Begay displays 23 colorful tapestries woven from 1994 to 2017. This is the largest showing of her work in one place. This internationally recognized artist draws inspiration for her contemporary textiles from the landscape surrounding her home on the Navajo Reservation. It was fun for the girls and I to read the names of her pieces and try to guess what her inspiration was.

Museum of North Arizona Programs for Kids and Families

There’s so many things available for kids to enjoy at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Wish we lived closer to enjoy their discovery camps this summer or monthly story times with books featuring animals and people of the Colorado Plateau.

• STEAM Saturdays
• Discovery Camps
• Tiny Tales
• Thirsty Thursdays

Heritage Festivals at the Museum of North Arizona

Here’s peek at their courtyard that the museum surrounds where they hosts cultural events for locals and guests from all around the world.  Thirsty Thursdays is a current event this summer inviting local bands and vendors in for family fun each week. Next to the museum there is an area where they set up large tents for a variety of festivals. In fact just recently they earned the Governors award for their Hopi Festival of Arts & Culture, recognized for 85 years celebrating & supporting Hopi culture.

• Hopi Festival
• Navajo Festival
• Zuni Festival
• Celebraciones de la Gente

The Museum works in collaboration with native peoples of the Southwest to protect and foster the cultures, traditions, and beliefs of the Colorado Plateau by encouraging artistic expression and supporting, empowering, and educating visitors about the region’s art and cultures.

Click here to plan at visit to The Museum of Northern Arizona

Books about the animals, people, and places of the Colorado Plateau

Here’s a few books that I spotted on their display is the kids area of the museum that would be a start to learning about the Colorado Plateau with your child. I’ve linked them up to amazon for easy shopping.

Disclosure: they include my affiliate link which means I will earn a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you.  

        
C is for Coyote: A Southwest Alphabet Book
The Adventures of Salt and Soap at Grand Canyon
Don’t Call Me Pig! A Javelina Story

  Desert Night Shift: A Pack Rat Story
Field Mouse Goes to War
The Navajo Year Walk Through Many Seasons

Big Horns Don’t Honk
Dia de Los Muertos
There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea

    
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina
Good Night Arizona (Good Night Our World)
G Is for Grand Canyon : An Arizona Alphabet (Alphabet Series)

Our Family’s Review of the Museum of Northern Arizona

The Museum of Northern Arizona shares about the Colorado Plateau Indian tribes as you explore northern Arizona’s geology, animals, and native cultures. It’s one of the most amazing museums I’ve visited that highlights a variety of Native American Groups. This was exactly what I wanted for our kids to learn about since they are so different from what we focus on learning here in Florida History.

This museum is a true gem tucked away in Flagstaff and you can feel the sense of pride they have as they are so dedicated to preserving the history and cultures of Northern Arizona and the Colorado Plateau for generations to come. I hope you get a chance to visit on your trip to Arizona and the Grand Canyon!

Click now to learn more about Museum of Northern Arizona

Click here to see more ideas for Traveling with Kids

You may also enjoy these activities with your child…