| Mini Field Trips |
|
Mini Field Trips
Boys Town Visitor Center, Hall of History and Stamp Ball (call ahead for museum hours) 137th Street and West Dodge Road 498-1300
Chance Ridge Event Center (horse events, team-sorting of cattle, etc.) 508 N. Skyline Rd. 289-4400
The Old Market (Omaha's melting pot of cultural and architectural style) 10th to 13th, Harney to Jackson Streets
Mural, 13th Street between Cass and Webster Streets "Fertile Ground" by Philadelphia artist Meg Saligman Largest ever painted in Omaha; one of the largest in the country Longer than a football field; 22,000 square feet Shows notable people, places and landscapes from Omaha's past and present
Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters (don't miss the gingerbread structures show in December) 3215 State St. 453-9372 www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1837-1-1-1,00.html
Pedestrian Bridge over Missouri River (or other major construction project; arrange in advance with the owner or contractor to meet with an engineer familiar with the job)
Backstage at the Rose Theatre (arrange a tour and watch a play) 2001 Farnam 345-4849
Fort Atkinson, 8 miles north of Fort Calhoun, Neb., on Hwy. 75 First U.S. military post west of the Missouri River www.ngpc.state.ne.us/nebland/articles/parks/atkinson.asp
Mallory Kountze Planetarium Durham Science Center, Room 135 University of Nebraska at Omaha 554-2219 www.physics.unomaha.edu/planet
Fremont Dinner Train Melodramas, murder mysteries 650 North H St., Fremont, Neb. 727-8321
Douglas County Historical Society Public events, talks, tours Fort Omaha, 30th & Fort 455-9990
Mahoney State Park Platte River State Park Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium Along Interstate 80 between Omaha and Lincoln 332-3901 Search the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission website:
Danish Immigrant Museum and Windmill Elk Horn, Iowa, one hour east of Omaha on I-80 (712) 764-7472
Squirrel Cage Jail 1885 jail with cells in a rotating three-story cylinder 226 Pearl St., Council Bluffs (712) 323-2509
Nature:
Henry Doorly Zoo (bring a camera and make a scrapbook with interesting animal facts; many youth programs and workshops) I-80 Exit 454 3701 S. 10th St. 733-8401
Fontenelle Forest, 1111 Bellevue Blvd., Bellevue (Youth Naturalist Program and many educational programs; hike through and then write a story from the point of view of an animal or tree you saw there; in inclement weather, don't miss Habitat Hollow) 1111 Bellevue Blvd. North, Bellevue 731-3140
Neale Woods Nature Center 14323 Edith Marie Ave. 2.7 miles north of the Mormon Bridge Part of the Fontenelle Forest Association 453-5615
Nebraska State Parks System Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Nebraska Pheasants Forever Free, statewide youth-mentor hunts 67 outings last year http://www.nebraskapf.com/programs/youth_mentor.shtml
Nebraska Ducks Unlimited "Greenwing" program, events for kids 120 acres of land near Clay Center, Neb., for youth hunts http://www.ducks.org/states/51/index.html
DeSoto Bend National Wildlife Refuge & Boyer Chute NWR Missouri Valley, IA Fishing and outdoor festival for kids in June (712) 642-4121 http://www.fws.gov/midwest/desoto/
National Park Service Nebraska: http://usparks.about.com/blpkneb.htm Iowa: http://usparks.about.com/blpkia.htm Family activities and ranger-led programs near Omaha at: Homestead National Monument near Beatrice, Neb.; Missouri National Recreational River near Ponca, Neb.; Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail headquarters in downtown Omaha; Effigy Mounds National Monument at Harpers Ferry, Iowa
Wildlife Safari Park Interstate 80, Exit 426, near Ashland (402) 944-WILD or 733-8401
Sightseeing excursion on the Missouri River River City Star 151 Freedom Park Rd. 342-7827
Arbor Day Farm and Arbor Lodge Nebraska City, Neb, Tree Adventure: (402) 873-8717
Lauritzen Gardens (100-acre botanical center has lots of interesting classes and events) 100 Bancroft St. 346-4002
Metro area walking/biking trails: www.omahatrails.com
Wabash Trace (63 miles, with trailhead from Historic U.S. 275 and East South Omaha Bridge Road): http://wabashtrace.connection.net
Hitchcock Nature Center Loess Hills Wildlife Preserve 27792 Ski Hill Loop, 5 miles north of Crescent, Iowa, on Old Lincoln Highway (712) 545-3283
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Visitor Center 601 Riverfront Dr. 661-1804
OPPD Arboretum 27-acre park with hundreds of species of trees and shrubs, showingshows what to plant near power lines and what NOT to plant 106th and Blondo Streets
Allwine Prairie Preserve 14810 State St., Bennington 160-acre grassland research area To arrange tours: lmmartin@maiol.unomaha.edu
Riverside Acres 13703 Elbow Bend Rd. Bellevue Equine, agricultural experiences, animal menagerie, special events, camps (402) 932-9955 (402) 917-5268
Seasonal Events and Excursions:
College World Series Rosenblatt Stadium, near-South Omaha http://www.cwsomaha.com/history/history.html
Summer Arts Festival Third weekend in June Gene Leahy Mall, Downtown Omaha
Riverfront Jazz & Blues Festival Lewis and Clark Landing, Missouri Riverfront 1st Saturday in July 884-1214
Offutt Open House and Air Show Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue Check dates: www.offuttairshow.com
Jazz on the Green Outdoor concerts, July and August Joslyn Art Museum 2200 Dodge St. Check website for dates:
River City Roundup Qwest Center Omaha Late September
Vala's Pumpkin Patch 12102 S. 180th St., Gretna 332-4200
Bellevue Berry Farm and Pumpkin Ranch 11001 S. 48th St., Papillion 331-5500
Big Red Barn and Pumpkin Farm 132nd St. and Bennington Road 238-2696
Fontanelle Orchard "The Apple Barn" tours by request 26982 NE Hwy 91 Nickerson, Neb. (402) 727-5272
Holiday Under Glass Concerts Joslyn Art Museum 2200 Dodge St.
Tours (be sure to call ahead for an appointment; not all are free):
The World-Herald
Federal Reserve Bank
Union Pacific Railroad
Western Heritage Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Omaha Public Library
Nebraska Humane Society
Freedom Park Navy Museum 2497 Freedom Park Road 345-1959
General Crook House 5730 N. 30th St. 455-9990 www.omahahistory.org/museum.htm
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite 32nd Street and Woolworth Ave. 444-5955
General Dodge House 605 Third St., Council Bluffs 322-2406
Joslyn Castle 3902 Davenport St. 595-2199
Performing Arts:
Omaha Community Playhouse Nation's largest community theater 6915 Cass St. 553-0800
Blue Barn Theatre (Parental Guidance: check ahead for age appropriateness) 614 S. 11th St. 345-1576
Holland Performing Arts Center Student matinees, arts exploration projects, Creativity Conversations, Artist Encounters 13th & Douglas 345-0606
Omaha Symphony Association Tremendous amount of educational opportunities offered here 1605 Howard St. 342-3836
Opera Omaha Educational programs, Opera for Everyone, Opera Insights 1625 Farnam St., Suite 100 346-7372
Orpheum Theater Club Orpheum is an innovative youth program 409 S. 16th St. Info: 345-0606 Tickets: 345-0202 History of the Orpheum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpheum_Theater_(Omaha)
The Rose Performing Arts for Children and Families 2001 Farnam St. Tickets: 345-4849
Business Visits:
Orchard: Agritourism (set up a tour through the phone book, and pre-teach students so that they come ready to taste-test and ask questions about the business)
Service Station: What's Your PSI? (that's short for "pounds per square inch," a term about pressure; use this excursion to teach about science, engineering and technology; ask about all the practical uses of science and technology in car repair and maintenance)
Interior Design Firm: Math is Beautiful! (ask how the designers use math in their work)
Bait Shop: Predator and Prey (the place for grossouts! sniff "stinkbait" and ask how water creatures find their food, and why that's important for fishermen to know; how to make your own simple cane pole; how to find places where they're biting, and when)
Beauty Shop: The Science of Beauty (ask about chemistry and other science applications)
Landscaping: Lanoha Nurseries, 19111 W. Center Road, call ahead (289-4103) to see if an employee can show you the $200,000 entrance display completed in 2009 with 460,000 pounds of boulders, 3,000 individual plants and two manmade waterfalls with streams.
Museums:
Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha 2200 Dodge St. 342-3300
Durham Western Heritage Museum Art Deco railway station; regional history; Byron Reed Coin Collection 801 S. 10th St. 444-5071
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts 724 S. 12th St. 341-7130
Freedom Park Navy Museum USS Hazard 2497 Freedom Park Road 345-01959
Sarpy County Historical Museum 2402 Clay St, Bellevue 292-1880
Strategic Air and Space Museum I-80, Exhit 426 near Ashland (402) 944-3100
Omaha Childrens Museum 500 S. 20th St. 342-6164
Nebraska Jewish Historical Society Jewish Community Center 333 S. 132nd St. 334-6442
Union Pacific Railroad Museum 200 Pearl St., Council Bluffs (712) 329-8307
RailsWest Railroad Museum 16th Avenue and South Main Street, Council Bluffs, I-80 Exit 3 (71) 323-5182 www.thehistoricalsociety.org/depot.htm
Kenefick Park Big Boy, the largest steam engine ever built and operated Centennial, largest diesel locomotive ever made Operated by Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. 346-4002
Loves Jazz and Arts Center (African-American and Caribbean) 2510 N. 24th St. 502-5291
El Museo Latino (Latino art, dance and culture) 4701 S. 25th St. 731-1137
Cathedral Cultural Center St. Cecilia Cathedral art gallery with historic Omaha photos 701 N. 40th St. 558-3100, ext. 243
Day Trips:
Crane Meadows, east of Kearney (when the sandhill cranes are there in the spring)
Great Platte River Road Archway, Kearney, www.archway.org
Edgerton Explorit Center, Aurora (a great science museum for all ages!)
Ashfall Fossil Beds, Royal (prehistoric creatures minding their own business at the waterhole when suddenly. . . .)
Stuhr Museum, Grand Island (excellent history and pioneer artifacts)
Homestead National Monument and Museum, Beatrice (ditto)
Arbor Lodge, Nebraska City
Service Projects (Caution: Always Have Parent/Adult Supervision For Your Safety):
Pick up litter along a roadside (make sure to have adult supervision for safety reasons)
Visit elderly people who might be lonely in a veterans home or nursing home
Help build a house for a deserving person through Habitat For Humanity, www.habitatomaha.org
Collect new and gently-used children's books to give to needy children
Collect new and gently-used clothing for the homeless and the disadvantaged
Volunteer to help disabled children benefit in many ways from horseback riding at Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (www.hetra.org) in Omaha and Valley, Neb.
Read the paper to a blind neighbor (and learn from his or her insights and wisdom)
Shovel someone's snow, mow the lawn or rake leaves for free (how about a single mother?)
Babysit in a church nursery (it's still service, even though babies are adorable!)
Make dinner once a week for someone else (maybe someone you know is caring for an elderly parent or sick family member and would appreciate a "night off"; bring the groceries and cook at their place, or cook ahead and bring it in just before dinnertime)
Deliver flowers for a florist for Mother's Day (call ahead and offer your services, and donate your earnings to programs for kids with no parents)
|
© AfterSchoolTreats.com, All Rights Reserved.