Fun, Educational Ways to Spend Time with Grandkids This Summer
School’s out for summer break, giving families a chance to take vacations and enjoy some quality time with each other. Those working on their active senior living in Huntsville can make this time more enjoyable for their grandchildren by planning some activities together. Huntsville offers many possibilities, including:
US Space and Rocket Center
See one of the largest collections of rockets and space memorabilia anywhere in the world. Tell the grandkids about what it was like to view the first moon landing. Enjoy inspecting the space shuttle and Saturn V rocket. Watch an IMAX movie. The museum is open 7 days a week from 9 am-5 pm, closed on major holidays. There are discounts available for seniors and veterans. Children’s workshops are held every Thursday at 10:30 am. Electric scooters are available in the Gift Shop for those with mobility issues.
Montesano State Park or Joe Wheeler State Park
At Monte Sano, you can visit the Von Braun Astronomical Society’s Planetarium at 7:30 pm on Saturday nights or hike on the Gravel Road or Bucca Family trails. The playground is open from 8 am to 5 pm. The Civilian Conservation Corps museum shares the history of the public works program that built many parks and kept the unemployed productive during the Great Depression. At Joe Wheeler State Park, you can enjoy a picnic or rent a Pontoon, fishing boat or paddle boat and fish for catfish, crappie, bream and striped bass. Freshwater fishing licenses can be purchased online from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Huntsville Museum of Art and Lowe Mill
The Huntsville Museum of Art has a sizeable permanent collection of works by artists such as Whistler and Warhol. In addition to its exhibitions, the Museum offers art classes for children and adults. It is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Lowe Mill is the Southeast’s largest center for the arts, offering something for grownups and children alike. Denise Onwere teaches a monthly kids art class for learning drawing, painting, sculpture and design. Seniors can enjoy the displays of paintings, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and more. The center is located on Seminole Drive and open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 6 pm.
EarlyWorks Children’s History Museum
Huntsville has the South’s largest hands-on history museum in EarlyWorks. Among the attractions inside, a Talking Tree, a bandstand with giant instruments, and the Kidstruction Zone. The same organization also runs the Alabama Constitution Village and the Huntsville Depot Museum if you want to make a day of it. EarlyWorks is open Tuesday-Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm. It is located near the Huntsville Museum of Art and Big Spring Park. These are just a few of the ways to keep the grandchildren entertained while enriching their minds and creating new experiences they will grow to treasure.