STEM Learning

STEM Learning Day Trips for Kids Across America

February / 2018

We've highlighted some of the premier locations for STEM learning for kids across the nation.

Are you looking for a fun day trip for your kids that also inspires them to embrace STEM learning? Good news! There are a variety of places all across America that offer just that. We’ve highlighted some of the premier locations for STEM learning for kids across the nation. See if there’s one near you!

Boston Children’s Museum: Boston, Massachusetts

Founded in 1913, Boston Children’s Museum is the second oldest children’s museum in the world. The museum emphasizes “hands-on engagement and learning through experience, employing play as a tool…,” which it demonstrates through its 88,575 square feet of program space, exhibits, and collections. Some STEM-related exhibits include the Construction Zone, Explore-a-Saurus, Investigate, Johnny's Workbench, Our Green Trail, and more! 

Learn more about the Boston Children’s Museum at http://www.bostonchildrensmuseum.org/.

Please Touch Museum: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

As you might be able to tell from the name, this museum welcomes kids to touch everything in sight and is recognized as a leader in “purposeful play.” Located in the heart of Philadelphia's museum district, this museum has 157,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits. Two permanent STEM-related exhibits include the Rocket Room where children can assemble and launch rockets high into the air, and the Healthy Me, Healthy Family, Healthy Community exhibit where kids can become doctors, chefs, construction workers and more in a city built just for them.

Learn more about the Please Touch Museum at http://www.pleasetouchmuseum.org/.

Discovery Place: Charlotte, North Carolina

What was once a scattering of museums and activities is now one unified organization focused on providing STEM education to the Carolinas and is known as Discovery Place. Discovery Place consists of Discover Place: Science, Discovery Place: Nature, and Discovery Place: Kids. The two Discovery Place: Kids locations are in Huntersville, NC and Rockingham, NC, and have exhibitions like I Can Build, I Can Grow, and I Can Imagine.

Learn more about Discover Place at https://www.discoveryplace.org/.

Children’s Museum: Indianapolis, Indiana

Indianapolis Children’s Museum has over 472,900 square feet, 120,000 artifacts, and over 1 million visitors each year. It’s safe to say, this is the largest children’s museum in the world! At the Children’s Museum, you’ll find interactive exhibits that range from digging for bones at Dinosphere: Now You’re in Their World® to learning about the day-to-day duties of an astronaut at Beyond Spaceship Earth and more!

Learn more about the Children’s Museum at https://www.childrensmuseum.org/

Museum of Science + Industry: Chicago, Illinois

The Museum of Science and Industry is all about “inspiring the inventive genius.” The museum’s building was constructed for the 1893 World’s Fair and has over 400,000 square feet of exhibit space. The museum focuses on learning for all ages, but does have kid-friendly exhibits like Coal Mine, where you take a ride on the rails and learn the technology of coal mining, Amazon Adventure, a giant dome theater experience through the Amazon rainforest, the U-505 German Submarine exhibit, Science Storms and more.

Learn more about the Museum of Science and Industry at https://www.msichicago.org.

Children’s Museum of Denver: Denver, Colorado

After a 2015 expansion, the Children Museum of Denver now has a 9-acre campus and doubled exhibit space. They focus on kid-powered learning for ages eight and under, but everyone can have a good time there! STEM-related exhibits in this museum included: Bubbles, where children can unlock the secret science of bubbles; Energy, where they can power amazing things with wind, solar energy, and their own strength; and Kinetics!, where they can learn about forces of motion and gravity.

There’s plenty more to explore! Learn more about the Children’s Museum of Denver at https://www.mychildsmuseum.org.

Children’s Museum of Houston: Houston, Texas

Within the 83,000 square feet of the Children’s Museum of Houston, you’ll find exhibits that engage kids in “the ultimate learning experience” and spark a passion for lifelong learning! The Children’s Museum of Houston has STEM-related exhibits like the Coding Hangout, where kids can learn how to create code that brings their imaginations to life; the Maker Annex, a place for children to invent and construct creative works; and Cyberchase, which focuses on making math fun and allowing children to use critical thinking skills.

Learn more about the Children’s Museum of Houston at https://www.cmhouston.org.

California Science Center: Los Angeles, California

The California Science Center consists of exciting exhibits, an on-site Science Center School, and the Amgen Center for Science Learning. Their mission is to “stimulate curiosity and inspire science learning in everyone by creating fun memorable experiences….” The major exhibit areas in the 400,000+ square foot center are World of Life, Creative World, and Ecosystems. While the museum is not dedicated to learning for children, each of these areas have Discovery Rooms intended for children 7 years of age or younger.

Learn more about the California Science Center at https://californiasciencecenter.org.

Find a place near you!

We know these eight places aren’t close to everyone, so check out this list below of some addition great spots for learning for kids.

Bring STEM learning home!

If you can’t find a day trip that fits or you just want added hands-on learning in your own home, you should play Blocks Rock! with your family. Our competitive structured block play activates brain development and skills critical for STEM learning so that you’ll have all the fun and learning of a day trip at your fingertips whenever you want to play.

To learn more about Blocks Rock! or to purchase the game, click here.