There is a wonderful Butterfly Conservatory about an hours drive from our home which we have gotten in the
habit of visiting every January / February. The heat and humidity inside the conservatory, the beautiful plants and of course the butterflies are the perfect cure for the winter blahs. It is usually fairly expensive to go, but today they had a special 2 hour
home school program that was much more reasonably priced. We all loved touring the conservatory, and solving the puzzles at each Bug
Olympics station. Did you know that the spittle bug is the highest jumping insect? That the cicada is the loudest, and the
rhinoceros beetle the strongest? I swear, I learn more homeschooling than the boys do!! It was brutal going back outside in the -7 degree weather afterwards, but still a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.
I've watched you now a full half-hour;Self-poised upon that yellow flower
And, little Butterfly! Indeed
I know not if you sleep or feed.
How motionless! - not frozen seas
More motionless! and then
What joy awaits you, when the breeze
Hath found you out among the trees,
And calls you forth again.
-William Wordsworth "To a Butterfly"
I've watched you now a full half-hour;
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I'd love to hear if the educational programming was worth it and what level it was aimed at.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking about taking the kids but even the hs days are expensive multiplied across 4 kids.
My guys loved it. There was a short slide show, then about 45 minutes to spend in the conservatory with small activity tables throughout. Then back together as a group to meet and touch some other insects. I am not sure how challenging it would be for older kids - I would think that 4-8 yers would probably be ideal. Really, it was a cheaper way to get into the conservatory. I think we will likely go back, but not until next year. If you had already spent a lot of time at the conservatory, it probably wouldn't be worth the money just to go for the program.
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