Homeschool in Estes
One of the benefits of homeschooling is that it doesn’t have to happen exclusively at home! Estes Park is the perfect setting for lessons on science, history, creative writing, art, and recess.
Science class in Estes Park – sign me up!
Bring your budding scientist to Estes Park for a week of homeschool science class they will enjoy. A stay in Estes Park gives you access to Rocky Mountain National Park and all of the incredible space to study wildlife and ecology in a hands-on way.
The Rocky Mountain Conservancy offers some interesting ecology tours. Expert guides will help teach about elk, fall colors, or even a night-sky photography course.
For younger homeschool students – there are different activities from pre-school through middle-school – participating in the Junior Ranger program offered through the NPS is always a highlight! Their ranger-led programs are offered during the summer season, but you can get the Junior Ranger activity booklets at the visitors centers in RMNP year-round. Or download and print them before you come!
You can always explore RMNP on your own! Our 11 Easy Hikes for the Whole Family page gives some great suggestions of where you can take your class outdoors.
Learn Estes Park History
Homeschoolers will eat up their history lesson when it’s all about the Native Americans of the Rocky Mountains, intrepid explorers like Isabella Bird (who brought international attention to Estes Park!), or the famous Stanley brothers who built the landmark Stanley Hotel.
Take your history buffs to the Estes Park Museum to begin your journey of discovering the history of Estes Park. The museum is free to visitors and is open Wednesday – Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm year-round.
If you’re interested in the geological history of the area, consider a visit to the Moraine Park Museum located inside RMNP. There’s an exhibit on the top floor of the museum that shares the history of the area from 100 million years ago until today. They are open 9:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. You’ll find knowledgable and friendly NPS staff there to answer all your questions!
It’s always interesting to visit the Stanley Hotel while you’re in town. They offer a 1 hour Historic Tour of their iconic hotel that’s recommended for ages 8 to adult.
Nature – the perfect setting for art and creative writing!
Nature inspires art and creativity, and what better place to do a homeschool creative unit than in Rocky Mountain National Park?
Bring a journal and some colored pencils or watercolors out on the trail. Find a quiet grove of trees, a babbling mountain stream, or a sculptural rock outcropping and sit and sketch. There are millions of beautiful landscapes to inspire your budding artists! You can even do art on a macro level and get up close and personal with the shape of a pinecone or the veins on a leaf.
Here’s an idea for a poetry prompt – Write a poem about what you’re noticing with your senses:
- What do you see?
- What do you hear?
- What do you smell?
- What do you feel?
We’ll leave “what do you taste” off for now, since we’d rather not have the kids putting things in their mouths! You will be surprised by the inspiring answers your students will come up with as they allow themselves to be fully present in the outdoors.
Recess in the mountains!
Recess is one of our favorite subjects. And getting outside to play in Estes Park is a pretty great way to do it!
Open Air Adventure Park is a perfect spot to spend recess while you’re homeschooling in Estes Park. Their aerial adventure course and ax throwing stays open through September on weekends. They also offer guided kayaking and hiking trips 7 days a week throughout the fall. If you’re coming to Estes Park during the winter months, they offer fun guided snowshoe hikes through RMNP.
YMCA of the Rockies is another great spot for year-round activities for all ages. It’s a fantastic lodging option for families, and they are currently offering 20% off a stay in their lodge rooms on stays Sept 2 – Nov 20. See their website for full details. Even if you don’t stay there, you can purchase a Day Pass to do their activities. From roller skating, to ropes courses, disc golf to mountain biking, recess is in session!