Science Lab on the River

This week, our homeschool group took a boating tour of the Neches River with Neches River Adventures. They offer a guided tour with an outdoor lab on the boat and do experiments on the water with the kids – very hands-on and interesting.

Aside from the interesting science-y stuff, being on a boat is so very, very relaxing! Even though it was a bit on the warm side (103 degrees from 10AM-2PM), as long as we were moving, there was a lovely breeze (if a trifle on the warm side- sort of like an oven wafting in your face). All kidding aside, we did have a really great time. We’re making plans to go again once the weather cools down some.

The kids got to use binoculars to check out birds and shoreline scenery; there are some pretty awesome examples of erosion along the banks thanks to the recent drought. The water is feet below where it normally is and you can see tree roots that extend for several feet below where the land ‘should’ be and all the animals and birds that are nesting in the roots near the water.

Our guide was straight-up awesome with the kids. It’s easy to see when people don’t enjoy being around kids. As a parent when you’re counting on someone else to work with your kids, that makes is really difficult and frustrating when you can see or sense that the person you’re paying to be personable with the kids doesn’t enjoy what they’re doing. I am happy to report that there was none of that with our Captain and Guide – both gentlemen were personable and tolerant (encouraging, even) of the multitude of questions and natural exuberance that children tend to bring with them. I think most of our parents felt kinda left out; we’re generally pretty hands-on with the kids on field trips but this time there wasn’t much for us to do!

Some pictures from our adventure:

If you’re near a river, check to see if something like this might be available in your area. This was definitely one of the best field trips we’ve taken – the star of our year so far! The boys are both quoted on our homeschool group’s website, too. Yay!

Warmly,
~h