Field trips don’t have to be far or expensive. Sometimes learning about the town you live in can be more satisfying than examining ancient artifacts from a civilization that you do not relate to. After getting more involved with my children’s homeschool, local history has not only worked its way into my kids curriculum but into mine as well.
A lot of towns have their own museums showcasing the origins of the city, historical events, and famous people. A significant portion of the Alvin museum is dedicated to hall of fame baseball player Nolan Ryan. After pitching for the Houston Astros for countless years his shirt for the team was retired. Unfortunately I could not browse the exhibits for information closer due to being on child watch with my two year old.
An entire wall of antique toys was on display which I thought would have excited my kids. It didn’t. They were just too outdated for their taste. The youngest literally thought one was Roblox.
Touring with a toddler took me straight from one side of the room to the other without acknowledging anything in between. A helpful volunteer attempted to give us a little information on an old time scale but to no avail. My son was set on the fact that it was a potty!
Before the woman could correct my son he was already headed back to the vintage toy case. By far his favorite part was looking into the stereoscope. Well over half of our time was spent peering into this picture box. If someone was currently viewing an image, then he had to be the one to rotate the collage. I did however find a few things I would have played with if I were born back in the day.
Super Monkey Bombs! Okay, not really but if you are a Call of Duty Zombies player then that is what you will spot instantly. I don’t know the original name for the stuffed animal but it is basically a monkey with tambourine.
“Everyone loves a Slinky!” Maybe not everyone but I sure do. Especially the old school metal ones that actually work. The cheap plastic dollar store ones are not heavy enough and once they are tangled you might as well throw them away. Metal is just more durable.
Even the roller skates were made of metal. Skating in your own shoes and just adding wheels was common back then but tell a kid nowadays that and they would not believe that is possible. Audio and video that are obsolete in today’s world were also the norm decades ago.
Take a look at some of the old equipment used to communicate. Chances are at least some of it you may remember using at one point in your life. With just turning thirty seven a few days ago, I do not feel that old but seeing the technological advancements that have occurred in only a few decades makes me feel outdated.
I highly recommend the tour for anyone living in Alvin or the surrounding area. Anyone interested in the Houston Astros or Nolan Ryan sports memorabilia should visit as well. The children are each given a gift at the end for checking off a list of eye spy items within the tour. Along with the free inexpensive gift, a collectible Nolan Ryan card is handed out in a lightweight protective sleeve. The women working are all volunteers and do this for their community. Thank you very much ladies.
Once Upon A Dad Time 