Indiana Field Trips for Homeschoolers

Indiana has a lot to offer homeschool families. No matter where you live (or are visiting) in the state, you are likely less than half a tank of gas away from a key historical, cultural, or natural site full of learning opportunities. Currently studying tribal history? True to the state’s name, there are plenty of destinations for getting better acquainted with many American Indian tribes that called the Indiana area home for thousands of years. If you prefer a location that builds STEM skills, there is no shortage of science museums, either. What if you have an animal lover in your homeschool? No worries there; Indiana is full of zoos, nature centers, and wildlife preserves that will engage your nature nut.

To help you locate fun things to do with children in Indiana, we’ve organized them by geographical area. Browse the list below to find Indiana field trip ideas that are perfect for homeschool families. Plan out each of your learning adventures on this printable map of Indiana from Time4Learning. Please make sure to contact each site before you plan your visit, as COVID-19 may have impacted their hours of operations. Plus, as a bonus, we’ve even included a free download of Time4Learning lesson tie-ins that might be the perfect supplement for each trip [at end of article]!

Homeschool Field Trips in Northern Indiana

• Albanese Candy Factory, Merrillville – The next best thing to chomping on a gummy bear is to watch them being made. On this factory tour, your homeschooler will get to watch the process from 8 different windows, which would complement any lesson on simple machines or even the history of manufacturing in the U.S. There are guided and self-guided tours available.

• Fair Oaks Farms, Fair Oaks – This is one of those day trips in Indiana that everyone in the family will be equally excited about. Allow at least half a day to explore all that this farm has to offer including a pork education center, the Mooville playground, a birthing barn, cow and milk nutrition, and the high-tech world that farmers now use to grow your food.

• Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory, Fort Wayne – When you are ready to learn life science the hands-on way, it’s time to head to the conservatory to gain insights on biomes, plant habitats, ecology and much more. There is now a monthly Garden Preschool class opportunity, as well.

• Grissom Air Museum, Peru – Aviation history and science is on display at this museum where you can view 24 different military aircraft that have served from the time of World War II through the present. Climb right into the cockpit of a Huey helicopter and climb the five-story observation tower.

• Mid-America Windmill Museum, Kendallville – How exciting it is for students to realize that wind can be transformed into usable energy! Through video presentations, guided tours, exhibits, interactive displays, photographs, and a museum library, students will get deeper insights into the renewable energy source of wind power.

• Midwest Museum of American Art, Elkhurst – Doing an art appreciation unit or having fun with Time4Art’s online art lessons? This collection of 19th and 20th century art could be the perfect complement to your study. The staff is quite knowledgeable about the collections and can answer any questions your students may have.

Homeschool Field Trips in Central Indiana

• Exotic Feline Rescue Center, Center Point – Life science and conservation become personal at one of the largest exotic feline rescue centers in the U.S. The hour-long guided tour will take you through about 20 acres of habitats and teach you many things you may not have known about big cats.

• Hayes Arboretum, Richmond – 3% of Indiana’s old growth forest is located within the 466 acres of the aboretum. A dairy barn built in 1833 serves as the nature center for the site, where students can learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Other items you’ll encounter here include swamps, streams, hiking trails, a three-mile auto driving tour, and even an Indian mound.

• Indiana Medical History Museum, Indianapolis – Family activities in Indiana don’t always have to include rides or amusements. Sometimes, it’s interesting to learn about some aspect of history that you know little about, such as how the treatment of mental disease has evolved, what forensic science is, and the types of health careers available.

• Muncie Children’s Museum, Muncie – This hands-on learning destination includes both indoor and outdoor learning opportunities. Just some of the things homeschoolers have the chance to experience include water power, farm animals, what it’s like to be a veterinarian, and what can and can’t be recycled.

• Turkey Run State Park, Marshall – The sandstone gorges at this state park are a testament to the complex geology that formed the ravines here. Coal was mined here in the late 1800s and early 1900s and the seams are still visible. In addition to it’s natural history, visitors can get an understanding of its human history thanks to several historic buildings in the park.

• Whitewater Valley Railroad, Connersville – If you’ve ever wondered how a railroad operates, then put this destination on your list of one day trips in Indiana. Not only can you take rides (many which are educationally themed), but on specific days, you can even participate in helping to operate one of the diesel-electric locomotives as a guest engineer.

Homeschool Field Trips in Southern Indiana

• Angel Mounds State Historic Site, Evansville – Southwestern Indiana was home to many Native Americans for a thousand years or more. This site exemplifies the Mississippian culture of mound-building peoples who dwelled here from approximately 800 to 1600. The interpretive center and the recreations of Mississippian buildings will bring that time to life for your homeschooler.

• Cataract Falls, Cloverdale – An amazing number of learning concepts are wrapped into a single waterfall: erosion, motion, the water cycle, gravity, and more. Why not explore one or all of these concepts the hands-one way by visiting Indiana’s largest falls.

• Indiana Caverns, Corydon – Among educational trips for students, exploring inside a cave system is often a favorite. This walking tour plus boat ride can enrich their earth science lessons as they learn more about diverse ecosystems, geologic formations, and gemstone mining.

• Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln City – Enhance your next Abraham Lincoln unit study with a visit to the place where our 16th president transitioned from boyhood to manhood. Curriculum materials to use before or after your trip are available on the website, too.

• Grouseland, Vincennes – While William Henry Harrison was governor of the Indiana Territory, he and his family lived in this Georgian home. Find out more about the ninth president of the U.S. who signed several treaties with Native Americans right in the Council Chamber of Grouseland.

• WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology, Bloomington – Science gets active on this STEM-focused field trip. You’ll be amazed at all the learning possibilities at this site, including exhibits on bubbles, the science of sound waves, insect habitats, and the diversity of the animal kingdom.