As a homeschooling family, learning doesn’t always happen around our kitchen table. Sometimes it happens while digging for gemstones, studying roller coasters, reading maps, or collecting leaves along a pathway.
Our recent visit to Silverwood was planned as a fun family adventure, but by the end of the day I realized my kids had spent hours learning without even realizing it.
Before we rode a single ride, my preschool daughter wanted to visit the mine.
She is our family rock collector. Everywhere we go, she finds little treasures from nature to bring home, and Silverwood was no exception!
As she sifted through the mining station, she carefully searched for gemstones and proudly displayed every colorful discovery.
Her little sister and brothers joined in, helping sort and examine the stones they found. We talked about mining, where gemstones come from, and how miners once searched for valuables underground. My boys explained that miners drill into the earth and use equipment to uncover valuable materials. My oldest even joked that robots probably do much of the mining work today!
Little did I know that gemstones wouldn’t be the only treasures collected that day.
While waiting for her brothers to ride roller coasters, my daughter discovered several rocks along the pathways and collected three maple leaves that had blown around her feet. Those leaves, rocks, and gemstones all made their way home in my stroller alongside the diaper bag.
Shortly after, my two boys found themselves standing in front of Stunt Pilot, one of their favorite rides!
As we walked in we took a moment to look at the Flight of Fame display, where the boys learned more about aviation history and stunt pilots.
While waiting in line, they began talking about gears and motors, explaining how larger gears move differently than smaller gears and how the coaster is pulled up before gravity takes over. Before long, the conversation shifted to engineering and design. When I asked who builds roller coasters, both boys quickly answered, “Engineers!”
They even talked about how triangles help make structures stronger and keep large rides stable. What began as a fun roller coaster ride quickly turned into discussions about careers, aviation, and the people who inspire the attractions around us.
Next on the list to ride was Timber Terror.
After the ride, while we sat down for lunch, the kids began guessing how tall the coaster might be, estimating how much the coaster train weighed, and discussing why roller coasters are designed the way they are. What was a thrilling ride was actually a lesson in disguise about physics and more engineering!
The learning didn’t stop there.
As the sun came out it was time to ride a family favorite, River Rapids. When the ride was over the boys began questioning why one got soaked and the other barely got wet! They talked about how the raft floated because of the large tube around it and noticed how the raft constantly rotated throughout the ride. Without realizing it, more learning was happening, wet clothes and all.
Later in the day, another lesson happened while my preschool daughter waited in line for the Kiddie Wheel. She proudly measured herself and discovered she was exactly 42 inches tall. She carefully looked at the colors on the sign and learned that green meant she was tall enough to ride, blue meant someone was too short, like her little sister, and red meant someone was too tall. Over the next few rides, she kept stopping to look at the height signs and asking what each color meant. What looked like a simple moment to my 4-year-old became another opportunity to practice measurement and learn how to read signs.
Finally, throughout the day my oldest son spent time studying the park map. He enjoyed figuring out where rides were located and planning where our family should go next or where to meet up. Reading maps, navigating a large park, and making decisions all provided practical learning opportunities that happen naturally during experiences just like this.
As we walked toward the exit that evening, I couldn’t help but smile. What looked like a day of roller coasters and adventure had quietly become a day filled with engineering, science, history, problem-solving, observation, and discovery.
One child spent the day discussing gravity and gears, another studied maps and ride design, and my preschooler collected gemstones, rocks, and maple leaves that she proudly carried home as treasures.
That’s one of my favorite things about homeschooling. Learning doesn’t only happen with textbooks and lesson plans. Sometimes it happens in the middle of an unforgettable family adventure.
And sometimes, the best field trips don’t feel like school at all.
ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR
Hi, I’m Amy! I’m a 40-year-old mom of four living in Sagle, Idaho, about 30 minutes from Silverwood Theme Park. I moved to North Idaho in 2012 from Southwest Florida, where I grew up visiting theme parks often. I’m a homeschooling mom to my 5th grader and 3rd grader, while also teaching my preschooler at home and chasing after my 11-month-old baby. Like many moms, my days are a mix of homeschooling, volunteering at our homeschool co-op, driving kids to music lessons, sports, appointments, meeting friends for park playdates, and spending lots of time at the library. In between all of that, I’m also working on building an online business from home.
One of the things I love most about living in North Idaho is the beauty that surrounds us every day. Our family loves the lakes, the mountains, and the changing seasons—especially the fall. There’s something so special about raising kids in a place where they can explore nature, play outside, and experience a slower, more peaceful lifestyle compared to the hustle of big cities.
Life has taken me from Florida beaches to the mountains of North Idaho, but one constant through the years has been my love of family adventures—and theme parks have always been a big part of that. Silverwood has naturally become one of the places our family returns to again and again as part of our North Idaho family traditions.
Add comment