Homeschool Days at Lehman's Hardware

Have you been wondering what to do with your kiddos in these winter months? Too cold to try hands on science outside? Or maybe those birds chirping outside your window have got you looking for some early gardening tips. Bring on the springtime!

One of my favorite places to spend an afternoon, Lehman's Hardware in Kidron, offers scheduled events for fun and learning about history, gardening, science, and more. You can find details on their Events page.
This month, their upcoming Homeschool Day on Tuesday, February 25th at 9:30 am. centers around Ohio's Ancient People. Here's a description of the class: "Life would be very different if you lived in Ohio thousands of years ago! In this class we’ll learn about the ancient peoples that lived in this area and the tools they used. Students will make observations and hypotheses based on actual artifacts. We’ll end the class by practicing some prehistoric skills and making a game to take home."
The class has a modest charge of $5.00, as space is limited. There are no refunds, but you can pass the ticket to someone else if you are unable to attend.

Due to my recently heightened interest into archaeology, I find this topic fascinating. There's a lot going on right now to preserve Ohio's history, so this is especially timely. Check out Ohio History Connection and Ohio Archaeological Council  for more info about preservation efforts.

Antique phone booth at Lehman's

If you can't attend this particular class at Lehman's, don't give up! They have a full schedule of events and classes for young and not-as-young alike. Keep checking back for something that fits your schedule or tickles your fancy.

Goodies, of course

And if you are more casual in your learning journey, just spend a couple of hours in their store. It's a history/science/sociology lesson in itself. From non-electric appliances, to soap making supplies, to off-grid household equipment, you can't spend any amount of time at Lehman's without seeing something you probably haven't seen before. You're sure to learn something new, or at least, something new to you. Often the greatest wisdom was already discovered by those who went before us.

Nature Discovery Day for Homeschoolers

I've just learned of a wonderful opportunity for home schooling families at Camp Buckeye in Beach City, which is in the southwest corner of Stark County. Below is the information, copied from their Facebook page:
"We are so excited to invite homeschool families to Camp Buckeye for our first Winter Homeschool Nature Discovery Day! Dress for the weather; we will be spending time outdoors, hopefully in the snow! This hands-on Nature Discovery day will be Thursday, February 13, 2020, from 9:30 to 2:30. Students and their parents will participate in two sessions ("Mammals in Winter" and "Snow!") and an outdoor hike. We will conclude the day with hot cocoa and a journaling or sketching activity.
Please bring your own lunch. Cost for the day is $14 for one student, $25 for two, and $35 for three or more (from the same family). Register by calling Camp at 330-756-2380 or emailing naturediscovery@campbuckeye.org . Sessions will be oriented toward K-8th graders. Parents, plan to stay and enjoy the day with your students!"

The camp is only a short drive from I-77, and always well worth it. Don't let the winter weather scare you away. We had some really great times on field trips at Camp Buckeye. Their staff are passionate about nature and teaching children. Not just for kids, though, moms and dads are encouraged to get involved and learn something new as well. I always said that I learned more from homeschooling my children than I had from my own education in a classroom.
It's short notice, but if you can take advantage of the opportunity, I'm sure it will be fantastic!

I learned about this fun day in my local paper, the Bargain Hunter, linked here to give them credit for covering the important news. 

Let's Trip Again!

23 years ago today, I became a mother.

My amazing daughter was born learning. She had her eyes wide open and immediately started looking at the world and everyone around her.
On that day, I also became a home schooling mom; I just didn't know it yet.

A few years later, it was official. We were home schooling!

Exciting, yes, but also daunting. How to keep her very active mind occupied?
When she reached the typical Kindergarten age, I decided that it would be a good idea to spend time with other children as part of our learning process. I called a few home schooling friends and set up our very first field trip together. Not long after that, my second daughter was born, and I had a full classroom.

Here we are about 18 years later, and I truly don't remember what the first trip was. Giant Eagle? Hale Farm & Village? Dussel Farm in Brimfield? Uh-oh, I must be getting old... At least, I'll use age as an excuse. I might have the records somewhere around here, but what really matters is that it went very well. We had a great time, and found that immersive learning fostered a memorable experience and led to practical teaching moments. So Take Off! Field Trips was born.

If you have read previous (much older) posts, you'll know that we went online in spring of 2005 and by 2006, we had over 500 families involved. Unfortunately, after several successful years and many, many field trips, I had to take a break from Take Off! and from home schooling.
But I have never lost my love of learning and, especially, learning by doing.

I believe that field trips are the best way to learn, whether you are into home schooling, traditional schooling, or just lifelong learning, as I am. I still go and do, visit and learn, all around Ohio. So why not continue to share my experiences and give others some helpful info and advice along the way?
Here's to my personal hope that I can inspire others again to get out and Take Off!

Time to Take Off!

I want to let everyone know that I have greatly enjoyed leading everyone around NE Ohio's best field tripping sites for the past 6 years, but it is time for me to "hang up my hat" as far as field trips go.

Due to changes in my life and new opportunities, I will not be leading Take Off! any longer. I wish all of you the best in your home schooling adventures. I hope to be able to publish a guide to field tripping in NE Ohio or some kind of resource for those of you who continue to pursue educational opportunities in the area, but I don't have any idea of when that would become a reality.

Take care, and you are welcome to email me if you have any questions about field tripping opportunities in the area. I'm still here; I'm just even crazier busy than before.

Happy Field Tripping!

Take Off! is offline due to recent storms

Hello all!
Since I am at the library for my internet usage due to a severe power outage at home, I am unable to respond personally to any emails, registrations, etc.
It couldn't have happened at a much more inconvenient time, what with trying to get fall field trips planned, etc. However, I hope to be back online in the next few days.

I hope that you are all safe and sound and taking care.
Remember to pray for those who were more than just inconvenienced by the recent storms.

We will be back to a full field trip schedule very soon, and I look forward to taking off with you all this year!

Thanks,
Jen

Cleveland Orchestra & Museum of Art

Well, we finally made it to a Cleveland Orchestra concert, and it was as great as expected. The concert was called "Music from Planet X" and since it was an educational concert for young students, it was very fun and relaxed.

Somehow, we were seated in the front row, which is incredibly close to the stage. You know how most stages have an orchestra "pit" or at least an area in front where the orchestra is often placed, so that they are out of the way of the show? Not the case at Severance Hall, where the orchestra is the main attraction. This means that if you have long legs or unusually large feet, you might want to find seating in any other row than the front. I could actually put my feet up on the side of the stage. I didn't realize until I actually did it, that the stage moves! I'm assuming that they allow for the wooden stage to expand with changing temperature and pressure from the performers on the stage. Still, it was pretty cool.

A mime troupe (total of 2) provided the fun story to go along with the interesting music. They were dressed as aliens, and had a grand time of trying to take over the orchestra with their lights and "lasers." The aliens were incredibly funny, and all of the children (except my 4 year old, who cowered in my shoulder whenever the aliens were onstage) laughed hysterically at them.

The Cleveland Orchestra provided educational information and teacher guides to use to help with teaching the children about the music.
As for the music, it was sublime.

After the concert, we walked a block or so back to our parked car, and decided to take advantage of the free Modern Masters show at the Cleveland Museum of Art, which was across the street. You might think it's a bad idea to take a 4 year old to an art museum, but she really enjoyed herself, and behaved very well. I just hated to miss out on such a great opportunity. Many of the greatest impressionist painters and other amazing art legends were represented, and for free! I just couldn't pass it up.
So, we strolled around the art museum, looking at the original works of Auguste Rodin, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Berthe Morisot, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Rene Magritte, Vincent Van Gogh and more. I had no idea that my 10 year old was such a fan of Van Gogh. As she walked into a room behind me, she said, "These are Van Gogh, aren't they?" And she was correct. How many 10 year olds could tell one artist from another? I know I couldn't at that age. It was an awe-inspiring show. I'm so used to looking at prints of famous paintings, that I just couldn't believe I was standing in front of the the actual paintings.

We completely enjoyed ourselves, but then had to hurry to get home in time.
Even with the cold wind and the hurrying around, it was totally worth it.
What a wonderful day!

Noah's Lost Ark

Had a great time visiting Noah's Lost Ark near Alliance today. A really great place for people to visit, but an even better place for the endangered, abused animals who come here to live. Noah's Lost Ark is a sanctuary for exotic animals who are abused, neglected or whose owners can't take care of them anymore. We were able to see lions, tigers, even a liger (for those Napoleon Dynamite fans) and many more exotic animals. The personal stories of some of these animals were heart-breaking, but their recoveries at Noah's Lost Ark are truly amazing.

The kids had fun feeding some of the animals through a feeding tube. Much safer than feeding them directly, of course. We had a large group, but were able to make it around to see and learn about all of the animals. We found that everyone there was very knowledgeable about the animals, and they were able to answer the many questions that the children had.

They have a small gift shop, and there is even a covered pavilion if you would like to bring a lunch and picnic, which some of us chose to do.

Buehler's - Dover

Had a very fun time at a field trip/cooking class/tour at the Buehler's grocery store in Dover in Tuscarawas County.
We had a very small group of only 5 children, but the staff there did not treat us any differently than if there were many. The cooking class teacher, Cheryl, first showed the children how to make "turtle bread" and then, they were each allowed to make their own. My 3 year old really enjoyed being able to do it herself. After our breads were ready for the oven, we all walked to the bakery together. We were able to see our bread as it spun on racks in the huge convection oven, which was really neat, and we learned that Buehler's makes all the items sold in their bakery, many of them from scratch. We watched the bread slicer machine with all its interesting gadgets, and asked questions about many different machines we saw in the bakery.

The children and parents were enthralled by the cake decorator, who saved an ordered cake to decorate as we watched. She took a plain white cake and made it a beautiful gift for someone's birthday in spring pastels. She was very patient, answering questions and lifting the cake to show the children each step she made.

We also toured the store rooms, the cooler, the freezer, the produce section and met a lobster in the meat department. A few of the children decided to touch him.

It was a very nice time, and I would love to go back for one of their regularly scheduled cooking classes.

The Wilderness Center, Stark County

In early February, we spent a day at The Wilderness Center in Wilmot. We enjoyed 2 programs about animals.
The staff were wonderful to deal with and had no problem switching our program choice when the weather decided to get so cold that even I didn't want to walk around outside.

Our first program taught us about the animals who are native to Ohio. We learned about their living habits, habitats, food choices, etc. This was a hands-on program with numerous real animal examples to pass around to the students. Most of the exhibits were birds who had come to some unfortunate end (one had a tag that said it flew into a window), but there were also a handful of animal pelts and skeletons and a couple of turtle shells. I've never felt a skunk before, but it was much softer than you might think.
Even my 3 year old held quite a few of the objects, studying them a little, but mostly just enjoying being a part of the group.

After this program, we had a nice lunch and spent a few free minutes in their observation room. We watched a large group of deer taking advantage of the bird feeders outside the observation window. Skittish, they were, but definitely bold as well, spending much time near the building.
The building is really nice, by the way.



Our second program was called "For Goodness, Snakes!" and was, obviously, all about snakes, but especially those who reside in Ohio. We learned how to spot a poisonous snake, why you should respect and avoid all snakes, and many more fun facts. We also learned that a child can "keep" a live wild animal specimen as a pet for a certain period of time, but an adult must release any animal captured within 30 days. This allows for personal study but also gives the animal the best chances for surviving again after release.
This program came with more hands-on experiences as we all felt a snakeskin, but this time, it was on a living specimen - a real, live brown snake who resides at the Wilderness Center. The kids just loved it (as did I. I'm a snake-lover from way back). There was also an easy experiment to do with the children about learning how snakes hear by using a tuning fork.

I loved our program guide. She obviously loves kids and animals and is a wonderful teacher. She was very patient with our children, especially with their eager questions.

For info on your own program, check out their site at The Wilderness Center. They do have a minimum group size, but it's easy to reach. They will do age-specific classes as needed, and are willing to work with your group. I have been consistently pleased with their staff.

WFMJ-TV in Youngstown

A fun tour led by a friendly lady in Youngstown! We have had a few groups tour the studios at WFMJ-TV in Youngstown during January and February. The guide is a fun, vibrant personality, who loves giving tours, especially to kids.
Here are some of the comments I received from families who attended:

"Hey the field trip (WFMJ) was great! My kids said it was Ken and Barbie
doing the news. And then, we were able to watch their 11:00 news
on a small set that for some reason gets weird stations. It came in
clearer than our Cleveland stations." (a Cleveland parent)

"We had a great time. Madonna was a riot and a great guide."

"We had a great time on the WFMJ tour. Madonna Pinkard was a wonderful
hostess, I truly enjoyed her enthusiasm. We were both surprised to
learn that our family was the only local family attending
today, and that some made the trip from Cleveland and Akron for this
trip." (a Youngstown-area parent)

The tour is free, which is great, and is recommended for children age 7 and up. A live studio broadcast was included, along with the behind the scenes tour.
You can contact Madonna Pinkard, public relations director, at (330) 747-7982 to schedule a tour for your group.

Schwebel Baking Company, Cuyahoga Falls

Our group was treated to 2 wonderful tours at the Schwebel Baking Company in Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, in January.
Again, another parent sent me her comments about the tour, and I'd like to share them with you.
Thanks, Laura!

"Oh those smells!!! Today we toured the Schwebels bread factory in Cuyahoga Falls. You could smell the fresh bread from the parking lot. The tour started with a short film on the great family history of the Schwebel family.
The tour guide then took us through the factory from dry ingredients to bagged bread. It was loud and aromatic. I really wanted to put my hands in the huge vats of dough. The tour ended with everyone receiving a fresh loaf of wonderful bread."

The tour is only recommended for children of school age and older, so under 6 years is not allowed. They also have strict rules about jewelry and items not allowed on the tour.
Be sure to get this information when scheduling your tour.
You can schedule your tour by calling (330) 929-9507. The tour is free, including the loaf of bread at the end.

Football Hall of Fame, Canton

In January, we had a group of students and parents spend a day learning about professional football, and specifically, the many ties to our NE Ohio area at the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Stark County.
One parent was kind enough to share her experience with me, so I'm sharing it here with you.
Thanks, Ileen!

"The field trip was great! The tour started with a speaker taking the group
to a meeting room & discussing the history of the football helmet. We
watched a short football "bloopers" video, that had everyone laughing. The
speaker also gave us several details about the Pro Football Hall of Fame,
historical facts & interesting statistics. He also had interactive
questions to get the students involved. This took up at least the 30 to 45
minutes, which was great. Then the students were given "The Investigative
Reporter", field trip questionnaires, to fill out. We had a great time
searching for the fun facts in the museum. The questionnaire included a map of the museum
to help us find our facts.
The boys had a blast & so did I! We would enjoy
going there anytime. We left the museum around 3:30 pm & probably could
have stayed longer, but we had other places to go."

If you are interested in scheduling your own fun field trip at the Hall of Fame, you can find
info on their website at Pro Football HOF.

Giant Eagle - Amherst

A small group of field trippers had a treat at their local Giant Eagle store last December, and one of the moms was gracious enough to share her thoughts about the field trip. Thanks, Lynda!

"Just thought I'd let you know about our tour. Our "guide" Pat, Mrs. B. was
excellent. We had a small group, however, we had 3 younger (5-7yo) and 4 older kids (11-14).
The woman did a great job including all the kids in the information. Even the
moms thought it was a great field trip.

The children got "treats" that went
along with the different departments and food groups. We sampled celery,
apples, and a star fruit; a multi grain European bread that was yummy, fresh
from the bakery and was warm :) and a sample of shaved turkey lunchmeat and
American cheese. And at the end, we got a cookie and each child received a
goody bag. Oh yeah, they even were able to touch a live lobster! The
children enjoyed going behind the scenes in the Bakery, Meat department, and
the back room where the deliveries are unloaded and we even got to walk in
the various large freezers.
We were pleased with the amount of information and "freebies". I would
strongly suggest this fieldtrip."

For more information about scheduling a field trip at a Giant Eagle near you, check out Field Trip Factory.

Equine Specialty Hospital

Had a wonderful tour, or rather, two tours at the Equine Specialty Hospital in Burton in Geauga County. I was able to join both of our tour groups for successive tours this time, which made it even more interesting for me.
The Equine Specialty Hospital is generally a referral facility, which means that most of their patients were referred by veterinarians who weren't able to treat the animal or felt that the hospital was the best place for treatment. This means that they have some of the most cutting edge technology in equine medicine today. Each tour I took was slightly different because the guides were different, so we were able to experience almost every aspect of the hospital.

The first thing you might notice when you arrive may be the underlying aroma of horse and the bodily fluids associated with an ill or injured horse. The facility is not grand, but practical. From outside, it seems small and has a quaint tudor style. Inside, every inch of space is used for the animals, treatment, etc. We were taught in the hallway about radiation diagnosis and other technologies with photos to view of some former patients and their treatments. I've never seen a horse completely upside-down before. We visited the ICU stalls, the CT scan room, the radiation room, where we saw the overhead track and pulley which lifts the patients onto x-ray tables, the CT scan, operating tables, etc. We also went through the pre-op room and the lab, where the children found out why they don't put any food in that particular refrigerator.
We all had many questions and the staff was very gracious about answering every one. I learned more than I ever thought I would about equine medicine.

What an interesting place to visit! We saw some amazing animals, and I am so glad that there is a facility like this to save the lives of these horses. If you're interested in scheduling your own tour, you can find contact info on their website at www.equinespecialtyhospital.com. Younger children will be bored with all the talk and medical mumbo jumbo. This is a "hands-off" tour for the most part because of all the medical equipment around. Especially great for your upper elementary or older student who is interested in horses or medicine.

Ramseyer Farms - Wooster

A blustery day by any standards greeted us for our field trip to Ramseyer Farms in Wooster this day. I was not discouraged. Actually, I've found that wind and rain often accompany my girls and I on some of our best days out.
Ramseyer Farms has the best harvest and maze tours of any farm, orchard or similar facility I have ever visited. I had such a wonderful time. I can't wait to go back next fall.

This visit had been rescheduled from a much rainier day earlier in October, and this day we visited was ultimately, the last day of the season which we could visit, because they finish all of their harvesting activities in October.
We began with the Harvest tour, which is recommended for the lower elementary grades. Many of the older children, though, still enjoyed it. First, we were shown the play area, which contains a number of box mazes, a corn slide, animals to feed, a giant pumpkin house and numerous things to play with, even a few for our older students. After a short time here, we were given an informative talk on the crops grown at Ramseyer, especially corn, potatoes and pumpkins. The children were given a lot of information and answered questions themselves before we all had a taste of homemade potato chips. Yummy!

Next, we climbed aboard a tractor-drawn wagon to pick pumpkins and potatoes in the field. Bags had been recommended for carrying the "goodies" and were especially useful since the pumpkins and potatoes were muddy. Even my 3 year old enjoyed traipsing through the field to find just the right pumpkin. Our nice tractor ride dropped us off at the beginning again, and those of us who were taking the Ohio Maze tour took a brief moment to eat lunch before we braved the now constant rain.

The Ohio Maze is a giant corn maze in the shape of Ohio with actual highways and other landmarks and paths carved into it. There are many points of information along the way. Designed for students in gr. 4 and up, there is a lot for you to do here. It is a self-guided tour as you walk the paths looking for answers to the questions on your handout. Stamps to find to finish the code, cities to discover and record info, bodies of water, bordering states, the list goes on. We found more than half of our information before deciding to head back because of the rain. As it turns out, everyone else in our group had turned back even sooner. Still, even with the rain, it was completely worth while. Definitely, a situation for good, thick-soled boots with big lugs.

We had such a nice day. Although this won't matter to many people, I was pleased by the lack of Halloween paraphernalia/decorations. I didn't see anything but harvest decor all around.
I have been to numerous farms/orchards/etc. in the fall and not one can stand up to the program at Ramseyer. The staff was friendly and cheerful, the farm was beautiful and the price was reasonable. It's no wonder this is such a popular farm in the fall. Worth a long drive, too.

Cleveland Federal Reserve Money Museum

Our trip to the Money Museum at the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank was a grand experience. Although I was not able to attend, I look forward to the next one (February, by the way). The tour space is limited and we filled up our spots quickly. The tours need to be scheduled about 5 - 6 months in advance. The cost is free. Tours are geared toward upper elementary, gr. 4 and up.

Since I was not in attendance, one of the other parents wrote a brief review of her experience at the Money Museum, so here it is. Thanks, Nerida!

"Our trip to the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland was outstanding! The more I think of it, the more things I remember and am amazed by. The whole tour was kid-focused but not childish. The building was beautiful and the tour guide was very knowledgeable and personable. The children were excited and asked many questions. All exhibits were hands on... and clean! We were not there so long that we got tired or bored.
We all had great things to discuss on the ride home. The subject matter was how money came to be, how the value of money is set, interest, inflation and the actual money itself. I highly recommend this tour. The museum is open to the public from Monday to Thursday (if memory serves!) from 10 am till 2 pm. and is FREE! Happy field tripping! "

Mapleside Farms, Brunswick

I arrived ridiculously late to this field trip because I had written down the wrong beginning time. Yes, it happens to me too.
When I arrived, our group had already toured the orchards and was about to come up the long path back toward the store, restaurant, ice cream shop, etc. We hurried down to meet them as we saw them from the top of the hill where we parked.
Mapleside Farms in Brunswick has beautiful acres of apple trees and an amazing view, which you may be able to approximate from my terrible photo. :-)

The children had been able to pick a couple of apples in the orchard and received a very basic explanation of what a couple of varieties were and how they grew.

When we arrived back in the warehouse, we were able to view the machine that washes and coats the apples in wax to make them shiny. It also sorts them by size.
We walked in the huge cooler where they store their apples and other produce while waiting to sell it. Each child received another apple, a Gala this time, and we were escorted to an empty dining room in the basement under the main restaurant. Here, we were all given apple cider donuts and apple cider, served by the moms attending the tour. Each child was also given a small pumpkin to keep and a coloring book about apples.

My girls especially enjoyed the play area and straw bale slide erected at the end of the building, so we stayed a little after and played with some other field trippers.

There was little information and education involved in the tour, and the tour guide seemed to be not used to teaching children. Most of the children didn't mind this too much and had a good time anyway. The cost was a little more than most farms, $7.00 per child, and $4 per adult. Strollers are a definite no-go, due to the long walk through the often muddy orchard and the long haul back up the hill.

We ended our day with a long drive back home so we could stop at one of my favorite ice cream places ever, Country Maid Ice Cream on Rt. 303 in Richfield. I remember stopping here to get ice cream before we went to the Coliseum to see the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus when I was a kid. I still remember their pistachio, and I have to tell you it is still just as good as it ever was. Mmmm... that was a nice ending to a field trip.

Roscoe Village, Coshocton

A very fun day in the historic village of Roscoe Village in Coshocton. Although we didn't travel with a group, we had a very nice time experiencing history together.
It started out gray and rainy, but I hardly noticed. I think the busy-ness of getting out the door kept my attitude from being gray along with the weather. I knew I had a long drive to Roscoe Village, and I was hoping it would be worth it. Well, it really and truly was worth the drive and braving the rainy weather.
Who am I kidding? I love rain! I do. Rain creates wonderful opportunities for us on field trips, and this was no exception. We attended the Home School Days at Roscoe Village on Tuesday, one day after the deluge of home schoolers flooded the streets on the beautiful, sunny Monday. On Tuesday, we were flooded with nothing but a bit of water and plenty of attention from the staff in the Living History Museum/Buildings/Town.

Period crafts were offered, which included either candle dipping or tin punching. We chose to do tin punching, and my 9 year old made a beautiful piece which she has already lovingly given to her grandma for a birthday present. My 3 year old was less than enthusiastic about hammering in front of a stranger (she's very timid around new people), so I did her craft for her, and it is still hanging in her room. (She clung to it all day, though, as if she had punched every hole.) The crafts cost $2 each.

We received a map and info about the village, and set out in the rain to visit the past. We were not disappointed. The first building we visited contained the printing press. There was one giant press which was still the same design originally created by Guttenberg himself. The presses hadn't changed much in hundreds of years. After learning a bit about it, my older daughter was able to set it up and actually print a page to take with her. In the same room, we learned about how newspapers and bulletins were made by printers, watching the printer set up the type for a page and seeing how he ran off pages. Then, my daughter, again, was allowed to print a page, this time on a much more "modern" printing press, which was the size of a large cash register and had a handle on the front. Using your body strength, you can actually print easier with this than the giant press on the other side of the room. Of course, I'm not sure which my daughter preferred.
We also visited the cooper and learned the secret of the bucket (I'll bet you didn't know there was one). It was very interesting, but my 3 year old much more enjoyed the assortment of wooden toys he had lying on the windowsill which she was allowed to play with.

Other buildings included: the broommaker, the schoolhouse, a vintage canal boat, the doctor's office, home and kitchen, where we sampled yummy bread baked that day. We were also introduced to a wonderful man who carves birds. He doesn't charge any money for his creations, but there is a long waiting list. His "store" is called the Sandpiper, and it is not a part of the Living History Tour, but is worth a stop just to see his amazingly accurate recreations.

Almost every place had something for the children to do, not just see. We actually didn't get to see everything because we had to leave after a while.
We love historical sites like Hale Farm and Zoar Village, and this was just as wonderful, but in its own unique way. You won't be redundant by spending a day at Roscoe Village, even if you've visited all of the other historical sites.

Because of the rain, the attendance was much lower, so there was more time to stay and enjoy each place we visited. I don't know if they have areas to eat a lunch. The rain kept us from picnicking. If you do come on a rainy day, I would suggest bringing a plastic bag to carry all of the papers and goodies picked up in various buildings. I had a hard time keeping ours dry. Strollers are probably not allowed in the buildings, but you might want one for the walking if you have a little one.

Lolly The Trolley, Cleveland

A wonderful ride through downtown Cleveland on a beautiful day with Lolly the Trolley by Trolley Tours of Cleveland. This local company provides informative and educational tours through Cleveland for anyone interested in learning about this great city.

I am generally not a city girl, but I love visiting the city. The lights, sounds, tall buildings and even better, exquisite architecture always inspire feelings of awe and wonder. We were able to ride in beautiful trolley cars while our guide explained the history of Cleveland, and how the city planners were responsible for its wide, open streets and sunny sidewalks. Most large cities crowd the streets with tall buildings. Cleveland's founders wanted to keep the sunshine available and it shows as you tour its streets.

Buildings I hear about on the news were pointed out as we spent quite a bit of time circling Public Square, noting the artwork, the sculptures, monuments and more. I learned more about Cleveland on this one hour tour than I have ever learned before. My daughter was thrilled to see her first official skyscraper, the Key Bank building. (This is not it.)

As a bonus, the Blue Angels were rehearsing overhead for the upcoming Air Show while we were on our tour, so whenever it got a bit noisy, we would all look to the sky and say "Do you see them?" "Where are they?"
Our particular trolley was being hosted/guided by the company's founder, who was very kind and allowed us all to leave the trolley for a minute at Burke Lakefront Airport in order to watch a group of Blue Angels take off. Inside the airport, we were able to see one of their airplanes up close.

We had a wonderful time, and I plan to go again. I'd like to take a tour of the different ethnic neighborhoods and the West Side Market, which is a tour they offer. Considering the large group that attended, I'll expect to have quite a bit of company with me again, which is wonderful.

Trolley Tours of Cleveland has a wonderful program for your group of any age and size. They are very accomodating. You'll need to pay a deposit when you reserve the trolley, and you can contact them for more info at phone# 1-800-848-0173.
*Baby tip: There are no seat belts if you were wondering, and therefore, no way to attach a car seat. This may affect whether or not you want to bring your little one, since you will actually be driving on regular roads at the usual speeds. I don't believe they've had any accidents, though, so you may just go and have a good time as we did.
All photos taken and provided by one of our youngest trolley riders, Emily S. Great job, Emily!

Krasco Basket Factory, Coshocton

On February 23, we toured the production facility for Krasco Baskets in Coshocton. This is a very nice little factory, still operated by the original family who began building these baskets. I'm sure you've heard of Longaberger Baskets. Well, these baskets are very similar in style, but with one major difference: all of the baskets are made of recycled materials which do not break down the way most wooden baskets do. Plastic baskets can handle outdoor weather and retain their beauty year after year.

You might think that plastic baskets look cheaper or less beautiful than the wood, but if you think so, you haven't seen Krasco's baskets. It took some time, but the founder of the company developed with a partner a plastic strip that resembles wood in texture and added some beautiful colors that don't fade in the sun or turn black in the rain. They are often referred to as "basket sleeves" because the outdoor ones are bottomless so that your plant can sit on the ground. They do offer other models of baskets as well as basket mailboxes and birdhouses (my personal favorites).

We were treated fabulously on our tour. The founder of the company actually gave the tour because his son, who usually gives the tours, was sick. After a brief history of the factory and seeing some early examples, we were shown through the warehouse and factory, where workers were busily creating big beautiful baskets. The children got up close and personal with the workers, and were able to take home scraps of the baskets as samples along with an official sample that had 5 basket colors clamped together. As a special bonus, they had a drawing among all of the tour attendees for 4 of their baskets to take home free! I was not expecting such a nice surprise.

You can find more info about the products and where to purchase them by checking out this website Krasco Basket Sleeves. If you're interested in a tour, which was free, call them at 740-623-2953 to schedule.