BUILDING BOISE’S LIFELONG LEARNERS

By Karissa Manske

“I’m bored!”—the two words dreaded by parents and caretakers during weekends, holidays, and long school breaks. Fortunately, Boise offers a variety of ways to engage, entertain, and educate its younger community members. Next time everyone is looking for a way to get out of the house as a family, consider one (or all!) of these options.

Zoo Boise

Zoo Boise is a fantastic place for kids to explore and discover animals from all over the world. With a variety of interactive exhibits, programs, and events, it’s impossible to leave without accidentally learning something. Zoo Boise has done a thorough job creating experiences for kids in different age groups to participate in the fun.

The zoo offers a variety of events throughout the year, the names of which incorporate delightful plays on words. These include holiday-themed events like Boo at the Zoo, where kids can trick-or-treat and participate in a costume contest, and the Easter EGGStravaganza, complete with face painting and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Beyond holidays, there are enchanting exhibits that are dependent on the season. Every summer, Zoo Boise’s Butterflies in Bloom exhibit takes flight June 1st through Labor Day. “Guests of the seasonal exhibit are able to enjoy its interactive nature and learn about 30+ species of Costa Rican butterflies,” explained Tierney Ball, Zoo Boise’s Director of Education. “Visitors are welcome to walk through the butterflies’ home— learning, taking photos, and even becoming a landing station for one of the many butterflies! Guests of all ages are able to ask questions and engage with the exhibit’s hosts, consisting of volunteers from the community and the butterfly zookeeper.”

Zoo Boise.

PHOTO BY KAREN DAY

“Part of every admission to Zoo Boise goes to support wildlife conservation, and we work with butterfly farmers who use sustainable practices to protect the rainforest,” said Jeff Agosta, Zoo Boise’s Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. “Butterflies in Bloom is included with your zoo admission and is sponsored by KTVB News Group and the J.R. Simplot Company Foundation.”

To ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable experience at the zoo, it’s important to follow proper zoo etiquette. This includes respecting the animals and their habitats, refraining from feeding them (unless explicitly given permission by a zoo employee), and staying on designated paths and walkways. It’s easy to spend hours enjoying the different exhibits and play areas, so keep your group happy by properly planning and packing for the three H’s: hunger, hydration, and heat!

Discovery Center of Idaho

For the budding scientists and natural explorers in your life, the Discovery Center of Idaho is the place. Most of the center’s exhibits are designed to be interactive, encouraging kids to explore and learn at their own pace. For those with small children, the Young Learners Area of the center is specifically tailored for children ages four years and under, providing them with safe, age-appropriate activities.

To help plan your visit, you can double-check the age-appropriateness and interactivity levels of current exhibits on the Discovery Center’s website. You can also see how long each exhibit will run to ensure that, for instance, your Jedi-in-training doesn’t miss The Fans Strike Back, running from spring to fall of 2023.

Aquarium of Boise

If the ocean and its inhabitants are more your child’s cup of tea, the Aquarium of Boise can be a wonderful place to let them explore. It’s also completely indoors, allowing rainy or scorching days to be spent in a temperature-controlled building that isn’t your house. The aquarium provides an immersive and engaging experience that will keep young minds curious and excited.

So often, hands-on experiences are how kids learn. It’s no surprise that the most popular exhibits at the aquarium are the opportunities to get up close and personal with the fish. A touch tank is home to several species of sharks and rays and there are opportunities to feed cichlids in the Amazon exhibit or koi and goldfish in the Broken Boat exhibit. “We do have to monitor their food intake, so feeding the fish is done on a first come, first served basis,” explained Nathan Hall, the Aquarium of Boise’s marine biologist and educator. “While we try to spread it out, for your best chance, we recommend you come in the morning.”

Hall said that the aquarium sees trends when it comes to age range and group size. “Mornings and early afternoons on the weekdays are when we generally see toddlers with their parents or grandparents. Weekends and school breaks tend more toward bigger families and groups. Spring Break is our busiest time of the year!”

The Aquarium of Boise also offers group tours or visits from one of their educators for schools and other organizations. “Visiting schools and giving field trip tours are some of my favorite parts of this job,” said Hall. “I get the chance to connect with the kids and get them excited about marine biology.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF AQUARIUM OF BOISE

Reuseum

Located in Garden City, Reuseum Educational Inc. is, well, it is a lot of things, actually. Per the nonprofit’s website, this electronics surplus and supply store/tech-recycling hub/ education center “brings STEM education into the lives of underserved, low income, girls, boys, and minority children through hands-on, success-based workshops while teaching them how to reduce, reuse, and recycle.”

The heart of their work is in providing learning opportunities that support the environment through recycling—the proceeds from the sale of refurbished electronics funds classes at Reuseum. By combining recycling, outreach, and education in an environment featuring new and old technology, the Reuseum brings together hobbyists, artists, engineers, and people who just like cool stuff.

Whittenberger Planetarium

Nestled in the picturesque College of Idaho, the Whittenberger Planetarium offers the chance to explore the far reaches of the universe. Around 1970, the planetarium pivoted to public outreach, allowing people to see northern and some southern constellations, planets visible to the unaided eye, the sun, the moon, and even deepspace objects. The high-tech projectors rest in an impressive 24-foot dome, which seats 50. Thanks to digital overlays, images, and multiple projectors, viewers see the sky from different locations and at different times. While you were spending the ‘90s buying Beanie Babies, the Whittenberger Planetarium was buying a portable planetarium, referred to (very awesomely) as Starlab. Starlab can be rented by anyone, so long as you have a 21-by-21-foot empty space to put it in. For the right kind of kid, this could make a pretty great birthday party, but it is also a great option for schools or hip workplaces. If the full-size planetarium is more your speed, plan your group event for a minimal cost and have it all to your-

Director Amy Truksa helps bring the magic of space to visitors.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WHITTENBERGER PLANETARIUM, COLLEGE OF IDAHO

Museums

selves, so long as you schedule at least two weeks ahead of time.

Of course, the planetarium offers public shows every month, typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in late afternoons and evenings. The schedule may vary in the summer. Tickets are available online.

Boise and the surrounding area offer a variety of interesting museums that promise a fun day out for the whole family. Check out a few of our favorites to build your knowledge of Idaho’s rich history and the people that built and inhabit our great state.

Basque Museum & Cultural Center

611 W Grove St, Boise, ID 83702

(208) 343-2671

Boise Art Museum

670 Julia Davis Drive, Boise, Idaho 83702 (208) 345-8330

Idaho Black History Museum

508 E Julia Davis Drive, Boise, ID 83702 (208) 789-2164

Warhawk Air Museum

201 Municipal Drive, Nampa, ID 83687 (208) 465-6446

Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights

Memorial

777 S 8th St, Boise, ID 83702 (208) 345-0304