Can't make a South Dakota vacation this year? Don't worry because this blog will bring South Dakota to you! This brief article will include a South Dakota road school trip itinerary and some learn-at-home activities that are fun for the whole family.
So, whether you're ready to pack the car or stay home, this blog has plenty of ideas to help your family enjoy South Dakota.
The Worlds Only Corn Palace
No trip to South Dakota would be complete without a trip to the Corn Palace in Mitchell. Each year, the palace is covered in fresh murals made of corn, and annually the theme changes.
Home activity number 1: Make your corn mural with dried corn and a paper plate, or paint a paper milk carton and decorate your own Corn Palace. Autumn is the perfect time for this lesson, as dried corn is abundant and cheap. If corn isn't available, make an edible palace with gram crackers, frosting, and candy corn. Pop some popcorn and attach it to the roof. Let your imagination run wild.
Home activity number 2: Pop homemade popcorn on the stove or make fresh cornbread.
Minute Man Missle Silo Locations and Visitor Center
There are three locations in the Wall South Dakota vicinity where you can see and learn about the Cold War era that lasted 45 years between the USA and Russia. One site requires a guided tour (Delta-01 Launch Control Facility) that you must book in advance, and the tickets sell fast. Don't fret if you can't get access. There are still is still plenty to enjoy at the other two sites.
First, stop at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Visitor Center to watch a video in the theater; you will see a small museum packed with Cold War history and learn how the military and citizens prepared for a nuclear war explosion.
Next, head west towards Wall and pull off exit 116 to see the delta-9 missile through the glass. This is a dummy missile, but it is marvelous to see!
Home Activity number 1: Download the Junior Ranger Workbook
If you can't make it in person, you can download a Jr. Missileer Handbook here and complete the booklet for a badge. The workbook is 33 pages long, yet packed with crucial information about the Cold War. Don't let Junior Ranger fool you; this book is excellent for kids of all ages.
Home activity number 2: Start a family preparedness plan
If you can't build your bomb shelter, list what you'd store if you had one. What kind of emergency items do you already have, and where are they kept? What emergencies are likely to occur in your neighborhood? Start your preparedness plan today.
Home activity number 3: Take a free virtual tour of the Delta One facility here.
Home Activity Number 4: Try some freeze-dried ice cream or freeze-dried snacks. Freeze-dried food is typical in bunkers and emergency plans because the shelf-life is incredibly high. Could you eat the food to survive?
Badlands National Park
There isn't a scenic drive quite like Badlands National Park. It's like cruising through a movie set where anything from aliens or Wild West bandits might peep out from behind a pinnacle or butte. Movies like Jurassic Park and Dances with Wolves were filmed in the Badlands. The wildlife is just as exciting, and if you're lucky or unlucky, you might even see a rattlesnake!
Where to stay: If you'd like to camp, check out the free boondocking area outside the park. The vistas are spectacular! There are no bathrooms, so I would only camp here if I had a camp toilet or a self-contained unit like an RV.
What to do: If you're up for an epic adventure, hike the notch trail.
Home activity number 1: Watch a movie filmed in the Badlands or this video.
Home activities number 2: Take a virtual tour of the Museum of Geology in South Dakota. Here, you'll find their badlands exhibit!
Discover Great Faces and Great Places at Mount Rushmore
South Dakota is probably most known for its national park, Mount Rushmore. It's worth a stop if you're passing through the area!
Home activity number 1: Get in the kitchen!
Did you know Thomas Jefferson is also famous for his ice cream recipe? He was the first known to record the recipe, and it can be found in the Library of Congress. For easier access, I found it posted on All Recipes. Find his famous recipe here.
Home activity number 2: If you could make your own Mount Rushmore, who would you put on the mountain? What state would you put the monument in and why? They don't even have to be presidents. It could be your four favorite artists, actors, or historical figures. Discuss, draw, or write down why you chose the people you did.
Mammoth Dig Site
The Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, SD, is an active paleontological dig site with the highest concentration of mammoth remains worldwide! When we visited the site, we saw people digging! The current mammoth tally is 61, with 58 Columbian and three woolly mammoths.
Home Activity number 1: Make your dig site by tossing small toys, coins, and rocks into a baking tin or old mixing bowl. Cover the trinkets with an instant mud mixture and allow the dig site to dry before giving your kids a few brushes and picks to excavate the treasures.
Dirt Recipe:
Ingredients:
3 cups corn starch
1.5 cups water
Sand or dirt to cover the top
Aluminum baking tin or old bowl
Directions:
Mix 3 cups of cornstarch and water in the bowl with a handful of dirt or sand.
2. Pour the mixture into the pie tin or baking dish along with all the small toys.
3. Allow the mixture to set for 30 minutes before sprinkling sand and placing toys on the top layer.
4. The tins should sit undisturbed for four days to dry.
Home Activity number 2: Make dirt cake for a snack!
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