Known for music, Civil Rights history and a deep and abiding heritage, Atlanta, Georgia also offers children their own personal city. Whether your focus is on education, fun or a clever mixture of both, Atlanta provides. Consider the season when you visit: The summers are hot and oppressively humid; the spring and fall are pleasant; and the winter can bring snow and freezing temperatures. Regardless, Atlanta for kids is open year-round.
The age of your child will determine which Civil Rights attractions in Atlanta to visit. An older child will gain insight from a visit to the Martin Luther King House, which is owned and operated by the National Park Service. Don't forget to stamp your passport to Your National Parks. While the visitor center is open to all visitors, the house may only be visited by guided tour. For a shorter wait, show up mid-week and avoid holidays. The historic site also operates a Junior Ranger program for kids ages nine to 12: Kids receive an activity booklet to fill out and are asked to think about what MLK stood for.
If you don't have time to tour or visit the MLK house, the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame leads up to the house's visitor center and highlights central figures in the fight for equality. Two-foot square markers bear names and footprints of icons, such as Rosa Parks and Archbishop Desmond Tutu; this walk of fame is not restricted to Americans. See if your kids know any names; finding out more about people they recognize or don't know is an interesting way to segue into conversations, research and learning.
Atlanta hosts a number of festivals annually. The Yellow Daisy festival at Stone Mountain is a crafters' festival with a children's corner. Your kids will come out with painted faces and crafts. From April through September, Centennial Park runs family fun days on the fourth Saturday of each month. These events feature entertainment, crafts, contests and shows. In winter, Centennial Park sets up a holiday festival with an ice rink.
Atlanta is no stranger to spectacles, which provide kids with free or cheap entertainment. Its Fourth of July event takes place in Centennial Park, with fireworks, music and vendors. Fountain of Rings is a water show, also in Centennial Park; jets of water, lighting and sound effects are synchronized to music. Shows run four times a day. From May to October, Stone Mountain Park runs its own version: laser and firework shows choreographed to music from movies. The show is included in the price of admission.
Stone Mountain Park is an attraction in its own right. This theme park has a modest per-vehicle price tag, and kids can ride, enjoy park food and enjoy a family day out. This is one venue that accommodates a wide range of age groups, from kiddie rides to roller coasters. A cable car takes you to the top of Stone Mountain for a view, or you can take a tree-level boardwalk tour. Other attractions include a living history visit, 4D movie and train rides.
Atlanta Botanical Garden boasts 30 acres of gardens, with one area specifically for children. The Children's Garden is a two-acre tract that teaches children about wellness. It contains themed gardens and interactive exhibits. The advantage of any botanical garden is that you can tailor a visit to your kids' ages and stamina levels. For example, your youngest might enjoy the Children's Garden, but older kids may appreciate the Fuqua Conservatory, a tropical biosphere with frogs and carnivorous plants.
Wren's Nest allows kids to visit Joel Chandler Harris, who invented a character called "Uncle Remus," who is best-known for his appearance in the Brer Rabbit stories. The Victorian house museum offers daily tours and Saturday story-telling with puppets and professional story-tellers. Groups can book a private event in advance and can hire story-tellers for their private, but local, events.
Kids will enjoy the giant dinosaurs at Fernbank Museum of Natural History. While you can find dozens of museums scattered around Georgia, these hands-on exhibits are particularly pleasing to kids. You and your family will enjoy the kid-friendly IMAX movie, a giant kids' clubhouse and natural "environment," NatureQuest, slated to open in spring 2011. Another kid-centric museum is the Children's Museum of Atlanta, Imagine It! This museum is a fully interactive experience that brings kids of all ages together in play and exploration. No "do not touch" signs appear in this museum.
