Kids who enjoy spending time in the great outdoors might appreciate Edwin Warner Model Aviators Club (EWMA), Renaissance Festival or Dragon Park. The EWMA Club was established in the 1930s and gathers at the Model Airplane Field in Edwin Warner Park to learn about and fly model airplanes. The park also forms the perfect location for flying kites. During the month of May, the Renaissance Festival takes children on a tour of 16th-century England. Activities such as jousting, combat chess, magic tricks and fire swallowing keep the kids entertained for hours. Dragon Park, otherwise known as Fannie Mae Dees Park, is a fun area for children to explore. It is distinguished by a concrete sea serpent decorated with recycled tiles painted by local artists.
A trip to Nashville can be a very rewarding learning experience. The city overflows with museums such as the Adventure Science Center, First Center for the Visual Arts, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and Country Music Hall of Fame for sports and music enthusiasts. Using state-of-the-art equipment, the Adventure Science Center seeks to make science fun and interactive with programs such as Body Quest and Sudekem Planetarium. The First Center for the Visual Arts is located in an art deco-style building and serves as a gallery for a variety of art pieces which get refreshed every six weeks. Visit the music or sports Hall of Fame museum to learn about favorite athletes and musicians.
If the kids prefer physical activities over museums, go ice skating in the Centennial Sportsplex or to Climb Nashville. The Centennial Sportsplex houses two ice skating rinks that each measure 205-by-85-feet, so there is plenty of room to skate freely. Climb Nashville is one of the South's largest indoor mountain climbing complexes with over 11,000-square-feet of climbing surfaces. Staffed with expert climbers, instructional support and private lessons are always available for kids with an interest in rock climbing.
Learn about Nashville's history with a visit to historical sites such as Belmont Mansion or the Tennessee State Capitol. The Belmont Mansion has 36 rooms, over 19,000-square-feet of space and is complete with an art gallery, lavish gardens, a zoo, lake and aviary. The estate also hosts an educational Victorian tea party for children between the ages of 6 and 12. The Tennessee State Capitol may excite and even spook the kids because, unlike other state capitols, this one houses a dead body belonging to the building's architect. The tomb can be found in close proximity to the north entrance of the building.
