COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Hundreds showed up for the first-ever Homeschool Day at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. The event is part of efforts to broaden community connection at the center.
Homeschool parents spread the word when they learned about the event.
"I heard about it through social media. And my family and I actually just moved to the Springs a week ago from Kentucky," said Megan Gibson, a homeschool parent.
The Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center is more than a stop for tourists. Like the Homeschool Day, there are programs and activities for locals, and many are free.
Homeschool families love to share ideas for learning opportunities. Gibson and her homeschooled kids were not disappointed with what they found.
"We can go, we can try, we can meet new people, and why not at least go and try it," said Gibson.
Gibson believes resources like this add excitement to learning.
"The fact that it's free and something like this is offered so close to home is amazing," said Gibson said.
"We've seen a lot of our locals don't come to the visitor center. They don't know what we have to offer," said Asya Simons, park guide and school programs coordinator.
Simons organized the Homeschool Day as a way to encourage more local visitors.
"It is much more than a gift shop, so we have our fantastic exhibits that cover ecology, geology, and history of the area as well," said Simons.
Exhibits are often supplemented with guest organizations and educators who bring in live animals for lessons, while others use the center as a briefing location before taking their lesson into the park.
"Not just a resource for the park, but a resource for what we have in our community," said Simons.
The visitor center keeps a running calendar of upcoming events. Art, fitness, hiking a fourteener, and a workshop simply called Rattlesnakes are some of what is happening over the next couple of weeks. Spots can be secured online.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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