Educational Fun for Kids in Vilas County

The beautiful colors of autumn are already passing in Vilas County, and winter is on it’s way. Although we are still lucky enough to have some warm and sunny days to enjoy the great outdoors, the temperatures are dropping and many of us are chased indoors. Take advantage of the cooler weather by visiting our wonderfully diverse local businesses to get creative with learning!

Arts & Crafts = Autumn Fun!

When the sun is shining, it is a blast to head outside and take an autumn nature hike with your child, collecting leaves and identifying trees. But cooler weather doesn’t have to put a stop to your fun this October! Visit CW Business, located at 708 East Wall Street in Eagle River, to stock up on art supplies and get crafty! In addition to a range of office supplies and printing needs, the CW also carries a wonderful selection of arts and crafts materials, including fun sparkly markers, construction paper, paint pens, and more.leaf

Here’s some creative ideas to combine learning with autumn fun indoors:

  • Create leaf sketches with charcoal and paper by lightly rubbing the charcoal over a piece of paper placed on a leaf. Make sketches of different types of leaves, and then label each with the tree type.
  • Make a fall collage: buy a couple sheets of poster board, Elmers glue and markers and make your own fall foliage! Draw a tree trunk and decorate by gluing on real leaves.
  • Study family history by making your tree collage into a family tree!
  • Missing summer? Find some flower stencils and paint markers and become interior designers together by bringing summer indoors!

Inspire Creative Expression in Vilas County!

If your fall art projects have you eager for more creative outlets, why not schedule a photography workshop for you and your child with a professional photographer? Daniel Johnson’s Photography offers one and two day workshops for general photography or pet photography. The workshops take place on a 100 year old farm, the perfect environment to learn an appreciation for this art form. What a fun way to spend a day, and inspire a creative eye in youth!

LOLA Art ClassesKeep the creative juices flowing by attending a class at the Land O’Lakes Artisans (LOLA) arts center. LOLA hosts an array of fantastically fun classes all year long. This October, you don’t want to miss out on Watercolor Wednesdays, held at the LOLA Center in Land O’Lakes. This arts class is free to attend, with no pre-registration required. Check their website regularly to keep up-to-date on other exciting offerings from our many talented local artisans!

Save up for a Snowy Day!

The saying ‘rainy day fund’ may be one you are familiar with, but do your children know and understand how money and banks work? Take the opportunity to teach them the importance of saving up for a ‘rainy day’ (or snowy one) by visiting one of our local banks. Stop in Ripco Credit Union, located at 633 North Railroad Street in Eagle River, or River Valley Bank, at 141 South Willow in Eagle River, to start your child’s own savings account.

The friendly bank tellers can answer financial questions, and your young one will be proud to have their own rainy day fund. Financial responsibility is an important lesson, and one that comes with a sucker! For extra fun, cash in that change jar after making guesses about the amount, and then spend it shopping for the art supplies for your next craft project.

Uncover History in Phelps

What would educational fun be without a sprinkling of history? Schedule a visit to the Phelps Historical Museum to learn about the wonderful, colorful history of the Phelps area. Talk together about how the past affects the present, and the differences in life between when Phelps was first established and today. Opening your child’s eyes to history is one of the best gifts you can give them, and can create a lifelong thirst for knowledge.

Don’t Be Bored – Get a Board!

One of the best memories many of us have is of a rowdy board game with family members on a rainy day. Stock up for the winter with a stop in Grandma’s Toy Box (223 East Wall Street, Eagle River). You will be amazed at the variety of board games you will find! And when you are huddled together around the table with giggles and games, you will be creating the next generation of warm memories!

Treat Yourself this Autumn in Vilas County!

We all know that kids have an unmatchable energy level, and all that fall fun can be exhausting to the adults. You’ve done your share of arts and crafts, enjoyed some creative classes and graciously lost at a million and one board games – that means its adult time! Schedule yourself a relaxing, rejuvenating massage at Twin Lakes Massage. Professional April Crass offers relaxation or therapeutic massages, and you can even schedule your appointment to take place in the comfort of your own home! You deserve a reward after keeping up with the young ones for all that fall fun in Vilas County!

Follow the Phelps Chamber on Facebook for More Vilas County Fun!

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