This summer I am determined to make sure my kids have full, enriching, and FUN experiences throughout the state of New York (and surrounding states). Aside from vacation time, Justin will still be working and I don't want the kids to spend their summer in front of screens or the couch per se. This means a lot of planning ahead and figuring out which spaces, places, and activities will best suit the interests of our four children. There are two different resources that I LOVE that are available to military families (not just active duty, but also veterans, the national guard, and the Reserves). #1 is access to annual passes within National Parks in the United States for free. # 2 is the Blue Star Museum initiative (we just found out about this a couple of days ago).
--->Blue Star Museums<--- is a collaboration between the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, & thousands of museums across the United States. The goal here is to extend gratitude and appreciation to military personnel and their families by granting them free access to participating museums from Armed Forces Day (in May) until Labor Day! So far we've been to two museums this week and we plan to visit a new museum each day within NYS and the surrounding states. There are so many!
One of the most beneficial advantages of a program like Blue Star Museums is really the opportunity for the kids to engage in a lot of cultural enrichment and education. There are a ton of Native American museums on the list and we have a couple historian buffs in this family who are going to GEEK out over them! Museums house such a wealth of knowledge, tons of history, and a lot of artistic expressions that create conversation, stimulation, and foster a love of lifelong learning for our kiddos. There are so many places to choose from. Children's museums, art museums, science centers, historical sites -- there is a diverse range of facilities that participate that cater to the interests and ages of everyone in our family.
My goal in visiting the museums is really nurturing a love for learning that I hope all of our kids carry with them, encouraging critical thinking, and promoting a deeper understanding of the world around us. And above all, I want the kids to have FUN in spaces designed for them to explore while having fun. I also like the benefit of us being more involved in our community and finding appreciation for Upstate New York in a new, healthy, and educational way. Our first museum visit was pretty cool -- it was a reopening? I think! Anyways, it was very AI forward with a lot of STEM activities for the kids. Channel 10 News was there for a segment and our kids were told they'd be on the news... tonight! If you are local, look out for those kids! That was exciting for sure. I really want to make this a series and share our feedback and experiences with other military families that may not know about Blue Star Museums.
And of course, initiatives like this wouldn't be possible without our soldier, other veterans, and the thousands of military families that make frequent relocations, deployments, and the associated stresses that come with being a military family. I was reminded of the invaluable contributions made by initiatives such as this that truly honor the dedication and sacrifices of military families all over the nation!
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