The Southwest

While there, kids immerse themselves in the conflict with Mexico that resulted in Texas becoming an independent nation and then in the continuing conflict that resulted in the Mexican-American War. Jumping to the present, kids tour the region’s many resources, including its vast expanse of land for cattle ranching, its oil wells, and, of course, the Rio Grande.

Remaining in the present, kids take a deep dive into fun facts and details about each state in the region. In Texas and Oklahoma, they see cowhands rounding up cattle and drilling for oil. Environmentalists will want to see the rows and rows of modern windmills on a wind farm, while naturalists will enjoy smelling the wildflowers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center vicariously. In New Mexico and Arizona, kids will be wowed by photos and facts about the Grand Canyon, the Carlsbad Caverns, and the Capulin Volcano. Future astronomers will want to imagine themselves observing the heavens at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, where they can choose from among 27 telescopes, the biggest collection in the world. There’s no end to the fascination the Southwest holds for kids with almost any interest.