Unschoolers of Memphis

Free Every Day, or Free with Advance Call

Allen Generation Plant, Steam Plant Road (across from the EARTH complex). 785-7490. Call in advance between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. for an appointment for the free tour.

Agricenter International and Shelby Farms

Center for Earthquake Research and Information, 3890 Central Avenue. 678-2007. Call ahead to arrange a free tour for a Tuesday or Thursday.

City Hall, 125 N. Mid-America Mall

Colonial Baking Company, 1340 Larkin Avenue. 726-9104. Call ahead to arrange a free mid-morning tour for a Wednesday or Thursday. Children 5 and up only.

Cordova Cellars; call (901) 754-3442 for tour times. (Tour and--for grown-ups!--wine tasting are free.)

Crystal Shrine Grotto, in Memorial Park, 5668 Poplar. 767-8930. Sculpture garden. The Grotto itself claims to be the only manufactured cave of its sort in the world.

EARTH Complex, at the west end of Mitchell Road. 576-6720. Call ahead to arrange a free tour.

El Chico Mexican Restaurant, 3491 Poplar Avenue. 323-9609. Call 2 weeks in advance to arrange a mid-morning tour. Includes a soda and Mexican pastry for $0.75.

Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley. 774-3212. Grand Tour, history tour, tombstone rubbings, botany. Call ahead to arrange an *awesome* arboretum tour.

Fite Road Christmas Tree Farm (from link, scroll down to "Memphis"), 2040 Fite Road. 353-4667. Call ahead to arrange a free tour, available from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Eve only.

Groundwater Institute, (contact info here); opportunities are more appropriate for teenagers, by arrangement.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, 4244 Elvis Presley Blvd. Call ahead to arrange a free tour--with complimentary doughnut!--for a Monday or Thursday, between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. See the doughnuts mixed, baked, and iced.

Magevney House, 198 Adams Ave. (donations accepted), 10:00-1:30 Tues-Fri, 10:00-3:00 Saturday

Memphis Cotton Exchange and Cotton Row, 92 South Front Street. 525-3361. Formed 1874. Combine with a visit to Carter Seed Store, across the street.

Memphis International Airport, 2491 Winchester Rd. Do your kids know how to find out if a flight is on time, how to go find a visitor to pick them up, or how to get luggage back? Best time to watch the planes taking off is around 8 p.m.

Memphis Police Museum, 159 Beale St.; combine with a visit to Beale Street to look around and read all the markers

Memphis Water Pumping Stations, 528-4557. Call to arrange a tour of any of 9 stations, available Monday-Friday.

National Weather Service, 757-6400, at Agricenter International. Call ahead to arrange tour.

Peabody Ducks--march in at 11:00 a.m., out at 5:00 p.m.; combine with visit to the hotel's roof garden to look out over downtown. You might want to read a bit of the hotel's history first.

Piggly Wiggly Food Store, 1620 Madison Avenue, 272-0171. Call at least 2 days in advance to arrange a tour between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., appropriate for ages 5-13. Includes back rooms, freezers, kitchens, produce section, etc.

Shelby County Courthouse, 140 Adams (at Second)

T.E. Maxson Wastewater Treatment Facility, at the EARTH Complex. 789-0510. Call in advance to arrange a tour between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; appropriate for ages 8+.

Tennessee Gins, Inc., 800 Tennessee Avenue. Second largest automated cotton gin in the world. Most interesting during fall harvest, when all the giant machinery is in operation. Miniature cotton plot on grounds during growing season. Call ahead (476-2228 or 476-7842) and ask for Mr. L.C. Thomas or Mr. Major Daniel to arrange a tour between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

United States Post Office. 1885 building at 1 N. Front Street. Call ahead (521-2140) to arrange a free guided tour of the main post office.

University of Memphis Art Museum.

Victorian Village, 680 Adams west to Front Street. Warm-weather walking.

Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge, 1(870)343-2595 . Museum, map-directed 7-mile nature drive. Open daylight to dark; office open weekdays 8:00-4:30. I-40 across Hernando de Soto Bridge into Arkansas, north on Highway 77 to Turrell exit; follow signs. (About 30 minutes from Memphis.)

Volunteer Opportunities for Children and Families

Memphis Humane Society, 2238 Central Avenue, 272-1753. PAWS club, for children ages 10-18, allows young volunteers to work toward improving animal welfare. Insurance liabilities prevent direct work with animals.

House of Mews, 944 S. Cooper, 272-3777, will allow accompanied, well-behaved older children to come brush the cats and assist with other duties. Call to make arrangements in advance.

Hands On Memphis can help place families who'd like to volunteer together with suitable organizations in the area. See their website for current information, needs, and more. An incredible way to share experiences, or for a teenager to explore possible careers.

The Germantown Animal Shelter has been suggested by one of our group members as a good place for young folk to volunteer. As soon as the shelter confirms this and gives us some details, you can read more here. In the meantime, if you're interested, go ahead and reach out--here's their contact information:
The Germantown Animal Shelter
7700 Southern Ave. 38138
(901) 757-7358
shelter@vantek.net

And of course, there's always the park!

Fort Pillow State Historic Park (738-5581 or 738-5731) was a Civil War battlefield, now also designated as a Tennessee Wildlife Observation Area. The museum is free, with tours of the museum and restored fortifications available upon request. [Take Hwy. 51 north to Henning, Tennessee; turn west onto Highway 87. Turn right on State Highway 207 East (Park Road).]

Memphis Park Service, including park locations and amenities, Community Centers, and even free swimming pools (June 10-August 13, or year-round at Bickford).

Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park (876-6552) includes a free Nature Center, over 13,000 acres full of hiking trails and lakes, and athletic facilities. With notice, they'll even do an incredibly inexpensive pontoon boat trip for a family-sized group or more.

Shelby Farms (Note: graphics-intensive site, may take a few minutes to load)

T.O. Fuller State Park, 1500 Mitchell Road West. Call ahead to arrange for a ranger-guided free tour, 543-7581.

Tom Lee Park (Riverside at Beale): A wonderful place to watch the sun set over the Mississippi River--or go just north and see the view that includes the riverboats.

The Unschoolers of Memphis meet quarterly on the 2nd Saturday to discuss topics related to home schooling and unschooling. Meetings are free and open to all family members, but are geared primarily to adults.

Click here for more information about the meetings