Fun and Educational Things To Do With Kids in the Smoky Mountains

There’s no question that Dollywood is the #1 attraction in the Smoky Mountains. But did you also know that Dollywood is a great place to spend a ‘school day’ for homeschoolers?

Check out these cool things you can do when you visit Dollywood.

• Learn how water wheels like the one at Dollywood were used to create electricity.
• Get up close with the Bald Eagle and other birds of prey at the Dollywood Wings of America Theatre.
• Watch a Craftsman in Craftsman’s Valley at his trade.
• Do a unit study on roller coasters and learn about the mathematics and science behind how they are designed and maintained.

• Homeschool Days: Dollywood has special ticket prices for homeschoolers when you book from August 8th to September 19th, 2022. The ticket price is $39 for students and $49 for adults.

• Dollywood's Dreammore Resort has special rates for homeschoolers in August and September.

Dollywood Ticket Prices:

While you won’t often find coupons or discounts, there are a few ways to get discounts on Dollywood tickets and passes.

• Homeschool Days are a great discount for homeschool families.
• There are discounts for United States military personnel
• Those that stay at the Dollywood Dreammore can receive discounted ticket packages to the parks.
• Pre-School children can register for a FREE DOLLYWOOD Pass for both the Dollywood Theme park and Splash Country.

There are several unique and fun attractions in Pigeon Forge that kids will love, but as a homeschooling mom, the Titanic Museum is one of my favorite things to do with kids in the Smoky Mountains.

Here's why::

• Homeschool Days: Every day is homeschool day at the Titanic where teachers and students get in for the deeply discounted price of $14.00 per student and $14.00 for one adult!

• The museum also offers educational resources and a Titanic Scavenger Hunt on the website making it a perfect fun thing to do with the kids in the Smoky Mountain and a wonderful unit study option for homeschoolers.

The Titanic Pigeon Forge museum has a host of educational resources available for parents and teachers. Before attending the museum here are a few ideas you might consider.

• Learn about the social classes of the different passengers on board.
• Discuss modes of transportation during the late 19th century and why the Titanic was considered a breakthrough.
• Teach a unit on buoyancy and why boats float and/or sink.
• Use a Globe or Map to show kids the planned route and how the Titanic got into trouble.

Wonderworks is another great option for a “school day” in the Smoky Mountains. Check out these things you can do with your kids:

• This indoor amusement park has over 100 hands-on exhibits to spark a child’s imagination.
• There is a tremendous amount science related educational resources on the WonderWorks website to complement the exhibits your children will experience.
• Homeschool Days: Wonderworks offers amazing discounts for homeschoolers in the months of September, October, January, February, and May discounting the tickets to only $12 and $10 if you have a group of 10 or more.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Gatlinburg is always a hit with the kids and is such a great place for homeschoolers. Check out their homeschool resource page for information on monthly labs and discounted rates for homeschoolers.

Multiple workshops and labs are provided for homeschoolers on the third Wednesday of every month from September (no labs in the month of December). Labs include such topics as:

• History of Sea Monsters
• Species Highlight: Cephalopods
• Creepy Ocean Animals
• Animal Defenses: Venom vs. Poison

You can also:

• Download their educational toolkit as an additional resource to prepare your students for their visit to Ripley’s Aquarium.

• Ripley’s offers homeschoolers and their siblings a discounted ticket price of $10.99 and $19.99 per teaching parent. (Reg: $34.99 for adults and $19.99 for children)

NOTE: You must provide some form of proof of homeschool such as a letter of intent, attendance record, or homeschool ID card at the admission windows in order to receive this discount.

We can’t forget the most obvious resource for homeschoolers in the Smoky Mountains: The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. A full day exploring the national park and all the amazing hikes certainly qualifies in my book as an excellent day of school.

Check out these other things:

• There are plenty of easy hikes for kids in the Smoky Mountains you can check out.
• GSMNP also has numerous ranger-led programs, the Junior Ranger program, and other specialty and seasonal programs.

• The National Park website offers materials for educators to assist you in planning your time in the Smoky Mountains where you can learn about field trips led by the rangers throughout the year.

And what's even better is that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the few US national parks that doesn’t charge any entrance fee giving you another great reason to visit the Smoky Mountains with your kids.