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We’re all learning and teaching every day. (If I got a dollar every time my mother asked me a Microsoft Word question, I would have two steady incomes.) While learning and teaching happen naturally day by day, it can be exciting and rewarding to learn something new as a family. If nothing else, a little camaraderie goes a long way. When you mix learning with adventure, it becomes especially fun—and ensures lasting memories!

Idea #1: Kids ask lots of questions. So many in fact that a number of Twitter handles are dedicated to stuff kids say and ask (@thekidasks, @stuffmykidsays, @madstuffkidssay, @stuffthekidssay, @ourkidssay). Sometimes they’re questions you can answer in your sleep: “What’s the dinosaur with the long neck?” “Where is Australia?” “Why do I have to brush my teeth every day?” Sometimes they’re deeper than this and make you scratch your head in panic: How do I not know this?! Have I failed my child?! You haven’t. Sometimes we just don’t know what the deal is with platypi, why the sky is blue (seriously!), or why the heck rollercoasters make your stomach feel weird.

For this we suggest leaving the textbooks in school and going out and finding the answers. Take the kids to museums, the zoo, or the aquarium, where everyone can learn and interact. If you’re on a budget, many zoos and museums offer discounted prices on special days. For example, Bronx Zoo has a suggested donation on Wednesdays, Denver Zoo offers eight free days a year, and Oregon Zoo offers $4 admission every second Tuesday of the month. As far as museums go, Chicago has a web site dedicated to free museum days called ChicagoKids.com, Seattle Art Museum is free every first Thursday of the month, and American Museum of Natural History in New York City offers a suggested donation. There are so many options for learning and teaching while exploring and supporting your city!

Idea #2: Kids love to get dirty. So invite them to help you with small house repairs or gardening. Yes, I realize this sounds dangerous, so for goodness’ sake use your best judgment. Think along the lines of small paint or patch jobs, fixing a leaky faucet, fixing broken toys. If you’re more of a green thumb, start a garden with your kids (or a P-Patch), pick out their favorite veggies, and teach them how to maintain it. Not only does this make for a wonderful blend of bonding and teaching time, but it also encourages the kids to have responsibility and pride for something they helped create.

Suggested literature:

Switched On, Flushed Down, Tossed Out: Investigating the Hidden Workings of Your Home

How Our House Works

How Things Work

The Gardening Book

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots

Idea #3: Wing it! Guess what—you don’t always have to have a plan. Opportunities for learning and exploring with your kids can be found everywhere. But we all know kids are fickle, so when nothing else works, we suggest turning to the experts. One of our favorite resources is Red Tricycle, where parents can find suggestions on fun local activities to do with kids. Some of the best learning and greatest memories are made on the fly!

So it’s that simple. Roll up your sleeves and get out there! Remember that you don’t have to know everything to teach your kids new things. You just have to be willing to say, “I don’t really know but let’s find out together!”