For families who love taking adventures together, make sure you visit the Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center in Riverside, CA. They are open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. The Center is 9 acres of developed gardens featuring more than 20 dinosaur sculptures, a Tortoise Paddock, Turtle Pond and even picnic areas. There is a $10 per vehicle fee for parking but if you spend $40 in the gift shop or nursery, you can receive an instant rebate of $10. You can also become a member to enjoy a visit to the Discovery Center anytime you like; when open.
The Center is also a place for learning expeditions. One expedition is great for Student Learning; Rock Collecting at the Dinosaurs. It offers an introduction to rocks, fossils and minerals. The fun expedition starts in the rock corral where students learn how they’re formed and how we use them daily in our lives.
After the rock corral, students will enjoy a short hike through the gardens, learning about the dinosarus they meet along the way. Eventually students will reach Dino Mesa, where they receive an egg carton to start their own collection of rocks, fossils and minerals to take home with them. The cost for this expedition is only $10 and makes for a great learning experience.
Do your kids prefer to dig for dinosaur bones? The Dinosaur Dig expedition is so much fun for all ages. It’s only $10 per person and introduces students to Paleontology via a hands-on digging experience. First the kids are given a tour of the dino sculptures, learning the fun facts about each dino and how they were discovered. Then they arrive at the dig site, where they receive tools to work as a team to uncover an Allosaurus skeleton, replicating the exact way an actual, professional dig experience takes place.
The California Rockhound expedition helps students learn about the rock cycle and the formation of rocks by magma, water, wind, heat and pressure. Kids will learn the important roles rocks and minerals play in our world and environment and each student will get to take home a set of 8 rocks and 8 minerals; what a great keepsake!
There are many more expeditions to be had and you are bound to find something your whole family will enjoy doing. We also recommend visiting this historic house museum while in the Riverside area and when cash gets tight, just call on us for help.
