Field Trips with Sue

By Laura Raines

Pulse editor

Like many working parents, nurses may not have the time or money to take their kids to Disney World this summer. They needn’t worry; one working mother can show them how to make the most of “staycations” in metro Atlanta and around Georgia.

“There are tons of things to do for every age, interest and budget right here, and many ways to sample the pricier attractions at less cost. Atlanta is a great town for families,” said Sue Rodman, founder and publisher of the Field Trips with Sue blog (www.fieldtripswithsue.com).

Rodman began blogging 18 months ago as a way to learn how to use social media in her marketing and public relations work.

“Colleagues told me I needed do it to learn it, and encouraged me to start a blog,” Rodman said.

She turned to a subject she knew well — taking field trips with her sons, Nicholas (12), Sam (10) and Jake (6).

Her blog was Nickelodeon Parent’s Pick of 2009. It’s featured on Raveable.com (Travel & Leisure magazine’s top travel site) and the ATL Insider feature on the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site. Rodman also appears on bimonthly segments on CBS Atlanta’s “Better Mornings Atlanta.”

“I’ve always loved doing things with my kids, and I like getting out of the house to do it,” Rodman said. “At home, I’d say I’d play with the kids, but there were always too many distractions, like laundry.”

Rodman grew up visiting old military forts and historic sites with her father, a history buff.

“I always liked going places, and I believe that you learn something wherever you go,” she said. “Some field trips are more fun than others, but there’s no such thing as a bad one. Bad vacations make the best memories.”

Many of her recommended outings are inexpensive, but the blog isn’t just a deals site. She gives the what, where, costs and flavor of the destination, with tips.

“I want families to have the best experience,” she said.

In a June blog Rodman wrote about the Center for Puppetry Arts’ Passport to Summer program. A $16 ticket for a puppet show also gets you into exhibits and a Create-A-Puppet Workshop. If there’s no time for the workshop, ask for a Create-a-Puppet-to-Go kit, Rodman advised.

“Many of the pricier attractions have free times for kids, but those can be very crowded,” she said. “A better idea might be to purchase a family membership and go on a weekday. Nurses on nontraditional schedules may be able to take advantage of weekday specials.”

Rodman likes taking her sons to Turner Field for Atlanta Braves games on Sundays, when they can run the bases after the game for free. They also like riding bikes at Cobb County BMX because admission is free when there’s no race.

Rodman has discovered that you can check out a free pass to Zoo Atlanta from the Atlanta-Fulton Library System and that Centennial Park has a terrific playground as well as the famous fountain. Her family can spend a no-cost day at Piedmont Park — free swimming in the morning, eating a picnic lunch, playing at the playground, watching the ducks, rolling down the hill and visiting the dog park.

“For spring break we toured west Georgia. Our day at George T. Bagby State Park at Fort Gaines was a ‘yes’ day, and I love those,” Rodman said. “When the kids asked, ‘Mom can we rent a canoe?’ the answer was ‘yes.’ The cost was only $5 an hour. They could fish on the lake for $3. If you’re on a budget, Georgia’s state parks are incredible.”

The Department of Natural Resources’ Georgia Junior Ranger program — a booklet of outdoor activities — is a great jumpstart for fresh-air recreation, she said.

“As a parent, I want my child to enjoy natural activities, but we aren’t out in the wild every day. This gives us a good place to start. Once they’re engaged, they can be busy for hours,” Rodman said.

Free educational resources help parents guide children through museums and parks.

“The Children’s Museum of Atlanta When I Am cards help parents choose age-appropriate exhibits and activities within the museum,” she said. “The High Museum of Art has Discovery Backpacks to help kids learn about art.

“The library and local parks have wonderful free programs, and stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s have workshops where kids can make projects. If they get to hammer and saw, my kids are there.”

Last month Rodman and her sons attended Bass Pro Shops’ free family summer camp in Lawrenceville, where campers earn pins by participating in seminars about fishing, bird-watching, archery and other outdoor activities.

Rodman believes the byproducts of field trips are shared experiences, fun and learning.

“They always take away something. One of my boys couldn’t wait to show me a photo in his social studies book. He recognized the equipment he’d climbed on when we went to pick apples,” she said. “They’re starting to put it together that some places mean something. A visit to the Little White House [in Warm Springs] was more interesting to me than them, but it will help them when they study World War II.”

When she started the blog, Rodman had no idea how long she could sustain the site, but she has found no shortage of material.

“My problem is that there isn’t enough time to do all the things we’d like to do,” she said. “We still haven’t made it to the Laurel and Hardy Museum [in Harlem, east of Atlanta] but it’s on my list.”

On the Web: For information, go to www.fieldtripswithsue.com or follow twitter.com/@suerodman.