Kids Korner

Visit Little Rock and Beyond! Aerospace Education Center Museum of Discovery River Market

Did You Know?

• Former President Bill Clinton grew up in Arkansas and was the governor before he became President of the United States. You can visit the new Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock on the banks of the Arkansas River. Check out the full-sized replica of the Oval Office! You can also find information about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton here (visit www.clintonlibrary.gov).

• Arkansas once belonged to France. It was part of the Louisiana Territory Purchase in 1803 and didn’t become a state until 1836 (visit www.arkansas.com).

• African American kids in Little Rock made history when they desegregated Central High School. This was the first test of the famous U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown Vs. The Board of Education that said it was unconstitutional to segregate public schools. Those students were very brave and had to be protected by the U.S. Army when they entered school that day amid a crowd of angry White people. What those nine students did that day paved the way for millions of other children. You can visit the Central High School National Historic Site visitor center at www.lrsd.org/centralhigh50th/default.cfm.

• The Arkansas Travelers are a minor league team for the Anaheim Angels. You can see them play at the brand new Dickey-Stephens Park in Little Rock (visit www.travs.com). You can also see the Arkansas Twisters arena football team play in the summer (visit www.arkansastwisters.com).

• You can catch a concert, meet local farmers selling everything from apples to honey from their trucks, or check out local artists’ latest work at the River Market in Little Rock (just down the street from the Clinton Presidential Library). Live bands will perform every Thursday this summer. There are plenty of good places to eat too (visit www.rivermarket.info).

• You can dig for diamonds—visitors find 600 a year—at the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Over 25,000 diamonds have been found since 1972. You might find other semi-precious gems here too! Visit www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com.

• Little Rock got its name from French explorer Bernard de LaHarpe who was sailing up the Arkansas River in 1722 and noticed the first rock bluff since leaving the Mississippi River. He called it “La Petite Roche”— the Little Rock. You can see that rock at the end of Rock Street, overlooking the river, in Breckling Riverfront Park. Check out www.littlerock.com.

• The Old State House is the oldest standing state capitol building west of the Mississippi River. It’s where Bill Clinton announced his first campaign for the presidency and celebrated victory both in 1992 and 1996. Today it’s a museum where you can check out President Clinton’s saxophone! Visit www.oldstatehouse.com.

• Every day at 11:00 a.m. a family of ducks make their entrance to the fountain in the lobby of the Peabody Little Rock where they play all day! Visit www.peabodylittlerock.com.

• The cheese dog was invented in Little Rock in 1956 at the Finkbeiner Meat Packing Company.

What Other Kids Say You Should Do While In Little Rock, AR . . .

Meet: Ethan (age 9), Noah (age 7), and Wyatt (age 6). They are the children of Southwest Airlines Little Rock Customer Service Supervisor, Natalie. They said, “Little Rock has great outdoor activities! You can go biking, hiking, fishing, four wheeling, boating, and horseback riding.” Don't Miss: The Little Rock Zoo Magic Springs Wild River Country River Market The Clinton Library The Historical Arkansas Museum The IMAX Theater Don't go home without fishing, horseback riding, and biking. The best places to eat are Razorback Pizza and Larry's Pizza. The best places to visit outside of Little Rock are Hot Springs (for the beautiful lakes) and a Hogs game in Fayetteville. Feeling a little adventurous? Go on a Scavenger Hunt!

Kids, Tell Your Parents . . .

Arkansas is a great place to combine a little learning with a lot of out door fun whether you like to fish, camp, go caving, mountain bike, or play golf. You can visit the Little Rock Visitor Information Center at Historic Curran Hall (615 E Capitol) with its antebellum home and gardens. Visit www.arkansas.com and www.littlerock.com for more ideas that include:

• The Museum of Discovery, a hands-on science museum in Little Rock where the kids can build a robat, create their own art, check out the state’s only Bug Zoo, or learn about Arkansas’ Native American history.

• The Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock where you can take a guided tour (www.sosweb.state.ar.us).

• Little Rock Zoo with a children’s farm (www.littlerockzoo.com).

• Historic Arkansas Museum which helps kids understand what life was like on the frontier and boasts an interactive children’s gallery (www.arkansashistory.com).

• The Arkansas Arts Center near River Market has been recently expanded and is free (www.arkarts.com).

• Tour the interactive exhibit “All the World is Watching Us” about the desegregation of Central High School (www.nps.gov/chsc/).

• Ozark Folk Center State Park, a living museum of pioneer life where families can learn about traditional mountain music and crafts (www.ozarkfolkcenter.com).

• Hot Springs National Park (www.nps.gov/hosp).

See Past Editions of Kids Korner.

By: Eileen Ogintz, Author of Taking the Kids™