Like a virtual children's art museum, Artsonia is an online collection of kids' artwork from around the world. Kids can take the masterpieces they've created and upload them onto the website. Family and friends can then visit the artwork and participate in activities that allow them to take an active role in a child's art education, even if they live far away. There is no cost to participate, and Artsonia currently has artwork from children in over 100 countries.

There is no cost to participate and the site includes artwork from children in more than 100 countries. Artsonia is a young, Chicago-based company, and was recognized by the National Art Education Association (NAEA) in 2005 for its outstanding contribution to art education in the United States.

Homeschoolers can also find a variety of complete lesson plans created by art teachers. And many artsy gift items available for sale online.

This 60-seat planetarium with a 30-foot dome is operated by St. Paul Public Schools and located at Como Park Elementary School.

The facility offers age-appropriate programs for students in kindergarten through high school, and one-hour shows for the public on select Thursday evenings at 7pm. Check the website for program details.

Homeschool groups with a minimum of 30 students can schedule planetarium visits; smaller groups may be able to join presentations scheduled for other groups.

It's thoroughly enjoyable to make a day out of a visit to Como Zoo in the summer. With the McNeely Conservatory, historic Cafesjian's Carousel, and the new Como Town seasonal amusement park located right in the same area of lovely Como Park, it's a no-brainer. But a winter visit is special too - even though many of the animals remain indoors - especially if combined with one of the zoo's many parent/child classes.

The zoo is compact, though a leisurely circuit can still take several hours. Primates, large cats, birds, and African hoofed animals can be viewed inside buildings and out - but the polar bears are away while their new environment is under construction! The new Leonard Wilkening Children's Gallery (open April 19, 2008) helps kids learn about nature and the circle of life through five stations of interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, and imaginative play.

Como is more than 100 years old, founded in 1897 with just three deer in a fenced pasture! Its age shows in some of the exhibits, which harken back to the days when cement cells were the norm, but it's a mistake to dismiss Como as the poorer sister of the Minnesota Zoo (which was built after a committee deemed Como couldn't be expanded). Free admission is just one of the simple pleasures it has to offer.

Sparky the Sea Lion - or rather, her latest incarnation - has been performing in the amphitheater for 50 years now, with two shows daily (Tue-Sun) in the summer. She's still popular - be sure to nab a spot on the benches early for weekend shows! - but the zoo's Halloween ZooBoo fundraiser each October is an even bigger draw.

In winter months, the coffee, salads, and sandwiches at Zobota Cafe are the only options for on-site food. Concession stands serving popcorn, ice cream, pizza, and other treats open for the summer ... but be warned that bees seem to be some of the best customers at the main stand, especially late in the season!

Rent single or double strollers ($4/day; $6.50/day) year-round at the refurbished Visitor Center. That's also where you'll find the gift shop and restrooms; additional restrooms open at Seal Island in the summer months.

Birthday parties: Basic package includes 90 minutes in a private classroom, with 45 minutes of interactive programming tied to a chosen theme; $150/15 guests, including adults. Add pizza, drinks, and cake for $50 more. Themes include primates, cats, reptiles, and plants. Gift bags are available for $5/child. Due to safety concerns, no balloons, pinatas, or pets are allowed! For do-it-yourself parties, obtain a city rental permit (651.632.5111) for the picnic space near Seal Island.

Classes: Extensive offerings include parent/child programs for ages three to five, family classes for ages four and up, camps during school release days, and special homeschooler programming for ages five to fifteen. Classes typically feature visits from live animals and/or tours. Art and gardening classes for adults, and teacher workshops are also offered.

Summer camps: Como offers themed weeklong programs for ages four and up. Full-day and half-day options are available; before or after care offered for an additional fee.

Membership: $75/family, includes gift shop and class discounts, invitations to member-only events, reciprocity privileges at over 120 zoos nationwide, a quarterly newsletter, and four ZooBoo tickets.

Volunteering: Como offers a special summer volunteer program for teens ages 13 to 17. Beyond that, volunteers must be 16 years old, unless accompanied by an adult.

Crafty Planet, located in artsy Northeast, stocks yarns, notions, patterns . . . and some of the coolest fabrics around, with retro, campy, and modern sensibilities all well-represented. There's also a fine selection of handmade gift items - think jewelry, scarves, purses, and the like. On-site sewing machines can be rented by the hour.

Classes: Choose from the schedule or design your own - a good option for homeschoolers and youth groups. Custom classes run about $20/person for two or three hours if they're in the store, $25/person if Crafty Planet comes to you.

Parties: Can be in-store or at the location of your choice, with craft activities tailored to most ages.

Crime Scene Camps offers crime scene investigation programming and classes for homeschool groups, birthday parties, and - through libraries and parks - the general public.

During the programs, kids work with real CSI equipment and get hands-on experience dealing with the scientific and collection issues involved in investigating a crime scene.

Crime Scene Camps comes to the metro area location of your choice. Call to discuss specific needs.

The city-run Eagan Art House offers classes, summer camps, and family workshops exploring drawing, cartooning, jewelry-making, pottery, and other arts and crafts. The center also offers birthday parties and programs for homeschoolers. Online registration is available for most programs.

EPCGT is a parent group that promotes awareness and understanding of the unique needs of the gifted children, and supports educational and social opportunities to meet those needs.

Enthusiastic, encouraging, well-qualified teachers and a spectacular array of offerings - including family classes, and comprehensive afterschool and summer programming - make instruction here a terrific choice for children as well as parents.

Kids can explore pottery, sculpture, drawing, painting, jewelry-making, multimedia, photography, fabric arts, knitting, and more during children's classes; teens ages 15 and older are welcome in adult classes. Some offerings combine visual with performing arts. Parent/child classes are offered for newborns and up as part of the center's Art for All Ages program, and family workshops are offered year-round, many with holiday themes. Homeschoolers can arrange custom classes; call 612.915.6600 to schedule.

The long waiting list for the unique Art Academy, for kids ages seven and up who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual arts, attests to its quality.

Parents can book time in the Peggy Kelly Media Studios to shoot portraits, transfer videos to DVD, and create electronic scrapbooks. If they don't know how, they can sign up for a class to learn. Handcrafted gifts, wearable art, and art supplies are sold in the Clark Gift Shop, and baked goods and coffee are available in a cafe area.

Music lessons at your convenience: First Note instructors come to your metro area home (or another location of your choice), at a time that suits your schedule. They work with kids from preschool on up and all levels of experience, with teachers for both instruments and voice. Ask about sibling discounts.

Historic Cahill School (1864) and Minnehaha Grange Hall (1879) are located in the diminutive Frank Tupa Park, across from Edina City Hall. Both buildings were moved there from their original sites about forty years ago.

School children and homeschoolers can arrange half-day visits to Edina's original one-room schoolhouse to experience what a day might have been like for kids in the state's earliest days, from slate boards to old-fashioned games. Kids are encouraged to come in period clothes for the four-hour interactive program led by costumed schoolmarms; a maximum of 30 students can be accommodated at a time. Visits run about $5 per person, and inexpensive historical souvenirs are available for purchase after the program.

A shorter program is offered for birthday parties - a unique treat for fans of the Little House on the Prairie series or American Girl's Kirsten. Parties include a craft, games, a tour, and history-themed gift bags; parents can bring their own cake, food, and tableware. Cost: $180 for a 2.5-hour party.

Visit the website or call Schoolmarm Kuhlman at 952.448.4022 for more information.

As for the park itself, it has grassy areas for picnics, but is too small to offer much of an escape from the traffic heading to and from nearby Highway 100.

Home Education Magazine offers free online newsletters, discussion boards, a networking list, and selections from the magazine, including articles, interviews, columnists, resources, reviews and more.

This chain outlet is jam-packed with educational books and supplies for all ages and needs, and a fabulous - and huge - selection of art supplies, toys, games, and more, most appropriate for ages one to twelve. Shoppers here can equip a preschool, plan a year's worth of homeschool lessons, or just find something to do on a rainy afternoon.

Kids ages three and up can drop in between 11am-3pm Saturdays to do a free craft project; a different one is offered each week.

Lakeshore Learning Store is open to the public, but offers many products in bulk. It also stocks a large selection of stickers, posters, maps, and other "teacher gear" that can be used for kid's rooms and parties. All merchandise is backed by an unconditional guarantee.

This chain outlet is jam-packed with educational books and supplies for all ages and needs, and a fabulous - and huge - selection of art supplies, toys, games, and more, most appropriate for ages one to twelve. Shoppers here can equip a preschool, plan a year's worth of homeschool lessons, or just find something to do on a rainy afternoon.

Kids ages three and up can drop in between 11am-3pm Saturdays to do a free craft project; a different one is offered each week.

Lakeshore Learning Store is open to the public, but offers many products in bulk. It also stocks a large selection of stickers, posters, maps, and other "teacher gear" that can be used for kid's rooms and parties. All merchandise is backed by an unconditional guarantee.

Lowry, one of three nature centers in the Three Rivers park system, features seven miles of trails through wetlands and woods, a prairie garden, live animals, interpretive exhibits, a sledding hill, and a gift shop.

It also boasts two unique features: Habitats, an outdoor educational play area complete with giant woodpecker slide, mole tunnel, and beaver lodge; and the newly-restored 1860s farmhouse from Grimm Farm, called the "Birthplace of the Dairy Belt," because it was there, back in the 1870s, that Wendelin Grimm developed the first strain of winter-hardy alfalfa in North America. (The industry is worth $10 billion today.)

Three Rivers recreational programming here includes a wide range of classes and events for families and youth.

Birthday parties: Offered for ages four and up, 15 kids maximum. The $80 fee includes one hour of naturalist-led activities and one hour for cake and socializing. One of the center's animals can join the party for a visit upon request.

Summer Camps: See Three Rivers' Adventure Week offerings.

The venerable MacPhail Center for Music - founded in 1907 - offers high-quality music instruction for more than 6,000 students each year, with offerings for kids as young as six weeks old.

And now it's doing it in a new, custom-built, state-of-the-art building featuring 56 specialized practice rooms, a 225-seat concert hall, studios, and more. The school continues to offer individual and group lessons in voice and dozens of instruments; Suzuki instruction; jazz education; an innovative Music Therapy program for kids with special needs; and Early Childhood Arts parent/child classes.

A variety of ensembles are offered for musicians ages nine and up. A two-year Certificate Program for ages 14 and up provides performance-oriented instruction for highly-motivated students. Some programs, including some summer camps, require auditions; for lessons, students are matched with instructors after a detailed placement interview.

The school is also a good source for free and low-cost music experiences, with numerous opportunities throughout the year to see faculty, adult students, and young people perform. Check the calendar for upcoming dates.

Summer camps: Ages nine and up can work on voice and instrument skills while getting to know like-minded peers. MacPhail also offers Music Therapy camps for kids with autism.

Maplewood Nature Center boasts an interactive indoor pond and forest exhibit, a children's puppet area, and a touch-and-see corner in its refurbished Visitor Center, as well as 1.5 miles of scenic trails outdoors - including a floating boardwalk and observation decks - offering visitors plenty of chances to observe waterfowl, birds, wildflowers, and more.

The trails are mostly stroller-friendly, surfaced with limerock and flat, and the boardwalk is also stroller accessible. Programs for all ages throughout the year provide opportunities for fun and learning. Rent wooden or aluminum snowshoes in season for $3/pair.

Parties: Two-hour parties include a naturalist-led program, hike, and games, and party favors, a visit with a live animal, and an hour in a private room for treats and gift opening; $75/up to ten children. Call 651.249.2170 for more information.

Strolling through the lush, colorful, and ever-changing gardens at the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory (formerly Como Park Conservatory), it's clear why more than 300 couples a year choose the Como Park site for their weddings. But parents don't need to marry off their toddlers to enjoy the wondrous sights and smells - admission is free and the gardens are open to the public 365 days a year.

The Conservatory and adjacent Como Zoo are run jointly, a great benefit for visitors, who can enjoy extraordinary flora and fauna in one outing. In cold weather, the Conservatory's controlled temperature and blooms offer a break from winter; in summer, top off a visit with a stroll through nearby Como Town, a seasonal amusement park.

The Sunken Garden, arguably one of the most beautiful rooms in the state, gets gussied up for five flower shows each year, though be aware it might be closed between shows. The North Garden is the Conservatory's medicine chest and pantry, featuring plants with everyday uses - and great learning opportunities. Under the center dome, palm trees and orchids thrive; other galleries feature ferns and Bonsai.

Outdoors, two seasonal gardens delight: the Enchanted Garden attracts butterflies and their admirers, extending out to Frog Pond and its waterfall; and the Japanese Garden, symbolizing Saint Paul's sister-city relationship with Nagasaki, features traditional elements such as a zig-zag bridge, rocks, and water.

Conservatory restrooms are open year-round, as are the ones in the Visitor Center, where strollers can be rented for indoor and outdoor use.

Classes and Camps: Many of Como's summer camps and parent/child classes (for ages four and up), homeschooler programs (ages five to 15), and family offerings, explore the gardens artistically, scientifically, or both. Avoid having to scroll through all the classes on lions and tigers and bears (oh my!) in the extensive listings by searching for "conservatory" or "flowers" on those pages.

Parties: Most kids' birthdays here focus on zoo animals, but themes that incorporate the Conservatory's displays can be selected. The basic package includes 90 minutes in a private classroom in the Visitor Center, with 45 minutes of interactive programming; $150/15 guests, including adults. Add pizza, drinks, and cake for $50 more. Due to safety concerns, no balloons, pinatas, or pets are allowed!

This state-certified program is available - free of charge - to any Minnesota resident ages 15 to 20 who is ready for high school coursework.

Earn a high school diploma from home, combine online classes with "traditional" schooling, or sharpen individual skills. Students benefit from small class sizes and personalized instruction in interactive classes.

MNOLA promotes and supports online learning by ensuring the quality of instruction, developing collaborative relationships, and advocating for growth. The website has a listing of member programs for Minnesota families.

Minnesota's K-12 students can learn online in programs throughout the state. This option allows students to continue, expand, and enhance their education, by enrolling full-time, or just taking a course or two not otherwise available to them.

The online component of Minneapolis Public Schools is designed to provide elective opportunities for high school students across the district, provide courses for students with scheduling conflicts, serve homebound students unable to attend "traditional" schools, and to provide standards-based credit makeup.

Parental permission is required to enroll. A staffed drop-in media lab for students and families provides assistance.

Minnesota also offers a state-approved online high school, and there are numerous options for K-12 students in other programs throughout the state. In this way, students can continue, expand, and enhance their education, by enrolling full-time, or just taking a course or two not otherwise available. A complete listing of state-certified online education programs can be found at iseek.org.

Pas de Deux offers dance classes based on the Cecchetti Method of Classical Ballet for kids ages four and up at three locations in St. Paul: Dayton's Bluff Rec Center, Hazel Park Rec Center (954 Hazel Street), and at 1899 Larpenteur Avenue West.

Classes include individualized instruction in a relaxed atmosphere, and stretching and barre exercises. Daytime classes are available for homeschooled students and preschoolers. All students are invited to perform in a Spring Recital.

With the 2001 completion of its ambitious expansion project, Richardson became the largest nature center in the Three Rivers park system.

The center and its four trails take up about 150 of Hyland Lake's 1,000 acres. The trails meander through diverse habitats, and since the longest is only two miles, are manageable for younger children. Explore ponds, observe wildlife, and in winter, snowshoe.

Exhibits include live amphibians, reptiles, and raptors - and lots of hands-on experiences. Activities vary with the seasons: watch deer, tap maple trees, tag monarchs ... there's always something on. New classrooms, a large lounge area, and wonderful wall art make this a good choice, regardless of the weather. Programs for families and children make it an educational and entertaining one too. For homeschoolers, a specialized offering includes science, art, and history components.

Birthday parties: Offered for ages four and up, 15 kids maximum. The $80 fee includes one hour of naturalist-led activities and one hour for cake and socializing. One of the center's animals will visit the party, upon request.

Summer Camps: See Three Rivers' Adventure Week offerings.

Schmitt, a fourth generation family-owned chain of music stores, has seven metro area locations where families can buy all manner of music and musical equipment (new and used), sign up for lessons, and get instruments repaired.

The store's Trial Purchase Plan can be used to finance instrument purchases, or serve as a relatively pain-free rental plan. See the website for details.

The company can also help homeschoolers create a music program, and recommend an instrument of study based on a student's coordination, mouth shape, and other factors. Call Cheryl Hartmann at 763.566.4560, ext. 3218 for more information.

Teach-At-Home is a resource website for the homeschool community, providing information and features designed to make homeschooling easier, more rewarding, and less costly.

The Science Museum offers visitors a wealth of hands-on activities, engaging exhibits, weekend science-in-action demonstrations, breathtaking large-format films, and a mind-boggling array of educational programming. The great river view - and seasonal activities in the "backyard" - are just added bonuses.

Board a real towboat in the Mississippi River Gallery, and learn how they got it up there. Explore the Primeval Swamp among the dinosaurs. Find out more about how bodies work than you might care to know in the Human Body Gallery (be sure to open that little door to get "sneezed on"!) and take on the role of an infectious disease fighting detective while exploring three "patients." Artifacts and oddities (no offense intended to the mummy) are on display in the Collections Gallery.

Even the restrooms are educational, with posted information on what ends up where in the waste stream.

In spring and summer, the museum hangs out in The Big Backyard. Features include - who knew there could be such a thing? - educational miniature golf, a giant sluice where kids can pan for fossils and gems, a medicinal garden, a 3D map of the world, a large maze, and more.

When stomachs start to rumble, look to the snack cart in the lobby, or - for more choice and better prices - head to the cafeteria on the sixth floor. The Explore Store entices with an enormous selection of science kits, gems, games, books, toys, and jewelry.

Classes: Family and children's weekend classes, for ages three and up, explore everything from magic to mechanics to mummies, with art-making often thrown into the mix. Many meet for just one session ... and many fill, so register as far in advance as possible.

Homeschoolers have their own selection of choose from, and computer classes are held in the Learning Technologies Center, down on the education level with the class and party rooms.

The museum also offers programs at the Warner Nature Center.

Summer camps: Hands-on experiences and fun learning opportunities abound at the Science Museum when school's out. Half-day and full-day camps are offered for kids ages four to 16.

Birthday parties: Reserve well in advance for these popular packages for ages four and up. Pick a theme from the catalog, and add on options such as Omnitheater admission or pizza, if you please. The basic package includes an hour of hands-on activities in a private room, followed by 30 minutes for cake and punch (provided), decorations and paper goods, and free admission to the exhibit halls. Kids make something to take home - be it dragon eyeballs or dinosaur eggs - and the birthday child gets a special button; $215 non-members; $175 members, for 10 guests.

Membership, at $95/family, provides unlimited exhibit access, free admission to the Omnitheater - or a discount on any special features showing, and discounts on classes, lectures, parties, and summer camps. Members receive a handy monthly newsletter with info on upcoming programming and invitations to members-only events.

The Works Hands-On Museum (formerly known as The Works Technology Discovery Center) is an interactive museum that makes science and engineering fun for kids ages five to 15. More than 40 exhibits and unique family activities engage visitors, demystify technology, and inspire interest in the way things work.

Classes: Offered during school release days, with special monthly programs for homeschoolers. Custom programs can be scheduled for groups of eight or more.

Camps: Summer programs are offered for boys and girls ages five to 14.

Parties: Packages for ages five to 12 include time in a private party room and the exhibit gallery, a host and activities, a "face warp" portrait of each guest, and set-up and clean-up. Cake and beverages can be brought in from outside. Rates start at $135 for a 90-minute party for up to 10 children and four adults (additional guests $6 each). Add-ons include additional time and private workshops.

The district formerly known as Hennepin Parks comprises 27,000 acres of trails for hiking, in-line skating, biking, horseback riding, dog walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, in parks and reserves throughout the metro area.

In addition, it operates numerous special-use amenities, including Murphy's Landing and other historic sites and farms; three nature centers, including Hyland's Richardson; five golf courses; the Coon Rapids Dam; beaches, swimming, boating, and fishing facilities; downhill skiing, tubing, and snowboarding areas; archery; and places for tent and cabin camping. Anywhere you look, there might even be a rock wall: the district has a 25-foot portable climbing structure that makes the rounds.

Activity fees - except maybe the $500 to rent the climbing wall! - are modest. Parking is free. Equipment rental, including bikes, boats, and other gear, is available at many sites.

Classes & Lessons: System-wide recreational and educational programming offers boatloads of family-friendly events, classes, and activities, alongside lessons for preschoolers to adults in virtually all park activities, including canoeing, skiing, boating, sailing, biking, and golf. The seasonal roster of parent/child classes, full moon hikes, weekend getaways, and art classes makes keeping an eye on the schedule worthwhile. And for homeschoolers ages three to 16, nature centers offer specialized programs with art, history, science, and recreational components.

Summer Camps: Three Rivers' Adventure Week program makes good use of the system's nature centers, farms, historic areas, and outdoor offerings to provide genuinely fun and enriching opportunities for ages four and up.

Birthday Parties: Up to 15 kids, ages four and up, can party at Three Rivers nature centers for just $80, which includes an hour of naturalist-led outdoor activities and an hour in a party room. Parties at Hyland's fabulous children's play area, aka Chutes & Ladders, offer food and table space only.

Volunteering: With so much to offer, Three Rivers needs a lot of volunteers. Kids ages 16 and up can volunteer on their own; individual sites may welcome children as young as 10, as long as they're accompanied by a parent, and show maturity and interest. The opportunities - from face painting to bird banding - include something for everyone. Call the Volunteer Office at 763.559.6706 for details.

Aptly, the behemoth Mall of America also houses the world's largest underground aquarium - though one can't help but feel like the place is not nearly as big as its creative routing and artful displays make it seem.

After paying the hefty admission fee (Adults (13+) $18.95; Children (3-12) $11.95; Boatload (5 people) $79.95. Some attractions additional), visitors can look through a window into the aquarium's laboratory, then descend down to the tank tunnel via a zig-zagging path through a recreation of a northern Minnesota forest, filled with turtles, trout, toads, and other native animals. On busy days, when the path is crowded, visitors should plan on going with the flow; families lingering for longer observations can cause bottlenecks.

The path leads to the underwater exhibits, which wind through recreations of lake, river, and reef habitats. Visitors glimpse sharks from every angle on the curving 300-foot walkway propelling them through Shark Cove and a new Amazon exhibit, and, sometimes, see divers on paid swim-with-the-sharks tours. The SeaCrits Gallery, a semi-cheesy hall of exhibits and movie memorabilia, connects to Starfish Beach, with its children's play area and touch pools and hatchery. A gift shop on that level features toys, games, and kits, with prices that aren't too extreme.

Time short visits to coincide with a scheduled feeding or Creature Feature program. Go on behind-the-scenes tours or simulated submarine rides on any day for an additional fee; a free tsunami presentation is held weekends at 4pm. Other additional-fee activities include making shark-tooth necklaces and riding a miniature carousel.

Print this coupon for discounts on admission fees. Visitors can also get discounts when ordering online and printing out their tickets at home.

Family Overnights for ages five and up are offered on dates throughout the year, as well as special events for homeschoolers. Educational programming for K-8 students includes summer camps and school release day sessions.

Birthday Parties: Best for ages four to 13, the basic package includes a day-pass for each guest, 30-minute guided tour, an hour of activities in a decorated party room, cake and beverages, a commemorative birthday photo, gift shop discount, balloons, favors, and invitations. Priced at $295 for 10 guests, including adults; $265 for members. Optional party add-ons include additional guests, a craft project, behind-the-scenes tour, Plunge Ride, or a visit from Sharky, the aquarium's mascot. Slumber parties require a 25-guest minimum. Call 952.853.0612 to book.

Membership: For just $5 more than a one-day family admission, families can get discounts and unlimited entry for a year. A premium option, priced at $119.95, includes a gift, members-only events, and guest passes.