School Field Trip Options
Surveyor's House
Who is Laura Ingalls Wilder?
All field trip groups will visit the Surveyor's house, where we will talk about Laura’s life and her books. The overview begins with where Laura was born and the many places she traveled. Students will learn how Laura and her family came to live in the Surveyors’ House and play a game of “can you find” where the students find artifacts located throughout the home.
Key Takeaway: Learn who Laura Ingalls Wilder is and about her life in De Smet
Please choose 3 from the following options:
The Discovery Center
Pioneer Food & Work: From Hunt to Hearth
Students will explore how pioneer families like Pa and Ma provided food without modern conveniences.
- Hands-on Hunting Prep: Students learn how Pa prepared for hunting trips, practice “tracking” by making animal tracks, and examine animal pelts to understand their uses.
- Cooking Without Technology: Students discover how Ma prepared meals without electricity or grocery stores by making homemade butter, trying antique kitchen tools, and learning that the kitchen served many purposes beyond cooking in Laura’s day.
Key Takeaway: Children will learn how pioneer families provided food without modern technology or grocery stores. Pa hunted to supply meat, while Ma used the kitchen—where they churned butter, cooked, and carried out many daily tasks—as the heart of the home that sustained family life.
The First School
Mary Ingalls: Strength in Darkness
Children will learn how Mary Ingalls lost her vision and the remarkable ways she adapted to life without sight. They will explore what it is like to be blind through hands-on activities such as navigating a room without vision and creating jewelry as Mary did, relying on touch instead of sight. These experiences help students understand the challenges Mary faced and the resilience she showed in overcoming them.
Key Takeaway: Children discover how Mary Ingalls adapted to blindness with courage and resilience.
Visitor Center
Wagon Adventures **
What was it like for Laura and her family to travel thousands of miles in a wagon? She and her family traversed more than 6 states in a wagon. Students will get to climb into a fully restored wagon. They will learn about traveling in such a vehicle and become familiar with both the adventures
and difficulties.
Key Takeaway: This was the Ingalls family's mode of travel. Wagon travel was much more difficult than our main modes of travel today.
**Alt 1. (in inclement weather) Pioneer School Days
What was it like going to school on the prairie nearly 150 years ago? What was it like for Laura both as a student and a teacher? Take a journey into history and experience school days from long ago.
Exhibit & Behind Closed Doors
Immerse your students in this year's exhibit and take a tour of our Archive Room. A museum is a place to learn about art, history, science, and culture. It is a building or institution that collects, preserves and displays artifacts for the public to view and learn from. Explore the vibrant world of museums, discovering what they truly are, why they hold immense significance, and how they operate.
Key Takeaway: History is our story. Remember, museums are not just repositories; they are vibrant spaces where history, art, and knowledge come alive.
Gift Shop
Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society is non-profit organization that seeks to promote and preserve the Laura Ingalls Wilder Legacy in South Dakota. Laura's history is our history as South Dakotan's and as Americans. One of the many ways that we are able to continue our work is through revenue generated at our gift shop and through donations. We invite you and your students to visit our shop and pick up something to remember your visit.
All proceeds go to preserving Laura's Legacy and the historic homes.
How to sign up
About Our School Fieldtrips
Our History
Reserve Your Spot Today
Customizable
Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society was founded by those who knew her and wanted to preserve her history and legacy because they realized that in so doing, they were preserving the American Story as well. Laura's history is our history too! Because of this the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society endeavors to provide fun educational programs for you and your students.
Customizable
Reserve Your Spot Today
Customizable
Create your customized fieldtrip by selecting the options that your students would enjoy. Each option will take 30 minutes. All groups start with the "Who is Laura Ingalls Wilder?" session at the Surveyors’ House. Then it is off to the activities you have chosen. Pick three activities in addition to the Surveyor's House.
Reserve Your Spot Today
Reserve Your Spot Today
Reserve Your Spot Today
Fieldtrips can be scheduled in September and May
10:00AM & 1:00 PM
on a space available basis.
1.605.854.3383
or by email
Each session will take about 30 minutes. All groups will spend 30 minutes at the
Surveyors’ House. Expect your visit to last at least 2 hours
(10 students minimum)
Cost
Reserve Your Spot Today
Reserve Your Spot Today
Admission
$9 per person
Tour + School Fieldtrip
Adults $ 22.50
Children 6-12 $15.50
Preserving Laura's legacy
Support the Laura Ingalls Wilder Memorial Society in preserving the cherished heritage and historic landmarks of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Your donation helps restore and preserve irreplaceable historic buildings and artifacts keeping Laura's legacy alive for future generations.