Chronicles: Homeschoolers Field Trip to Butterfly Wonderland

Our homeschool group recently ventured out to Butterfly Wonderland in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was so curious to see what it had to offer since it's fairly new to the valley. We studied ants and bees for a month. We also took a few weeks to study the Amazon rain forest, along with the tropics when we studied South America. So, needless to say, I was excited to have a chance for the boys to see the insects and feel humidity up close and personal.

Butterfly Wonderland is a new attraction in the north Scottsdale area where there is actually an atrium full of exotic and very special butterflies. The atrium is humid and full of tropical plants, much like what you would find in a tropical rainforest. The Butterfly Wonderland website boasts a 3-D documentary of the monarch butterfly's migration pattern, a rainforest atrium, a working bee hive, an ant farm, and an aquarium. These are all such splendid ecosystems to witness in person so, of course, we were excited to go.

The discounted group price was also a draw. Without the discount it would cost our family of 5 about $60 to go. That's kind of steep for a field trip. There is no advertised price for field trips so I didn't know whether there was a discount or not. When the homeschool group set up the field trip I was estatic to be able to go for less.

Nice Location

Once we got there I was pleased to see that Butterfly Wonderland is right off the highway. There's plenty of parking, and nice areas to sit and wait with your group if necessary. The whole homeschool group was quite large and there weren't enough seats for everyone, of course, but they were comfy. And, quite honestly, unexpected. After everyone was paid and had their wristbands and 3-D glasses, we filed inside to watch the documentary. This was a great part of the experience. It lasts just the right amount of time for little ones and it's informative. My guys left understanding the migration pattern of the monarch butterfly so it's written at a level that young children can comprehend.

After the movie we were ushered into a viewing room where there are cocoons ready to become butterflies. The truth is our group was too large to get too close or see the butterflies emerge, so it feels a little like being in the nosebleeds. But, theoretically an individual can physically see the cocoons in different stages of development.

Next we moved into the atrium after we were informed that we would have to leave the stroller in the butterfly emergence gallery. Oops! I generally don't carry a "baby bag", I just use the bottom storage space in the stroller. We have to cross our fingers and hope the baby is happy with the butterflies. This seems to be the most popular aspect of the attraction and where the traffic stagnated. There were a lot of people there trying to get a good look at these exotic butterfly species. Many wanted the butterflies to land right on them so they would stand in one place for a while. No butterflies actually landed on us this time, but we hold out hope. We did see them in action though, and that was great. After some good photo ops we moved into the cafeteria.

Steep Pricing At the Butterfly Wonderland Snack Counter

This is where the trip got a little less than desirable. The cafe is set up to hold several people whether you bring your own lunch or buy. We didn't pack lunches so we ordered a bag of trail mix, a box of Cheerios, a large cookie and a bag of Doritos. I know it was not very nutritious or filling, but I just wanted to hold them over until we got to lunch. This "snack" came to almost $10. Ouch! These are snacks that would normally cost half that much in the outside world. For a penny pincher I should've known to bring lunches because most attractions like this have big prices for small stuff.

After eating the snack we ventured on through the bee, ant, and various desert creatures exhibit. The ant farm was under construction so we missed out on that part. The bees, however, were in full effect. One of the guides was explaining life cycles and behaviors of the bees and pointed out the queen for everyone. This was great. When it's not too crowded you can actually see the work the bees are doing and figure out which bees have which jobs. It could be really nice if it isn't too congested. In this area one can also get a glimpse of a tarantula and a scorpion.

Multitasking In the Aquarium (Inside Butterfly Wonderland)

After this we moved into the aquarium. The aquarium had a shark. No, don't think Jaws...this shark was a smaller one, but still cool to see up close. It also contained lots of tropical, colorful fish. There was a stingray pool to gather around and touch the rays. There was also a guide explaining all about the fish and managing the pool with the stingrays while directing traffic and giving instructions about what to do if a person wanted to pet the stingray. He was doing a lot. This was awkward because it's so much multitasking. If it were possible to have a few people there on busy days to help guide the traffic, manage hand washing and behavior with the stingrays, and give the lecture / information about the stingrays and fish it would be a more thorough experience for all visitors. The added manpower would make it more engaging and help everyone to get more out of it.

Keys To Make Your Field Trip To Butterfly Wonderland Manageable:

Overall, I will say this is an informative trip. With the group discount it's well worth the money. If you can manage to wait until the crowds clear a little, you and your brood will get more out of the experience. In fact, we went through again to see everything except the movie. This was beneficial because with less people we were able to see so much more.

1. Go with a group or find another way to get the discounted admission price.
2. Bring your own lunch / snacks.
3. Stay after the crowds dissipate to get closer looks and hear the guides explain.
4. If you have an infant bring a carrier as strollers are not allowed into the atrium.