Suggestions for Kids Activities (Jackson, Franklin: houses, where to buy, YMCA)

[TRunnels]

We are moving in Feb. or March. I have a Nashville map and am marking areas that we will be visiting on a regular basis to help us decide on where to buy a house. What I need help on is suggestions for some activities that I know my kids will want to be involved in, so that I can mark those on our map before we visit and start looking at houses. I have already marked my husbands work which is right downtown.
So if you have a suggestion for one of the following please let me know:
*Gymnastics studio for my 10 year old
*Good soccer league - my 10 year old says she can't live without soccer
*An All City Type Children's Choir- my 12 year old can't live without this
*Unitarian Universalit church or some other very liberal church
*Non religious homeschool groups

Also, since we homeschool we visit museums quite often - are most of the museums in the downtown area? That seems to be the case with all the other larger cities that we have lived in.

Thanks so much for your responses. I can't wait to move from Wyoming - I am so tired of the bitterly cold 8 month winters.
Tam

[alleycat]

There are soccer leagues all over. You shouldn't have a problem finding one for your daughter no matter where you live in the greater Nashville area.

The main Unitarian Universalist Church that I know of is the one on Woodmont Blvd. in the Green Hills area.

For children's choir, I know that the Blair School of Music and Belmont has children's choirs, but I don't know much about them. There is also a "free for all" type music "school" here (the name of it is right on the tip of my tongue but I can't think of it at the moment); it's primarily for kids who might not otherwise get a chance to be involved with music. I don't know if anyone and everyone can sign up as well.

For museums, there's the state museum downtown (worth a visit, but probably not one you will want to visit over and over); the Frist Center for the Visual Arts (which also has a "kids' art place") on West End Avenue close to downtown; and the Adventure Science Center (near the Fort Negley area). By the way, you might want to make a visit to Fort Negley anyway; there are some great views of downtown from there.

[alleycat]

I can't edit my post above (the forum imposes a time limit for editing posts), but wanted to list some other places you might want to take the kids because of their historical or educational value:

Bicentennial Mall
The Hermitage (home of Andrew Jackson)
Belle Meade Plantation
Centennial Park
The Ryman Auditorium
The Country Music Hall of Fame (even if you're not a country music fan)
Carnton Plantation (in Franklin)
Cheekwood

[ms ball]

Ellington Agricultural Center
Warner Park
Nashville Public Library has wonderful children's programs

[alleycat]

Radnor Lake
A drive down the Natchez Trace Parkway
Tennessee Central Railroad Museum
Lane Motor Museum

[TRunnels]

Oh I can't believe that I forgot to list a good library as something I am looking for. On average we spend a couple of days a week there. What is the best library in the area?
Thanks for suggestions so far,
Tam

[alleycat]

Nashville has a very good public library system. There are probably twenty branch libraries all around town, and the main library building downtown. The downtown library is well worth a visit. They often have children's programs there.

Nashville Public Library

[ms ball]

Some of the library branches offer weekly storytime for preschoolers. During the summer months they have a "Summer Reading Program" in which some of the branches offer programs for school age children as well. You may also want to check with the YMCA. They may have programs available for homeschoolers.