Just because you homeschool doesn`t mean you can`t experience the learning fun of field trips. You`ll just need to schedule them yourself! It`s not as difficult as you might think.
Group vs. Family
You can take just your kids on a field trip (which, if you have more than 3 or 4 might be quite the group on its own!) or you can get together with your homeschool group for the occasion.
There are benefits and downsides to both. Going with a group of kids can be distracting, particularly if other students in the group don`t know how to behave. On the other hand, it`s also a great social event when you can get together with other homeschoolers.
With just the family, kids might be more inclined to fight or bug each other than with others around, but they will also be easier to direct when only your children are along.
Where to Go
You can take a field trip anywhere, really. Most parents prefer to look for a location that goes with what they`ve been studying. For example, if you have been studying about the history of the newspaper, then you could take your students to visit the local press.
Here are a few ideas as to where you might want to go:
- Clinics (vet, walk in, etc.)
- Factories (chocolate, paper, bottled water, etc. whatever is near you)
- Fire station, ambulance station
- Zoo
- National Parks
- Airport
- Special events (concerts, historical re-enactments, etc.)
- TV or radio stations
You`ll probably come up with quite a few on your own! The subjects you`re studying will often suggest a field trip. Or just ask your students, they probably have a few ideas as to what they`d like to learn about.
How to Arrange a Field Trip
Obviously, if you are taking a field trip to the zoo or a national park, you can just go. However, you`ll get several bonuses for arranging an actual school group trip to these locations. Often, school groups will get a discount and a tour guide who will show the kids not just the usual sights, but explain some interesting facts and let them get a behind the scenes peek at things. For example, in the zoo, the children might be able to see the feeding room where food is mixed up for the animals and the nursery, where baby animals are cared for.
To arrange a field trip, it`s often a matter of simply calling the company and letting them know you`re interested. Let them know that you are a homeschool group looking to do a tour. Most businesses are quite accommodating when it comes to setting up a tour for homeschoolers.
You may need to make a couple of calls to arrange the trip, depending on how used to school groups the business is. Some already have everything in place and just need to set a time and date, others will need to figure out how to give you a tour first. It`s good to be flexible for your field trips, you`ll be able to see a lot more that way!
Homeschool field trips are a wonderful way to help your children explore the world. They`ll be exposed to new things and new learning experiences. Not to mention, an interesting field trip makes for a great way to break the routine of school!