It is always best for students to learn from hands-on experiences rather than solely from textbooks. This includes taking them to places such as museums and theaters where they can be exposed to new concepts and ideas. However, it is not always easy or feasible to manage so many children in these public spaces. What is easier is for these field trips to come to your school. In that way, children can freely roam about and explore, without you having to stress out, or restrict them. Many would happily come to your school. It is best to diversify and introduce your young learners to different concepts that could inspire them early on; these can range from cooking to gymnastics to art museums and science labs etc. In this way, children can get a practical feel of what they are drawn towards because they start heading into the direction of their career paths through choosing subjects, etc. Here are 13 awesome ideas for field trips that come to your school!
1. Theatre
What’s more exciting than watching a theatre play? If you can’t go to the theatre bring it to you. Local theatre companies will be thrilled to perform in your school auditorium and provide your students with entertainment while learning. Different plays are suitable for different age groups so choose accordingly. You can even pick a play that your students are reading in their English class at the moment. This will make it more interesting for them.
2. Petting Zoo
An excellent way for children to learn about animals is to show them real ones. Bring in a petting zoo to your school where your students can interact with and learn about various animals. It is a more controlled environment than going to a proper zoo and will be easier to manage the students while they can freely run around.
3. Police & Firemen
These are especially beneficial for younger kids who are fascinated by such rescue jobs. You can invite them to your school parking lot along with their trucks & vehicles. They can learn the process through which they work, which will be exciting for them as well as informative.
4. Cooking Show
Contact a chef you know to come and put on a cooking show for your class. Children can learn the basics of cooking and understand the hard work that goes into preparing a meal that they eat at restaurants. If possible, get a chef from a popular restaurant that the kids love. This will inspire them further and may even spark an interest in cooking during their early days.
5. Art Museum
Change up the art class once in a while by bringing an art museum to your students. This may seem challenging but it is quite easy to do. Hit up a local art school or artist and get paintings put in one of the classrooms. The students can pretend like its an art museum/gallery they are visiting. You can even go a step further to invite the artist/s and have your students speak to them in the in-school gallery, asking them all the questions they desire.
6. Science Labs
Any science and engineering university will be happy to help you with this. Get a bunch of students/faculty to come and set up various stalls on your school premises. Students can explore and discover many things and it’ll be a great way for them to learn new concepts.
7. Camping
Just because you don’t go out in the woods doesn’t mean you can’t camp! It is essential to teach your little ones how to rough it out and survive in the wilderness. Turn the playground into an imaginary camping site where your students can sleep in sleeping bags and learn the basics of putting out a fire and cooking food.
8. Circus
Bring the circus to your school! The children can be entertained by gymnastics and other cool tricks. It will be good exposure for them as they can be inspired by it and can take up gymnastics from an early age.
9. Doctor/dentist
You can invite the local doctor/dentist along with their equipment to your school. Give the students a free checkup while they learn about the human body. This can give them an insight into the profession and what each tool does, e.g. the statoscope. It will build on their general knowledge and could inspire them to even become doctors someday!
10. Fashion Studio
This might seem out of the box but it’ll be a delight for all those little fashionistas. Bring in a designer along with the team and some of the pieces and equipment. They can then get a guided tour of what it takes into producing the final piece. E.g. you can brief them on textile designing by showing them the process and the end product.
11. Banks
Speak to the local bank about setting up a small make-shift bank at your school. It can be highly educational for students where they learn to write cheques, open up a bank account, and lots of other stuff. You can even hand out small piggy banks to them to encourage them to save money and deposit it into the account when they are older.
12. Nurseries
Get plants from the nursery to set up a mini nursery at your school. Get a local gardener to come too and educate your little ones on the different kinds of plants and their benefits. He/she can even teach them how to grow plants and plant their own on the school premises.
13. Pottery
It would be interesting for children to learn how pots and plates are made. Get a local potter to come to the school with the pottery machine. He can demonstrate the process to the students and they can even have a go at it themselves, learning how to mold the clay with their hands.
Each of these 13 field trips is super fun and educational and will motivate your students to learn!