Homeschool Field Trips
One of the many advantages that homeschool families have is that they are have more flexible schedules and can add in field trips as part of their schooling. You don’t have any permission forms to sign. You don’t need a bus for transportation. Just schedule a trip and go.
Often times local support groups will offer field trips for their groups. Visit our homeschool support group page to see if there is a group in your area if you do not already belong to one. But the best thing about homeschooling is, you don’t need a group.
What types of field trips should you choose?
- Museums and zoos – every town has museums of some kind. Some may be small but you never know what kind of learning experience you can find at local arcane museums. And if you are at all close to a medium to large city, the choices are endless. Contact the museum or zoo and find out if they offer school group discounts. Home schools usually are eligible for these discounts. You may need another family or two to meet minimum student requirements. Almost every zoo and museum offers free days. Contact them to see when they are happening during the year and schedule accordingly. These field trips are a great addition to homeschool curriculum.
- subjects taught: science, history
- types of facilities: art museums, science museums, history museums, aquariums, planetariums, arboretums, caves, observatories, aviaries
- Government – visit your state or county capitol. Visit your cities courts and administration. Let your children sit and listen in the chambers of local government to learn the workings of government. Also in this area you might want to visit the local police station or fire station.
- Factories and Industry – many factories are open to tours to let people see how their manufacturing process works. Children can learn a great deal about how business works and may develop an interest in areas such as engineering after seeing how a factory operates.
- types: candy factories, car factories, bakeries, you name it, it’s worth a visit
- Parks and Greenhouses – parks are generally free and are a great place to add to your science teaching. Parks and greenhouses allow you to study nature close up and personal. Camping can be a great way to add parks into your curriculum. Before you go, find out the types of plants and animals in the area and see if you can find them.
- Farms – visit local farms to show your children where the food in the grocery store comes from. Let them see vegetable farms or dairy farms or orchards. They are all a great way to round out your child’s homeschool education.
- Theater – I believe every homeschool child should be exposed to plays, orchestras, choirs, and musicals. The cultural arts are an integral part of developing well rounded character and theaters and concerts are a great way to experience this. Watching an orchestra or a play on television does not come close to comparing to the live experience.
Where field trips are almost a thing of the past for public school kids, homeschoolers are finding they are a great way to supplement learning while adding a hands on component to education. The great thing about field trips is that they are not only educational but also very affordable. They are a great way for the homeschool family to get out of the house and learn in a different atmosphere. Make sure you add field trips to your planning for this year.