It’s field trip time of year!

Making the Most of Field Trips

(Information from Handy Handout 282 from Super Duper Inc)

Field trips are beginning again at school for the spring. They are a fun way for children to learn as they explore different places outside the classroom. Children can find field trips to be exciting — they get to go somewhere, see new sights and learn new things. For some children this can be scary. You can help make sure he or she is ready and has a wonderful time by doing a few things.

Before the Field Trip

• Read up on where your child is going so that you can talk to them about the upcoming trip. This can help make them feel comfortable, as well as, get them excited for the new adventure. If you are able, visit the destination beforehand so your child can be familiar with the location. This can also help put parents at ease.
• Talk to your child’s teacher ahead of time to make sure that your child has everything he or she needs for the trip. Most of the time, you will receive information about the items your child will need to bring, along with the permission slip. It is always best to talk with your child’s teacher if you have questions.
• Be sure to emphasize to your child how important it is to stay with the group at all times. Talk about staying with your friends and if possible, ask the teacher to use the “buddy system” with one child in his or her group.
• Talk about the behavior rules for the location he or she will be visiting. This is a great time to introduce some vocabulary words, as well as expected behaviors. For example, if a class is visiting a museum, you will want to explain what “rare” and “fragile” mean, and there may be things they are not allowed to touch.
• Try to model good manners in different public places, and have your child role-play these skills with you or practice them with helpers in the community, like a waitress, store clerk, or movie theatre ticket-taker. Practicing these social skills ahead of time can help your child be prepared for similar situations during a field trip or outing.

After the Field Trip

After your child comes home, the learning does not stop! There are things you can do to reinforce his or her experiences.

• Ask questions about where he or she went and what he or she did while at the location.
• Have your child talk about the events of the field trip.
• Have your child draw pictures about the trip.
• Have your child write a story about the trip.
• Have your child act out something he or she learned.

These things will all help your child to better remember the newly learned information from the field trip.

You also don’t have to wait for your child’s class to take a field trip, you can take field trips with the family! These outings do not need to be expensive; learning opportunities are everywhere!

Here are some websites with free/inexpensive ideas for field trips:

Free activities in the Quad Cities: http://www.visitquadcities.com/content/free-fun

https://moline.macaronikid.com/

Fun Family Things to do in Northern Illinois & Southern Wisconsin (and even a few places in Iowa and Minnesota): http://www.comportone.com/cpo/tourist/freethng.htm#lc&w

Activities in Peoria: http://peoria.macaronikid.com/

Activities in Galesburg: http://www.trekaroo.com/activities/nearhotel/fairfield-inn-galesburg-galesburg-illinois#sort_by:city_popularity/cost_max:1/cost_min:0

(this site also allows you to search all around the state)