Great Ideas for Field Trips -

One of my favorite things and my kids’ favorite things about homeschooling was all of the great opportunities for field trips. We were in a large homeschool group and were divided into groups like preschool, elementary, middle and high school. At one time, I had kids in three of the four groups for a few years and each group had their own field trips each month. That meant 3 field trips a month! That was fun! I miss those days. This list is by no way the only places to go for field trips. It’s just a jumping off point for you. If you think some places may be too old for your group, don’t hesitate to ask if they can modify it for younger groups. The same goes for older kids. Lots of places have different tours for each age group. I think field trips that draw in the dads are so much fun! We have a tendency to forget they might want to go too.

You may have a tendency to skip out on field trips because, you know, you got to get school done, but don’t. Try not to miss them if you can. Not only are field trips educational and fun, but it is a great way to get in some much-needed socialization. They also give you a chance for some much-needed socialization with other moms. There is another bonus that not many homeschoolers think of. Field trips give the community an incredible opportunity to see homeschool in action. Kids and you can make contacts (networking, baby!) that can be of benefit to your homeschool group and to your kids later on.

I can’t tell you, as a former group leader and vice president of a homeschool group, how many times a business owner/manager or community leader said they were so glad that we came. They appreciated how well-mannered we were and how inquisitive our children were. Some had even had bad experiences with kids or even other homeschoolers and we were able to make a difference and change their mind. Anyway, be creative! Field trips aren’t just for learning, but they are a sneaky way to get in some education. And don’t forget! Field trips aren’t just for the typical school months, you can even do them over the summer!

Tour of Cici’s Pizza and make your own pizza!
Horse Farm
Tour of a race track/stadium (This one will definitely get the dads’ attention!)
Tour of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
Zoo (Because who doesn’t love the zoo?)
Fire Department/Police Department
Airport
State Capitals
Living history farms
A Chinese/Japanese Restaurant (We did this when I was in middle school because we were studying China. We ended the trip with Sweet and Sour Chicken and thus began my love of Chinese food!)
Farms with hay rides and agritourism
History Museums
Art Museums
Children’s Museums
Local Homeschool Athletic Events
Attend a pro sports event
Christian concerts
Local Plays at theaters/churches (Ask for a backstage pass. We allowed a group to see our backstage of a huge drama that we did and the kids loved it! They saw us doing makeup, costumes, set design, etc. and got to ask us lots of questions. It was fun!)
Rent a movie screen
Go to a farmer’s market
Take a hospital tour and discuss various careers (Great for middle or high school)
Living history reenactments
Take a tour of the historical sites around your town
Ghost tour of your town? Believe it or not, there is a lot of history you can learn about your town taking one of these. It’s not meant to be truly scary but educational and fun
teaching
Nature Walk (You could do it scavenger hunt style, or locate certain trees, etc.)
Geocaching
College Tours
Local gym (Maybe they could do a fitness day)