Fun and educational field trips for school children provide students a memorable day outside of the school’s classroom.
Elementary field trips can be arranged to teach kids about science, business, animals and more. These trips can teach children important fundamentals outside of the classroom while staying safe on the field trip and having fun visiting one of these locations.
Planetarium
The planetarium is an excellent way to introduce elementary students to the solar system. Students will love the shows and exhibits that will teach them about space and astronomy. Call the planetarium’s admission office to schedule a tour.
Aquarium
You may visit the aquarium all the time. But have you ever been behind the closed doors of the aquarium? Many of the larger aquariums have more aquatic life on the premises than they can possibly display and they would be happy to take the kids on a private tour to show you how the aquarium works. Call the aquarium director’s office to set up a tour.
Factory (Aarey Milk)
See how candy is made, cars, guitars, soda and more. There are factories all over the country that offer tours. Some are even free. Contact the factory directly to schedule a tour.
Zoo
Taking a group of kids to see zoo animals is always fun. But you can also schedule a tour to see how the zoo’s staff works behind the scenes. Educational docents can give your tour group a one-on-one experience with all sorts of animals. Call the zoo’s front office to get more information.
Fire Station
Kids will love touring a working fire station. Firefighters can show students the fire engine, turn on the sirens and educate the children on fire safety to keep your family safe. One of the most valuable lessons kids will learn is how a firefighter will look in full uniform, complete with mask, if he or she ever enters a burning house. Seeing firefighters fully dressed teaches kids that they don’t have to be scared. Call any local fire station and ask to speak to the station commander to set up a tour.
Police Station
Tour the police station to learn crime prevention tips, how a police department functions, police equipment that’s used and how patrol cars work. Contact the station’s crime prevention officer.
Museum
Any kind of museum presents an opportunity for kids to learn and have fun. Take the kids to art, children’s, natural history, technology and science museums, to name a few. The museum director can schedule your group for a behind-the-scenes tour.
Farm
A farm is a great idea for a field trip because there are so many types of farms to visit. One week you can visit a dairy farm and visit with cows. The next week you can visit a crop farm to see how cotton, fruits, grains or vegetables are grown. Contact the farmers themselves to ask if your group can come out for a tour or call your state’s agricultural department to find out more about the types of farms in your city.
Veterinary Hospital
Veterinarians are usually happy to show off their hospitals. Kids can see the operating rooms, equipment used, recovering patients and learn all about the field of veterinary medicine. Contact any veterinary hospital to set up a tour.
TV Station
What goes into producing a newscast? Take the kids to a TV station to find out. Children can get a firsthand look at the sets, meet the TV personalities and see the many types of equipment used to get a newscast on the air. Many stations will even put the kids on the news just for dropping by. Call the program director to set up a tour.
Radio Station
It’s easy to think a radio station and TV station would be too similar to tour. But you’ll notice a lot of differences when you visit both. You may even get to watch as the radio personalities play music or host a local call-in show. Contact the radio station’s program director and tell him you’re interested in a tour.
Newspaper
The inner workings of the newspaper industry are something every child should see. Meet the reporters who write the stories, learn about the history of newspapers, see how newspapers are laid out and watch the newspaper roll off the printing presses. Call the city editor to let him know you’re interested in a private tour.
Hospital
Hospital administrators have worked hard to arrange tours that introduce kids to the hospital environment without giving them a scary experience. This helps prepare them for what to expect should they ever need to visit a relative or become a patient themselves. It’s also an educational experience because children can see how the doctors and nurses work together and use high-tech medical equipment to treat their patients. Contact the hospital’s main number to request a tour. If your local hospital doesn’t allow in-person tours, type “hospital tours for kids” in your favorite search engine to take the children on a virtual field trip from home.
Library
The system that keeps the library up and running is worthy of a field trip visit for kids. Kids not only develop a deeper appreciation for books, they also get to learn about the catalog system, how a book is entered into the system so it can start getting checked out and how the staff operates the library. Contact the head librarian at your local library branch to schedule a tour.
Movie Theater
Kids love the movies so take them behind the scenes to see how a movie theater operates. They can visit the projection room, see how the concession stand operates and they may even get to sample a movie and popcorn. Call the movie theater manager to arrange a tour.
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