One of the most awesome things about homeschooling is that you have the freedom to schedule field trips whenever you want! You can take advantage of ‘school-hours’ to go out when it’s less crowded to take advantage of free field-trip opportunities in the community around you. Of course, not all these ideas might apply to your family, but as is always the case with schooling at home, you can freely pick and choose what you like!
There are several ways to approach organizations and establishments. First, you should check on the main webpage to see whether they already have a program set up. Secondly, you can phone and speak to a manager, explaining that you are a homeschooler and that yourself, your children, and perhaps other homeschooling families, would like a tour of the facility as part of their studies. Usually people are happy to accommodate as it brings in potential future business and they get a chanced to promote themselves.
- Post Office –what happens to the letter once it’s dropped into a mailbox? Your local post office would be happy to show kids what happens “behind the scenes!”
- Visit a pet shop to see what animals are there and how they live. PetSmart and Petco have programs specifically set up for school groups.
- Michael’s –occasionally hosts programs for school groups to make arts and crafts projects.
- College chemistry lab –don’t be afraid to approach a faculty and ask if some of their students can show your children around, and maybe allow them to watch a lab.
- College or community performance groups (drama, ballet, orchestra, etc.) –to see if they’ll allow you to watch them rehearse for free.
- Home Depot –offers various workshops. During the slow times (i.e. NOT weekends), they can show your children how paint is mixed, carpeting is cut, etc.
- Visit a ghost town –ghost towns are more common than you think…it’s just a matter of finding one!
- Go hiking: http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/031706.htm
- Take a trip through local history with a historical society volunteer. Historical Societies are staffed by volunteers whom have a passion for their local lore. Instil a sense of community in your children by helping them learn about the local heritage.
- Visit a local greenhouse –there’s lots to be done! From re-potting, to a tour showcasing some of the plants and flowers grown there, it’s also a great place to practice photography skills.
- Visit a retirement home to hear stories about when some of the residents were children. It’s a great way to learn about history.
- The police department often has a community liaison officer who could set up a tour of the station.
- The firehouse -try on a fireman’s uniform and see what they need to do when an emergency is called in! Go inside a fire truck and learn what special purpose each one has!
- The hospital -Look inside an operating room and learn what jobs each staff member, from doctor to nurse, fulfills as part of a team. Take a look at the newborn babies in the nursery.
- A farm -what roles do farms play in our communities? What does the farmer have to do in order to take care of his animals and crops? what is a typical day like for a farmer?
- A park -what wildlife can you find in your local park? Can you design an obstacle course using the playground?
- A photo scavenger hunt –http://www.icebreakers.ws/team-building/photo-scavenger-hunt.html
- A bug safari -using a net and insect cage (available at a dollar store), see what bugs you can catch and then try to identify them.
- Library -Libraries open a whole world of discovery. Make going to the library an integral part of your homeschooling plan.
- Municipal Government or Legislative Assembly –some larger communities and provincial/state capitals will offer free tours. If no tours are organized, request one, and you often will be accommodated.
- Bank –open a bank account–if this has already been done, how about looking onto investments to learn about the process?
- Grocery Store –good place to start to learn about nutrition.
- Local Places of worship –most communities have churches, temples, mosques, etc. The people are always more than happy to host a visit.
- Waste Treatment Centre –see what happens once the waste leaves the home.
- Visit your local bakery and ask for a “behind the scenes” tour.
- Visit your butcher and ask if you can watch him “at work” cutting the meat. Find out how different types of meat have different names.
- Recycling Centre -see what happens after you place your recyclables in the blue bag or box.
- Power Station -learn how power gets from the source to your house.
- Local factories (i.e. Frito-Lays or Coca Cola, etc)
- Local radio and TV stations
- Grocery Store (get an imaginary budget and “go shopping” for the week)
- Nature Walks
- Birdwatching
- The mall –go “people watching” and practice collecting statistics. For example, how many people enter a given door in a 10-minutes period, the ethnicity of shoppers in the food court, or how many patrons seem to be physically handicapped. Can your children spot which shoppers are tourists and which ones are locals?
- Local Airport -What goes up must come down! A visit to the airport is a great kickoff for a unit study on planes.
- Free Museum Days –many larger cities host an annual day where its museums admissions are free.
- Learn about automotive safety with Saturn’s “Things you auto know”. Contact your dealership to see if they have the program available in your locality.
- School Cafeteria –what’s the mystery behind mystery meat? Arrange for your children to watch the workers from behind the scenes of a cafeteria at a local school or college (colleges might be more open to this).
- Visit the White House online –http://www.teachervision.fen.com/tv/printables/TCR/TCR2448_91-95.pdf
- Take a virtual tour of the Underground Railroad – http://www.teachervision.fen.com/black-history/field-trips/4969.html
Do you have any ideas for free field trips?
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