Kids on Field Trip

You should add some excitement and real life learning experience to your child’s education. Taking field trips are a good way for families who home school to add real life to their kid’s education.  It can get tedious to stay at home most of the day and work out of textbooks and workbooks. Even computer work and games can become monotonous. Field trips provide an opportunity to get out of the house, get some fresh air, learn some new things, and interact with people.  Having your kids interact with people should be one of the top goals for any mom, since it is very important to be able to do that well when looking for a job in the future.  Here are some ideas for fieldtrips that are educational and fun!

Zoos, Wildlife Preserves, and State Parks - Most cities and towns have zoos and wildlife preserves and many people live within driving distance of a great State Park. All of these venues give children the opportunity to actually experience natural science first hand. They interact with animals and learn about the ones that live in their area of the world…what they eat, when they sleep, their social habits, and more. These places are also wonderful for learning about different plant species that our local animal life depend on for survival and how human actions may be impacting them. It might be helpful to look online to see what these places offer and then write up a list of questions your kids have. Help them find the answers while they visit.

Art Galleries - Even if your kids aren’t particularly interested in art, most find galleries to be fun and interesting. Many even have exhibits that feature the work of child artists. Take a look around and have your children write down the names of their favorite artists. Afterwards you can research each artist and learn more about their life and their work.  Make up a game you can play related to art in the museum, such as “find 5 people where hats in different paintings.”

History and Science Museums - Children of all ages usually love history and science museums. History museums give them a look into mysterious times long ago. What child can resist a dinosaur, caveman, or ancient Egyptian exhibit?  Not only can they see how people lived in times past they can see first hand what prehistoric creatures like the Wooly Mammoth or the Saber Tooth Tiger looked like. Science museums usually give children an opportunity to learn about science by seeing different scientific principles in practice. They may be able to learn about sounds, light or the effects of gas through hands on experiments.  Even adults love these!  These museums also have seasonal exhibits that are sure to delight children of all ages so check with yours often to see what they offer.

Farms - Homeschoolers can learn about farming and agriculture first hand by visiting local farms. Many even provide an opportunity for tours or for you to pick your own produce. This allows them to connect with their own food chain and perhaps trace their food from farm to plate. The economics of food distribution is another area they can learn about that is practical and valuable to know. Some farms have special days were younger children can get involved in farm chores as well.  You can even find vacations that allow families to live and work on a farm for a few days.  Now that is real education.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 1st, 2009 at 9:46 pm and is filed under Natural Parenting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.