Field Trips Archives - Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers

10 of the Best Fun Winter Field Trips

January 10, 2017 By Kris Bales

When cold weather strikes, all I want to do is stay snuggled up in the house. That’s not always the best idea, though, because that’s when cabin fever starts to set in. Instead of holing up in your house all winter, try these ideas for 10 fun winter field trips!

1. The zoo. Bundle up and head out to your local zoo. It may not be the first thought that comes to mind when thinking of winter field trips – because brrrr! – but we’ve been to the zoo a time or two when the weather was cooler than we’d anticipated and the animals were all much more active than we’d ever seen them. I wouldn’t suggest going when the temperatures are frigid, but a moderate winter day field trip to the zoo can be a fantastic experience. An aquarium makes a great winter field trip destination, too.

2. Ice rink. Arrange a group trip to the ice rink to learn the behind-the-scenes tasks needed to keep the rink in good shape for guests. If you’ve got a professional or minor league hockey team, try to arrange to watch a game. If not, schedule some time to skate.

3. A children’s museum. Okay, any museum is a good idea when it’s cold outside, but we used to love going to the local children’s museum. The windows in the water play area were usually foggy, reminding us how cold it was outside while we were snug inside enjoying a day of fun and educational exploration.

4. Ski lodge. If you’ve got a ski lodge within a reasonable driving distance, that can be fun, too. Arrange to take some lessons and learn how the lodge operates.

5. Movie theater. Head to the movies! Ask if you can arrange a behind-the-scenes tour to see what goes into running a theater. Learn how the movies are delivered to the theater and check out the projection room. Plan some related activities for the movie you’ll be seeing or go to see one that’s based on a book you’ve read.

6. YMCA. You can learn about health, nutrition, and exercise – and swim in the indoor pool! See if you can arrange a tour and/or a sample class and a chance to chat with a personal trainer about keeping healthy and active during the cold weather months – or ask about tips for safely exercising outdoors during the winter.

7. Planetarium. Visit a planetarium to learn more about the winter constellations.

8. Public Works/Department of Transportation. Ask if your group can visit to learn how roads are prepared for winter weather. If you’ve got teens, you might also ask about safe driving tips for icy or snowy road conditions.

9. TV station. You can, of course, visit a TV station any time of year, but winter is a fun time to visit your station’s meteorologist to learn about how snowy or icy weather is forecast.

10. Virtual field trips. If the weather is too bad to leave the house, try a virtual field trip! Some sources include:

What are some of your favorite wintertime field trips?

This post is linked to the Hip Homeschool Hop.

3 Reasons Why Washington D.C. Is the Ultimate Homeschool Field Trip

October 10, 2016 By Chelsea Gonzales

Written by Chelsea Gonzales of Wonder Wherever We Wander.

Recently my family and I made a four-day stop in the Washington, D.C. area. Honestly, we only stopped because we happened to be in the area; D.C. was not a place we would have considered staying otherwise.

However, after staying for a few days, we were all in agreement that our nation’s capital city was definitely worth our time, and a place we would likely return. There are {at least} 3 reasons why Washington D.C. is the ultimate homeschool field trip.

Washington DC field trip destination for homeschoolers

1. It’s affordable.

This is a huge one for our family. I know it’s important for many other homeschooling families as well since so many are single-income. The decision to keep the kids at home for their schooling often comes with a financial sacrifice. Although the sacrifice is well worth the return on investment, it does make money a consideration when planning a vacation.

For this reason, Washington, D.C. is the ideal vacation destination for homeschoolers. There are tons of free and inexpensive activities in the area. In fact, we didn’t pay for a single attraction during our stay, yet each day was filled to the brim with fun and learning.

Some of the free attractions in D.C. include:

All of the Smithsonian Institution museums, as well as the National Zoo
The many National Monuments and Memorials
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The lovely Rock Creek Park (includes nature center and planetarium)
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (better for older children)

2. It’s family-friendly.

Most people don’t think about fun for kids when our nation’s capital comes to mind. However, the city is teeming with fun, family-friendly attractions.

So, where should you visit with the kids? It really depends on the interests, ages, and maturity levels of your brood, but in general, you won’t go wrong choosing to visit any of the following free attractions:

Additionally, if you are willing to pay a small admission fee, the National Geographic Museum, Newseum, International Spy Museum, Building Museum, and Madame Tussaud’s Washington, D.C. are all fun for kids.

3. It’s overflowing with educational opportunities.

History

Opportunities to learn about the history of the world and of our country are everywhere in Washington, D.C. The many history museums, as well as various parts of several other museums, offer incredible historical information.

Additionally, the many monuments and memorials scattered across the National Mall work in tandem with The National Archives, to introduce visitors to the history of our country and expand upon their current knowledge.

Science

From the life science learned at The National Zoo to the incredible lessons in physics offered by The National Air and Space Museum, there are plenty of science concepts to be explored in the great city of D.C.

Other science learning opportunities can be found in almost every museum in Washington, D.C., so be sure to keep your eyes peeled when you go out exploring!

Government

Obviously, the capital city of America is the perfect place to spark a child’s interest in the inner workings of our government.

Take a free trip up to the Washington Monument for a lesson on our nation’s first leader, and visit the White House to start a discussion about the work our president does each day. The National Archives are a great place to discover the reasons why our country’s government was built the way it was and why it has worked for us.

Geography and cultures of the world

Much can be learned about the geography and cultures of the world and our country by visiting the museums in the D.C. area.

For instance, the National Museum of the American Indian offers some amazing insight on the various Native American tribes. The Museum of Natural History also chimes in with some lessons on geography as it relates to various plants and animals throughout time, and the National Postal Museum offers opportunities to discuss U.S. geography at various times throughout your visit.

Finally, the Discovery Theater often holds presentations that involve folklore from around the world, making it the perfect tie-in to a geography unit study.

These are just three of the many reasons we fell in love with Washington, D.C. during our short visit. We hope this article inspires your family to hit the road and take the ultimate field trip to our nation’s capital city. We promise you won’t regret it!

Have you visited Washington D.C.? What would you list as must-see sites for homeschooling families?

This post is linked to the Hip Homeschool Hop.

Learning at Disney: Ways to Sneak “School” into Your Disney World Vacation

August 8, 2016 By Chelsea Gonzales

Written by Chelsea Gonzales of Wonder Wherever We Wander.

Many may consider a trip to Walt Disney World a time to relax and take a break from school. However, on my family’s recent trip to the happiest place on Earth, I noticed something I hadn’t seen before: Disney World is a giant classroom.

If you are planning a trip to Disney World and would like to take full advantage of the fantastic learning environment that awaits you—and get away with calling your vacation a “field trip”—keep reading. I have compiled a list of fun learning activities and great opportunities, located on Disney World property, to begin a dialogue with your child.

Take this list and run with it, add to it, and make it your own.

Math

Spending money. To avoid the “I wants” and to help teach your children budgeting, bill/coin values, and self-discipline, give each person in your family a bit of spending money to manage on their own.

Wait times. Long wait times at Disney can be useful for something after all! Use the estimated wait times as conversation starters to help young children understand time.

History

Tom Sawyer’s Island. Read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and discuss the book as a family before your trip. This will make a visit to Tom Sawyer’s Island much more fun and meaningful.

Liberty Square. Discuss and find the Liberty Bell and Paul Revere’s two lanterns in an upstairs window while visiting Liberty Square. Also, be sure to see the Hall of Presidents show for a fun history lesson.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Use your time in line for this ride to discuss the history of coal mines and the (very real and very serious) meanings behind some of the queue distractions, such as the canary and the many references to funerals.

Carousel of Progress. On this attraction, learn about the many exciting ways our day-to-day lives have changed since the turn of the 20th century.

Pirates of the Caribbean. Discussion of the history of pirates and the facts about them would be a perfect addition to a ride on Pirates of the Caribbean.

Epcot countries. Every country pavilion in the Epcot World Showcase has a small history lesson to offer about that particular country.

The Great Movie Ride. The Great Movie Ride is the perfect way to introduce young children to the many Hollywood legends we know and love.

One Man’s Dream. This mini-museum is located in Hollywood Studios and is a fun way to learn about the man behind the magic, Walt Disney himself.

Science

Living With The Land. A great lesson on taking care of the environment and our ecosystem, this is an educational ride through the gardens of Epcot.

Circle of Life. Another eco-educational attraction, this short video feature is a great way to show children the importance of caring for the Earth.

Spaceship Earth. A dark ride that travels through time and shows riders all of the incredible technological advances the human race has made throughout the years, Spaceship Earth is a must-ride when visiting Epcot.

Test Track. This ride gives guests a chance to design their own vehicle and see how it stands up to the rigors of the test track.

Mission Space. Get a feel for what it’s like to take off in a rocket ship as you blast off on Mission Space.

Innoventions. This children’s museum-like space in Epcot’s Future World offers lessons on subjects like fire safety, roller coaster design, and health.

Kilimanjaro Safari. Check out some amazing animals and learn some fascinating facts as you travel through various habitats in a large safari truck.

Rafiki’s Planet Watch. Learn more about your favorite animals and how to care for them at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.

The Dinosaur Ride. While much of this ride is fictional, there are plenty of dino fact gems to be found. Pay attention during the ride and while standing in the line queue.

Wilderness Explorers. Join the Wilderness Explorers in Animal Kingdom to learn some amazing things about animals and nature. Kids can earn badges while they’re at it!

Geography

Adventureland. Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom features landscapes from a few very different parts of the world. Discuss with your child the possible origins of these views.

Soarin’ Around the World. The Soarin’ ride in Epcot takes you on an incredible hang-gliding adventure around the world.

Epcot countries. The countries in the World Showcase also offer some fantastic geography lessons.

Visit Animal Kingdom. Visit Animal Kingdom and discuss Africa and Asia and the incredible history and culture found in each.

Have you been to Disney? What are some of your favorite learning opportunities there?

10 Fabulous Homeschool Field Trip Ideas

June 28, 2016 By Kris Bales

Field trips are one of the best hands-on learning opportunities around. The best part about homeschooling is that you can go on field trips as often as you like with no limits (other than financial restraints) on how far you can go.

As you’re planning your upcoming school year, be aware of opportunities to take your learning on the road by planning homeschool field trips to tie in to the topics you’re studying – or just for fun! Need some ideas? Some of our favorites have included:

1. K-9 demonstration. Two officers from our local police department came to a church gym that we’d secured for the day and brought their K-9 partners. That was such a cool experience! The officers did several different demonstrations and we learned about how the dogs are trained. I highly recommend setting up a demonstration with your local police station if they have police dogs.

2. Doughnut shop. This tour resulted in one of the biggest turn-outs ever for one of our group’s field trips. I mean, really, a doughnut shop. Need I say more? We got to see the entire process of how the doughnuts were made – and we all got a free doughnut!

3. Fire station. Fire stations are always cool. Plan your visit for National Fire Safety Week in October to maximize the learning opportunity. You might even score coloring books and plastic fire fighter hats.

4. TV stations. I think we managed to hit all three major network affiliates in our area – and we learned something every time. Once we went specifically to visit the meteorologist and learn about the weather. This is especially interesting during hurricane or tornado season, when your kids can learn more about severe weather events.

5. Radio stations. As with TV stations, it’s fascinating to see what goes on behind the scenes at the radio stations we listen to every day.

6. Coca-Cola Bottling. We did this very early in our homeschooling journey, but it’s still one of our most memorable field trips. I’ve never seen a place as clean as that Coca-Cola plant. It was fascinating to learn how the cans are filled and the lids put on. If you don’t have a Coca-Cola plant near you, any beverage bottling plant would probably be similar – except, you know, they won’t give you yummy Cokes at the end.

7. Museums. We’ve visited history, science, train, children’s, and archaeology museums. Ask around. You may be surprised to discover small, local museums that you didn’t even know existed.

8. Walking tours. One of my favorite field trips was a walking tour of our city. So often we miss the learning opportunities that are all around us, especially as relates to the history and interesting sites in our own city. A walking tour slows you down and allows you to catch things you miss when you’re driving through.

9. Grocery stores. It’s often a joke that homeschoolers can turn a trip to the grocery store into a field trip, but we really have gone on an official grocery store field trip. It was arranged through The Field Trip Factory, a nifty little site with all sorts of field trip opportunities. We learned about nutrition and food safety, and the kids got to taste test a variety of fruits and vegetables.

10. Zoos and aquariums. We always enjoyed tying aquarium or zoo visits into studies about animals, habitats, and geography. One time, we took a map of the world and tried to find at least one animal from each continent. You could get really creative and put together a little scavenger hunt or bingo board for your next zoo or aquarium visit, too.

Gregg Harris has a great book called A-Z Guide to Homeschool Field Trips that makes a great homeschool field trip resource. I think it’s out of print now, but if you can get your hands on a copy, I highly recommend it. It lists all sorts of ideas for places you can go – and places you might be going anyway, such as the doctor or dentist’s office.

The book also suggests lots of questions students might want to ask and topics you might want to research further after the trip. Those question ideas are perfect for avoiding the uncomfortable silence that so often follows the inevitable query, “Does anyone have any questions?”

What are some field trips that you and your family have really enjoyed?

updated from an article originally published May 4, 2010.

images courtesy of depositphotos

This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday and the Hip Homeschool Hop.

Field Trip Ideas for Middle and High School Students

March 17, 2015 By Kris Bales

Are you looking for non-cheesy, not-too-babyish field trip ideas for your middle school and high school students? Look no further! Field trips and hands-on learning experiences are just as important for teens as younger kids, so go explore.

Field trips are pretty standard among elementary-aged homeschoolers. However, once kids hit middle and high school, the field trips often come to a screeching halt.

In complete transparency, I admit that I’m just as guilty as the next mom of not taking my teens on enough field trips. I want to rectify that, though, so I thought I’d brainstorm and share a few field trip ideas for middle and high school students. Please suggest any ideas that I miss in the comments!

Hospitals – Lots of hospitals offer different types of classes or presentations for groups. First aid and germ prevention are still relevant to teens and could be part of a health class credit.

Symphony performances

Plays

Art museums

TV and radio stations – These are popular with younger students, but still very relevant to older students. Your local TV station’s meteorologist might enjoy having an older group of students with whom to go more in-depth.

Living history museums – I know they have these at places such as Williamsburg, Jamestown, and St. Augustine, to name a few of the popular options. I’m an adult and I love them, so living history museums are suitable for teens.

Auto manufacturing plants

Food manufacturing or processing plants

Space Centers – Check out locations in Huntsville, Alabama; Cape Canaveral, Florida; and Houston, Texas.

Courtrooms – I always find it interesting to see how our judicial system works – and {most} teens are old enough to be quiet in a courtroom.

Aquariums – Many have programs specifically for older students.

Amazon fulfillment centers

Planetariums

Historical cities – Older kids are often easier to travel with, which means you can make some extended field trips. Try places such as Washington D.C., Boston, or the Alamo. There are so many possibilities for those who can travel!

And, I probably don’t need to point this out, but every city has a history. Don’t forget to explore yours!

History museums

Civil War battlefield locations

State and national parks

State capitols

Artisans – If there are any local artisans in your area – blacksmiths, artists, etc. – see if they’ll let your teens watch them work. This outing could even become an apprenticeship opportunity for the right student.

The Creation Museum – The Creation Museum is still on my want-to list. Maybe soon.

College campuses – Sure, you can refer to it as a campus tour if you like, but it’s still a field trip. {grin}

Caves and caverns

Wildlife refuges

Local businesses – The entrepreneurial spirit is prevalent among homeschoolers. Ask a local small business owner to give your teen a tour and explain the ins and outs of business ownership.

Amusement parks – Yes, they’re fun, but some are willing to give students a behind-the-scenes tour, and many do have an educational component. Epcot is famous for its Showcase of Worlds, and you can watch a whole host of artisans work at Dollywood.

A location of the Federal Reserve

Music recording studio

Foreign countries – Yeah, such a field trip probably isn’t in my future, but if you can swing it, what a fantastic opportunity that would be.

Historic homes

I’m sure there are many other ideas that I’m overlooking, but that’s okay. That’s where you come in.

What suggestions would you add for non-cheesy, not-too-babyish field trip ideas for teens?