Field Trip for Homeschoolers

As you probably already know, we love to travel and visit new places. When we are not traveling far, we like to find fun things to do and places to explore near home. And springtime (with the nice weather) is a great time to plan some homeschool field trips! You don’t have to go far to find a good field trip that your kids will enjoy! I have compiled a list of ideas to get you started. Make sure you call ahead and see what hands-on opportunities you can coordinate for your field trip! When we are not out traveling we like to find fun things to do and places to explore in our home town.

1. Fire station – call ahead to schedule a tour with a local fireman. You could also ask your kids to come up with a question or two for the fireman ahead of time.
2. Local farm – from raising animals to growing crops there are many options for a fun local farm field trip!
3. Nature hike – find birds, and plants (including wild edible fruits you could try) A nature hike is a  great way to learn about what grows in your local habitat.
4. Visit your local nursery and pick out a new plant to grow in your yard or garden (if you have one). After you pick your plant take some time to learn about the best place to plant it and how to care for it. Set a reminder so you don’t forget to water your new plant.
5. Library tour – Ask a librarian to show you how to find books at your local library. If your kids don’t already have one, sign them up for a library card. It might also be fun to learn how people use to search for library books before computers were used.
6. nature hike – find birds, plants, etc…
7. museum – visit a local museum
8. local farm – different types of farms
9. local history – visit historic sites and buildings in your town.
10. Visit the Zoo – this is a fun one for all ages
11. Go to an aquarium – they often have shows or petting/feeding areas where you can see the animals close up
12. Play/musical – many high schools, maybe a homeschool group, and your local community will put on plays.
13. State capital building – learn about your state’s local history and visit the capital building.
14. City parks – this is a great way to get some fresh air and bring some ports equipment ie. a soccer ball, and basketball volleyball if you have a place to play. Our kids like soccer a lot and will often go out in the afternoons and play a little while with their neighborhood friends.
15. Observatory – learn about different star constellations and planets that you can see. If you live by a university they often have an observatory that is available to the public at certain hours.
16. Tour a Factory – Do you have a local factory near your home?
17. Take a hike in a local state or national park – for a little more education read some of the info signs about the park and specific trails.
18. Tour a post office – Another fun activity to do before you go is to have each person write a letter to a friend or family member and put it in the mail while you are there.
19.  Visit places of worship – learn about something uniquely specific to each place you visit
20. Visit a cemetery – Do you have ancestors buried nearby? Visit their burial site. You could also ask a cemetery caretaker to show you around and tell you about what he does to keep the place cared for.

There are so many more things you can do for field trips. I know I didn’t list them all, but hopefully, this is a start to helping you have an amazing spring with a few field trips planned for the family.

Pro Tip: Get the whole family involved while planning, getting everyone’s ideas and interests will help your family pick something that is fun for the whole group!

Rach