Sometimes in order to make your homeschool journey more smooth, you just need to get out of the house. Now, we’re not talking about a spa day for Mommy (as nice as that would be!) we’re talking about field trips. You’ve all heard the jokes, about the grocery store or church being a field trip, but we know better! You don’t have to travel much farther than your backyard for an educational field trip that would be beneficial for all ages. We’ve listed some ideas that you can utilize in your home town, but feel free to add more of your own in the comments section!
The Zoo
There are so many opportunities to learn at the zoo. Whether you have a pre-schooler or a high-schooler, or both, your students can benefit educationally from the zoo.
Fast Food Restaurants
Many fast food restaurants will allow homeschool groups to come in, take a tour, and receive a small treat as a field trip. You will learn about the ingredients used, and the inner workings of the restaurant and some restaurant history to go along with it as well.
Local Dairy Farms
Many local farms love the chance to have visitors and give some helpful information on farming. Some farms will even allow you to interact with the animals or will do a milking demonstration.
City Museums
You don’t have to live in a large city to to have a city museum. Many small towns even have city museums and could provide some excellent local history for kids of all ages.
Gymnasium or Indoor Pool
Get some of those wiggles out by taking your group to the gym for some free play or some organized games too! If you’re lucky enough to have an in door pool near you, take advantage of it and use it in those cold winter months!
Volunteer
There are always service projects that you can do with your family. Things like volunteering at a local food pantry, helping out an elderly neighbor, or helping clean up a local park can make a big difference in your family and in your community, as well as instill in your children a desire to help others.
Scavenger Hunt
Make a list of fun things for your kids to find in the back yard or the park. Utilize lessons you may be learning in your science or nature studies and reinforce them with a lively scavenger hunt. This is fun for all ages and it’s also free and doesn’t require you to leave the house!
You can take just your family, or you can get a group of other local homeschoolers together with you. Taking other families with you will increase the learning experience, and might even bring the cost of events like museum or zoo admissions down as well. You don’t have to get out every week, but take a trip every month or so, and break up your routine just enough to keep it exciting.
Catch up on all of our posts in this 14 Day Series