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Field Trip Ideas

Field Trips for Preschool and Kindergarten

Field trips are not only lots of fun but they can also be very valuable learning experiences for young children.

They can help build background knowledge and vocabulary that are important for success in school and life.

Free Field Trip Ideas for Preschool and Kindergarten

Some field trips will require an entrance fee, but others may be free. Check with your local places of business to find out if they would be willing to offer your class a free “tour”.

• Fire Station
• Grocery Store
• Home Improvement Store
• Nursing Home
• Animal Shelter
• Beach (if nearby)

Fun Field Trip Ideas for Preschool

The following are popular places for field trips that usually charge a fee for entrance.

• Apple Orchard
• Children’s Theater
• Pumpkin Patch
• Science Museum (designed for children)
• Ice Skating
• Roller Skating
• Kid-Friendly Bowling Alley

The ice skating, roller rink, and bowling alley trips could all be tied to academic science objectives.

Regional Field Trip Ideas

Different parts of the world may offer unique opportunities for field trips such as:

• Coastal: Beach
• Coastal: Lighthouse
• Southwest: Rodeo
• Wildlife Sanctuary
• Planetarium

Field Trips that May Come to You

Some field trips may even come to your location if travel isn’t possible or in your budget.

• Agricultural Outreach Center (cows or other livestock)
• Rodeo History and Education Center
• Petting Zoo
• Wildlife Outreach Center (exotic animals)
• Animal Shelter, ASPCA, or other animal group to teach about caring for pets

How to Plan a Field Trip

The following are some steps you can follow to help you plan for your field trip.

• Check your school field trip policy and read it thoroughly before scheduling any field trips.
• Determine the educational benefits of this particular field trip.
• Check your school policy on field trip chaperones. The general rule of thumb is, the younger the child, the more chaperones you will need.
• Calculate the distance from your school to the location you would like to visit.
• If a fee is involved, calculate how much the field trip will cost per child. Don’t forget to take into consideration any additional costs such as transportation or meals.
• Ask permission from school administrators to book the field trip
• Notify the parents of the date and cost of the field trip. Also let them know if you need chaperones and the procedure for signing-up.

Field Trip Questions

There are lots of questions to take into consideration when planning a field trip for young children. Here are some of the most common questions to consider.

• What type of travel is allowed? Will you need to hire a school bus or can parents drive?
• Can parents take their children home after the field trip, before returning to the school? (this will happen!)
• What paperwork is needed for parents to volunteer as chaperones?
• How many adults will you need to help chaperone the field trip?
• Will this trip help your students meet academic goals? List the specific academic standards that this trip will help your students meet. Remember, most field trips will help develop vocabulary, which in turn supports reading.
• How long will you be away from school? Calculate the travel time to and from your destination into your final number.
• Will students be eating lunch on the field trip? If so, will they be bringing their own lunches, will the school be providing them, or will they be purchased on-site?
• Do any students in your classroom take medication that will need to be administered on the field trip? If so, provisions will need to be made.
• Can parent chaperones bring their younger or older children along on the field trip? If so, how will those children be transported to and from the location? How will payment be handled- if any?

Field Trip Preparation

While field trips are fun for the students, they often require extraordinary amounts of extra preparation and effort on the teacher’s part. If something goes wrong you need to have a plan in place to occupy your students.

Every single minute of your trip has to be planned out in advance or chaos will reign. Expect the unexpected and prepare for delays such as waiting for a bus, waiting in lines, waiting for others to finish lunch.

As you can see, preparing for the trip in advance is only half the battle!

Preparing for Field Trips

Having something on hand to occupy your students on a field trip is a lifesaver.

Field trip recording sheets or scavenger hunts are a great way to keep your students alert and on-task as they look for the items listed.

You can give these forms to your students to complete during the trip or pass them out when needed.

Field Trip Scavenger Hunt Printables

These activities will provide students with practice paying attention to details, recalling events, and vocabulary development.

Picture cues are provided for non-readers so no reading is necessary to complete the activities.

Volume 1 of the 8 page Field Trip Recording Sheet packet includes scavenger hunts and recording sheets for the following field trips:

More Teaching Tips from Pre-K Pages

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20 Engaging and Educational Field Trip Ideas for Preschoolers

• brightwheel
• Child development

Field trips are momentous times in a preschooler’s life. Preschool field trips allow children to enjoy a change of scenery and spend time outside the classroom doing more hands-on learning.

In addition to the memories children create on field trips, they’re a valuable opportunity for educators to reinforce lessons. With the right planning and preparation, field trips for children can be an engaging, educational day for all involved.

Why are preschool field trips important?

Field trips are more than extra-curricular activities. They can be an integral part of a child’s early education. Preschool field trips afford many substantial benefits for children:

Broadens their education

Children are exposed to only so much in a classroom setting. Field trips allow children to get a richer picture of educational subjects by observing them outside of books, lessons, or videos.

Exposure to real-life experiences

In preschool, children are developing their understanding of life and the world around them. Field trips expose them to everyday life in a setting where their teacher can help them connect what they’re learning to what happens in the real places in their community. Experiential learning (authentic, first-hand, sensory-based learning) through field trips is a way for children to reflect on and apply their new knowledge.

Research shows academic improvement

Studies support the idea that field trips have real effects on a child’s education. Field trips are linked to improvements in academic performance. According to a study on youth educational trips by the Wagner Group and the U.S. Travel Association, adults who took educational trips when they were younger…

• Had better grades (59% of study respondents)
• Graduated from high school at a higher rate (95% of study respondents)
• Reported that educational trips had a positive impact on their education (89% of study respondents)

Expands their world

Field trips allow all children to experience more of the world. Whether they live in a busy city or a rural town, field trips introduce children to experiences and environments they may not have access to otherwise. Preschool teachers have the opportunity to make a child’s world a little larger with each field trip and show them new places, people, and adventures.

How to plan and prepare for preschool field trips

A lot of preparation goes into a successful field trip. For teachers and administrators, there are people, places, and schedules to coordinate weeks or months in advance.

Consider the below areas as you plan your trip:

Teaching moments

Sometimes preschool field trips are planned around a specific topic the class has been covering. Sometimes trips are simply a good learning opportunity that you’ll weave a lesson into. No matter which scenario you’re in as a teacher, it’s helpful to have your notes and activities prepared in advance.

How many adult chaperones will you need for the field trip? When you’re planning field trips for kids, it’s crucial to have a confirmed, appropriate number of chaperones based on the number of children attending. 

You can request family volunteers or set up a rotating schedule so families can plan ahead. Consider offering incentives like free lunches or gift cards and remind them it’s a great opportunity to have a meaningful experience with their child and get to know the other children and families in your program.

Plan to bring extra snacks in case meal times run late. Prepare to answer questions from parents about whether to pack a lunch or work out an eating arrangement at the field trip location. If you'll be serving meals on the field trip, prepare the food before and determine how you will transport it. Consider packing a cooler for any perishable foods that need to be kept cold, and pack plenty of water if there is no water available at your destination.

Transportation

Some preschool policies require that school vehicles are used for field trips. Before the trip, determine transportation needs, such as how many vans or buses will be needed and if parents are permitted to drive.

If there’s a cost associated with the trip, how will you secure funds from the school or handle payments from parents? Use your communication platforms to alert parents of any expenses they’ll need to cover as far in advance as possible.

Sometimes drop-off and pick-up schedules can be impacted by field trips. Create an agenda and itinerary that shows where the class will be and breaks down how long you’ll be at each location. This helps parents plan their day and gives school administration information they would need in an emergency. 

If any children have medication, medical equipment, or anything else that needs to be on hand for them, it needs to be accounted for in field trip planning. Bring any health and safety documents such as an accurate roster to count the children and emergency contact information. Teachers should also pack first aid kits and antibacterial hand wipes if there is no access to clean running water on your trip. 

Families' participation on field trips is a great way to include them in the curriculum and share a day in the life of the class. Check out our calendar template to keep families up-to-date with all major school events and spark new ideas for family engagement year-round. 

Field trip safety tips

Taking young children on a field trip can be an overwhelming experience without the right preparation. Field trips are very exciting, so be aware that the children may have extra energy or be more distracted. To have a fun, safe, and smooth trip, focus on safety measures before and during the excursion.

Before the field trip

• Review the schedule with the children and tell them what to expect 
• Give children safety guidelines and procedures to follow
• Assign pairs or small groups for headcount checks
• Involve children in checking the field trip supply checklist
• Instruct children to wear bright clothes or a certain color to make them easy to spot
• Prepare and bring a first aid kit

  During the field trip

• Do headcount checks frequently and always before leaving or entering any location
• Follow pedestrian rules carefully when walking such as using sidewalks and crosswalks and only crossing the street when traffic signals say it is safe
• For traveling by bus or van, check every seat before exiting
• Ensure children understand and follow the security and safety measures of the field trip location
• Continue practicing basic hygiene, such as washing hands or using hand wipes before eating
• Keep a copy of emergency contact lists with you at all times
• Take bathroom breaks together as a group

Field trip ideas for preschoolers

Choosing where to take the children in your preschool class is one of the most exciting parts of field trip planning. Here are 20 engaging and educational field trip ideas for preschoolers:

Apple orchards and pumpkin patches can show children how these foods are grown and offer a truly hands-on education as they pick their own.

Nature walk

Nature walks are an educational adventure that allow children to discover various plants, leaves, critters, and trees. It’s also great physical activity!

Farmer’s markets

A field trip to the local farmer’s market or grocery store can be an opportunity to teach children lessons about nutrition and where their food comes from.

Many children’s books are full of stories and illustrations of sea creatures, so the aquarium is sure to be a hit with preschoolers. They’ll get a chance to see these creatures up close and learn more about them.

A local bakery is another food-focused field trip that supports a small business and allows children to see how some of their favorite sweet treats are created.

Zoos are a common preschool class favorite! Children can visit and hear facts about a wide variety of animals, including birds, mammals, and reptiles.

Local library

Libraries are often a familiar place for young children, but a preschool field trip to the library gives children a chance to learn details about what a librarian does and the many types of books available to them.

Fire station

Preschoolers tend to love fire trucks. Use a field trip to a fire station to teach them about the work that happens behind the scenes and age-appropriate fire safety tips.

Local events

Sometimes the best educational events don’t need to be booked—they’re already happening in your community! From holiday celebrations and parades to the annual fair, local events can provide children with a wealth of learning opportunities.

Farmers have so much they can teach young children, from lessons about the way food is grown to how the animals are raised.

Children’s museum

Museums that cater specifically to young children are educational and interactive places that are ideal for preschool field trips. They also tend to change exhibits regularly, which means they’re a great choice for multiple trips.

Home improvement store

Show children how chairs, tables, and other items they use on a daily basis are built. Another way to do this is to find a local builder with a small shop who’s willing to give a workshop tour and demonstration.

If you have a child-friendly state park nearby, they make excellent field trip destinations. State parks are a beautiful place to teach about the great outdoors and ways to protect and respect our planet. 

Recycling center

Teach children the importance of recycling and how everyday items like plastic water bottles and aluminum soda cans are recycled. 

Local ponds are perfect for a low-cost, science and nature focused field trip. They’re often home to frogs, ducks, and aquatic plants, making great lesson topics for preschool children.

Around town scavenger hunt

Teach children about where they live with a scavenger hunt in your community. Downtown areas are usually ideal locations for this field trip activity.

Expose children to the performing arts with a preschool field trip to the local theater. This trip can teach them about storytelling on the stage, theater etiquette, and stage acting as a career.

Train station

Learning about different types of transportation expands children’s minds and view of the world. Add in a train ride to make it both engaging and educational!

Botanical garden

Botanical gardens are a stunning environment to teach children about the beauty of nature and various types of plant life.

Historic monuments

A field trip to an age-appropriate historic site can provide early lessons on important historical figures and events.

Post-field trip actions and education

Get the most out of your day away from the classroom by following up with children and their families after your field trip. Parents will appreciate knowing what their children learned and children will get a chance to relive the best moments of their trip.

To update families, consider including a brief summary of your field trip in your preschool newsletter . Ask children to share their favorite parts of the trip and include photos! 

Plan a memorable outing

There are plenty of details to consider and plan when it comes to executing preschool field trips. Taking a trip is a great opportunity for educators to build upon everything their children are learning in the classroom and engage them in hands-on, memorable experiences. 

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Where Imagination Grows

Hands-on learning through play and imagination

April 12, 2020 by Where Imagination Grows

40+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

We are living in a strange time. Never did I think that I would be searching for virtual field trips to take with my daughter and daycare children! But here we are, trying to make the best of the situation we are living in. 

Now you can experience landmarks and museums around the world with your kids from home! Check out our list of 40+ virtual field trips below. These are all interactive virtual tours that I have done with my kids. All kid-approved! 

I’ve spent the last two weeks putting together this list of virtual field trips for kids. These are all links that I have personally checked out with my daughter and daycare kids. 

Animal Virtual Field Trips

-Watch over 10 different animals, from Elephants to Butterflies, in their habitats at the San Diego Zoo with these Live Animal Cams ! We love the tiger cams! Plus they have a whole kids area on their website for fun educational activities. 

-Observe gorillas, rhinos, and even ants on the live webcams from the Houston Zoo . I love the 6 different animal cams at this zoo. Tune in between 7 am and 7 pm CST to see them in action.

– The Georgia Aquarium has some really amazing webcams you can check out. They have beluga whale webcams plus live feeds of the puffins, piranhas, gators and much more! Watch for the whale shark (!) on the Ocean Voyager cam! It’s so cool to see! 

-Learn and explore the farm like never before! Take an inside virtual tour of how farms run and how food is processed from a farm. These are really interesting and well done. My daughter loved the 360 videos on egg processing and egg breaking, the way all the machinery works together blew her mind! You can also view sheep, grain, and mink farms plus milk processing plants.

-Have a shark lover in your house? The live shark cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of our favorite live cams to view. They also have a really great aviary and coral reef cam that you can view with your kids. We also like the Monterey bay cam, it’s fun to watch the waves! 

-Walk-through the halls of the National Aquarium with this fun and interactive virtual tour. 

-Another informative and fun virtual farm tour for kids. Learn about and tour behind the scenes of a dairy farm. 

-Check-in on some of your favorite animals and don’t miss the baby Cheetahs on the animal cams at the National Zoo. 

Landmarks & Castles

-If you haven’t explored Google Earth I highly recommend that you give it a try. You can explore all kinds of amazing places on Earth. Studying somewhere specific? Check it out on Google Earth. 

-Missing your connection to Mickey and friends? Check out this free virtual field trip to Walt Disney World . 

-Learning about the Empire State Building ? Check out the live webcams perched high above the streets of New York.

-Even wondered what the white house looks like from the inside? Step inside and take a tour of this presidential building from the comfort of your own home.

-Walk the grounds of Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle with this virtual field trip of this ancient castle. 

-Walk along walls of the Great Wall of China with this stunning virtual tour!

-Have you always wanted to see the Effiel Tower ? Well, now you can take your kids on a field trip there in your pajamas! 

-Visit the Palace of Versailles in France. Explore the King’s Chamber, the Hall of Mirrors, art and much more! My kids were in awe of this one! 

-Go onboard and view the inside of Air Force One (a retired model). Explore the cockpit and see where the president sat and slept! 

-Walk-through the halls of the Schönbrunn Palace in Austria . It’s one of the most visited sites in the country and the tour is full of stunning items! 

-Visit an ancient tomb in Egypt. We really enjoyed the virtual tour of The Tomb of Menna . This is one of the most visited and best-preserved of the small 18th Dynasty elite tombs in the Theban necropolis. You can also visit the pyramids while you are “in” Egypt! 

– Head to Mount Vernon and explore the grounds and building. This was the plantation of George Washington, the first President of the United States, and his wife, Martha. 

-Go through the process of arriving at Ellis Island with this interactive tour. 

-Tour inside the state rooms at Buckingham Palace and discover some of the most treasured objects in the Royal Collection

Science & Nature 

-Visit the National Parks in realtime with their NPS Webcams ! 

-View the stunning beauty of Yosemite National Park . This virtual tour is amazing! 

-Take a hike on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon from your living room! 

-Looking for something out of this world? Travel into space and visit Mars! That’s right, you can go on a virtual adventure on Mars ! 

-Take a tour of the international space station ! If you are learning about the stars and space this tour is a must! 

-Explore the Atlantic coast of Ireland and the Giants Causeway . This virtual field trip is one I want to take for myself! 

-Go inside Son Doong in Vietnam, it’s the largest cave in the world and even has its own ecosystem. The images are amazing! 

-Want to go on a safari? Check out these African Safari tours to view hyenas, lions, elephants and more! 

-Tour the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park . Lava tubes and volcanos make this one a favorite.

-Explore the wonder of the Carlsbad Caverns and learn about bats.  

-See the Northern Lights over Sweden with this fabulous virtual tour. 

-Follow explorers from beginning to end as they climb Mt. Everest . The 360° videos are amazing and we learned so much about what it takes to make it to the top.

-Walk around among planes from history with this free virtual field trip for kids from the Frontiers of Flight Museum .

-Get an inside look at the cockpit and interior of planes from history at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. From WWII bombers to helicopters and fighter jets! My daughter has literally spent hours exploring these. 

-Have a car fan? Learning about transportation? Take a tour of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant , the first Ford plant and the location where the Model T was developed.

-View the largest collection of Van Gogh’s artwork, including letters and drawings, at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

-Learn about the Battle of the Alamo while you tour the historic Spanish mission and fortress founded in the 18th century.

-Head to the National Museum of Natural History to learn about the history of the planet and the humans. 

-View the incredible exhibits at the Louvre , the largest art museum in the world. 

-Explore The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website for kids! The Met Kids lets kids explore an interactive cartoon map of the Met to learn more about the artwork and visitor spaces in the museum

-See all the fun to be had at the Boston Children’s Museum ! View three floors of fun children’s exhibits. 

-Virtually tour The British Museum and discover hundreds of artifacts in the museum.

–Step inside the Sistine Chapel and get an up-close and personal view of the amazing art that covers the space, including The Last Judgment  by Michelangelo.

Your turn! 

Have a favorite virtual field trip for kids that’s not listed above? Leave a link in the comments! I’m always looking for fun new options to explore with my kids. 

Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our  index for 100+ plus kids activities ! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!

Sharing is caring!

April 28, 2020 at 7:25 am

Thank you for sharing this list! It’s great that we can still have field trips even if we can’t leave our homes.

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Top 20 places to take kids in and around buffalo.

Every May and June, thousands of local parents, grandparents, and caregivers weigh in on their favorite local places to take kids as a great way to launch into summer and put together a summer bucket list. This is our page to showcase the Top 20 winners for 2023 in the Buffalo area. ( Click here for the full list of nominees .)

Of course, there are literally  hundreds  of wonderful places to take your kids in our area, not just this year's winners! Browse through this site, check out our lists (especially our Everything that's Free list), and sign up for our fabulous weekly e-newsletter so you get it all in your in-box every Thursday morning!

© 2023 KidsOutAndAbout.com. This information may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of KidsOutAndAbout.com.

1. Buffalo Zoo

Throughout the year, the Buffalo Zoo offers guests fascinating animal exhibits, naturalistic wildlife habitats, beautiful garden areas and several unique areas in which to enjoy an environment that is full of fun, adventure and history. The Buffalo Zoo is open daily rain or shine!

2. Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium

At the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium at Buffalo State University guests explore the universe through immersive programs about topics in astronomy and planetary science. Whether a program for kids and families, an evening public program, a school visit, a birthday party, a laser music experience, or a program about the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, your experience at the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium is out of this world!

3. Explore & More Children's Museum

Located in the heart of Buffalo, at Canalside, Explore & More offers children & families four floors to unlock the limitless potential in all of us. PLAY in our immersive, hands-on exhibits while igniting children’s imaginations. LEARN about Western New York's history of innovation while dreaming of new discoveries. EXPLORE diverse cultures and unique experiences.

Play Into Possibilities.

4. Buffalo Museum of Science

The Buffalo Museum of Science is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to the study and interpretation of the natural and physical sciences and the quest to FIND WHY. In addition to its engaging hands-on science studios, the Museum offers special traveling exhibits, camps, and year-round programs and events for curious guests of all ages and interests.

5. Kelkenberg Farm of Clarence

Kelkenberg Farm of Clarence provides old-fashioned fun for all ages year-round. We are a real livestock and horse farm where you can come visit the animals up close, take a hayride around the farm, pony rides (for children), jump on our giant bounce pad, u-pick, and MORE!  There is fun for everyone every season of the year; hug baby animals in spring, cut sunflowers in summer, pumpkin picking in  the fall, and sleigh rides in winter!  Come for your birthday, with your school, for pumpkins, or just for fun!

6. My Local Library

Of course, the libraries in the Buffalo area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them to the best places to take kids this year!

7. Erie County Fair

A summertime tradition in WNY! Located in Hamburg, NY, the Erie County Fair is produced annually by the Erie County Agricultural Society, a not-for-profit membership organization. Join us each August to celebrate the Best 12 Days of Summer! From its roots as a traditional county fair, the fair has grown to feature classic to wild and crazy foods, a mile long midway, a variety of vendors to shop for Fair Deals, over 120 free shows daily, plus livestock shows, demonstrations and competitions across the grounds. Find more information at  ECFair.org .

8. Rolly Pollies

Rolly Pollies is a children's gym with 3 great locations throughout Western New York. Locally and family owned and operated for 18 years, Rolly Pollies specializes in motor skill development for children ages  gym 4 months - 9 years old. Rolly Pollies offers active and engaging gym classes, Summer Camp programs, Messy Baby Sensory Classes, Music Classes, Montessori Programs, WNY's best Birthday Parties, and an Open Play schedule you can count on!  Free trial classes are always available.

9. Aquarium of Niagara

The mission of the Aquarium of Niagara is to broaden the public’s awareness of aquatic ecosystems. With our community and partners, we celebrate our natural wonders and inspire people to make a difference for aquatic life.

10. Olcott Beach Carousel Park

In the shadow of Olcott’s famous Lighthouse is a wonderful vintage amusement park. It features a 1928 style Hershell-Spillman two row carousel. Five vintage kiddie rides, and a wonderful 1931 Wurlitzer band organ. Opens for the season Memorial Day Weekend. Open weekends in June and Wednesdays - Sunday July - Labor Day.

11. Allegany State Park

Gorgeous and amenity laden, the park is divided into two areas - Red House and Quaker - both located in Salamanca.

12. Canalside

Canalside is at the heart of downtown Buffalo's waterfront revitalization. Located at the 1825 terminus of the Erie Canal, the site's storied history is just as exciting as its future! Canalside hosts hundreds of events throughout the year, many of which are free or low cost to the public. You'll find concerts and festivals, summer fitness classes, ice skating, children's programming, history tours, and outdoor winter activities.

13. The Warrior Factory

The Warrior Factory Buffalo is an indoor obstacle park that offers a new and innovative way of putting the fun back into fitness. Modeled after the hit TV show “ American Ninja Warrior ,” our guests can play in a safe and challenging environment with a wide range of services that cater to all ages and abilities. We live by our motto of "Building Strength Through Obstacles" by encouraging participants to test themselves physically and mentally. 

Voted Best Destination for a Child’s Birthday & Best Family Fun Winter Activity by Best of WNY. Voted Best Summer Camp, Best Indoor Attraction, & Best Destination for a Child’s Birthday by Best of 716.

14. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure

Escape to the wild as you get up close and personal with over 300 animals and 40 different exotic species including zebra, bison, camel, ostrich and more!

15. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are western New York's professional football team, playing in Orchard Park, slightly west of Buffalo. Go Bills!

16. Buffalo Bisons

The Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.Come out to Coca-Cola Field for the absolute best quality sports and family entertainment experience and value in town!

17. Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum

The Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum is a premier national historic site and community resource for family recreation and learning that fosters an appreciation for the unique heritage of the carousel in the Niagara Region.

18. Reinstein Woods

Nestled uniquely in a suburban community, Reinstein Woods is a 292-acre nature preserve and education center that offers a variety of opportunities to explore and learn about nature for families and people of all ages. Working together, the DEC and non-profit, Friends of Reinstein Woods, offer guided tours of the woods (available for school, youth and adult groups), special programs each month, including snowshoe and ski adventures, walks on seasonal topics, a fall nature festival and summer camps. From sunrise to sunset, you can explore our 3.5 miles of wheelchair-accessible trails. 

19. Darien Lake Amusement Park

New York State's Coaster Capital, and Western New York's #1 Family Fun Destination!

20. The Great Pumpkin Farm

This Buffalo-area fall festival has zillions of pumpkins, hayrides, corn maze, mining for gems, cow train, jumping pillows, zombie paint ball train, amusement rides, great food, Halloween gift & decoration store, bakery, magic show, chicken show, face painting, crafts, contests, loads of entertainment and other children's activities.

Winners in Special Categories

Top arts educator: shea's performing arts center.

The Shea’s Performing Arts Center Department of Arts Engagement and Education seeks to facilitate multiple opportunities for everyone in Western New York to experience arts engagement, arts integration, and arts education. This is accomplished by offering a variety of programming designed to build community through shared arts experiences, connect art forms to educational objectives in a structured learning environment, and to develop the principles of the artistic process.

Top Sports Educator: Rolly Pollies

Top STEM Educator: Buffalo Museum of Science

The Buffalo Museum of Science is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to the study and interpretation of the natural and physical sciences.

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Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

Honest. Quirky. Real. Stereotype-smashing humor for homeschooling families.

10 Fantastic Field Trip Ideas for Preschoolers

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Preschoolers are so much fun. Everything is new and exciting, and simple outings can provide the basis for amazing hands-on learning opportunities. Many of these field trip suggestions are fun things you’d probably do with your preschooler anyway, but we’re homeschooling parents. That means we get to call them field trips.

Besides, the big kids shouldn’t get to have all the fun. So, check out these 10 field trips for preschoolers that I hope your little ones will love as much as mine did when they were still little.

1. Apple orchard. Apple orchards are so much fun because they typically have activities geared toward younger kids. Plan a visit in September and borrow some books from the library about Johnny Appleseed. Plan some apple-themed snacks and activities, and maybe even bake a pie together. Fun!

2. Pumpkin patch. Like apple orchards, pumpkin patches generally feature activities for younger kids. Head to a pumpkin patch in October to select your own. Then, come home and enjoy a pumpkin-themed learning activity . If you love Little Critter as much as I do, read Trick or Treat, Little Critter , in which Little Critter and his family visit a pumpkin patch.

3. Zoo. Who doesn’t love animals? This can be a particularly fun outing if your zoo features a petting zoo. Consider making up a simple scavenger hunt to add an extra element of excitement to the visit.

4. Children’s museums. My kids used to love going to our city’s children’s museum. An annual membership was one of our splurges when they were younger. One of the nice things about children’s museums is that most rotate their exhibits several times a year, so there’s always something new to explore.

5. Farm.  Domesticated animals are just as much fun to visit and learn about as wild ones. Plus, young kids can learn about how farmers provide food for the rest of us. Granted, much of what most of us eat is commercially processed, but it’s good for kids to learn about other options and discover how to support local farmers.

6. Fire or police station. Young kids tend to be fascinated by fire trucks and police cars, but they can often be intimated by firefighters and police officers in full gear. That can be a bad situation in the event of an emergency. Make arrangements to visit a local station and let your kids meet some of the men and women in uniform and learn some safety tips. I highly recommend reading Officer Buckle and Gloria in conjunction with a visit to the police station.

7. Aquarium. So, we’ve visited wild and domestic animals, we can’t leave out marine animals. Take your little ones to learn about fresh- and salt-water creatures.

8. Recycling facility. My kids and I went to a recycling center when they were young. It was fascinating to see how the facility operated and all the products that can be made from recycled plastic – everything from park benches to clothing! If you don’t already recycle, find out how to do so where you live and let your preschoolers start helping sort your recyclables at home.

9. A pond. A pond can be fascinating, particularly in the spring when you may be able to spot tadpoles, goslings, or ducklings. Borrow some books from the library about pond life before you go, and take along your camera to photo-journal what you find (at the pond, not the library!).

10. Your town. Often we overlook the things we see every day, but your own town can be a fascinating place to explore. Consider visiting the tourist attractions that you never visit because you aren’t tourists. Visit historical sites, local eateries, or small businesses. Stop by city hall or the chamber of commerce to learn more about your city’s history and what it has to offer.

What are some of your favorite field trip spots for preschoolers?

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

Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.

• Kris Bales https://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/author/kris_wuhsmom/ 10 Tips to Help Easily Distractible Teens Focus
• Kris Bales https://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/author/kris_wuhsmom/ 4 Practical Ways to Be Your Teen's Homeschool Guidance Counselor
• Kris Bales https://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/author/kris_wuhsmom/ 16+ Ways a Homeschool Homestead Provides the Ultimate Education
• Kris Bales https://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/author/kris_wuhsmom/ Make the Most of Winter Homeschooling

Our kids love to go to the fish hatchery to feed the fish. The food is only a couple of dollars a bag, and we all have so much fun. 🙂

My kids always enjoyed factory tours too; seeing how things were made was just fascinating.

We have an arboretum about 15 minutes away. We like to take walks and spend time in the nature center. They have lots of classes for preschoolers, too, which is wonderful.

That sounds fabulous!

Pumpkin picking at our local farm is one of the highlights of our fall! In the summer, we also enjoy the county fairs which provide lots of opportunities for talking about farm animals. (Not sure I would consider it a field trip, but it is fun!)

Oh, that sounds like fun!

Can anyone tell me about good field trips for a preschooler during quarantine? I have no idea where to take my 2 year old…

My niece loves to go on trips to the zoo. Will definitely take her to another zoo sometime.

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The Homeschool Resource Room

creative ideas, practical advice, genuine support

40+ Fantastic Field Trips for Kids

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40 fun and educational field trips . Check out these fantastic field trips ordered by category. Find likes and resources available in communities all over the US and virtual field trip resources too!

Ready to get your kids excited about learning? Take them out for a field trip! Check out these fun field trips listed by category:

• Art and Music

Virtual Field Trips

Science field trips.

1.Science Museum – Get hands-on with science at your local science museum or science center. Check for shows and special tours for kids.

2. Natural History Museum – See the history of science and learn about plants, animals, and the history of our natural world.

3. Planetarium – Look up for a tour of the starts and learn all about outer space with IMAX movies projected onto a dome.

4. Aquarium – Get up-close and personal with a variety of sea creatures at an aquarium.

5. Botanical Garden – Tour a beautiful botanical garden to see local and exotic plants.

6. Local Animal Sanctuary or Zoo – Animal lovers will love to visit their local sanctuary or zoo. Be sure to ask about demonstrations and animal feeding times!

7. Visit Local, State, or National Parks – Your park system has a lot to offer! Check the websites of your local, state, and national parks to find out about programs, tours, and the natural and historical landmarks you can visit.

Art and Music Field Trips

8. Art Museum or Gallery – Start here to get kids interested in art and culture. You’ll find everything from ancient artifacts to today’s contemporary art.

9. Art Walk or Outdoor Craft Fair – When the weather is nice, take a walk around a local art walk or craft fair. A great time to meet local artists and talk to them about their craft.

10. Orchestra – Don’t miss a trip to the orchestra or children’s orchestra. A field trip that both a budding musician and music novice will love.

11. Ballet, Play, or Concert  – Whether you’re watching community theater or seeing a Broadway show, a field trip to a performance is a must!

12. Tour Urban Art or Music – Search for urban art, street musicians, and outdoor art. A great way to explore and learn about your city.

13. Local Music Festival – Hit a festival and enjoy some music from your local musicians.

History Field Trips

14. Presidential Library – A fantastic field trip if you have one near you! Learn all about the president’s life and work. 14 Presidential Libraries

15. Renaissance Fair – What a fun way to get your kids into history! Look for local Renaissance or Medieval Fairs. List of Renaissance Fairs by State

16. Reenactment – Do you live by a historical reenactment site? Check your local tourist attractions to find all kinds of reenactments from Civil War battles to early American daily life.

17. Native American Historical Sites – Delve deeper into US history by visiting a Native American historical site near you. A list of sites from the National Park Service

18. Holocaust Museum – Learn about the history of the Holocaust and how the events still impact us today at one of our nation’s Holocaust Museums .

19. African American History Museum – Tour an African American History Museum in the US to learn about civil rights, culture, and history of black Americans.

20. Local Landmarks and Historical Sites – Learn this history of your town or city by finding local historical sites. A great place to start is your city or town’s library or visitor’s center for information.

21. Visit your State Capitol – Make a trip to your state capital to visit the Capitol Building and your state’s historical sites. Request information from the city’s tourism website for free guides and details about what to visit.

22. Memorials or Monuments – Do you have a National Memorial near you? Visit memorials or monuments to learn about the people and events that changed our country’s history.

Community Field Trips

23. Fire or Police Station Tour – A great way to learn about our community helpers and safety for young children.

24. Library Tour – Go behind-the-scenes in your local library to see how books are processed and repaired.

25. Farm – Learn about life on the farm, the food we eat, and farm animals when you visit a local farm and meet a farming family.

26. Farmer’s Market – Check out local produce grown by farmers in your area. A great time to meet a variety of people and learn about different jobs in your community.

27. Grocery Store Tour – Contact your local grocery store for a tour of the store! You’ll meet your local butcher, baker, see the big freezers, and the loading dock where deliveries are made. A great field trip to pair with the farm or farmer’s market to learn where our food comes from.

28. Recycling Center or Local Dump – A surprisingly fun and interesting tour. Learn all about where our trash goes after you put it in the bin. Also, check out our Garbage and Recycling unit !

29. Local Factory Tours – Contact a local factory for a tour. You’ll meet the factory employees and see how things are made, by hand or by machine.

30. Sporting Events – Root for your local teams or make a trip to a professional sporting event. Learn about all types of sports from baseball and basketball to swimming or rowing.

31. Dentist, Hospital, or Veterinarian Office Tour – Take a tour or schedule a presentation with your group at a local dentist’s office, hospital, or vet’s office. A great way to learn about these careers.

32. College Campus Tour – Checking out college campuses isn’t only for seniors! Tour your local campus, take a look at student exhibits or displays, or catch a game while you’re there!

33. Television or Radio Station Tour – Contact local stations or colleges for a tour of their studios.

If you want to travel somewhere a little more exotic, you can find a slew of virtual field trips free online.

Through Google Arts and Culture you can visit places all over the world including:

• 34. The White House
• 35. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• 36. The Colliseum
• 37. The Eiffel Tower

38. You can also tour the Presidential Libraries through their individual websites. List of 14 Presidential Libraries from the National Archive

Head on over to Google Streetview to tour historical and natural sites around the world including:

• 39. Australian Parks and Wildlife
• 40. International Space Station
• 41. Machu Picchu
• 42. The Amazon River

Ashley helps parents who want to homeschool find the resources they need to successfully teach their children. Ashley is a former teacher, current homeschooler, published author, and designer behind Circle Time with Miss Fox printables as well as the creator of this website, The Homeschool Resource Room.

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Preschool.org

The one-stop resource for preschool parents, teachers, directors, and owners!

14 Exciting Preschool Field Trips

As a preschool teacher, we want to bring as many first hand, exciting experiences to our students as we can. One way to do this is by taking field trips! There is no better way for a child to experience things than to get real live exposure. There are so many exciting things to see and do in each of our communities. Here are a few ideas for field trips that you may consider for your class.

GO ON THESE 14 EXCITING PRESCHOOL FIELD TRIPS

• Zoo/Petting Zoo/Aquarium
• Science Center or Children’s Museum (Hands-on experiences are key)
• History Museum
• An apple orchard or pumpkin farm
• A restaurant or bakery (ex. making their own pizzas)
• Ice Cream Shop
• Dairy Farm or Working Farm
• TV or Radio Station
• Bicycle Repair Shop
• Police or Fire station
• Ice/Roller Skating/bowling
• Nature Center/Local State Park

These are just a few ideas that come to mind when planning curriculum and bringing things we talk about in the classroom to life for our students. Preschoolers love learning new things and being allowed to touch, feel, taste, hear and see the world around them. They remember these experiences and take them back to the classroom to enhance their learning.

GIVE EXPERIENCES THAT LAST A LIFETIME

Imagine if you were a preschooler and had been learning about farms but you had never been to a farm. Being able to see all of the animals, hear the sounds they make, see how they are fed, where they sleep and what they sleep on, touch their fur/skin/feathers is a sensory experience that won’t be forgotten. Learning where some of our everyday products come from is exciting. For example, milk we buy at the store comes from dairy cows on a farm.

Preschoolers love to help prepare food. Taking them to a pizza restaurant and making their own pizza, being able to bake and eat it is exciting! Students can learn how pizzas are made and then they can make their own pizza adding the toppings of their choice. The employees can bake the pizzas and everyone gets to eat their creation at the end of the trip. This is a fabulous hands on experience that tastes great too! Who knows, you may even have the next Top Chef in your class!

IGNITE PASSION FOR THE FUTURE

By giving students hands on, real world experiences you can ignite a spark that leads students on a path to their passion. A museum field trip to see dinosaur bones may ignite a passion for a preschooler to eventually become a paleontologist. Visiting a park may spark interest in becoming a conservationist. These trips can also help students understand others around them, encourage team building skills, show responsibility, experience life skills, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Sharing exciting preschool field trips is a great way for your students to experience the exciting world around them.

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Rhythms of Play

Art, Crafts, DIY; Raising Creative Outdoor Kids

Outdoor Learning and Nature Activities for Kids

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Learn about nature and the mysteries it holds with this fantastic collection of outdoor activities for kids.

This article contains several lists of fun outdoor learning ideas and nature activities for kids of all ages. In it, you can find both child-led and loosely structured outdoor activities for kids from toddlers to preschoolers and kindergarteners to elementary-aged students and teens. And the outdoor learning activities and nature craft ideas on this list of outside activities can be used by homeschoolers, educators, or anyone seeking to enhance their child’s understanding of, or connection to, the natural world.

Many outdoor nature activities for kids included here are also helpful for nature school preschools and forest school kindergartens. The suggestions include nature study ideas, outdoor science ideas, and nature crafts for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, elementary school-age children, tweens, and teens!

Related: The Ultimate Eco-Friendly Gift Guide for Kids

Nature Activities and Nature School Ideas for Kids of All Ages

Below we have created and collected several fun ways to support outdoor learning in nature. Remember, these forest school nature activities and outdoor learning ideas for kids are only suggestions.

Forest school is about allowing kids to take the lead in their outdoor education, so instead of teaching children about nature and the great outdoors, act as a guide and fellow nature explorer. Use the nature activities on the list of outdoor ideas below as a starting point for your day-to-day adventures in learning.

In other words, using these nature activities and suggestions to facilitate play rather than teaching is best. But then, once play begins, step aside and allow it to unfold naturally. As parents and educators, we must allow children the space they need to discover what interests them most.

“ Roots of understanding grow deep when curious minds are nourished in nature. “ Nell Regan Kartychok (Founder of Rhythms of Play ).

Then it’s best to allow that interest to ignite their curiosity and guide them to discover the answers to their questions by means of exploration and discovery in the natural world. Inviting children to ask questions without answering them directly is also best. So that they can learn how to discover, become aware of, and recognize clues to the answers they seek.

Outdoor Nature Activities for Kids

I must admit that a few of the outdoor activities for kids suggested were written long ago and desperately need a tune-up. However, we are updating them all and have plans to add new outside activities, forest school ideas, and nature activities for kids of all ages over the next few months. Stay tuned!

We will add more outdoor learning ideas, nature activities, and nature crafts for nature school preschools, forest schools, and nature-based homeschoolers to this list as we continue to find and create them. So bookmark this page for easy reference, and check back often!

**Click on the title of each forest school suggestion to learn more about each nature activity for kids!**

Related: Get Outside and Connect

Outside Activities for Kids

Children will love these outside activities so much–they won’t even realize they are learning. This list of nature activities for kids is brimming with some of the best outdoor activities for toddlers to teens–which of these classic outdoor activities is your favorite?

• How to Skip a Rock – Learn all about the art and science of Skipping stones in this fun article. Can you beat the world record number of skips?
• Birding for Kids – Bird watching, or birding, is a fun wilderness observation activity for children from toddlers to teens.
• Squirrel Learning Ideas – Invite children to learn about squirrels with this list of facts, fun squirrel-themed teaching ideas, outdoor activities, and cute squirrel crafts for kids! Get the Printable Squirrel Behavior Tally Sheet  and invite kids to count the common squirrel behaviors they notice.
• Make Mud Pies – Playing with mud is an excellent sensory activity for the developing child. A classic old-school nature activity for kids!
• 15 Reasons to Climb a Tree and Other Benefits of Risky Play – Tree climbing is an outdoor activity with many benefits for the developing child. Discover how to climb a tree, support your child’s first efforts to climb trees, and other benefits of risky play.
• Create Nature Mandalas – Gather nature’s treasures to make a mandala with natural materials outside.
• Explore a Shore – Take the time to explore a seashore, lakeshore, river shore, or creek shore–learning happens naturally when we get outside!
• Go Bouldering – Find an area to let the kids scramble and climb around on small boulders for a fantastic outdoor gross motor activity with many physical, mental, and emotional benefits.
• Hug a Tree – A fun outdoor activity for all ages.
• Roll Down a Hill – Rolling down a hill is excellent for the developing sensory system.
• Walk Across Fallen Trees and Logs – This outdoor gross motor balance challenge for Kids gives children the opportunity to develop their kinesthetic and vestibular sensory systems.
• Make Sunprints – Invite children to place objects from nature on sun print paper and expose it to the sun for a fun way to keep kids busy learning outside.
• 10 Ways to Have Fun Outside with Fall Leaves – Autumn is an excellent time of year to get outside to play in falling leaves. We have ten fun ways to make outdoor fall leaf play a little more exciting and fun!
• Rainy Day Art – Put marker drawings and doodles outside to be transformed by the rain to create rain art with this fun rainy day STEAM activity for kids.
• Fun Ways to Play in the Rain – Here are 20 outdoor rainy-day play activities that will have your kids running for the back door when it rains.

Nature Games for Kids

• Fall Leaf Counting – Have you ever tried to catch autumn leaves as they fall to the ground? Here’s a gross motor movement and nature math game for the kids to enjoy in the fall or autumn.
• Stone Skipping Games – Play some simple stone-skipping math games.
• DIY Nature Memory Matching Game for Kids  – Excercise the brain and boost memory skills with this fun twist on the classic game of memory. Using items found in nature adds a sensory component to the memory game, increasing its brain-building power.

Fun Nature Scavenger Hunt Ideas for Kids

Nature scavenger hunts appeal to the child’s natural interest in discovering the many clues that can be seen, heard, and felt in the natural world. Invite your children to discover the magic and wonder of the natural world with some of these creative nature scavenger hunt ideas for kids.

• Sensory Card Nature Scavenger Hunt for Toddlers – Make a nature sensory card with your children and send them on a nature scavenger hunt.
• Nature Sensory Bin Scavenger Hunt – Collect natural items and use them to make a nature sensory bin for children. (Photo below)
• Heart Shape Nature Scavenger Hunt – Have you ever been on a scavenger hunt for colors or shapes? My daughter and I love looking for hearts in nature. Check out the fantastic video we made.
• Birding Scavenger Hunts – Visit our bird-watching activities post for a few fun birding scavenger hunt ideas for kids.
• Search for Signs of Autumn and Fall Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers
• Signs of Winter and Winter Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers
• Search for Signs of Spring and Spring Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers
• Signs of Summer Scavenger Hunt and Summer Scavenger Hunt for Preschoolers

Outdoor Gardening Activities for Kids

A garden is also a fantastic place for children to plant the seeds of their learning. Early literacy, math, and science concepts are abundant in homegrown gardens. And, when children know how to grow and harvest the foods they eat, their minds, bodies, and the future of our planet will benefit immensely. Tending the cycle of nature in our backyards is becoming a lost art. Learn how to become one of the way-showers for the next generation in your neck of the woods, whether rural, urban, suburban, or city.

• Plant Flowers with Kids
• How to Plant a Tree
• Composting with Kids
• How to Start Tomatoes
• Growing Sunflowers with Kids  
• How to Make a Fairy Garden  (photo below)

Related: 15 Ways to Raise a Helper

Nature Study Ideas for Kids

We have a few nature study ideas to use as a starting point in your outdoor learning adventures. Stay tuned for more ways to learn from and with nature soon! Learn more on our Nature Study Resource Page .

• How to Make and Keep a Nature Journal – Nature journals are an excellent place for our children to write about their observations in nature and are used to create artwork when out in nature.
• The Best Nature study supplies for Kids – A must-have list of nature study supplies to keep in your child’s nature backpack.
• Bird Watching Activities and Lessons for Kids – Children love to watch and learn about birds in their backyard, neighborhood, local park, and nature reserves.
• Squirrel Facts and Fun Ways to Learn All About Squirrels – Invite children to learn everything there is to know about squirrels with this list of squirrel-themed nature study ideas! Spend time observing the squirrels in your backyard with these fun outdoor learning activities for kids. And get our Printable Squirrel Behavior Tally Sheet  in  Rhythms of Play  Learning Center .
• Observe Bees – Watching bees is an excellent way for children to learn about the importance of pollination and much more!
• Investigate Worms – Learn how worms enrich the soil and help your garden grow.
• Explore a Shore – Take the time to explore and study a seashore, lakeshore, river shore, or creek shore. Learning happens–naturally when we get outside!

More Outside Activities for Kids: Outdoor Learning Ideas and Suggestions for Children

Outdoor science and steam activity ideas for kids.

There are so many fun ways to learn and play with nature. Try some outdoor science, STEM, and STEAM ideas for children.

• Fun and Educational Shadow Activities for Kids
• Fly a Kite 
• Skip Stones
• Human Sundial Science Experiment
• Shadow Art STEAM project
• Rainy Day Art
• Sorting and Classifying Rocks: Geology for Kids  
• Make a Nature Mandala
• Rock Balancing Stone Stacking STEAM  

Related: Rainbow Science and STEAM activities  

DIY Outdoor Play Areas to Support Learning Outside

It’s important to challenge the minds and bodies of children with outdoor place spaces that support and benefit the development of a healthy vestibular system, cardiovascular system, and gross and fine motor muscle movements.

Below is a list of fun outdoor play areas for nature school preschools, forest school kindergartens, homeschoolers, and backyards everywhere that help do just that! Give your children the opportunity to get outside and learn through play in spring, summer, fall, and winter with any of these fun outdoor play spaces.

• How to Make an Outdoor DIY Chalkboard
• Best Sand and Water Tables to DIY or Buy!
• How to Grow a Sunflower House or Fort
• DIY Outdoor Art Table and Mud Kitchen
• How to Make a Fairy Garden
• Sandboxes Children LOVE!
• Swingsets , swings , and hammocks
• Little slides and big slides
• Climbing wall or structure
• Balance beams , logs, stumps, stepping stones , or large boulders to walk on or climb
• Ninja Warrior Obstacle Course
• Zipline pulley and slack lines
• Outdoor trampoline

Field Trip Ideas for Parents and Educators

Go on a field trip with the kids for even more outdoor learning fun!

• Apple Orchard Field Trip Ideas
• Pumpkin Patch Field Trip Family Guide
• Find your way in a Corn Maze
• Berry Picking and Wild Foraging
• Enjoy nature reserves near and far for wildlife viewing and more.
• Visit the information center at local, national, and state parks to learn more about activities and adventures you can do with kids in each area.

Related: 8 Reasons I Allow My Child to Go Barefoot

Nature Activities for Kids: More Fun Ways to Learn about Nature

Nature tables for every season.

A nature table is a space in the home dedicated to nature and the natural world. Items collected in the natural world (or natural objects representing nature) are placed on the table to be learned about, played with, and enjoyed.

We change our nature table every few months to reflect the season, adding and removing items throughout the seasons of the year. Check out our nature table ideas for each season! Invite your children to bring the treasures they collect in the natural world home to their nature table or shelf to explore more depth.

• Spring Nature Table
• Summer Nature Table Ideas
• Winter Nature Table
• Fall Nature Table

More Learning Fun for All Seasons

Here’s a list of traditional seasonal celebration ideas during the year’s rhythm. Celebrating the changes that occur throughout the year and observing seasonal changes is a great way to educate children and bring more meaning to family life.

Seasonal Celebration Ideas

Celebrate the changing seasons that fall within the “Wheel of the Year” with the solstice and equinox solar festival celebration ideas and cross-quarter day sabbat festivals below.

• Winter Solstice Celebration Ideas
• Imbolc Traditions and Celebration Ideas
• Ways to Celebrate the Spring Equinox
• May Day Traditions and Celebration Ideas
• Summer Solstice Celebration Ideas
• Ways to Celebrate the Fall Autumnal Equinox
• Traditional Fall Lantern Walk Celebration Ideas
• Stone Spiral Advent

Fun Seasonal Activities To Do with Kids

Here’s a list of fun outdoor activities for kids (and adults) for each season of the year.

• Summer Activities for Kids
• Fall Activities for Kids
• Winter Activities for Kids
• Spring Activities for Kids

Seasonal Books for Kids

Reading seasonal books with your children is a beautiful way to share the wonder and magic of nature and the changing seasons.

• Fall Books: Autumn Stories Children Love
• Winter Solstice Books for Kids
• Spring Books for Kids

Nature Arts and Crafts for Kids (And adults, too!)

We have collected many awesome nature art and craft ideas you can try with your children. Click on the links below for some of our favorite ideas. And visit our Nature Crafts and Nature Art Activities page for even more ideas!

• Acorn Marble Necklace or Christmas Ornament Craft
• Nature Mandla Art and Craft Ideas
• How to Paint Rocks: Rock Painting Ideas for Kids
• The Best Fall Nature Crafts for Kids
• How to Preserve Leaves
• Leaf Lantern Craft
• Nature-Inspired Sensory Bottles

Seasonal Art Projects for Kids

Creating seasonal art is an excellent way for children to learn about nature and the changing seasons. Try any of the fantastic art project ideas below!

• Fall Art Projects for Kids
• The Best Winter Art Projects for Kids
• Flower Art Projects and Painting Ideas
• Four Season Handprint and Fingerprint Tree

Related: Kids’ Books That Teach Important Life Lessons

The Best Books for Outdoor Parents and Educators Raising Nature-Loving Kids

The list of books below has my all-time favorites for outdoor parents and nature school educators passionate about getting kids outside to learn naturally. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

• There is No Such Thing as Bad Weather
• Failure to Connect
• Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life
• Last Child in the Woods
• Nature Preschools and Nature Kindergartens: The Handbook of Outdoor Learning
• Balanced and Barefoot
• How to Raise a Wild Child
• Call of the Wild and Free
• Endangered Minds

The Best Nature Activities for Kids and Educators

We hope you enjoy this collection of outdoor learning ideas for homeschoolers, outdoor educators, and anyone looking to enhance their child’s connection to the natural world. You may also like this collection of nature crafts and art ideas .

We will add to this list of nature school preschool, forest school kindergarten, and nature study ideas as we find and create more, so don’t forget to bookmark this list of outside activities for kids and check back often!

Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE !

If You Liked Nature Activities for Kids, You Might Also Enjoy

• Spring Activity Ideas (with a printable spring bucket list)
• Summer Activity Ideas (with a printable summer bucket list)
• Fall Activity Ideas (with a printable fall bucket list for the autumn)
• Winter Activity Ideas (with a printable winter bucket list)

• Arts & Crafts
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• Kids Activities
• Life with Kids

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Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers: Preparing with the Children

An outdoor field trip can be a positive experience, especially when children are well-prepared. Here are some teacher-tested hints for helping preschoolers get ready for outdoor field trips.

Talk with the children about the field trip site.

• Several times before the trip, share pictures, videos, and other resources related to the destination. Read aloud from picture books about animals and plants they might see there.
• Talk with the children about their questions and ideas about the field trip site. Ask them to predict what they might see and do there. Help them write questions and predictions on a list or question table.
• Correct any misconceptions children express. “Jessie is worried that the prairie has butterflies that bite people, but butterflies can’t bite.” “You said you’d like to climb trees, but the arboretum doesn’t allow tree-climbing.”

Tell the children what to expect.

• Try making a timeline or storyboard to show what will happen during the trip. “You’ll get on the bus with the teachers. We’ll ride for about 20 minutes. When we get to the park, we’ll…” You might invite children to act out this plan.
• Review field trip safety rules with the class several times. “Stay with your small group. Walk on the path. Before you touch anything you see, ask the guide or the teacher if it’s OK.” Try using storytelling, puppet play, or role-playing to explain the rules.
• Tell the children which small groups they are assigned to for the trip. Before the day of the trip, let them meet the volunteers who will supervise them.

Involve children in trip preparations.

• Let children count how many clipboards, markers, containers of water, etc. will be needed.
• Help children email site staff several days in advance to ask some of their questions.
• Help each child decide on a specific task to do during the trip. “KaChuan wants to sketch two trees at the park. Who else would like to sketch some trees?”

Let children practice doing outdoor field work.

• Take small groups “exploring” outdoors several days before the field trip. What sounds, smells, and sights do they notice? Invite them to look for insects or other living things on the playground.
• Have small groups of children practice collecting data outdoors near the school. Help them find rocks, plants, or animals to observe. Let them count, measure, sketch, and take photographs. Ask them to share their information with classmates.
• Outdoor Field Trips with Preschoolers

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The Best Field Trips to Keep Your Busy Toddlers Entertained

We all know the struggle of keeping super active toddlers busy and entertained all day every day. Sometimes, we get tired of the same old routine and they start getting bored, so we crave something different.

I know, the times are hard right now with some of the restrictions in some of the states. Some of these may be seasonal or may be closed in your area right now, but I KNOW some of these options still work right now.

There are definitely some trips out that will need to be scheduled ahead of time or that will require a longer block of time. However, others are more flexible with your schedule. Most of these ideas are free, but there are a few at the end that are more pricy.

I hope you’re able to find a few ideas on my list of new places to take your little ones to explore. New places always seem to keep my toddler entertained and he loves to check everything out!

• Park- indoor or outdoor
• Barnes and Noble or other bookstore
• Library – for a scheduled story time or just to play in the kids’ area
• Cabela’s – check out the animals and fish tank
• Target or Walmart toy aisle
• Splash pad in the summer
• Nature walk
• Lowe’s or Home Depot
• Nursing home – (obviously not during a pandemic, but assuming the restrictions ever go away…) the residents love visits and LOVE little kids!
• IKEA – usually there are areas set up specifically for kids to play and test out toys!
• Local coffee shops or fast food restaurants with play areas
• Toy stores – They also usually have a section set up for kids to test out their toys.
• Planetarium
• Jumping/trampoline place
• Music class

Check out my easy, healthier snacks for toddlers to take on the go, perfect for bringing on these trips out. If you’re in need of new toddler books with uplifting messages to teach your littles, we have a list of our favorites!

*Disclaimer: Some of the links on my website are affiliate links. This means that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

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12 Virtual Field Trips Your Kids Can Take

Verywell / Caitlin Rogers

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Though nothing can ever match the experience of going on a field trip to explore something in the real world, a virtual field trip can come close. Popularized at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual field trips for kids are likely here to stay. They offer families and schools a chance to allow kids to explore a world-class museum or monument without having to schedule travel or spend a mint. In fact, these virtual field trips are free!

So, if you have a free morning or afternoon and want to keep curious kids busy, head to one of these virtual field trip sites. A virtual tour can be a learning experience in itself or help families decide where they want to travel to next.

Art and Culture 

If your child has always had an interest in the arts or you find that they are looking to draw or color something new, then these options below may be a great choice for your kid.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Whether you’re obsessed with fashion, sculpture, music, or poetry, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a virtual tour for you. With online and in-person exhibits made viewable thanks to Google’s street view cameras, you can make your way through museum rooms or photo galleries full of art to admire. 

This tour is presented in partnership with Google's Arts & Culture program, which features tours from museums large and small, all around the world. Visit cool collections and classic artworks without leaving your home.

The Blue House Frida Kahlo Museum

We can’t decide what’s more fun to look at in this virtual tour of The Blue House , a museum dedicated to Frida Kahlo: the art itself or the architecture housing it, which ranges from brightly painted houses and walls to lush greenery and fascinating trees.

Of course, the museum is also the place where she lived, died, and created much of her work—so you get up close and personal with Frida Kahlo the artist and Frida Kahlo the woman. 

The National Gallery of Art 

Scrolling through photos of art in a museum online isn’t that different from looking at them in a book—unless you're taking a virtual field trip to The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC!

This museum has found a way to make viewing art interactive. With its children’s video tours, it brings 50 different historic pieces of art to life in just a few minutes, including audio effects, narration, and close-up shots of the details featured in each work.

There are also conversation starters about art, a guided video tour of Stuart Davis’ work hosted by John Lithgow, and an interactive app for kids. 

Got a future paleontologist, zoologist, or "Bill Nye the Science Guy" on your hands? For kids obsessed with animals, outer space, dinosaurs, chemical reactions, or how the world works, these science field trips are engaging and educational.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

If your child is interested in learning about the natural environment and the organisms that inhabit it, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is a great option. Current, past, and permanent exhibits are included in this virtual tour, which allows you to navigate through the museum using your device or to click on different areas to visit on an interactive map.

There is even a series of narrated tours on video for kids who want to dive deep into a topic (like megalodons). The 360 degree images on this tour are crystal clear, making it feel like you are really there!

San Diego Zoo

Not only does the web site for the San Diego Zoo feature exhibit cams and zookeeper-hosted videos of many of its animal residents, but it’s also a great resource for animal crafts, online games, and fact-based infographics about different species. It’s more than just tuning into a live cam; it’s a virtual visit that gets close to being as fun as the real deal.

Seattle Aquarium

The Seattle Aquarium is a mecca for marine biologists-in-training. Check out what kinds of exhibits the aquarium houses on location through live cams, activities, and fact sheets, then head over to YouTube , where staff host a virtual field trip by walking-and-talking you through several of the species native to the Puget Sound that spend their days inside the aquarium.

Farm Food 360

Is your kid curious about how chickens, cows, or pigs are raised? No problem! At Farm Food 360 , you can read about how more than a dozen Canadian farms are run and watch a series of videos about each one, explaining everything from how a farmer spends their day to environmental sustainability of modern-day farms. 

Johnson Space Center

Mini Neil Armstrongs should check out the Johnson Space Center online for aerospace education opportunities. Boeing and Discovery Education host two virtual field trips on space exploration: Innovating the Future and ecoAction.

Both trips consist of a video series and companion educator guides, so you can apply your newfound knowledge over the course of a few days’ worth of lesson plans and activities . 

Museum of Science

The Museum of Science , a Boston-based science hub, is worth a trip at some point in your life. Until you can get to Boston, the museum is hosting virtual content, including live animal demonstrations to chats about current science events to planetarium tours.

If your kid's life goals include becoming president of the United States, these field trips focused on American history, civics, and notable landmarks will be right up their educational alley.

Ellis Island

Whatever country your family tree can be traced back to, it's likely that you have some kind of connection to Ellis Island . Through Scholastic’s website, you can take a 30-minute virtual tour of Ellis Island and follow it up with an interactive story and photo tour, diaries of real young immigrants, and colorful charts and bar graphs depicting important statistics about immigration through the decades.

Yellowstone National Park

You can go on virtual “walks” through Yellowstone National Park in a series of videos on the National Park Service’s website. When you’re done, dig deeper into fascinating areas of the park—like Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin—by reading about their histories, taking guided photo tours, and exploring their landmarks on an interactive map.

Mount Rushmore

You've seen Mount Rushmore in history books, but that didn't get you as close to Teddy Roosevelt’s left nostril as you hoped! Never fear: you can go on a "deep dive" (pun intended) on this virtual tour of the famous American landmark.

Featuring a 3D explorer, a 360 degree virtual tour, and a video about how the landmark has been digitally preserved over the years, you can get a good look at the true size and scale of this impressive monument—and learn a little about history, too.

By Sarah Bradley Sarah Bradley has been writing parenting content since 2017, after her third son was born. Since then, she has expanded her expertise to write about pregnancy and postpartum, childhood ages and stages, and general health conditions, including commerce articles for health products. Because she has been homeschooling her sons for seven years, she is also frequently asked to share homeschooling tips, tricks, and advice for parenting sites.

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50 Fun & Educational Field Trip Ideas

• Katie Layne Contributing Writer
• Updated Aug 29, 2023

Homeschool Field Trips

Sometimes our homeschooling needs "something," some spark, something new and different, something that doesn't necessarily involve pencils and paper, something that gets our bodies moving and our spirits refreshed. Sometimes, we need a field trip!

Field trips can be used for wide and varied purposes. Sometimes a field trip is just what is needed to kick off a unit study or to pull everything together at the end of a period of study. Field trips can spark interest in various topics, fields of work, or study, which may lead to our students making a new invention or getting interested in a field that may one day become their life's work.

Get our awesome PDF of the Ultimate Field Trip Bucket List to print out and check off the ones you do!

Have you ever wondered why so many public school classes take field trips in the spring? Could the students and teachers be tired of being cooped up all year in a classroom and just want to get out and about in the fresh air? Oftentimes, the field trips are not even what you could consider "educational," but nonetheless, everyone in the class gets on a school bus, and off they go for the day. Therefore, I believe we can add one more purpose for field trips to our list above--fun! Field trips can be taken just for the fun of it.

If you are going to tour a facility that is not normally open to the public, or anywhere else that you will require a tour guide, be sure to call ahead to set up a time for your tour and find out if they have any special instructions for you.

Here are 50 awesome field trip ideas! 

1. Manufacturing facility . This would include any factory where cars, equipment, tools, toys, packaging or anything else is manufactured. The mechanized equipment and assembly lines are fascinating to watch and it is interesting to learn which raw materials are used and how they are used to make the final product.

2.  Farm. This could be a "specialty" farm that grows some specialty crop, a dairy farm, a farm that grows more ordinary crops such as wheat or corn, maple syrup farm, apple orchard or anyplace where food is grown. Think about the best time of year to visit each type of farm based on what operations may be going on at the time-planting, harvesting, cider making, sap gathering, etc.

3. Fire Department. Learn a bit about fire safety, how firemen fight fires, the gear they wear, and how they live.

4. Daily Newspaper . See the huge rolls of paper used and how the printing process works.

5. Post Office . When we toured our local post office, we were told to bring along postcards addressed to ourselves and were able to watch the postal workers process our own cards, which we then received at home in the mail a day later.

7. Military or National Guard Installation. Learn about what their duties are, what gear they use, what training they receive, and what types of situations they respond to.

8. A State or National Park . Learn about nature, plants and animals of the area. (Note: In these types of parks - as well as in the other science-oriented places listed in this article - the theory of evolution is usually presented as fact. This can provide a good opportunity for your family to study the Biblical account of creation and the scientific basis for the Christian viewpoint.)

9. Museum. There are large, well-known museums, but there are often small, little-known museums around as well that are quite interesting to visit. Check around your area to see what is available. Again, be prepared for evolutionary content. In addition, some museums (particularly art museums) may contain displays that don't fit your family's standards. Use appropriate parental caution when planning a field trip to these types of places.

10. Lock and Dam. Often there is a display area showing the history of the area and displays where you can learn how a lock and dam works. Plan your visit around a time when a ship or ships are due to pass through.

11. Pioneer Day Events. Many places across the country have special festivals or events where the lifestyle of the pioneers is the main focus. Here you can see pioneer craftsmen, equipment, cabins, clothing, animals and "experience" life as it was in our earlier history.

12. Jewelers Shop . Find a jeweler in your area that creates or repairs jewelry and plan a visit to see the tools and skills used.

13. State Capitol . Visit when congress is in session and sit in the visitor's gallery for awhile. Tour the building looking especially for pictures or plaques commemorating our Godly heritage. As you pass through the halls, pray for our leaders!

14. Lumber Mill. See how lumber is milled and hauled.

15. Ceramics Shop . Learn about the craft and how a kiln works.

16. Veterinarian . Learn about the profession and pet care.

17. Library. Learn about the Dewey Decimal System and how to use it. Learn to use the card catalog or computerized cataloging system your library uses.

19. Bank . Visit a local bank or credit union to learn about the different types of accounts and services they offer. This is a great way to follow-up #18 above. If your children don't already have savings accounts, this may be a great time to open one!

20. Recycling Center . Learn about what they recycle, how they do it and what their end products are used for.

21.  4-H Fair. See the different projects 4-H kids are involved in, from crops and animals, to baking, crafts and more.

22. Zoo . I've always enjoyed trips to the zoo! A word of caution, however: You may want to avoid the zoo during the spring season when many animals are "active" in ways you may not want to view as a family.

23. Old Cemetery . Make rubbings of old markers. Find the oldest marker. Look for interesting names and dates.

24. Planetarium . Watch out for evolutionary content here as well.

25. Local TV Station . Plan your trip to coincide with the News program. A trip to the TV Station ties in nicely with a unit study on weather, especially if you can talk with the weatherman and learn more about his job.

26. Dental Lab . See the different tools and methods used to make or fix teeth or dental appliances.

27.  Botanical Garden . This is a great opportunity to see a wide variety of plants.

28. Power Company. Learn about how power is generated and supplied to your area.

29. Wood Worker's Shop . Learn about the different tools and skills involved in making fine furniture or crafts.

30. Eye Doctor. Learn about eye care, diseases/problems, diagnosis equipment and treatment.

31. Print Shop. See the huge printing presses, trimmers and other equipment in operation.

32. Historical Sites . Most areas of the country have a variety of historical sites. Some are well-known (historical buildings, etc.), while others may just be an obscure marker commemorating some event that happened there. To supplement your historical ramblings, visit the local library to see if you can learn more about the people or time period.

33. Wildlife/Nature Preserve . Learn all about plants and animals native to the area.

34. Blacksmith. Sometimes you can actually find a working smithy shop, other times blacksmithing is part of a special pioneer or old-time event (see #11).

35. Local Bakery. This would be an operation on a much smaller scale than a food processing plant discussed earlier in this list, but can also be very interesting.

37. Pet Store. See a wide variety of pets, learn about their habits and care.

38. Symphony Orchestra. See if you can visit during a rehearsal, then go to the actual performance as well.

39. Historical Society. You can often obtain a wealth of information about your area at a local historical society.

40. Paper Mill. Learn about the paper making process from trees to tissue paper.

41. National Weather Service. Learn about how they predict weather and the science behind weather, what equipment is used, and how the public is informed of the upcoming forecast.

42. Basket Maker. Learn all about the various materials and tools used.

43. Fish Hatchery. Learn about different types of fish and how area lakes and ponds are stocked.

44. County Courthouse . Learn about what goes on in a local courthouse, enjoy the oftentimes beautiful architecture and look for pictures or plaques showing our godly heritage.

45. Nursery or Lawn/Garden Shop. Learn about different plants for your area, plant and soil care, insect control and beneficial insects.

46. Police Station . Learn about what policemen do, K-9 units, technology used, etc.

47. Make your own "old-fashioned day." Go out to a pretty park (or even your own backyard), and try to do everything the "old-fashioned" way. Gather wood and cook over fire, do without electricity, read, play string games like cat's cradles, whittle, sing, use your imagination and travel back in time for a day.

48. Water Treatment Plant. Learn about where your water comes from, how many gallons go through the plant, water purification and testing.

49. Exotic Animal Farm. Look around, there may be a farm in your area raising mink, llamas, ostriches, mini-burros, African pygmy hedgehogs, emus, cockatoos, iguanas, rheas or other unusual animals.

50. Caverns.  Learn about the geological history of your area and have fun exploring the caves!

One last note: don't forget the educational value of family vacations! Even if your family can't take a two-week trip across the country, check out opportunities for day trips within a 2-3 hour driving distance of where you live, or in a neighboring state. We took many such trips during years when we couldn't afford a "real" vacation. It provided an opportunity to see some things beyond our immediate area with much less expense.

I hope I've been able to spark your imagination and give you some new ideas that your family will enjoy. Have a fun (and educational!) summer!

------------------------------

This article was originally published in the May/Jun '05 issue of Home School Enrichment Magazine. For more information, visit http://HomeSchoolEnrichment.com . To request a FREE sample copy, visit http://homeschoolenrichment.com/magazine/request-sample-issue.html .

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949.428.3900 29 Hubble, Irvine CA 92618 | Mon & Tues Closed | Wed – Sun 10am – 4pm

Field Trips

BOOK A FIELD TRIP  >>

Pretend City is fully booked for field trips until June 2024 for the 2023-2024 school year. Please email [email protected] should you wish to book for June 2024 or after.

Pretend City offers fun, educational, and hands-on play for preschool – 2 nd  graders! Our field trips are aligned with Common Core standards and Preschool Learning Foundations. Field trips are available Wednesday and Thursday only. Reservations required at least 3 weeks in advance. All field trips include:

• Two (2) hours of free exploration on museum floor
• ½ hour reserved lunch time in our Community Rooms
• 15 minute set aside for arrival & departure

Guided Program field trips include a ½ hour lesson at the beginning of the field trip.

FIELD TRIP OPTIONS  >>  

Pretend City offers a variety of field trip options for your school. Read more about them below to see which type of field trip is best for your young learners!

• Play Your Way
• Explore With Us
• $mart Citizen

Our Play Your Way field trip is a self-guided trip throughout the museum with your chaperones and children! Trained Pretendgineers will go over our community codes that help us keep our city functioning. Your host will also provide wrist bands, additional reminders to chaperones, and explain our timecard and money system! Once we go over the general information of the city and your visit, you and your students will be invited to play and enjoy the city!

Group Size: Minimum 15 Children | Maximum 75 Children

Our Explore With Us field trip focuses on careers in the city! Your children will have the opportunity to explore roles that suit their passions and make an impact in the community! As we work together, we will solve a crisis and instill the idea that every person is just as important as the next! Paired with this experience is time spent on the museum floor exploring, playing and pretending!  

Group Size: Minimum 15 Children | Maximum 60 Children* *Groups over 30 children will be divided into smaller groups for the field trip program.

Our $mart Citizens field trip is all about financial literacy! Educators will take students through the concepts of earning, spending, saving and donating the money they earn as a working member of society through an interactive lesson! Students will have the opportunity and autonomy to make choices with their hard-earned money! This field trip has a special follow up activity that is sent home with teachers to continue the learning in the classroom! You will also enjoy time on the museum floor to explore, play and pretend!

Self-Guided/Guided

Self-Guided – Limit 75 students Guided – Limit 30 students Max. 100 total guests

Guided field trips include Explore With Us!, $mart Citizens, Play Your Way!

$14/student for self-guided field trip $15/student for guided field trip

Required Chaperones

0-3 year olds – 1 Adult: 3 Children 4-7 year olds – 1 Adult: 5 Children 8+ year olds – 1 Adult: 8 Children

Chaperones in ratio are free! Any additional chaperones above will be the student rate

Below are links to resources to help you plan for your field trip at Pretend City.

• Field Trip Checklist
• Chaperone Guide
• Bus Parking Map

RESERVATION PROCESS   >> 

Planning a field trip to Pretend City is easy with our step-by-step instructions. All reservations are subject to availability on a first come, first serve basis. All reservations will be processed within 7 days of receipt of the reservation packet.  Reserve your date EARLY.  Spaces fill up quickly!!!

Read up about the different field trip offerings.

Download and complete the appropriate Field Trip Reservation Packet or Scholarship Packet found below.

Reservations required at least 3 weeks in advance.

Return the completed packet and $50 non-refundable* deposit via:

1. Email  [email protected]

2. Or mail to: Pretend City Children’s Museum, Attn: Field Trips, 29 Hubble, Irvine, CA 92618

*Deposit does not apply to scholarships

Upon Pretend City’s receipt of your Field Trip Reservation Packet and deposit we will contact you via email with a Deposit Confirmation & Invoice.

This will include your final payment due date and invoice. Final payment and final count are due 3 weeks prior to your visit date.

Once final payment has been received, a Final Confirmation will be sent to you via e-mail.

This will include your receipt, full itinerary, bus parking map, and chaperone instructions.

Your reservation will be confirmed after you receive the Final Confirmation.

Scholarships

• Title 1 School with 75% or more children on the free or reduced lunch program
• Preschool or ECE Center on government assistance program
• Community Organizations (such as group foster care agencies) who provide service to children ages birth through 8 years from underserved communities.

Applications who do not meet the above criteria will not be eligible for consideration.

Scholarship Sponsors

Thank you to our corporate sponsors for our Scholarship field trips!

For questions, contact our Field Trip Coordinator at 949.428.3900 ext. 217. You can also email [email protected] or fill out the contact form below.

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Get our FREE Field Trip Reflection printable 🦁!

40 Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips

No permission slips needed.

Virtual field trips are a game changer. Not only do they fill in for real field trips when budgets and other roadblocks prevent in-person options, but virtual field trips also open doors to educational experiences all over the country and the world, both past and present. No fundraising or permission slips required!

(Note: For anyone who needs it, YouTube offers a closed-captioning option. Just click the CC button in the bottom right-hand corner.)

1. Amazon Career Tours

Amazon Career Tours are free virtual field trips that inspire students to pursue careers of the future. Tour whenever, wherever on Kahoot! Each tour comes with a Teacher Toolkit that includes a facilitation guide and student worksheets.

• (New!) Amazon Music: Careers Behind the Beats : From studio to streaming, check out how computer science and amazing professionals make listening to your favorite songs possible.
• Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour : Explore how packages get delivered at lightning speed and how computer science, engineering, and real people work together to make the magic happen. 
• Data Center Tour 1: Uncovering Cloud Computing : Do students know what “the cloud” actually is? Find out how we went from renting movies at the store to streaming them from anywhere at any time.
• Data Center Tour 2: Keeping Data Safe and Sustainable : Discover the infrastructure that keeps your information safe and sustainable while diving into data careers of the future.
• Space Innovation Tour : Students will learn about the amazing technology on board the Orion spacecraft in NASA’s Artemis I flight test and hear from the engineers who made it all possible.

There are so many amazing online options when it comes to zoos that we couldn’t narrow it down to just one. Most zoos have live webcams in some of their most popular exhibits, such as the KC Zoo Polar Bear Cam and the Giant Panda Cam at Smithsonian’s National Zoo . However, some zoos offer a more in-depth look. You’ll definitely want to check out the San Diego Zoo as their site for kids includes behind-the-scenes videos and stories, as well as a variety of printable activities and online games. Check out our full list of virtual zoo goodness.

3. The Aquarium

It’s a similar story with aquariums. You have your pick of live webcams, but our favorites are the Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager webcam (wait for the whale shark!) and the “Jelly Cam” at Monterey Bay Aquarium (so soothing). The Seattle Aquarium even has a 30-minute video tour . Want more under-the-sea fun? Here’s our ultimate list of virtual aquarium field trips.

4. The Farm

The classic preschool field trip goes online! You can have your pick of dairy farm field trips, but we like this one from the Dairy Alliance  and this one from Stonyfield Organic . Farm Food 360 gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Canadian farm and food tours—from raising pigs to making milk and cheese. We’re also loving these virtual egg farm field trips from the American Egg Board.

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5. An Art Museum

We found 20 art museums with virtual tours , including the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s # MetKids and its awesome Where’s Waldo? setup. And you can’t miss the world-famous Louvre in Paris (no passport needed!). Check out the current virtual tours: Traveling Materials and Objects, the Advent of the Artist, the Body in Movement, and Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader!

6. A National Park

From webcams at Hawaii volcanoes to a virtual run along the rim of the Grand Canyon , you have tons of options here. Our top pick would have to be Yellowstone. The interactive maps are a great way to see the Mammoth Hot Springs and Mud Volcano, but we think kids will be psyched about the Old Faithful Geyser livestream and the opportunity to make their own predictions for its next eruption . Check out everything the National Park Service has to offer virtually.

7. A Planetarium

Through Stellarium Web , kids can explore over 60,000 stars, locate planets, and watch sunrises and solar eclipses. If you enter your location, you can see all the constellations that are visible in the night sky in your corner of the world.

8. A Recycling Center

Take your students on a virtual field trip of a recycling center and a modern landfill . Plus, there’s a full-on curriculum that includes lesson plans, take-home handouts, and more.

9. Slime in Space

Nickelodeon teamed up with two astronauts on the International Space Station to demonstrate how slime reacts to microgravity and had kids reproduce those same demonstrations back here on Earth. It makes for an amazing 15-minute virtual field trip .

10. Nature Lab

The Nature Conservancy has a brand-new virtual field trip entitled “You’re the Scientist! Citizen Science, Frogs & Cicadas.” Check out their full library of videos on topics like climate change and water security.

11. Discovery Education

Discovery Education hosts a variety of virtual events —each with a companion guide with hands-on learning activities. Current offerings include “Making a New Life: The Courage of a Refugee” and “The Future Is Now” (architectural and engineering innovations). Stay tuned for their upcoming civics virtual field trip, “The American Ideal.”

12. The Great Lakes

This virtual field trip from Great Lakes Now has three components: coastal wetlands, algae, and lake sturgeon. Each video is a quick five minutes long.

13. The Strong National Museum of Play

Explore online exhibits and discover the history and evolution of play. Check out board games that changed play, sports video games that shaped digital play, and the making of Monopoly to name a few.

14. U.S. Census Bureau

Kids can learn about the most recent Census and how census data is collected and used. This virtual field trip also features interviews with subject matter experts and an interactive challenge.

15. National Constitution Center

The “Museum of We the People,” the Constitution Center serves as a “headquarters for civic education.” Check out the Interactive Constitution section , and be sure to watch the virtual tour .

16. The Johnson Space Center

Houston, we have a virtual field trip. Three, actually. All with companion educator guides. The star of the show is the behind-the-scenes tour of the Johnson Space Center .

17. Birthplace of Music

Boise State put together this fully interactive virtual field trip with text, photos, audio, and video about the history of music. The four featured music locations are: Vienna, Austria; New Orleans, Louisiana; Cleveland, Ohio; and Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia.

18. Colonial Williamsburg

This living-history museum provides a look into life in an early American community. The website offers five different webcams featuring areas such as the tavern and the armory.

19. Mount Vernon

This virtual experience of George Washington’s home is incredibly well done. Enter the different buildings—from the opulent mansion to the chilling slave quarters—and click on different items for video and text explanations.

20. Mount Rushmore

This virtual tour comes with a real tour guide! Blaine Kortemeyer is the Assistant Chief of Interpretation and Education, who lends his expertise on the building of this national monument. The 3D Explorer is also an excellent tool.

21. The Manhattan Project

Take a visit to the National WWII Museum for “a cross-country virtual expedition to discover the science, sites, and stories of the creation of the atomic bomb.” Don’t forget to download the classroom guide!

22. The White House

For a look inside the iconic building, check out the 360° tour of some of the most historic rooms of the People’s House, from the Situation Room to the Oval Office. Examine each room and check out the contents up close.

23. The Smithsonian

The National Museum of Natural History’s virtual experiences are self-guided, room-by-room tours of permanent, current, and past exhibits. Be sure to send kids to the second floor Bone Hall so they can take a look at all different kinds of skeletons.

24. Google Arts & Culture

A collaboration with over 1,200 leading museums and archives, Google Arts & Culture is an incredible storehouse of monumental works of art. We recommend the Street View and Play sections.

25. 360 Cities

Boasting the world’s largest collection of 360° image videos, 360 Cities provides kids with the opportunity to see stunning panoramas across the globe, including their video of the ice floe on the Vistula River in Poland.

26. Buckingham Palace

It’s the official residence of the Queen of England, and boy, is it opulent! Get a peek inside the gorgeous Grand Staircase, White Drawing Room, Throne Room, and Blue Drawing Room.

27. The Great Wall of China

See one of the wonders of the world with this amazing, thousands-year-old fortification system known the world over. This virtual tour has four scenes available (you have to pay to get access to all 14). The bird’s-eye view of Mutianyu pass is a highlight.

28. Easter Island

Most of us recognize the giant stone statues of Easter Island, but what’s the story behind them? Nova’s online adventure “Secrets of Easter Island” delves into the mystery with a virtual tour.

29. Son Doong Cave

National Geographic lets you explore the world’s largest cave, located in Vietnam. Use the interactive map to enjoy the fully immersive experience (sound on!).

30. Ancient Egypt

You don’t need a time machine! Discovering Ancient Egypt has a ton of free resources, but it’s the interactive pyramid map and 3D temple reconstructions that really give it a field trip feel.

31. Back Through Time

Virtually visit Turn Back the Clock , a museum exhibit that ran for two years at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. Through compelling personal stories, innovative interactive media, and pop culture artifacts, the exhibit takes guests through seven decades of history—from the dawn of the nuclear age to significant policy questions our leaders face today.

No, really! You can absolutely “go” to the red planet. With Access Mars , you can see the actual surface of Mars, recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Trust us—don’t skip the intro. And if your kids liked that, check out this 4K tour of the moon . These may go down in history as some of the best virtual field trips your students get to experience.

33. The Battleship New Jersey

Take a virtual tour of this historical battleship located on the Camden waterfront. This battleship has traveled more miles than any other!

34. The Vatican

No need to travel to Rome! Take in the amazing art and architecture located in the Vatican Museums with these 360-degree views.

35. Space Center Houston

Download the app and climb aboard the virtual tram line! Take a virtual walk through the Space Center Houston with informational stops along the way.

36. The Louvre

Virtually visit museum rooms in the famous Louvre located in Paris. Even check out The Louvre kids’ site for student-friendly galleries and stories. You can’t visit The Louvre without seeing the Mona Lisa , so check out their immersive Mona Lisa experience available in the app store.

37. Ellis Island

This interactive tour of Ellis Island lets students explore places like the Baggage Room and the Stairs of Separation through short stories, historical photographs, videos, and audio clips. Students can also hear the stories of real kids who recently immigrated to the United States, explore colorful charts and graphs with immigration data, and watch a 30-minute movie that includes a Q&A with National Park Service Rangers who explain what coming to America was like for many immigrants.

38. Plimoth Patuxet Museums

Travel back to the 17th century with options for free, on-demand, digital resources or a live, 1-hour virtual school program led by a Plimoth Patuxet Contemporary Indigenous Museum Educator. Students explore Wampanoag daily life and history; discover the real history of Thanksgiving and the legend behind it; meet a 17th-century Pilgrim; get an interactive sneak peak into 17th-century wardrobes; and learn about simple machines and water power at the Plimoth Grist Mill. There are also options for virtual hands-on history workshops, including Wampanoag Pottery and Write Like a Pilgrim.

39. Children’s Museum Houston

When you can’t visit the museum in person, 3D virtual field trips to the Children’s Museum Houston are the next best thing. All videos are produced and curated by museum educators and feature hands-on activities that can be done in the classroom. Topics include nutrition, math, states of matter, forces and properties of water, and more.

40. Museum of the American Revolution

Beyond the Battle Field is a virtual field trip for grades 2-8 hosted by Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived historical-fiction series for kids. Students will meet a museum educator as well as the museum curator, and explore artifacts and documents from the American Revolution. Plus they’ll hear the stories of teens who served during the war. There’s also a Classroom Kit available with a vocabulary list and discussion questions by grade level.

If you liked this roundup of the best virtual field trips and want more resources like this, be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters.

Plus, check out the best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too) ..

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Check Out This Amazing Nickelodeon Slime in Space Virtual Field Trip

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30+ Awesome Homeschool Field Trip Ideas Kids Will Love

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Homeschoolers get to take the best field trips.  We are not limited to only places that can accommodate massive groups of children and we can usually work more than 1 or 2 into the annual budget . . . especially because many of these field trip spots are FREE!

I can recommend these homeschool field trip ideas because I have personally taken my kids to many of these places. Many of these homeschool field trip ideas can even accommodate babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

Field trips are great because there is almost always something for every grade level. Homeschool students of all ages love to go on field trips!

Gather your homeschool group or a few friends and make a day of it!

If you can’t get out on a field trip, a virtual field trip is a great idea! You can actually see more in one day because you are not limited by location.

30+ Homeschool Field Trip Ideas

Zoos are a favorite spot for many children, making them one of the top homeschool field trip ideas.  Kids can observe animals they might not otherwise see in the wild.  Kids can learn map reading skills, animal facts, and even a bit of geography as they read the descriptive plaques.  

Bring along one of these zoo scavenger hunts to keep everyone focused.

Can’t get to a local zoo? Try a virtual zoo field trip instead!

Check out our field trips to the National Zoo and the Woodland Park Zoo .

2. Aquarium

Aquariums let kids observe aquatic animals that they couldn’t see otherwise.  After all, it is difficult for humans to view aquatic animals in their natural habitats. Kids learn to care about protecting our planet when they see the wide range of animals impacted by their choices.  

Check out these aquariums that are all offering free aquarium webcams .

Working farms are amazing places for kids to visit.  Some local farmers have farm animals and others focus on growing produce. Our summer with a CSA taught my children so much about life on a farm and where our food comes from. They were able to pick fresh produce right when it was ripe!

They learned that things grow in seasons and that sometimes hard work is involved in getting food to our table.   Find a nearby farm here .  

4. Nature Center

Nature centers frequently host kid-friendly educational opportunities.  The employees are an excellent resource for learning about your environment. Outdoor field trips are a great way to get some fresh air while also learning about your local environment. I love adding in related books, either before or after, our nature center visits.

5. Historical Site

I highly recommend checking out the historic sites near your home.  My kids love history and I think that is in part due to all of our field trips.  We have moved around the country a bit and every time we move I search for more historic homeschool field trip ideas. There are field trip spots that focus on American history all around the United States.

Field trips to historic spots allow your children to really get a feel for what people of the past struggled with in their daily lives. Every historic site is a little different, but my family always enjoys seeing historic houses.

Check out our field trip to Williamsburg .

Factories are excellent places to learn about manufacturing and assembly lines.   Touring the Seattle Chocolates factory was one of our favorite field trips last year.  

You can even tour an Amazon fulfillment center !  Tours are offered virtually or in person at a select few locations.

7. Planetarium

A planetarium is an excellent spot for a homeschool field trip if you are studying the solar system or constellations. The light displays are amazing. This is one of the best homeschool field trip ideas if you are studying astronomy!

It does get dark right before the show starts, so it might not be the best field trip idea if your child is afraid of the dark.    

Be sure to ask around your community though.  You might find smaller planetariums in specialty high schools.

8. Recycling Center

If you have a child who is fascinated with trash trucks, I highly recommend a visit to a recycling center.  You can even take a virtual field trip tour of a recycling center online.

9. Great Wolf Lodge

A water park might not be at the top of your homeschool field trip ideas list, but P.E. totally counts! This is a great place to burn off some extra energy during the months spent inside due to the weather.  

Some locations even host homeschool weeks.

10. Fire Station

You know how important I think it is to teach fire safety to kids .  Taking a field trip to visit a fire station is an important part of that lesson.  

Kids can tour the station, but most importantly, they can see a firefighter wearing all of the gear.  That can look kind of scary and kids have been known to hide from firefighters during rescue attempts.  

Seeing a fully dressed firefighter in a safe setting helps prepare them.  Here is a great field trip response worksheet to help kids process everything they learned.

This is one of those homeschool field trip ideas that I can really make a difference in terms of safety.

11. Police Station

Police stations are a natural fit for any child learning about community helpers or the criminal justice system.  I recommend setting up a field trip with your local police station AND the helicopter unit.  

My kids thought the police station was interesting, but they really gained useful information from the helicopter unit tour.  These are the officers who respond to situations such as lost children and catastrophic injuries, so they reinforce safety tips, like always wearing a bike helmet when riding on wheels.

12. Grocery Store

Grocery stores provide another piece of the ‘where does my food come from’ puzzle.  Kids also learn about point of sale, bakeries, and delis.  Some grocery stores even offer nutrition lessons.  

Print out this grocery scavenger hunt and kids can find items and compare prices.

13. Pet Store

Pet stores are one of the easiest homeschool field trip ideas if your child loves animals. Many pet stores sell a very limited variety of animals, but they do sell everything needed to care for a pet.  

Use this pet scavenger hunt at the pet store to lead a discussion about proper pet care.

14. Art Museum

Even young kids can enjoy art museums if they have the right preparation and their parents have the right expectations.  

Plan to keep the visit fairly short if your kids are young or high-energy.  We found it worked well to focus on one exhibit each visit until Hannah and Ben were older and had longer attention spans.  

Choose 1 or 2 pieces to analyze with this handy guide.

Check out our field trip to the Portland Art Museum .

15. History Museum

History museums make the list of homeschool field trip ideas because they can tie in with history curriculum lessons.  These museums come in a range of sizes and cover a plethora of topics.  

You might even find small local history museums located in little old towns.

16. Science Museum

Science museums usually contain a wide range of science topics so you are almost guaranteed to find something that correlates with a lesson.  These museums are usually full of hands-on exhibits and experiments to keep little learners interested and engaged.  

Be sure to check out the online exhibit guide before you go, so you can see everything you want to see. Here is a list of science centers in the US .  Sort it by state to search it a little easier. Hopefully, you can find an interesting exhibit near you to add to your homeschool field trip ideas list.

17. Children’s Museum

Children’s museums are a great place for the 3-8 crowd to burn off a little energy while learning a bit too. Typical exhibits include building with large blocks, water play, light tables, and make-believe. Interactive exhibits are always a hit with kids.

Many children’s museums offer discount nights every so often.

18. Fish Hatchery

Fish hatcheries are perfect if your kids have any interest in fish.  

We toured our local fish hatchery as the salmon were returning to spawn and were able to see gorgeous salmon in all stages of life.  

My kids care a little more about keeping our streams healthy because they have seen salmon fighting their way back to the hatchery.

19. Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patches feel like one of the iconic homeschool field trip ideas. I am partial to pumpkin patches that actually grow pumpkins instead of the fall entertainment centers that seem to be common.

Some pumpkin patches host a homeschool day each year with discounted entrance and educational classes.  

20. State Parks

State parks frequently host seminars led by park rangers.  Some of these seminars are open to the public and some are special requests.  Check out the state park website for your state and see what is available.

21. National Parks

National parks tend to either have gorgeous scenery or historical sites.  Kids can even take part in the junior ranger program.  Be sure to check out the visitor center.  

Many National Park Service visitor centers display exhibits that explain what the children will see in the park.   Find a national park near you here.

Check out our field trip to Fort Clatsop .

22. Post Office

Post offices are busy places with lots of moving parts.  Schedule a behind-the-scenes tour and see how mail gets from one part of the country to another.  

Print out this copy of Post Office I Spy and keep toddlers entertained while their older siblings learn all about the mail process.

23. Military Base Museum

Military bases can be tricky places to visit, so I hesitated to add them to this list of homeschool field trip ideas, but if you have access to a military base museum I recommend you arrange a visit. The exhibits will be specific to the base.  When we were in Barksdale, LA, we saw old bomber planes.  The base in Quantico, VA featured marine involvement in various wars.

24. State Capitol

Touring your state capitol building is a great way to garner interest in state politics.  

Every state capitol follows a different protocol for setting up field trips, so you will need to check with your state officials to find out how to set up a tour.

25. Botanical Garden

Botanical gardens are beautiful enchanting places.  We like to just walk around and enjoy all of the gorgeous plant life.  If you have an artist on your hands, be sure to bring a sketchbook.

Check out these reasons why visiting a botanical garden is important .

26. Symphony

Attending a symphony or concert is a great way to foster a love for music . Many symphonies perform special concerts for children.  They are shorter in length and play more recognizable tunes.  

Some even host instrument petting zoos so the kids can get up close and personal with the instruments.

27. Restaurant

A restaurant might seem like a weird addition to a list of homeschool field trip ideas, but they can be great! Gather a few friends and call up a local restaurant to schedule a homeschool field trip.  

Restaurant field trips often include a behind-the-scenes tour of the kitchen. You might even be able to get a little snack.  Here is a list of restaurants that offer field trips.

28. Movie Theater

My family is a big fan of heading to the movie theater after we finish reading a book.  

Read the book, watch the movie, and compare which you liked better.  My kids start looking forward to this as soon as they start seeing the new movie trailers.

29. Performing Arts Center

Live performance homeschool field trip ideas include puppetry arts shows, plays, and dances, just to name a few.  Kids seem to love watching live performances.

Follow all of the coupon and local mom blog/Facebook pages for your area because they usually have the inside scoop on performance dates and reduced-price tickets.

30. Storytime

Story times are often hosted by libraries or bookstores and they are perfect for young children.  Many times the story times have themes.  It is great when you can coordinate the theme with a lesson or unit study, but listening to stories is always educational in its own right.

31. Civil War Battlefields

Civil War battlefields are scattered all throughout the Southeast portion of the United States. Visiting these fields can be a great addition to a United States history curriculum. Check out Battlefields.org to see if there are any sites near you. If not, try their virtual tours.

32. Governor’s Mansion

Many states allow visitors to the Governor’s Mansion, however, this is definitely a field trip that requires advance planning. The website for each state’s executive mansion typically explains the field trip procedure.

If you live near DC, or will be in town, consider planning a field trip to the White House !

Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschool Field Trips

How do homeschool field trips work?

Every homeschool field trip is different, but generally, they work the same way any family trip works. Choose when you want to go and make reservations if necessary.

You can go on the field trip alone or with multiple families. Sometimes there are discounts available for large groups, so it might be worth a little extra planning work to coordinate.

What are good field trip ideas?

Good field trips are anything that keeps your kids interested and learning. I think the homeschool field trip ideas listed above are great educational experiences.

What is the best homeschool field trip?

The best homeschool field trip is one that:

• Is interesting to your family
• Is affordable for your family
• Is in your area

Every family will have a different opinion about the best field trip and that is okay. My personal favorites have been Colonial Williamsburg and the Seattle Chocolate Company.

Should field trips be educational or fun?

Ideally, a homeschool field trip will be educational and fun. They are a unique learning experience. If a child isn’t having fun, they are likely tuning out anything educational.

What if I don’t live near many field trip locations?

Virtual field trips are a great option if you don’t live near many traditional field trip opportunities. Taking a virtual tour can be even better sometimes because you don’t have to stand in any lines.

Need field trip inspiration? Check out these posts:

• 8 Homeschool Field Trip Planning Tips
• Favorite Seattle Field Trips
• 20+ Free Virtual Field Trips
• Field Trip Scavenger Hunt Bundle
• 15 Fun Virtual Zoo Field Trip Options
• Tips for Williamsburg Homeschool Days
• Homeschool Field Trips That Are Perfect for Winter

What are your favorite homeschool field trip ideas?

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Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.

We took a behind-the-scenes your of a local racing speedway and drag strip for a homeschool field trip. It was so much fun!

That sounds like a great field trip!

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Safe and Fun Field Trip Ideas for Your Kids

Updated August 1, 2020 . AmFam Team

The school year is quickly approaching and we can expect it to be unlike any other. With many students having class completely virtual or doing a mix of online and in-person schooling, families are finding it challenging to keep their children focused and entertained.

One way to prepare for your task at-hand is to plan some fun field trips for your little learners! Mixing up their school day with a field trip can lessen feelings of cabin fever and keep your kids active both physically and mentally while learning at home.

Check out these great ideas for field trips your kiddo can take online, in the backyard and at safe locations.

Virtual Fieldtrips

A field trip is a great way to bring to life what your little scholar is learning in class. It’s one thing to read about dinosaurs, but it’s something else to see a real fossil from thousands of years ago in a museum! While it might not exactly feel like the real thing, many museums and attractions are offering free virtual tours that are perfect for your child to explore and learn. The best part? These tours are being offered from some of the most renown institutions across the world!

Here are some free, interactive tours your learner can do right from your dining room table:

1. Van Gough Museum (Opens in a new tab) : Travel to Amsterdam to learn about Vincent Van Gough and see some of his most storied works of art.

2. Dino Day Out (Opens in a new tab) : Join Miss. Catie’s virtual class and tour a dinosaur exhibit in The Canadian Museum of Nature! Miss. Catie offers lots of fun, quick virtual field trips and classes online, too.

3. M&Ms Factory Tour (Opens in a new tab) : Does your kiddo have a sweet tooth? Then they’ll love an exclusive, start-to-finish tour of how their favorite candy is made. Bonus points if you treat your kiddo to a pack of M&Ms for being a good listener during the tour.

4. Son Doong 360 (Opens in a new tab) : Take a trip to Vietnam to explore the largest cave in the world: With a 360-degree view, live sounds of nature and the ability to pick your course, it'll start to feel like the real thing. Plus, you can go at your own pace, allowing your child to take their time reading the facts about each section and pick which spot was their favorite!

5. International Space Station (Opens in a new tab) : Take your child’s creativity to new heights with free tours of real-life spacecrafts, provided by NASA!

6. Nature Lab (Opens in a new tab) : Does a cold or rainy day have your little learner stuck inside all day? No worries! They can explore nature from the comfort of your home. From learning about food and carbon to the role of soil, these free, educational resources will give your kiddo a new appreciation for the environment.

There are plenty of options online that’ll take your kid to places and experiences they’ve never seen before. Just make sure they’re staying safe online and check in often with them while they’re exploring.

Backyard Field Trips

Sometimes the perfect adventure is just outside your backdoor! Spending a day or a half day outside in your backyard is a fun, interactive way to change things up and keep your kids energized to discover and grow. We have the tips you need to transform your backyard to a field trip experience they won't forget!

Here are some backyard field trip ideas:

1. Grow a garden. Create a home garden or expand a section of it specifically for your kid. With your help, children of all ages can learn how to plant, grow and maintain flowers, vegetables or whatever they desire. This is great hands-on learning experience that’ll help them in the classroom as they learn about life cycles and biology — and they’ll grow some small green thumbs!

2. Outdoor art project. Save your countertops by taking art projects to the backyard! Whether it be Drop! Splat! Painting (Opens in a new tab) or Swing Painting (Opens in a new tab) , they’ll love the chance to let their creativity soar — and you’ll love not having to worry about a huge mess. However, we advise you save this field trip to be scheduled right before bath time!

3. Backyard obstacle course. Kids will especially miss gym class this year and let’s face it — they’ll need to get some built-up energy out. Transform your backyard to be the obstacle course of their dreams (Opens in a new tab) with common items found around your house like hula-hoops and pool noodles. Pro tip: Get the whole family involved — winner gets to decide what’s for dinner!

4. Science Day. Take your yard from grass to science class! There are plenty of easy and safe science experiments your little scholar will love! Whether it’s watching an ice volcano (Opens in a new tab)  erupt, creating a sundial (Opens in a new tab) or crafting their own anemometer (Opens in a new tab) , they’ll discover just how cool science can be.

Safe Field Trip Destinations

Cabin fever can be too much at times, and your kids will need an adventure outside your home. Lucky for you, there are many ways to get your kid out of the house for a field trip while keeping them safe. Here are some safe places to take learning out of the house:

1. Go on a hike. After your kid spends hours staring at a screen all day to learn, they’ll need a break! Hiking is a great way to keep everyone active, learn about wildlife and disconnect from technology. Just make sure to pack a mask, snacks and plenty of water before you go!

2 Have a picnic. A picnic is a great way to enjoy some fresh air and some quality time together . Plus, they can help you every step of the way — preparing the meal , getting the supplies you need, picking out the picnic spot and packing fun games to play after your tasty meal! This could be the start to a special tradition with your little one (or big one!).

3. Go birdwatching. You might have a birdfeeder at home, but you’ll likely see a variety of birds in more remote areas. Have your binoculars and bird book ready to travel to a remote place and count how many different birds you discover!

4. Take a drive. Who doesn’t love a good road trip? Let them pick their favorite songs and drive to places they’ve never seen before! If the ride starts to get long, play fun road trip games like “I Spy” or “The Alphabet Game” to keep them focused.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure it makes sense for you and your kids. Creating fun memories for your little can help change how they look back at 2020 as the year they got to spend some extra special time with you.

Was this article helpful? Check-out our back-to-school hub for more resources to help prepare your family for the school year ahead.

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Jelly Roll's Wife Bunnie Xo Reveals He 'Got Off the Internet' Due to Incessant Bullying About Weight

On her 'Dumb Blonde' podcast, Bunnie—who married the singer in 2016—said he "doesn’t show" the public how much fat-shaming truly "hurts him."

Bunnie Xo, Jelly Roll 's wife, says the singer has taken time away from the internet due to negative comments about his weight.

Earlier this week, Bunnie, 44, shed light on the internet fat-shaming Jelly Roll, 39, has fallen victim to during the latest episode of her Dumb Blonde podcast.

"My husband got off the internet because he is so tired of being bullied about his fucking weight. And that makes me want to cry, because he is the sweetest angel baby," she shared. "My husband doesn’t show it to you guys, but I’m gonna have a very vulnerable moment here—it hurts him."

Jelly Roll hasn't posted on Twitter or Instagram since April 8 and 9, respectively. He shared a quick TikTok of himself meeting Troy Aikman on April 14.

@xomgitsbunnie It was pretty therapeutic not gonna lie 🤣 Drops Wednesday 🎙️ 👱‍♀️ #dbpodcast #thegoldengirls ♬ original sound - Bunnie Xo 🪄

Bunnie Xo, who wed the "Need a Favor" artist back in 2016, continued by reminding celebrities that they don't have to endure hatred spewed online.

"The internet can say whatever the fuck they want about you, and they say, ‘Well, you’re a celebrity, you’re supposed to be able to handle it.’ No the fuck we’re not. ... Enough is enough," she said.

Bunnie concluded her defense of Jelly Roll by urging trolls to stop antagonizing people, as you never know what someone is going through.

"Don’t bully people, because you never know where they are mentally," Bunnie said. "There are a lot of people who are not as strong as me, that are on the internet, and they don’t deserve to fuckin’ be bullied."

Back in November, Jelly Roll took home New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards. This month he snagged three wins at the CMT Music Awards, the most of anyone that night.

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"I don’t think I can fully grasp what happened last night, this week, this YEAR," he wrote on Instagram in celebration. "All I know is where I’m from this isn’t supposed to happen. I hope to keep showing up & proving to ANYONE who ever doubts themselves that dreams do come true."

Check out Jelly Roll's hilarious January interview with Yedoye Travis on Complex's That's Deep below.

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Mom Accused of Killing 3-Year-Old by Forcing Her to Drink Bleach, Then Blaming ‘Voodoo’ Spell, May Face Death

Prosecutors in Florida filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Joanne Zephir, who is charged with murder

Osceola County Corrections

Prosecutors in Florida are seeking the death penalty for a mother who allegedly confessed to killing one daughter and injuring another by forcing them to drink bleach.

The Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office says in a release that it filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Joanne Zephir, 36.

Zephir was originally arrested in May 2022 after she was found unconscious in her car outside a church in Poinciana, Fla. In the backseat was her 3-year-old daughter, who was later pronounced dead at a hospital, according to police. Zephir’s 8-year-old daughter was found in the roadway.

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez said at the time that Zephir blamed the incident on a "voodoo spell."

Zephir was wanted on charges of attempted murder after allegedly stabbing her husband hours before the incident with her daughters, the state attorney’s office says. 

The sheriff's office previously said Zephir called a family member several hours later and confessed to killing her younger daughter, adding that "the 8-year-old was also going to die, and then she would kill herself," Lopez said.

She also allegedly admitted to authorities that she made her kids drink bleach before strangling her 3-year-old.

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A grand jury indicted Zephir in February on charges of first-degree murder with a weapon, attempted first-degree murder with a weapon and attempted felony murder with a weapon, prosecutors say.

It is not immediately clear if she has entered a plea in response to the indictment.

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