best field trips for middle schoolers

• School, Educational Ideas & Learning / Back to School / Camps & Classes for Kids / Guides for Kansas City / Homeschooling / Kansas City Resources / Local News / Things To Do

33 Fun Field Trips & Things to Do: Plan Group Activities in KC

Sharing is caring!

Whether you’re a PTA member, an educator looking for fun field trip ideas, or a parent searching for educational activities for kids, you’re in the right place.

We’ve gathered fun field trip ideas and educational things to do with kids in and around Kansas City. So, start planning your field trip now!

Easily plan your field trip or group activities with this guide. Find field trip ideas, educational events, and options that will come to your group’s location—we’ve done the searching for you!

Also, find the Best Museums in Kansas City for more educational activities, or check out the After School Activities Guide ! If you’re looking for Fall Fun, pick apples at a local apple orchard . If you have younger children, check out the Preschools Guide !

What are Good Field Trip Ideas, Group Activities, and Educational Things to Do in and Around Kansas City?

Kansas and Missouri Field Trips and Group Activities:

Kansas city invention convention.

The Kansas City Invention Convention (KCIC), the region’s top invention competition, is open to Kansas City metro students in grades 5 through 12.

At KCIC, STEM meets invention and entrepreneurship. Students practice creative problem-solving to help invent our future, while educators are provided with a FREE project-based curriculum to inspire the innovators of tomorrow.

Educators can sign up today at KCInvent.org or email [email protected]

Learning2Fly  

Mission, KS

The habits of health are the focus of this field trip. Children will participate in aerial fitness & aerial yoga, an art project, the 7 Habits of Health, and hammocks!

If you are an educator, teacher, or administrator and would like to tour their aerial fitness studio to see what they offer, call 913-262-2600 or email [email protected] .

TasteBuds Kitchen

Leawood, KS

Learn to cook at TasteBud’s Kitchen! Their mission is to be the top culinary entertainment experience for kids, families, and adults by engaging budding chefs in the kitchen.

Any age can participate, with many kids-only classes available! Children as young as 2 can participate in parent-child programming.

Explore camps, classes, programs, parties, & other special events. If you have a scout group or homeschool group, organize a special event for them to learn culinary skills! They make the kitchen exciting, and we create it all from scratch—from pasta to sushi and everyone’s favorite cupcakes!

CW Par ker Carousel Museum

Leavenworth, KS

Open February through December, the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum celebrates all that is beautiful and good about carousels. Come explore restored carousels, carousel horses, and historically registered carousels.

All visitors and field trips are also invited to ride a 109-year-old carousel!

The C.W. Parker Carousel Museum is located in Leavenworth, KS, and is one of several museums sponsored by the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association. The Carousel Museum is a non-profit organization that operates through community donations and volunteer efforts. While you’re there, learn about entrepreneur Fred Harvey and his significant impact on business in Kansas. Grab your class and come visit the Carousel Museum today!

Ernie Mille r Nature Center

Ernie Miller Nature Center provides an opportunity for learning, understanding, and admiring nature’s ever-changing ways during educational field trips & group events.

The center offers a wide variety of educational opportunities, including cultural, historical, and environmental programs. Explore activities for all ages—perfect for classes, scout groups and troops, homeschool groups, and any group in between!

Midwest Trust Center Arts Ed

Overland Park, KS

Catch a theater performance at the Midwest Trust Center and learn about the arts! The shows are affordable and fun for students of all ages. Family shows are also offered in the evening for scout groups, team activities, or a fun family night.

There are performances from Messner Puppet Theatre, as well as concerts and other performances. You can find the upcoming school events here .

Daytime performances begin at 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m. and cost $6 per person or $5 for school groups .

Lanesfield Historic Site

Edgerton, KS

The Lanesfield Historic Site offers the Farm Family Program for preschoolers to 3rd grade or the Living History Program for 4th and 5th graders.

Come experience the history of Kansas with your class or group and be taken back in time! You can complete registration forms online for Lanesfield  or the  Arts & Heritage Center , or contact the Museum’s Education Department at 913-715-2570 or  by email .

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop & Farm

Mahaffie Stagecoach Stop allows students to discover history where it happened. During the field trip, kids participate in activities with animals, wagons, and the stagecoach!

School field trip programs are two hours long and are offered Tuesday through Friday in morning and afternoon sessions. You can also choose multiple programs to create a full-day field trip. Times are also flexible to accommodate bus and pick-up schedules.

• Half-day program: minimum of 20 students for $6 per student.
• Full-day program: minimum 20 students for $10 per student.
• $1 reduced admission per student for Title 1 schools

TimberRidge Adventure Center

TimberRidge Adventure Center (TRAC), offers a wide range of opportunities for families, friends, class field trips, and work groups. Activities will challenge students, teach better communication, solve problems, and work together. Team building activities are for everyone from Boy Scouts to executive boards. So,  experience fun and excitement in a non-competitive, safe and supportive atmosphere.

The challenge course features 28 low activities, a zip line (300 ft.), a climbing tower & 3 high climbing ropes activities. These allow participants to problem-solve & explore communication in high-intensity environments. You can also participate in other activities like fishing, canoes, paddle boats, archery & hiking!

Nerman Museum

3D art hunt & Saturday programs are just a few of the unique features at the Nerman Museum. The interactive art program is FREE, so be sure to check out this educational thing to do, no matter your group size!

You will explore how art connects with different mediums including literature, math & science.

Paint Glaze & Fire

Get creative for your next group outing or activity!

Paint, Glaze, & Fire is a great option for scout groups, girls’ night, team parties, and other group activities. They provide all the supplies, you just bring the creativity. Choose from a wide variety of projects to accommodate many group activity budgets!

This is the perfect option for creativity, fun, and savings. They have project options to fit every budget, so call 913-661-2529 today with questions or to schedule. Walk-in options are also available.

KC Watersports

KC Watersports is the best wakeboarding destination in the Midwest.  For beginners, they offer day camps and lessons to perfect your skills.  Experts won’t find a more challenging set of rails, ramps, and sliders anywhere in the region.

For the family and groups, they have a shaded beach, where you can relax and watch the kids ride or play. Their Surf Shop is well stocked with the best gear in the industry, with rental equipment available. All skill levels are encouraged, so plan your visit to KCW with your group and enjoy some active fun in the sun!

Ce ramic Café

Ceramic Cafe is a paint-your-own-pottery and glass fusing studio serving the Kansas City area. The helpful staff at Ceramic Cafe will guide your group through the creative process using ceramic techniques and supplies to create artistic masterpieces.

If you’re looking for a place to host your next group outing or class field trip, Ceramic Cafe is the place for you. They also donate to charitable groups and can help your school or organization with a fundraising project.

Come to paint your pottery piece or create a beautiful work of glass in their vibrant Leawood, Kansas studio. The process to paint, glaze, and fire your masterpiece takes about a week.

Johnson County Museum

Kids in Kindergarten & older can attend historically rich programs from the Johnson County Museums – learning about their own city! There are multiple programs available for children:

• Community Helpers
• History Detectives
• Community Planners Challenge

School of Economics

Blue Springs, MO, and Kansas City, MO

Students engage through real-world learning to promote lifelong financial capabilities. SOE helps students to understand and apply basic marketplace concepts and skills and exposes them to business-related careers. While at SOE, students learn experientially about:

• Having jobs and managing their earned money
• Working as a business team
• Producing and selling merchandise (supply and demand)

Anita B Gorman Conservation Discovery Center     

Kansas City, MO

The Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center is a unique, hands-on, urban conservation education center. Located in the heart of KC, it is near a large portion of schools.

The Discovery Center offers free educational field trips that follow curriculum standards for your school. Educational programs provide a variety of hands-on learning experiences and workshops for your class or group, including a butterfly garden, bird feeding garden, and Grow Native demonstrations including prairie wildflowers, wetland, water garden, and manicured upland and lowland forests.

Additionally, families and groups are welcome to attend any of the demonstrations, activities, and self-guided hikes available at the center. There are also tours of the building and grounds showing environmentally friendly ways to build an urban environment in harmony with nature.

The Discovery Center also has a 0.25 mile disabled-accessible sidewalk that takes visitors through the Grow Native Gardens on the site.

Kansas City Young Audiences     

Almost 200 artists work with KCYA to bring educational arts programs to schools, community centers, hospitals & libraries throughout the KC metro.

You can find many different activities including live performances, art workshops, after-school programs & artist residencies for every age range. These programs are available for nearly all arts, as well as many academic subjects.

KCYA’s School and Community Programs reinforce core curriculums for your grade level & promote art in children. Come get creative while practicing problem-solving skills at their educational art programs!

Kemper Outdoor Education Center   

Blue Springs, MO

The Kemper Outdoor Education Center staff offers guided interpretive programs for classroom field trips, youth groups, and organizations. In April, May, and September, the X-Stream Green field trip program offers multi-station outdoor education for 1st to 6th-grade classrooms. The interpretive staff conducts programs on Snakes, Bats, Skins and Skulls, Butterflies, Birds and Binoculars, Fishing, Recycling, Nature Hikes, and much more.

Inside the Nature Center, you’ll find rock and fossil exhibits, a natural resource library, and mounted examples of native wildlife. The grounds feature nature trails, butterfly and water gardens, wildlife viewing areas, an arboretum, a shelter house, a large pond, and a day camp site. The Outdoor Classroom offers a valuable resource for hands-on environmental education. Hikers on the Habitat Trail can explore a variety of ecology: wetland, prairie, woodland, and cactus glade. Self-guided tours are free of charge.

Missouri Town 1855

Lee’s Summit, MO

See what a progressive farming community, spread across some 30 sloping acres, looked like in the mid-1800s. Missouri Town 1855 is composed of more than 25 buildings dating from 1820 – 1860. This living history museum uses original structures, furnishings, and equipment. Also depicting the 19th Century lifestyles are interpreters in period attire, authentic field and garden crops, and rare livestock breeds.

Explore an authentic Missouri town during your next field trip or event for an excursion your group will never forget. Visit professional living history interpreters on this self-guided tour.

Burr Oak Woods   

Discover the beauty of nature with the Missouri Department of Conservation at Burr Oak Woods Nature Center in Blue Springs. The nature center offers free programs and activities for classes, troops, field trips, and groups throughout the fall and winter. The center also hosts activities, classes, and events for families and individuals.

Families and groups are also welcome to visit the center to explore the nature center’s open savannas, prairies, and woodland areas during visiting hours. For more information, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation’s website and be sure to check out their “Nature & You” newsletter to stay up to date on nature programs and events happening in the Kansas City, Missouri region.

Lecompton Historical Society

Lecompton, MO

Lecompton Historical Society would like to extend an open invitation for you to take a step back in time, to look at the rich heritage that led to the formation of their town and the State of Kansas.

Come explore the Lecompton Territorial Museum for your next field trip or group event and learn about Kansas history up through today! Lecompton was founded in 1854 and in 1855, the town became the permanent and only official capital of the Kansas Territory.

During the group activity, you will participate in a “Bleeding Kansas” play, set in the 1850s. So, you will be right in the middle of the action!

College Basketball Experience

Come discover and play while learning! Kids can explore college basketball in interactive experiences in downtown Kansas City.

Kids can shoot hoops, try to beat the clock, and even be a sportscaster! But it’s not just fun, learn about the history, and walk through the Gallery of Honor and Mentor’s Circle. They also offer group discounts for your class or group.

Sunset Trails Stables

Sunset Trails Stables offers field trip opportunities for a number of organizations including daycare facilities, elementary and home schools, Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts, church youth groups, and many others.

Field trips are available all days of the week, rain or shine, and include two hours of instruction from our staff. You can also eat lunch at the picnic area before or after the field trip. Visitors are encouraged to bring lunch and/or snacks.

The cost is $10 per person for two-hour field trips that include horseback riding. If they do not include horseback riding is $7 per person. Prices are for children and adults regardless of age. All field trip participants are required to have a release form signed by their parent or guardian prior to the day of the field trip. Release forms can be picked up at the Sunset Trails Stables office or printed online. Riding helmets will be provided. Closed-toed shoes are required.

Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch

Liberty, MO

Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch is Kansas City’s Original Pumpkin Patch and a “must-visit” fall destination! With easy access from all parts of the Kansas City area, Carolyn’s is just 2 miles south of Liberty, Missouri. The farm offers the freedom of a self-guided tour around the Pumpkin Patch to allow educators the opportunity to work within their school or group’s curriculum.

School tours include…

* A special book reading featuring the “Spookley the Square Pumpkin” series

* Wagon rides through acres of our pumpkin fields

* Pie pumpkin picking

Students will also enjoy a tractor-drawn wagon ride, a pie pumpkin, a honey stick, and Carolyn’s award-winning coloring book (available in 8 languages). Also offered at the Patch are Uncle Earl’s Educational Mining Camp & School Tours, options for homeschool groups and families, as well as activities for special needs children. Visit Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch online for further details about all of their offerings during pumpkin season.

Fort Osage  

Journey back to a time when Missouri was “out West” in the wilderness, and experience the lives of the men and women who pioneered the American frontier. Authentically dressed characters provide living-history insights into the daily life of both the military and civilian populations during the tour.  

Built in 1808 under the direction of William Clark, co-leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Fort served a dual role. It was both a military garrison and trade center. Overlooking the Missouri River, this historic site has been reconstructed to portray Fort Osage as it was in 1812. Your group will be transported in time to experience true frontier life.  

Wayside Waifs

If your group loves animals, plan a field trip at Wayside Waifs!

Their “No More Bullying!” anti-bullying programs focus on preventing violence against animals and people. Visit them online to learn more about the violence prevention program & how to book your group.

Kaleidoscope

Your class will get creative when they visit Kaleidoscope. This local fave is free and full of endless creativity.

Kauffman Center

The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts has a variety of educational experiences. Tickets are only $2. Contact [email protected] for more details.

Urban Air Adventure Park

With two locations, Lenexa and Overland Park, Urban Air Adventure Park is a great field trip option for your class. There are warrior courses, zip lining, trampolines, and more.

Lee’s Summit and Kansas City

Sky Zone is a must for field trips. They have two locations across the metro and your class will definitely enjoy features like their SkySlam, Ultimate Dodgeball, SkyJoust, Ninja Warrior Course, and more.

YaYa’s Alpaca Farm

YaYa’s Alpaca Farm is another metro favorite. They offer tours all year round for large and small groups. This is a great option for animal lovers and a unique field trip experience.

Science City

Kansas City

Science City at Union Station is THE best place to get hands-on science. Your class can explore the world around them including the way we move, think, and more. Science City is a must-visit for your class.

Other Fun Online Resources & Activities:

You can also check out the Field Trip Guide Book to read online!

• The Best Subscription Boxes for Kids – cooking, art, science, sports & more.
• Best Homeschool Programs & Curriculum (most online)
• Free Disney Imagineering Course for Kids – Build your own theme park!
• Companies providing free subscriptions to their educational programs !
• Library programs for families – all free!
• Free Educational Websites for Kids to practice STEM concepts. You can find educational companies here too.
• Our favorite museums in KC

We’re so grateful to live in a city with so many incredible resources, activities, & opportunities for your young learners, troops, and field trip groups.

We invite you to use this guide full of field trip ideas as you plan your school year and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE with teachers, troop leaders, after-school programs, and any parent planning educational and fun activities to do in Kansas City for their kids!

For more educational resources, KC things to do & kids activities sent right to your inbox, sign-up for The Scoop .

From our family to yours, iFamilyKC.

Tags: Blue Springs Bonner Springs Downtown Independence Kansas City, MO Leawood Lee's Summit Lenexa Liberty Mission Oak Grove Olathe Overland Park Shawnee

• Next story  8 Unique Playgrounds in Kansas City (Best Playgrounds)
• Previous story  18 Kansas City Instagram & Photo Spots

Find Things to Do:

Sign-Up for The Scoop!

Get fun things to do delivered to you + deals, discounts & more...

55 Simple and Memorable Field Trip Ideas

We all know that field trips are fun- we have all been there. But when you are on the side that you have to plan them, it becomes a bit less fun, and a lot more stressful. It does not really need to be, though, because there are so many fun things out there that your middle schoolers will love to do.

In this article, we will give you 29 excellent field trip ideas. And remember, these are just ideas- there are tons more out there! Get creative!

I don’t know what it is about the zoo, but there is just something about the zoo that makes it one of the best places on earth. And this is true for most ages, not just preschoolers. Running around, finding favorite animals, discovering new ones, and learning more about animals that may be endangered is so fun.

Your middle schoolers will think so, too. Many zoos offer free (or at least discounted) admission for field trips, as long as they’re booked in advance. ( Source )

2. Water Park

Visiting a water park is a great way to either say goodbye to warmer weather or to celebrate the return of it. The best thing about many water parks is that they have arcades too, so those who do not like swimming can just try to win the giant plushies and lava lamps that we all envied as children.

3. Art Museum

An art museum is a great way to infuse culture into middle schoolers. Most are old enough to know museum etiquette, and the museum can introduce them to so many different art styles, types of people, and countries. They may come out thinking about art in a completely different way.

4. State and National Parks

If you live by a state or national park, consider yourself incredibly lucky, and then go get in there! This is a great way to expose middle schoolers to nature, and it helps them to love the outdoors if they do not already. State and national parks are beautiful, and they give the perfect opportunity to teach about the importance of taking care of the environment!

5. Movie Theater

You can never go wrong with a movie. All kids like movies. As long as it’s rated G or PG, and you have parental approval, the employees will be ready with popcorn and drinks in excess for your middle schoolers to enjoy.

6. Aquarium

Like the zoo, it is impossible to go wrong with a trip to the aquarium. Many aquariums have rehabilitated animals, which presents a great opportunity to teach about the importance of picking up after ourselves, and not throwing trash in the ocean. It is never too early to help kids become environmentally conscious.

7. Botanical Gardens

Botanical gardens give the wonderful chance to be outside, and it provides a controlled environment to do so. They are beautifully landscaped, and they usually have pretty fountains and waterfalls that provide a really calming atmosphere.

An added bonus: it is easy to reinforce what your middle schoolers have been learning about plants in science classes with what you see!

8. An Actual Theatre

Exposing middle schoolers to the arts should be considered an essential part of their education. And, what’s more, going to plays just makes kids feel mature and important. Maybe it is just because of the way the phrase “going to the theatre” sounds when someone says it with a British accent. If that wasn’t enough, then the fact that education in fine arts is proven to increase students’ self-confidence, self-understanding, communication skills, and cognitive abilities. ( Source )

9. Go on a Hike

This is a good field trip for many reasons. Exercising is an important thing to get in the habit of at a young age, and nature is something that everyone should appreciate. And, as if that was not enough, learning about rocks and rock formations is fascinating, too. This is a great way to combine what you’re teaching in class with what the kids are experiencing in real life.

10. Planetarium

The planetarium is another one of those places that are impossible for someone to not enjoy, even if they are starting to act more and more like a teenager. Besides, middle schoolers will understand the concepts and words used at the planetarium a lot better than elementary schoolers would.

11. Local High School

If there is one thing middle schoolers love, it is that they are going to be in high school soon. Take advantage of that! Take them to high school productions of plays, on tours of the high school they will be going to, and to other high school concerts and athletic events.

12. Local Colleges

While college is still far off for middle schoolers, it’s never too early to give them a good impression of college. Communicate how important a college education can be, and do not forget to mention how fun college life is, either. Get them excited about college before the application process rolls around. The best part about this trip: it’s free!

13. Library

Going to the local library is always a good idea. There is so much to learn (Dewey Decimal System, anybody?), and it is a great way to encourage kids to read. Making this trip coincide with a book report project or readathon might help them to check out books, too!

14. Government Buildings

A government building may be fun to tour. This includes things like the state Capitol building, or maybe even a local government office. There are often tours of the bigger buildings, and these are great opportunities to help students learn more about the government system in our country.

15. Local Festivals

Taking your middle schoolers to local festivals is another great field trip idea. Every town has some sort of interesting festival that they are known for. Take advantage of teaching the kids about the history of their town! Some examples are music festivals, farmers’ markets, local races, and holiday events.

16. Railroad

Local railroads may be hard to come by, but if you are lucky enough to have one in your area, they have tons of history. In addition to this, taking train rides is so much fun. Middle schoolers will love learning about the history of the railroad, taking a ride, and let’s be honest- the concessions on the train will help, too.

17. Local Factories

Going to local factories or businesses is another really great opportunity for middle schoolers. Exposing them to how things work is a great way to help them on the path toward finding out what they want to do in their life. When they see how many types of businesses work, they can better figure out what they like and what they don’t.

18. Amusement Park

Amusement parks are tons of fun. That said, they do require a bit more effort as a field trip. Especially if you are a public school teacher taking 20-30 kids with you, you will need chaperones, permission slips, and plenty of focus, because middle schoolers can wander off.

19. Just a Regular Park

This one is almost effortless, and it is still so much fun. Going to a park, sitting in nature, having a picnic, and then just playing exploring is so good for kids. Getting that time to just relieve stress is key to creating a balanced lifestyle for middle schoolers.

20. Historical Monuments

Historical monuments are there for a reason. They exist to teach us about the people and events that came before us. So why not introduce your middle schoolers to these amazing monuments? They are beautifully built, and being in a historical spot to learn about something that happened before is such a cool experience. What if there is not a monument in your town? There probably is, but if not, a neighboring town will definitely have one.

Caving is such a blast. If you live near a cave, taking middle school students caving would be a fantastic field trip. Before you go, make sure you check the difficulty level of the cave, so that everybody can participate. This is a great way to either introduce or just reinforce what students are learning about rocks, erosion, weathering, and more.

22. Historical Buildings, Homes, or other Sites

This is a great way to learn about specific people that may have had a huge influence on your town, organizations that shaped how your town functioned, or just other historical events that may have caused your town to be built in the first place.

Middle schoolers will love seeing places that appear in books they have read or movies they have seen, and if they are not familiar, they will just enjoy seeing the collection of old things.

23. Local Fire Station

Visiting the local fire station would be a very fun field trip for those who have dreams of being a fireman, but it will also be fun for those who don’t. Kids find it fascinating to learn about the process of it all: seeing the fire station, the fire trucks, and asking the firemen what their typical day looks like is a great way to get them engaged.

24. Local Police Station

It’s the same for the local police station. Not only will kids learn a lot about the government and what police do, but they’ll also learn that they don’t have to be afraid of all police officers. This is a great way to help middle schoolers become more comfortable around police and other emergency personnel. In addition to this, seeing the inside of a police officer’s car is sure to keep middle schoolers occupied: there’s a lot there!

25. Pottery Studio

There are several commercial pottery studios sprinkled around the country that anybody can use. So why not make a field trip out of it? Middle schoolers love working with their hands, and one thing that always makes field trips extra special is a souvenir that they can take home at the end of the day.

26. Fish Hatchery

If you live near a fish hatchery, this would be a really interesting field trip for middle schoolers. It does smell weird, but kids will love seeing the process that they go through in the hatchery. They will get to see a couple of different kinds of fish, and this field trip also gives the added benefit of some outdoor time.

27. Aviation Museum

An aviation museum is another excellent idea for a field trip for middle schoolers. Even if some students are not obsessed with planes and vehicles, the things that one can see at an aviation museum are undeniably fascinating.

Students will get to see several different types of planes, learn about famous pilots and wars, maybe see a rocket, and learn how aviation has changed since it first came into practice.

28. Local Power Plant, Dam, or Locks

This is another information-filled field trip. Though many dams and locks may not have tours, they usually have plenty of signs with blurbs to read that will provide for a lovely, self-guided tour. A lot of power plants will offer tours, though. In these places, middle schoolers will learn so much about modern technology, how things are powered, and more.

29. A Walking Tour of Your Town or City

Obviously, if you live in a big city, this may not be the safest idea, but if you feel you can conduct a safe walking tour of your town or city, do it! Even if they have lived in the town or city for a long time, many middle schoolers may still learn something about the town, and they may find something new to do. Pick a few destinations beforehand so that you can show your students the best-kept secrets of your city.

Remember that these ideas only scratch the surface of possibilities for fun field trips for middle schoolers. Students will appreciate any effort to add variety to their learning, so get creative!

30. Farmers Market

The Farmer’s Market is a great way for students to become involved in the community. Beforehand you can teach them about farming and how important it is to support your local farmers. Then you can take them to the market and let them pick something out or learn about all of the different produce. There are also sometimes animals there that they can pet.

Many communities host Farmer’s markets on Saturdays, so you might need to find out if your local farmer’s market takes place during the week!

31. Animal Shelter

The Animal Shelter is an awesome field trip not only for the kids but for the dogs and cats as well. The animals in animal shelters have often been neglected and abused. All they want is some love, which the kids will gladly give. It may inspire some families to adopt and give the animals a loving home.

32. Recycling Center

Learning about recycling is important. Visiting a Recycling Center might not be the most entertaining for the kids, but they will learn a valuable lesson about the importance of recycling and why we do it. They will also learn how to recycle and what can be reused, from plastic to paper to clothes.

33. A Hospital, Clinic, Dentist’s Office, etc

It is always a great idea to take the children to certain places where they can learn about different professions and what they could be when they grow up. Some kids may be scared of the hospital or doctor, but this way they can learn that doctors and nurses are here to help them.

If you can’t get the hospital to offer a tour, consider a tour of just any local clinic of a medical professional. Perhaps even a parent of a student in the class could offer a tour so that kids can learn about different professions.

Going to the bank may not sound the most fun to elementary school students, but they can learn important information that isn’t being fully taught in schools. Kids can go behind the scenes and possibly get a tour of the vault as well as learn how to write a check and what the purpose of a credit card is.

35. News, TV, or Radio Station

These field trips are fascinating because you can see the behind-the-scenes of the studio that the online viewers or listeners don’t get to see. The children will love to see the cameras and recording equipment, maybe even meet the people that their parents watch on TV every morning. Some kids could decide that this is the career path they want to move towards. The world always needs people to tell stories and report on what’s happening.

36. Local Business

It’s always important to highlight and remember local businesses. Local business owners would love to give back to the community by giving a tour to the students, inspiring them to chase their dreams. You never know which field trip is going to spark interest and help a kid decide what they want to be someday.

37. Restaurant or Bakery

Going to a restaurant or local bakery is something that children will love because they can get a behind-the-scenes tour, as well as some sampling of the food or treats. It will probably end up being one of their favorites since food is involved. Many local businesses will offer tours free of charge. ( Source )

38. Senior Care Facility

Taking the elementary school students to a retirement home is a great opportunity to teach them about the importance of service and learning from their elders. Children can oftentimes be egotistic because their brains aren’t fully developed. Volunteering is a great way to teach them compassion and kindness, and it will make the residents’ day as well.

39. Sporting Game

Sporting games are purely an entertaining field trip, and the students will be very excited. Most areas in the United States have a sports team, but even if you don’t live near a major city, you can find some minor league teams as well. Taking the students to a baseball or soccer game is probably the most common sport for a field trip. ( Source )

40. Theatre

Going to a theatre to see a play is also very exciting and entertaining. Communities almost always have a local theatre putting on a play for all ages to enjoy. You could even take the students to a play at the middle school or high school in the area. Make sure to pick an age-friendly play that they are willing to sit through for a few hours since young kids have a hard time sitting for long periods of time.

Going to the movies is a great indoor winter activity and very exciting for the children. It can get expensive, but there are also oftentimes group rate discounts, especially for schools. Maybe the movie field trip can be at the end of a big test as a reward. Don’t forget to get popcorn!

42. Orchestra

Going to the symphony or orchestra is a very special experience that not every child would normally experience. Classical music is very healthy for the brain. These days, everybody wants to listen to recorded music, but it’s important to instill a love of live music in the newer generations as well.

43. Pumpkin Patch

Fall is always a fun time of the year, and there are so many activities to do! This includes going to the pumpkin patch. Oftentimes, pumpkin patches not only have pumpkins to pick out and carve, but hayrides, mazes, and fun foods to try. My favorite pumpkin patch treats as a kid were apple cider donuts.

Picnics are easy and simple, probably costing zero dollars to the budget. All you have to do is make sure that every student brings a lunch from home and a blanket to sit on. Then all you have to do is take the class outside, set up the blankets, and they can sit with their friends and eat their lunch. Field Trips don’t always have to be big and extravagant.

45. Waterpark

The waterpark could be a great end-of-the-year activity since it needs to be warmer weather to go swimming. This field trip idea would probably need the most organizing, but it will be much worth it when it all comes together and you can celebrate the year together with students, parents, and teachers. This activity is recommended for older elementary school students that know how to swim.

There are endless opportunities for elementary school field trips! These young students are excited and curious about everything. Many of these places are free of charge and are happy to give a tour or experience to the students. Just make sure to plan everything out in advance and find enough chaperones to supervise the kids alongside the teachers. Good Luck! ( Source )

46. Explore a Local Recreation Center

Another great local resource that students can explore is a local recreation center. Finding and understanding available resources in the community is an important skill for kids as they transition to adulthood. A field trip to a recreation center can also emphasize the importance of health and lifelong physical activity to students as they begin to have more control over their lives.

47. Volunteer at a Food Pantry

Field trip education can be about more than just the sciences; giving high school students opportunities to serve in the community can be an important way for young adults to build character.

Many local food pantries would welcome the assistance of a large group of high school students. Taking a field trip day to volunteer at a local food pantry can help students understand more about supply chain management, while simultaneously helping them to build empathy.

48. Visit a Technology Company/Area

Technology is another area experiencing lots of growth. Helping to expose more students to areas like this can help give them direction when they may have none, and can also help fill a societal need.

If possible, arrange for students to take a field trip to a local software company where they can have opportunities to see the background processes of coding, system networks, and other tech phenomena. Showing students something like a server room, or cable management practices could be beneficial as well!

49. Visit the Capitol or Other Government Building

Whether it’s for History class, Political Science, or just to increase students’ social understanding, taking students to visit a capitol building or other government building can be both interesting and thought-provoking. This can be beneficial for all students as citizens, whether they are interested in pursuing education or careers in government or not.

50. Plan a College Visit

With students looking to the future, being able to get them on a university campus can be extremely helpful in guiding them in their decisions. Planning to visit a campus—or multiple campuses—could be a beneficial experience, especially for those on the fence about going.

Many colleges love to welcome high school students for campus visits and tours. Additionally, students may feel more comfortable being able to do a visit with friends and other peers with similar interests. Since Juniors will be thinking about which colleges to apply to, plan these trips preferably during students’ Junior year!

51. Plan a Photography Trip

With the invention of smartphones, and the popularity of Instagram, all students like to be both the photographer and the model. You can provide a field trip for them by taking them somewhere unique to take pictures and teaching them about principles of good photography, like lighting, balance, and the rule of thirds!

Alternatively, you could take them to a studio and allow them to take portraits or shoot other professional pieces, such as jewelry.

52. Plan a Painting Trip

For your more artsy individuals, you could consider planning a day trip to somewhere scenic where they could practice their painting skills. They could practice landscapes, nature scenes, or even portraits in nature.

53. Plan a Geological Trip

Another trip that could be fun is a trip to a location of geological significance. This could be something visual, such as being able to identify different strata on the side of a mountain, or something more tactile, like digging in an area for pieces of archeological or historical significance. It could even be something as simple as comparing rocks and their features depending on the area in which they’re found.

54. Do a Service Project Using Just Serve

We mentioned service in some of the above ideas (food pantry or homeless shelter), but you could also consider planning your own service project! Whether that’s planting trees locally, visiting an old folks’ home to visit with the residents there, or picking up trash.

There’s actually a great free website called Just Serve that allows you to quickly find service project needs for local non-profits. You could probably find something easy.

Allowing students to plan and prepare their own service activity can get them more engaged and help them feel like they can make a difference themselves.

55. Visit an Escape Room — or Any Activity Just for Fun!

Finally, we’d encourage you to be okay with some field trips being just for fun. Let your students go to an escape room, an amusement park, or a pool just for fun. Students need a break sometimes too!

Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers

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

Field Trip Ideas for Middle and High School Students

Did you like this article? If so, please help by sharing it!

• Facebook 467
• Pinterest 471

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

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

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

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

Symphony performances

Art museums

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

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

Auto manufacturing plants

Food manufacturing or processing plants

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

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

Aquariums – Many have programs specifically for older students.

Amazon fulfillment centers

Planetariums

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

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

History museums

Civil War battlefield locations

State and national parks

State capitols

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

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

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

Caves and caverns

Wildlife refuges

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

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

A location of the Federal Reserve

Music recording studio

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

Historic homes

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

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

You Might Also Like

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/ 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
• Kris Bales https://www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/author/kris_wuhsmom/ Homeschool Clutter: Why It's a Problem and How to Fix It

20 Comments

Thanks for this list! I just forwarded it to the gal in our homeschool group who organizes most of our field trips. We do live in another country so just about every day is a field trip but I would add on personal interest of the kids…like mine helped me brainstorm the following:

College campus tour: – could even break this out into different field trips like their science lab and science teachers, the life of a librarian, sport team, etc.

Airlines/airport

Veterinarian office

Car Repair shop

We will be homeschooling for the first time next year and our oldest will be in sixth grade. We plan on many, many field trips! These are some great ideas. Thank you!

While visiting a hospital or a doctors office sounds like an amazing idea, it really is unwise. I even say this as a mother who has a daughter, who so far chooses to be a surgeon. She is only 9….so we will see. We own an IT company. Most of our clients are clinics and pharmacies. My technicians and my husband have caught many illnesses working in the office areas of ghese places. We request our techs wear gloves and keep hand sanitizer with a drop of bleach in their company trucks. We provide them for them. My husband has brought home two variants of mono home to share with our family and caught an antibiotic resistant form of C-Diff from one of the nursing homes we service. He spent 2 months a the mayo clinic succumbing to a not so pretty and unconventional treatment for c-diff. I will let you research that (good discussion for high schoolers about how God makes natural properties in our bodies to heal itself).

I wouldn’t completely dismiss visiting these place. They are an awesome learning ground; especially for those who are interested in medicine. However, I would certainly be extra cautious about germs, touching things, etc. And bring hand sanitizer with a drop of bleach, for sure.

This is a GREAT list! What I struggle with, though, is the fact that high school course work takes so much time that I hesitate to take the time away for a field trip. My teenagers are basically ALWAYS behind… maybe that’s just us? Have you figured out a way to make it all fit in? I’d love some advice. 🙂

Hi, Ann. As I confessed, I’m as bad as the next mom about not making time for field trips. I’m trying to do better, though. We still try to keep a light Friday – usually their quizzes for the week – so that we can use that day for outside activities or make-up days if we did activities during the week. Sometimes, I’ll scan the kids’ lessons for the week and see if there are some not-so-important things they can skip to make room for outside activities. I know it’s easy to feel behind, but I like to remember that I make the schedule, the curriculum is a tool rather than the master, and field trips can truly enhance learning for teens, so they should be viewed as part of a student’s education, not blowing off a day of formal learning. That’s my take. I hope it helps!

It does, thanks! I keep thinking that by keeping our noses to the grindstone I can actually have a SUMMER… but maybe it’s a good idea to plan some variety along the way and not be so concerned about when the school year ends… 🙂

I have this same problem. I’m trying to think logically, as in, no high schooler can possibly know everything about ancient Rome, so if we don’t finish reading Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra so we can go on a field trip, I think that’s ok. I struggle with feeling like I’m not making her do enough work…not enough science or writing, this year in particular.

The Creation Museum is on my to-see list! We’re hoping to get to it during our Spring Break.

We went there about 7 years ago, it was very interesting. Our kids were fairly young then, so it would be fun to go again. My son’s piano teacher’s daughter works there!

So many great ideas! I agree that field trips are important for our teens. Mine recently enjoyed attending a national meeting of the College Mock Legislature. It is a program sponsored by YMCA, and they have middle and high school programs in 34 of our states in the US. Here is more info on that, if you are interested.

https://betsyhomeschoolconsulting.blogspot.com/2014/05/being-legislator-for-day-youth-and.html

I will be sharing your list with our homeschool group, Kris, thanks again,

Thanks, Betsy. I’ll check that out. And, thanks for sharing!

We still do Field Trip Fridays even with just middle and high school kids. My kids learn so much better hands on. As far as Walt Disney World, they have a Youth In Education Series at the parks that take you behind the scenes.

Here’s an overview post I did lat year about it. https://ourcrazyadventuresinautismland.com/2014/10/youth-in-education-series.html

I printed this list to help me come up with ideas and shared on my page too! Great list!

Thanks for sharing, Penny!

I feel the same way with feeling behind. My husband was ill and we ended up renting an apartment in Rochester, Minnesota while he was being treated at The Mayo Clinic. My daughter was with us since she was homeschooled. We tried to do as much school as we could but we ended up spending most days in prayer or wandering Mayo’s magnificant Children’s Library, reading books, checking out DVDs, and attending their daily children’s activities. When we got back home, I had to go back to work at our company. We brought her to work with us but I just knew she was getting lost in this tornado. I put her in Veritas Press Scholars Academy for quite a few classes this year. When she was tested to figure out where she was placed, she placed on average grade 4.5. Her reading comprehension was 5th grade!!! Mind you, I thought she was surely behind due to nearly two insane years. Praise God, she was learning in between. We let her play on Time4learning.com when I was knee deep in work. Our IT technicians tought her about networking, web design, wiping hard drives and changing power supplies. I guess every day is a field trip now…lol. I would advise from my new experience, don’t fret. You really aren’t as hehind as you think. God made us homeschoolers for a reason. We are not supposed to school like the PS sytem. Our babies are learning so much by just being free…..free to explore what their hearts desire in their free time. My daughter loves music; even has her own youtube channel. I woke up this morning hearing her singing in her bed. It was like waking to an Angel’s voice. Their “non-school” time is when they real grow. I know this now. I feel a lot less pressure and feel more blessed. I hope this helps those that feel like they may be not getting enough school time in. Blessings to all of you momma’s; we all work so hard to give our babies our all….and with unwavering faith, we know God has them in his hands!

Colonial Williamsburg has homeschool days but two other places our teens liked was Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn MI and also Sturbridge Village about 90 minutes from Boston and the Freedom Trail in Boston,

I love the idea of visiting local businesses. I can see how it would help teens feel connected to community while also learning about career options and hard work. Perhaps working farms and orchards could be added to the list?

We have enjoyed field trips to orchards, metro parks, botanical gardens, and farms. One farm we visit nearly every fall has corn mazes we love. One is in the shape of our state-Ohio with clues and facts about Ohio to locate. We have also taken each of our graduates on a special senior trip. The first was to Virginia to visit Williamsburg, Yorktown, and Jamestown. The second graduate chose D.C.We thoroughly enjoyed both trips and it made their senior year special.

One of the coolest ones we have done is to a metal recycling site. They showed us sorting the metals, buying, selling, moving process and even crushing a car. We have also been to numerous county facilities like waste water treatment plant, town water facility (drinking water), and the county registrar did an awesome voting program for us.

Those sound really cool!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me via e-mail if anyone answers my comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Coolest Middle School Field Trips

Field trips are integral to young learning minds and especially so in the influential middle school years. Academic passions are discovered, sympathies are created, and what the students find in the real world helps to solidify who they will become in years to come. But that doesn't mean field trips have to be boring. Your students will thank you for a little entertainment, and in the end, they'll learn better if they're having fun. The following field trip ideas are geared toward middle school class groups in the United States, not limited to a single state, and are all around cool, awesome, and very educational.

Dinosaurs - First of all, what kid doesn't like dinosaurs? This love of prehistoric creatures oftentimes leads into adulthood, making it fun for the teacher and chaperones too. There are several sites, museums, digs, and monuments around the U.S. that are dedicated to educating the public on these long-dead animals. Some of the more popular sites include the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles , which is focused primarily on the Pleistocene Era when woolly mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and dire wolves roamed the continent. Other sites date further back, before the last ice age, to the time when triceratops and tyrannosaurus-rex walked the earth like at the paleontological dig sites in the South Dakota Badlands. Companies like PaleoAdventures give dinosaur dig site tours to students ages 10 and up, showing the inner workings of an operational dig site and the scientific importance of recovering the fossils, bones, and fragments from the hard earth. These dig sites cross state lines into Montana and Wyoming as well though you can find similar tours in other states. If your group would be better suited to indoor exploration, try the Smithsonian affiliated museums like the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. which has a phenomenal dinosaur wing of the Field Museum in Chicago where you can see "Sue," the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever to be pulled from the ground.

Historic Sites - Though historic sites aren't as fun as dinosaurs, they are pretty cool. Living history museums like Colonial Williamsburg are usually very well received by young students and the park has an awesome feature where your group can stay overnight and learn even more after dark. Plimoth Plantation is another such destination on the East Coast and you can board and tour the full-scale replica of the Plimoth tall ship among their other attractions. If your middle school class isn't learning about early America, perhaps you'd like to visit Civil War sites instead. Dotting the country from east to west, north, and south, Civil War sites of significance are plentiful and poignant. Antietam, Gettysburg, Fort Sumter, and Shiloh are but a few of the most important battle sites in the country and while they are highly informative, they are also big crowd-pleasers. Middle school students pretty much unanimously love seeing cannons and Civil War-era weaponry, seeing demonstrations and reenactments, and the antique artifacts dating back to the War Between the States. If you're far enough south, historic plantations are another great place to visit. Sherwood Forest in Virginia was once owned by two presidents, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler, and is open to visitors. George Washington's Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello are also open for visitors with living history presentations, in-depth tours, and offer a wonderfully comprehensive look into the presidents' lives.

Interactive Science Museums - It can be hard to find a good science museum for middle school students as many walks the line of elementary school level science. There are interactive science museums which focus specifically on breaking boundaries between grades and teach concepts like the Leonardo in Salt Lake City. This revolutionary new science museum actually spans the gamut of education, just like real Leonardo (DaVinci that is), and includes architecture, art, music, and more into a symposium of learning in a fun and inviting way. The Franklin in Philadelphia does the same under the inspiration of Benjamin Franklin. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere, is perhaps one of the best destinations to take classes of any age. Likewise, on the West Coast, you'll find the Discovery Cube in Los Angeles which combines science with multi-sensory exploration to heighten learning.

Natural Disasters and Natural Wonders - This is kind of the same thing with the dinosaurs. Kids, especially middle school-aged students, enjoy seeing natural disasters from a safe distance. Volcanoes make for great learning opportunities (especially when they're dormant) so take them on a tour of Yellowstone National Park and see the effects of the geothermal features like Old Faithful and the sulfur pools. California has its own, underrated volcanic park at Lassen Peak in the Shasta Cascade region in the northern part of the state. Lassen Volcanic National Park also has its own geothermal wonderland, known as Bumpass Hell, where you can tour along boardwalks through the sulfurous landscape. For active volcanoes, go down to Hawaii and see the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park where you'll find two of the most active volcanoes on the planet still oozing hot lava before your eyes. From a natural wonder standpoint, you can pretty much visit any national park in the country. The Grand Canyon is, of course, recommended as is the Everglades in Florida, Waimea Canyon in Hawaii, and Devils Tower in Wyoming among many others.

Zoos and Aquariums - Last but not least: animals. Zoos and aquariums always rank among the best and coolest, most informative and educational field trip destinations in the country for all ages. You can literally make any subject work by visiting a zoo: biology, zoology, general science, psychology, architecture, civil engineering, history, marketing, etc. Plus, the students always look forward to a day at the zoo, touring their favorite animals. They probably don't even notice that they're learning, which is a great thing. The older your students get, the more in-depth and focused their visits to the zoo and aquarium can become. Zoos like the San Diego Zoo offer educational programs, tours, and activities for all ages of students with graduating levels of focus. Have your middle school students tour the park and listen to zookeepers talk about particular animals and their behaviors, their needs, and the zoo's conservation practices to help the species in the wild. Other zoo institutions that rank very highly include the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park and the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans which is also home to a fabulous aquarium . The Dallas World Aquarium, Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, and the National Aquarium in Baltimore are among the top ten in the nation as well, and likewise offer educational programs for groups.

Written by Josh Hettinger

View all posts by: Josh Hettinger

Related Posts

Are you looking for an affordable, customized group trip?

*Privacy Policy

Christian Homeschool Resources & Homeschooling Advice

• BROWSE TOPICS X
• Devotionals
• Newsletters

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 .

Recently On Homeschool

Editor's Picks

Popular Today

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Crosswalk App
• California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• California - CCPA Notice

50 Amazing Field Trip Spots in the U.S.

Sponsored School(s)

Field Trips. They are children's favorite part of elementary school and probably high school too. But field trips don't have to just be about getting a day off from class. Savvy teachers who understand their students need something that will hold their attention understand there are plenty of events and attractions across the country that are both fun and informative. In fact, there are so many excellent destinations it would be impossible to name even 100. So here are 50, listed in no order, that fit no model. There are sports arenas and museums and clown hall of fames. Each of which offers its own excitement and learning opportunities.

#1 - Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (Washington DC)

Washington D.C. is chalk full of awesome museums but the Natural History Museum is a fan favorite for its diverse collection of things to see. From rare gems and plants to dinosaurs and historical cultures, the museum has exhibitions for people of all ages and interests. The museum hosts tons of special events and even sleepovers for children and it is 100 percent free to public, so it makes for the perfect school trip, especially for teachers in the D.C. area.

Visit - naturalhistory.si.edu

#2 - Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (New Orleans, LA)

Aquariums are a field trip staple for teachers and that is because kids love them. The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is no exception. The nearly 500,000-gallon water tank is filled with crowd-pleasing favorites like turtles and large sharks and the Mississippi River exhibit is always a hit thanks to its collection of authentic Cajun creatures like catfish and a white alligator. It does cost money to get in, but there are special packages for groups and field trips that make the experience more cost-effective.

Visit - audubonnatureinstitute.org

#3 - Museum of Modern Art (New York, NY)

The MoMA may be a bit too "high-brow" for younger students, but middle school and high school students with an affinity for art will love this museum for its eclectic mix of artwork. The MoMA is often considered one of the most prestigious museums in the entire country and its exhibitions range from architecture and design to electronic media and film, guaranteeing that they will give students interested in art a wide-range of educational experiences. The museum does cost money but it also offers a variety of programs for educational groups of all ages.

Visit - moma.org

Andy Warhol - Marilyn Monroe Portfolio at MoMA

#4 - International Spy Museum (Washington DC)

One of the newer destinations on the list, the International Spy Museum has been a part of Washington D.C. since 2002 and has quickly become one of the more popular destinations for students and tourists alike. Between the large number of historical artifacts, the secret history lessons and the classes on "How to Become a Spy", there is something for students of all ages and it is an educational experience to be seen.

Visit - spymuseum.org

#5 - San Diego Zoo (San Diego, CA)

Another field trip no-brainer, the San Diego Zoo is one of the biggest and best zoos in the country if not the world. There are nearly 4,000 distinct species housed in the zoo's Balboa Park location including polar bears, monkeys, elephants, gorillas and pandas. Simply put, kids, especially younger ones, will never want to leave this museum. It is nearly impossible to see everything the zoo offers in one trip, so it might be worthwhile to schedule two.

Visit - zoo.sandiegozoo.org

#6 - Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum (Austin, TX)

Located on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, the LBJ Presidential Library is a walk through the life of one of our most outspoken and influential presidents. A leader in the Civil Rights Movement and the War on Poverty, students will not only learn a great deal about U.S. History and our country's political history, but they will also leave inspired at the vast amount of good that can be accomplished by one powerful man.

Visit - lbjlibrary.org

#7 - Riley's Farm (Yucaipa, CA)

About two hours east of Los Angeles is not necessarily where one might expect to find one of the more fun war museums to visit, but Riley's Farm, which doubles as an apple orchard as well as a "living history" farm plays host to Revolutionary and Civil War experiences, dinner theaters, and overnight experiences. It is the quintessential field trip experience. In fact, it is almost explicitly designed for field trips and large groups to visit. The living history education is its calling card, but there is so much to do that students won't have time to wander off or get bored.

Visit - rileysfarm.com

#8 - The Freedom Trail (Boston, MA)

Boston was the birthplace of the American Revolution and so it is only right to pay your respects by walking the Freedom Trail. Located in the heart of the city, the Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walk that leads students to historically significant sites. There are museums and houses and churches and cemeteries, but most importantly, there are countless stories of historical nature that will teach kids about the birthplace of the country. It can be a bit hectic to keep track of an entire group on a long walk, but if you as a teacher are up for it, there are few experiences like it in New England.

Visit - thefreedomtrail.org

Paul Revere House on Freedom Trail

#9 - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland, OH)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame admittedly offers a bit less education than some of the other locales on this list, but that doesn't mean it doesn't make for a good field trip. There are exhibits on the history of Rock and Roll, cities that have helped shape Rock and Roll and, of course, famous Rock and Rollers. The Hall of Fame also is constantly hosting interviews with famous rockers and events and other public programs that are a real joy for attendees. Teachers may have trouble justifying the educational value, but it is still a must-see museum.

Visit - rockhall.com

#10 - National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington DC)

At this point, African-American Culture is woven into the very fabric of the country and the history of African-Americans is rich and full of inspiring, tragic and emotional stories. The National Museum is set up to tell all those stories and it does so with incredible aplomb. There are over 33,000 items in its collection and each one tells its own story and marks its own place - positive or negative - in the history of African-American culture in the United States. It is not also cheery and happy, but it is still important for students to recognize and learn from this history so that they can help create their own.

Visit - nmaahc.si.edu

#11 - Everglades National Park (South Florida)

Science teachers won't find a more vibrant and luscious ecosystem to show their students. Of course, it will be difficult to cover all 1.5 million acres in the National Park, but guided tours are available and the park staff does an excellent job of catering these tours to students to help them make the most of it. Also, the Everglades are in trouble. Years of development in South Florida have created a toxic environment that is slowly killing off one of the most beautiful places in the country. Teachers can use the occurrences as an opportunity to discuss environmental issues and help create better stewards for the future.

Visit - nps.gov

#12 - Fenway Park (Boston, MA)

The park is one of the oldest in baseball and it is full of rich history and tradition. Obviously it caters to a specific audience, but there is nothing cooler for a young kid who likes baseball to be on the field. And non-baseball lovers can enjoy it too, or can at least enjoy a day off from real school.

Visit - boston.redsox.mlb.com

#13 - Pima Air and Space Museum (Tucson, AZ)

Simply put, Pima Air & Space Museum is massive. It boasts more than 4,000 aircraft, including a B-29 Superfortress, and covers more than 2,000 acres. They host regular events that cater to children of all ages and there is plenty to see for adults too. You can find quite of bit of aviation history in the desert and it will promise more than a few awe-inspiring planes as well. Entry is less than $20 and readily welcome large groups and field trips.

Visit - pimaair.org

Painted Airplane - Pima Air and Space Museum,

#14 - The Holocaust Museum (Washington DC)

The National Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. is probably not for the young students, but it is a must-visit in our opinion. It is much more than just a brick-and-mortar museum but the museum is a powerful experience. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is also an important part of history. The exhibits are thoughtful and rich in details, but they don't pull any punches either. The Museum does a great job of producing primary source media in many different forms. The staff also understands how to cater to students and has an exhibition , Remember the Children: Daniel's Story , that is carefully designed for even elementary school students.

Visit - ilholocaustmuseum.org

#15 - Griffith Observatory (Los Angeles, CA)

The Observatory is not only located in a picturesque spot in the Hollywood hills, it is also one of the country's best planetariums and theaters. The Observatory is so popular that its non-profit, Friends of the Observatory , sponsors an annual school program for fifth-grade students that takes place three days per week and is a two-and-half hour program loaded with fun and engaging content that also aligns with state standards. It may feel like you are on vacation when you get there, but once you are inside, it is all learning.

Visit - griffithobservatory.org

#16 - The Gentle Barn (Santa Clarita, CA - Knoxville, TN, - Dittmer, MO)

The Gentle Barn is a feel-good favorite, especially for younger students. The field trips are especially fun as students get a two-hour tour full of close-up encounters with some of the sweetest animals on earth. Kids get to play with pigs and hug cows and chase chickens and get a lot of information about the animals and their lives. The organization has grown increasingly popular and recently opened and Knoxville, Tenn. Location as well.

Visit - gentlebarn.org

#17 - The Henry Ford (Dearborn, MI)

Henry Ford is famous for inventing the automobile, but the museum named after him celebrates much more than that. Ford's cars were one of the country's greatest and long-lasting inventions and the museum is dedicated to honoring his thinking and vision as much as his legacy with the automobile. The Museums offers tours of real factories to students and tries to help foster the next generation of ingenuity.

Visit - thehenryford.org

#18 - Alcatraz (San Francisco, CA)

Alcatraz Island and its famous prison are a fun trip for all ages but they can be especially exciting for students. Sure, probably won't connect back to core curriculum in the classroom, but there is plenty of history worth exploring, both good and bad. It is also a place full of incredible stories and colorful personalities. Students will take pictures inside jail cells and learn about some of the country's most famous criminals.

Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, CA

#19 - Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, PA)

There is a lot of history in Gettysburg and a lot of ghosts of seasons past too. The Park is used to student visitors by now and can help teachers plan a lot day with plenty to do. For the students, the stories and impressive memorabilia can be both exciting and informative. Viewing the field of battle, it is hard not to be struck by how eerie it can feel.

#20 - Cave of the Winds (Manitou, CO)

For whatever reason, caves can be really exciting to walk or climb through. This is especially true for students. Younger students will love learning about rock formations and geological science as they climb through one of the more picturesque caves in the Western United States. The Cave staff welcomes student groups and it is not hard to leave feeling informed…and exhausted.

Visit - caveofthewinds.com

#21 - Mammoth Site of Hot Springs (Hot Springs, SD)

With all due respect to Woolly Mammoths, their loss was our gain. Many centuries ago, a large group of mammoths were caught in a hot spring in South Dakota. Fast-forward to present day and that location is home to one of the most impressive collections of bones in the entire country. The science community was smart to preserve the area and its artifacts and now the site is a fascinating place to visit and a renowned research center to boot. Students will be rapt with attention.

Visit - mammothsite.com/k-5/ & mammothsite.com/6-12/

Mammoth Bones at Hot Springs

#22 - Utah Shakespeare Festival (Cedar City, UT)

This would be more than just an ordinary field trip, but if the teacher can find the funds to bring his/her high school students to the annual festival hosted by Southern Utah University, they will not be disappointed. The people-watching alone is worth the journey and for theater students, it is an incredible opportunity to mingle with like-minded students from across the country and practice their love for acting and for literature.

Visit - bard.org

#23 - Alaska Sealife Center (Seward, AK)

The Sealife Center in Seward has something for everyone. It is a public aquarium for younger students looking to explore sealife, in-depth research for students much further along in their education and an array of educational opportunities for remote students to learn more about the state's incredibly diverse sealife and ecosystem. A big part of the Center's purpose is education and they take it seriously. There are few places in the country with more well-rounded opportunities to learn about the oceans and the creatures in it.

Visit - alaskasealife.org

#24 - Etowah Indian Mounds (Cartersville, GA)

Not far west from Atlanta, the Etowah Indian Mounds are an archaeological site that is well-known for its remarkably successful preservation. Students who visit will learn about some of the first people to ever live in what is now the state of Georgia and they can learn in-depth about the culture and life of their predecessors. The Mounds have produced incredible displays of tools, weapons and pottery that each tell their own history lessons. It is always important for students to understand history in all forms.

Visit - gastateparks.org

Etowah Indian Mound

#25 - Naturelab (Metairie, LA)

Run by the good folks over at McNeese State University, West Louisiana is now home to one of the most exciting environmental learning centers anywhere in the country. Unlike some museums that offer students learning opportunities, Naturelab is built for students and its curriculum is designed to engage them in many educational lessons where students also can get their hands dirty. Teachers can cater the field trip to whatever lesson they want to teach and students get a firsthand experience on a variety of topics.

Visit - mcneese.edu

#26 - Science Museum of Minnesota (St. Paul, MN)

The Science Museum of Minnesota is no stranger to field trips and its staff usually coordinates different options for students and teachers to choose from. For example, there may be an interactive exhibit on mazes, or an educational film in the Omni theater, or even a picture and portrait gallery on race or gender. They won't limit the students to just one program either as the staff encourages students to explore the multitude of engaging exhibits on their own as well.

Visit - smm.org

#27 - Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Chesapeake, MD)

The Chesapeake Bay is one of the more vibrant watersheds on the Eastern Seaboard and so it should come as no surprise that science teachers flock to its shores so that students can experience the environment firsthand. The Foundation takes students out on the boat and shows them the watershed up close and personal. Not only do kids get to see some incredible wildlife, they learn a lot about the surrounding ecosystem as well.

Visit - cbf.org

#28 - Exploratorium (San Francisco, CA)

Located on Pier 15, the Exploratorium is a must-see in San Francisco for people of all ages, but it can be especially exciting for students. The Exploratorium generally lets teachers set their own agendas and guide their own tours, but they are more than willing to arrange for special presentations or speeches if available. The Exploratorium is exactly what is sounds like - a place where students can explore a vast number of different areas of interest and still leave wanting more.

Visit - exploratorium.edu

Exploratorium - Palace of Fine Arts

#29 - Staten Island Children's Museum (New York, NY)

Generally best for younger students, the Staten Island's Children Museum is a favorite for teachers in New York City. With guided programs and lessons and curriculum in everything from science to language to early childhood education, teachers can find something for all their students and they can know that the students won't just learn, but also have fun. The trip is free for schools on the Island, but it isn't much costlier for other schools as well.

Visit - sichildrensmuseum.org

#30 - Oroville Dam (Feather River, CA)

An hour north of Sacramento, this 770-foot behemoth is responsible for keeping the Lake Oroville reservoir at bay. It was recently in the news for damage to the dam that caused flooding but now that things are under control, it truly is a modern marvel in civil engineering and architecture. The dam is practically a living, breathing, organism and tours give students an inside look at how the enormous operation is run.

Visit - lakeoroville.net

#31 - Jamestown Settlement (Jamestown, VA)

The country's first permanent settlement has evolved into a museum and national landmark that adults and students alike visit in droves. There is still plenty left over for students to see and there is obviously a lot of learn about the stories of the first settlers. Not all the history is positive, but it is an important part of national identity and so students will buy in.

#32 - Cajun Country Swamp Tours (Breaux Bridge, LA)

The swamp tours in and around New Orleans are normally considered a tourist activity but it can be an awesome experience for students too. Yes, getting to see the gators is the coolest part of the tour, but the local guides know their stuff and there is plenty more to see than just gators. The tour can give students a peek at the vibrant aquatic ecosystem in the Bayou. Considering the kids are trapped on the boat, it is easy to keep track of them too.

Visit - cajuncountryswamptours.com

#33 - Ben and Jerry's Factory Tour (Waterbury, VT)

Everyone's favorite ice cream is made in a Vermont factory. The normal tour is just 30 minutes, but the staff has been willing to make extra exceptions for school groups and what kid isn't going to enjoy the tour of an ice cream factory? The business and operations side of things is equally interesting however, especially for kids who can separate themselves from their ice cream. If teachers can get parents to splurge for a tie-dye tee shirt, all the better.

Visit - benjerry.com

Ben & Jerry's Factory Welcome Sign

#34 - Monticello (Charlottesville, VA)

The historic home of Thomas Jefferson is a favorite of teachers in Virginia. The home is now a well-oiled machine that includes guided tours of the exquisite interior and exterior. The house is filled with so much history and so many stories, that students will be surprised how much there is to know about one house. The grounds are beautiful and in case you hadn't heard, Jefferson was kind of a big deal, so his artifacts are important pieces of history.

Visit - monticello.org

#35 - Mammoth Cave (Mammoth Cave, KY)

Mammoth Cave is a National Park as well as the most extensive cave system in the U.S. It is one of the more popular tourist and field trip destinations in the south central part of the country thanks in large part to its incredible sights, professionally-run guided tours, and interesting factoids about geological patterns and how caves are formed. This is a full day trip that all students can enjoy.

#36 - Walden Pond (Concord, MA)

Made famous by the poet and all-around renaissance man Henry David Thoreau, this pond in suburban Massachusetts is a quiet locale where students can learn about the works of Thoreau and his contemporaries like Ralph Waldo Emerson. Students will get the chance to explore the cabin that Thoreau lived in and enjoy a serene walk in nature around the pond. Tours are offered through the Concord Museum.

Visit - mass.gov

#37 - Kootenai Wildlife Refuge (Bonners Ferry, ID)

The non-profit organization that helps sponsor the refuge, Friends of Kootenai National Widlife Refuge, offer tours on four different trails on the refuge, all of which guarantee to show off a vast array of wildlife in its natural habitat. The tours can be guided or self-guided and teachers can help curate the content to meet their needs in the classroom.

Visit - friendsofkootenainationalwildliferefuge.org/

Lower Snow Creek Falls near Kootenai Wildlife Refuge

#38 - Birch Aquarium at Scripps (San Diego, CA)

In the world of oceanography, the Scripps Institution at the UC San Diego is a household name. This should be all the reason any teacher ever needs to visit the on-site aquarium. The location is incredible but the vast array of species and ocean science that exists within its walls are the real treat. The Aquarium staff is used to young visitors and is more than willing to put together a somewhat specialized program to fit areas of study.

Visit - aquarium.ucsd.edu

#39 - Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (Kempton, PA)

There are few sights more awe-inspiring than watching a bird of prey fly freely and thanks to Hawk Mountain's incredible location, that sight is commonplace at the conversation site. Thousands of Hawks and Falcons and Eagles pass across the locale and the group's dedication to the conservation of these birds makes for a fun and informative day trip. Students will undoubtedly relish watching the birds, but they will learn something too.

Visit - hawkmountain.org

#40 - Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Chicago, IL)

The CSO is widely considered one of the finest orchestras in the entire world and while it might be too much for the younger students to sit through, it is the perfect destination for students passionate about music. Watching the talented musicians makes it obvious that the symphony experience is about much more than the incredible melodies. Teachers will need to plan to make accommodations but it will be worth the logistical headache.

Visit - cso.org

#41 - Graceland Mansion (Memphis, TN)

Once the home of Elvis Pressley himself, the Graceland Museum has blossomed into an incredibly rich museum and shrine to the King. Graceland staff also run "Schooled on Rock", a customizable education program that teaches students about far more than just Elvis but also about the history of rock and roll. Even elementary school students will recognize the name of Elvis and the chance to see some of his most colorful paraphernalia up close.

Visit - graceland.com

Front View of Graceland

#42 - Seattle Fire Department Tour (Seattle, WA)

The city of Seattle has a comprehensive program for students that want to visit their local fire station. The tour is probably better for younger students that will be delighted by the chance to climb in the fire trucks and test out the outfits, but the city and local firemen do an incredible job with the curriculum and make the experience a memorable one for students.

Visit - seattle.gov

#43 - International Clown Museum (Baraboo, WI)

With apologies to the people who have seen the movie It, the International Clown Hall of Fame may be off the beaten path a bit, but it is also an incredibly engaging place to visit. The Hall of Fame is also a research center dedication to the advancement of clown arts. There are exhibits on famous clowns, the art behind clown performances, and the history of the art. It may be scary for a few, but for those with more courage, they won't be disappointed.

Visit - theclownmuseum.com

#44 - Fort Sumter National Monument (Charleston, SC)

Teachers have two options when they visit Fort Sumter. There is Fort Sumter itself in the city harbor and there is Fort Moultrie on Sullivan's Island. Both are run by the National Park Service and each serves a special place in our country's history. Each tour has its upside but the fact that students get to enjoy a boat ride out to Fort Sumter makes it better in our book. Students will get to learn a lot of history of not just the fort but the country as well. The tours work better in small groups, just FYI.

Fort Sumter

#45 - The Mystery Spot (Santa Cruz, CA)

The only knock on the Mystery Spot is that the tour will be over too soon for a full field trip. But the visual illusions at this attraction in the middle of the Santa Cruz forest are truly mind-boggling. The organization has expanded and the site is now exceedingly well-run. The staff is willing to cater to field trips in the sense that they offer specific programming in addition to the guided tour. The illusions are the main attraction but there is plenty to be learned about what you are looking at as well.

Visit - mysteryspot.com

#46 - Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum (Cheyenne, WY)

Cheyenne may not be a destination city for those living outside of the state, but those that haven't had the chance to visit the city's Old West Museum are missing out. The museum is full of colorful exhibitions on the frontier life, culture and history. Students will love to learn about the natives of the area and will also enjoy the popular Old West Culture while enjoying a curated tour and occasional special guests

Visit - www.cfdrodeo.com/cfd-old-west-museum/

#47 - Alameda Park Zoo (Alamogordo, NM)

The oldest zoo in the Southwest (established before 1900!), the Alameda Park Zoo is a staple for teachers in New Mexico looking for easy field trips thanks to its 250+ distinct species on animals, kid-friendly exhibits, and information-laden tours and presentations. The birds are the main attraction at Alameda Park but there is really an animal species to suit everyone's interests and the Zoo staff is more than accommodating with school groups.

Visit - ci.alamogordo.nm.us

#48 - North Mississippi Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center (Enid, MI)

The North Mississippi Fish Hatchery Visitor Education Center not only helps promote safe and responsible fishing, but it also serves as an educational hub for aquatic life in the state's many ecosystems. Students will get the chance to not only learn about the fish and wildlife, they will also get a crash course in conservation and the importance of the surrounding environment. The Center is meant for visitors and so of course, school groups of all ages are welcome.

Visit - mdwfp.com

#49 - Kokua Hawaii Foundation Farm Field Trips (Haleʻiwa, HI)

The Kokua Foundation schedules farm field trips for students across the islands in a way to help promote local culture and the islands' delicate environment. Students will get firsthand experience in what makes the Hawaiian ecosystem so incredible and will learn all about conservation techniques and farming strategies that are still being employed across the islands today. The Foundation has a mission to help educate the future generations and its tours are worth taking more than once.

Visit - kokuahawaiifoundation.org

#50 - Joshua Tree National Park (Twentynine Palms, CA)

If you don't forget to bring water and don't wander too far off the beaten path, Joshua Tree National Park can be an exciting, if seemingly desolate, field trip destination. The desert can feel overwhelming, but there is a hidden and thriving animal and plant community way east of the California coast and the National Park is full of incredible views. For older kids, an overnight trip is recommended to fully experience all the park can offer.

View of the Milky Way Galaxy at the Joshua Tree National Park

• Recent Posts

• The Benefits Of Learning a New Language and Being Bilingual - October 30, 2017
• 50 Amazing Field Trip Spots in the U.S. - October 26, 2017
• Parental Tips and Advice to Get an IEP Approved for Your Child - October 4, 2017

Topics & Categories

• Teacher Daily
• Creative Teacher
• Froogle Teacher
• Language Arts
• Teacher Talk

Degree Programs

• Associate’s Degree
• Bachelor’s Degree
• Master’s Degree
• Doctorate PhD/EdD Degree
• View All Degree Programs

Teacher Resources

• Online Teaching Degrees
• How to Become a Teacher
• Teaching Careers
• Lesson Plans For Teachers
• Teaching Scholarships & Grants
• Best Teacher Discounts
• Teacher Tools and Resources

30+ Awesome Homeschool Field Trip Ideas Kids Will Love

This post may contain affiliate links.

Sharing is caring!

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?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Share this post with all of your homeschool friends!

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!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• The Next Apple Event: Dates, News, Rumors, and Everything Else To Know
• The Best Gadgets for The Beach or Pool

The 19 Best Free Virtual Field Trips of 2024

Stuck at home? Travel virtually all over the world instead (but seriously, check out the Son Doong Cave)

• California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo
• The Ultimate Guide to Shopping Online
• The Ultimate Guide to Online Learning at Home
• The Ultimate Guide to Skype

When you can't get away, your kids still can by taking a virtual field trip to a museum, farm, zoo, or another fun location. We compiled our list of favorites to help you keep your kids engaged and entertained. Some of these are virtual tours (you can actively decide where to go on the tour) and others are video walkthroughs (just watch and learn), but all give you a great experience of the location.

Best Art-Centric Virtual Tour: The Met

A glimpse at some of the greatest works of art created.

Online exhibits on various topics.

There's only one view of the museum currently available.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is home to over 5,000 years of art from around the world. You can see some of it from the comfort of your home. Take a virtual stroll through part of the museum using Google Street View. There are also numerous online exhibits on topics like Coco Chanel, Vermeer, Catholic allegory in art, and more.

Best Tour of Space: NASA

The volume of space videos.

The approachable aspect of the videos.

So much more to see on the site.

It's not easily searchable unless you know what you're looking for.

This might be cheating a bit because it's really a collection of videos, but, oh boy, what a collection to tour! The Galleries open up an array of videos covering space topics from testing a parachute for Mars to moving water in space. Each video is a mini virtual tour that will awe kids and encourage interest in science and space.

Best Tour of the White House: Google Arts & Culture's The White House

Stunning 360-degree images.

See inside and outside the White House.

Offers views of 140 paintings.

Once inside a tour, it's hard to know what you're looking at.

No search functions.

Every President since John Adams has occupied the White House and now your children can visit it, too. Google Arts & Culture offers four museum views (three tours of The White House and one of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building) plus a look at more than 140 paintings that grace (or have graced) the walls of the country's most famous abode. The 360-degree images let kids explore to their heart's desire.

Best Cave Virtual Tour: Son Doong Cave

Son Doong is beautiful.

The virtual tour includes lots of information.

Zoom into areas for a more detailed look.

No supplemental online activities.

Son Doong is the world's largest natural cave. Located in Vietnam, it features a subterranean river and the largest cross-section of any cave worldwide. National Geographic's virtual tour lets you explore the cave with full 360-degree views and immersive sounds. You can even zoom in one area to check out the campers in their tents. Son Doong is beautiful and worth a virtual visit.

Best National Park Virtual Tour: Yellowstone

Offers multiple tours.

Lots of historical information.

Amazing images.

No video tours.

Lots of written information that can turn off some kids.

Yellowstone offers seven virtual tours appropriate for older elementary and middle school ages. There's a lot of written information along with the images, and the tours aren't in video. However, the information is fascinating, and the photos are stunning.

From learning about old Fort Yellowstone to discovering park anomalies like Mud Volcano, these tours are a great way for kids to discover unique facts about America.

Best Natural History Tour: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

So many exhibits to see!

Easy, clickable maps.

Quick and easy to navigate.

It's not always easy to read the signs in the exhibits.

This iconic museum is dedicated to understanding the natural world and humanity's place in it. There's so much to see it can't possibly be listed here. However, the museum offers an online tour of most of its exhibits. Split this tour up into multiple lessons, so kids don't get overwhelmed.

Skip the ground floor and go straight to the first or second floors.

Best Aquarium Virtual Tour: National Aquarium

Easy to find exhibits.

Fun to explore using the 360-degree options.

Some scenes spin quickly, which can frustrate young learners.

Baltimore's National Aquarium features more than 20,000 aquatic animals. Kids can click and drag images to navigate their way around and use arrows, the map, or a scene list to explore various exhibits. Explore eight areas, such as the Amazon River, a tropical rain forest, and jellyfish.

Best Tours of the World: AirPano

Bright, well-produced videos and images.

Offers tours of numerous countries.

Includes video and still frame-images.

What's not to like?

AirPano has a variety of tours in China, Portugal, Switzerland, and more countries. Children can visit the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China, an underwater cave in Indonesia, ski resorts in France, and more destinations around the globe.

What makes this site so good is that it offers narrations of several tours, provides closeups through interactive actions, and includes short chunks of written information that's easy for kids of most ages to read. The tours are also fairly short, which makes these tours great for younger kids, but older kids will still enjoy the trip.

Best Virtual Tour for Car Lovers: Lane Motor Museum

Totally unique tour.

An inside look that allows for deep diving into collections.

There's no way to tell what a specific vehicle is unless you know cars.

Scroll to the bottom of the link to watch a fun virtual tour of one of the most unique car museums in the world. Lane Motor Museum is home to an oddball collection of vehicles dating from the 1920s up to modern times.

Your child will love seeing amphibious vehicles, microcars, prototypes, and more. The tour is easy to click through and offers six angles to entertain viewers.

Best Tours of Nature: Nature Works Everywhere

Tours are narrated and easy to follow.

Provides student handouts, vocabulary, and discussion questions.

We wish there was a larger library of tours!

Explore nature around the world with Nature Works Everywhere's virtual tours. Visit the coral reefs of Palau, the deserts and grasslands of Africa, a rainforest (from a canoe's viewpoint), a renewable energy plant, and more.

The tours are narrated and give great, quick facts to help kids learn in simple, straightforward ways. All tours are appropriate for grades 3 through 12 but are marked with notes about the grades most likely to enjoy the tour.

Best Historical Tour: Ellis Island

A clear explanation of Ellis Island, how it worked, and why it was needed.

Includes children asking questions of tour guides.

The images in much of the tour are small in order to focus on the tour guides.

Ellis Island is a key piece of American history. This virtual tour offers lots of anecdotes and features actual guides from Ellis Island telling stories. Plus, it includes lots of pictures and views of the island.

It's more appropriate for fourth grade and up, mainly due to the litany of facts and complexity of the information provided.

Best Slime-Based Virtual Tour: Slime in Space

Nickelodeon

It's playful and educational.

Good production values.

Fun experiments.

It's a video, not an interactive virtual tour.

What happens to Nickelodeon's iconic slime when it's in space? That's the concept behind the Slime in Space virtual field trip. Featuring real astronauts and Nickelodeon celebrities, the 15-minute video shows kids how slime and water react in a microgravity environment 250 miles above the Earth. Along the way, it answers burning questions like, "Is slime a solid or a liquid?" and "Can you slime a person in space?" (The answer is: yes, very slowly.)

Best Virtual Zoo Tour: San Diego Zoo

Live cams of the animals.

A variety of educational videos.

Fun games and activities.

Fixed camera angles mean you're not always guaranteed to see the animals.

The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. It's widely considered one of the best zoos in the world. But, if you can't make it to California, it has a robust virtual experience online.

You can peek in on the animals through live cams. There's also a variety of videos that teach kids about vultures or show them how to draw a tiger, for example. There are also zoo-related games and activities kids can do at home.

Best General Farm Tour: FarmFood 360

360-degree views of the farm.

Offers a free app for Android and iOS.

It can be hard to see things on a mobile device.

FarmFood 360 gives an inside look at the activities of a Canadian farm. Kids see 360-degree views of the farm as they learn about milk and cheese production, sheep farming, egg processing, and more.

There's an app available for Android and iOS devices, and it's compatible with some virtual reality headsets.

Best Virtual Planetarium: Stellarium

Realistic night sky simulation.

Mobile apps are available.

Includes a telescope control module for experienced astronomers.

Can be difficult to navigate.

The mobile apps aren't free, but the money supports the project.

Stellarium Web is an online planetarium created by two brothers. Offering an accurate and realistic view of the night sky, it lets you pan around and spot stars, satellites, and other celestial bodies.

It offers mobile apps for Android and iOS that aren't free. The money goes toward paying server and development costs for the two-person project.

Best Living-History Virtual Tour: Colonial Williamsburg

Next best thing to being there.

The virtual scavenger hunt.

The virtual tours are highly interactive.

Virtual tour models can load slowly.

Condensation or inclement weather can obstruct the webcam views.

Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum in Virginia that offers a glimpse at what life was like in the 18th century. Its virtual tour is highly interactive and includes videos, informational signs, and 3D models you can rotate.

With its various webcams, you can see the armory, courthouse, merchants square, and more. Colonial Williamsburg's website also offers a virtual scavenger hunt your kids can participate in as they tour the area.

Best European Museum Virtual Tour: The Louvre

It's the Louvre.

The website offers a list of online family-friendly activities.

The virtual tours include a map and an information button.

The website offers limited language options.

Sure, we'd love to jet off to France and tour its fabulous museums personally. But if that's not an option, the Louvre has several virtual tours available on its website. The offerings include exhibitions on the body in movement, founding myths, Egyptian antiquities, and more.

The Louvre also has a handy list of family-friendly online resources everyone can enjoy, including a Mona Lisa VR experience.

Best Factory Virtual Tour: M&M Factory Tour

Zoonar RF / Getty Images

Who doesn't love chocolate?

360-degree views of the factory.

It's short.

The Food Network teamed up with candy maker Mars to give M&M fans a virtual tour of one of its factories. During the short YouTube video, viewers can pan around as a tour guide explains how unrefined chocolate is turned into the little candies we know and love.

Best General Virtual Tour Resource: Discovery Education

An eclectic variety of virtual field trips.

Watch live or on demand.

Trips come with a companion guide packed with activities.

A schedule of when field trips go live would be nice.

Discovery Education offers a variety of virtual field trips for kids learning from home. The offerings change often but currently include an NFL experience, a doodling experience meant to encourage creativity, and a virtual field trip through the internet of things. You can watch the field trips live or catch the videos later on-demand.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day

• The 20 Best Free Learning Websites for Kids in 2024
• The 10 Best Apartment Websites of 2024
• The 8 Best Camera Apps for iPhone and Android in 2024
• 7 Great Virtual Reality Travel Experiences
• 19 Best Free Cloud Storage Services for Backup in 2024
• The 10 Best Free Online Classes for Adults in 2024
• The Best VR Apps for the iPhone in 2024
• The 6 Best Kid Coloring Apps of 2024
• The 12 Best News Podcasts of 2024
• 14 Safe Podcasts for Kids and Schools in 2024
• The 8 Best Free VR Games of 2024
• The 22 Best Chrome Extensions for Chromebooks in 2024
• The 16 Best Roku Channels of 2024
• 11 Best Free Movie Download Sites for 2024
• The 5 Best Housing Apps of 2024
• The 8 Best Learning Apps of 2024

24 Best Ideas for Field Trips for Schools for All Ages

Leah Nguyen • 08 Aug 2023 • 6 min read

The best part of when you’re a student is probably going on a school field trip (no homework, no sitting around waiting for recess, who doesn’t like it?)

That’s why as a teacher, coming up with a field trip that ensures the students are having the time of their life but also educative has been the top priority.

Here are 24 awesome ideas for field trips for schools that offer tons of fun and great lessons!

Table of Contents

The importance of field trips in education, kindergarten field trips ideas, primary school field trips ideas, middle and high school field trip ideas, homeschool field trip ideas, bottom line, frequently asked questions.

Field trips for schools provide many positive aspects to students’ learning pathways. They can:

• Provide hands-on, experiential learning: Students learn best when they have opportunities to directly experience and interact with what they are studying. Field trips allow students to make real-world connections to classroom concepts, for example, a field trip to the science museum will let students interact with real experiments that they only have seen through textbooks.

• Supplement the curriculum: Field trips can complement and reinforce what students are learning in the classroom. Visiting places related to curricular topics brings lessons to life.

• Develop real-world skills: Field trips provide opportunities for students to practice skills like observation, critical thinking, collaboration and communication in authentic settings outside of school.

• Inspire continuous learning: Experiencing new places can spark students’ curiosity and motivation to learn more about related topics when they return to the classroom. Field trips ignite students’ imagination and natural sense of wonder.

• Foster social and emotional growth: Field trips for schools in groups give students opportunities for social interaction, teamwork, responsibility and independence – skills that contribute to social-emotional learning and development.

• Expose students to new people and places: Field trips broaden students’ experiences and exposure to the world, helping them build background knowledge and vocabulary. This can be especially valuable for underserved students.

What are Good Ideas for a Field Trip?

From homeschooling to high school, these field trips for schools will bring great memories to students and enrich their experience with the outer world.

#1. Zoo – Kids love seeing and learning about different animals at the zoo. Focus on the smaller animals and insect exhibits. You can collaborate with the zoo to have tour guides talk about wildlife and animal behaviours.

#2. Farm – Seeing farm animals up close like fluffy sheep and cute rabbits will surely enchant all the young kids. They can also pick produce, and experience rural life firsthand. Petting zoos are especially fun for kindergarteners.

#3. Botanical garden – Colourful flowers, plants and outdoor spaces make botanical gardens a sensory-rich experience for kindergarteners. Consider a children-friendly space if available.

#4. Fire station – Seeing a firefighter in real life is like observing a superhero on missions, and your little ones sure are fond of that! Kids love seeing a real fire truck, meeting firefighters and learning basic fire safety. Many stations offer station tours and demonstrations.

#5. Orchard – Picking and tasting fresh produces in an orchard connects kids to the cycle of nature while engaging multiple senses. You can contact a local orchard and plant out in advance, but be aware if there’s any kid that is allergic to the fruit.

#6. Cooking class – A hands-on cooking or baking lesson allows kindergartners to develop early math, literacy and fine motor skills through food prep and following recipes.

#7. Nature centre – Field trips to nature centres provide opportunities for kids to experience and learn about the outdoors through guided hikes, activities and exhibits.

#8. Nursing home – Intergenerational field trips for schools give kids a chance to talk with and learn from seniors while bringing joy to residents. Kids this age often connect easily with the elderly.

#9. Aquarium – Tanks full of fish, turtles, rays and other aquatic creatures inspire wonder in primary school students. Many aquariums have interactive programs and touch pools.

#10. Theatre – Watching a live performance designed for children gives students an introduction to the performing arts in an interactive and engaging way.

#11. Camping – A 1-day outdoor camping provides plenty of activities. Nature observation, outdoor cooking (don’t forget the S’mores), campfire programs and games will bring the camping experience to life for students.

#12. Virtual museum visit – Can’t organise this year’s field trip? Not a problem because there are plenty of exciting virtual museum tours that you can show students in the class. You can triple the engagement and discussion by organising an interactive quiz to test students’ knowledge after that.

Host fun quiz games with AhaSlides

Lessons can be learned in a fun way. Make engaging quizzes for students with our free education templates❗️

#13. College campus – Visiting a local college campus can inspire and expose students to future possibilities as well as provide an engaging learning experience.

#14. Art museum – Art museums offer exhibitions and programs tailored for teens that expose them to new artists and develop their visual literacy and critical thinking skills.

#15. Science museum – Hands-on exhibits and interactive activities at science museums bring concepts to life in engaging ways that capture teenagers’ interests.

#16. Community service project – Volunteering as a class for a community service project teaches valuable skills while engaging students in important social issues and causes. You can choose an animal shelter, a food bank, or a community shelter. The choices are endless, depending on what your learning objective is.

#17. Business/industry tour – Touring a local business or area of industry relevant to student’s interests can provide real-world connections and potential career exposure. It also encourages students to know the importance of small businesses in supporting the local economy.

#18. Indoor recreational areas – These areas are often equipped with exciting activities such as indoor rock climbing, zipline and adventure games that will bring the adrenaline rush to the young blood. They also have team-building activities that are perfect for bonding and learning the spirit of teamwork.

#19. Farmers market – Bring your kids to a local farmers market to learn about produce, talk to farmers, and get ideas for meals. Kids can help pick out fresh items to cook at home, making this a nice bonding lesson.

#20. Artisan workshop – Sign up for group knitting or crocheting lessons just for kids. It’s a great hands-on way to learn a useful life skill.

#21. Trampoline park – Great for all ages, trampoline parks are a unique indoor field trip option for physical education and socialising during homeschooling. Kids get lots of exercise too.

#22. Working studio – Artisans like ceramicists, glassblowers, woodworkers and more may welcome student groups to observe and learn from their creative process. Kids come away inspired.

#23. World cultures VR – In the age of technology, we can tour around the world from the comfort of our houses. Equip the kid with a VR headset and let them explore different locations around the world to learn about each distinctive culture immersively.

#24. Performing arts venue – Theaters, orchestra halls, opera houses and dance companies offer backstage tours, workshops and lectures for students of all ages. Kids can get inspired by the creative process.

With proper planning, guidance and age-appropriate structure, field trips for schools can provide students opportunities for hands-on learning, team building, developing responsibility and independence, and unplugging in the outside world – all valuable educational benefits. Just be sure safety, preparedness and educational goals are prioritised in your planning.

What is a field trip in the classroom?

A field trip in the classroom is an excursion outside of the school that has an educational purpose.

What is the purpose of a field trip?

The primary purpose of field trips for schools is to provide students with educational experiences beyond textbooks and classrooms that complement and reinforce curricular aims while developing important skills and social tendencies in students. Field trips offer “invisible” benefits that transcend direct academic goals.

How do you organise a school field trip?

Here are the key steps to organise a successful school field trip: · Identify learning objectives · Get administrative approval · Coordinate logistics · Plan pre-trip lessons · Prepare chaperones · Conduct the field trip · Conduct post-trip debrief · Evaluate and improve.

Leah Nguyen

Words that convert, stories that stick. I turn complex ideas into engaging narratives - helping audiences learn, remember, and take action.

More from AhaSlides

Engaging Virtual Field Trips for Middle School Science

This list of virtual field trips for middle school science is full of interesting online tours you can use while teaching science at home .

The field of science continues to grow, and it’s crucial that older kids study a wide variety of science topics.

That’s why I’ve put together this list of over 20 websites you can use as part of your homeschool science lessons. They include topics in the fields of astronomy, biology, chemistry, and physics.

While this isn’t a complete list of all the science field trips available, there’s plenty to keep your tween busy for a while.

Any links in this post may be affiliate links. See my disclosure statement .

Table of Contents

Science Virtual Field Trips

One reason I love adding online learning like this to my older kids’ lesson plans is because it gives them the chance to get up close and personal with whatever topics they’re studying.

Too often kids get bored with a subject because they don’t think it’s relevant. They can’t see how it pertains to their lives. These virtual tours give students insight into how the theories they’re studying in school are being used by scientists in real life. They show kids the actual application of science.

They all include interactive tools for your tweens and most have downloadable teacher resources for you as well. Use them in conjunction with your science curriculum or replace a lesson or two with the virtual tours found here.

You’ll quickly see that visiting these sites is a great way to get your kids excited about science.

Help tweens reach for the stars as they study astronomy with these online tours.

Johnson Space Center

Does your tween dream about a career in the space industry? Take this inspiring virtual field trip to the Johnson Space Center to explore the next steps of innovation in space history.

They’ll learn about the developments of projects like the next generation spaceship and the deployment of the Space Launch System, while also learning about the amazing Boeing employees working on these projects and their unique career paths.   

NASA Glenn Research Center

Kids of all ages are fascinated by astronauts, rockets, and the exploration of space. Now, they can get an inside look at the research center for NASA .

Tweens can choose from several tours from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to see testing in action. These STEM activities will make it easy to engage your kids in science. 

Project Access Mars

The Curiosity Rover traveled 350 million miles and over 8 months to reach Mars . Its primary mission was to determine if life could survive there.

On this website, teens will learn how scientists are using recordings from the rover to make a 3D model of the planet and through webVR technology, they can explore the model themselves.

Take this virtual tour to see what the surface of Mars is like and what scientists have learned about this far away planet. 

Stellarium 

Is your student an amateur astronomer? Stellarium is an interactive planetarium that will let you see a realistic projection of what is in the night sky from anywhere on Earth.

Use it as part of your science lesson plans or just let your tween explore on their own. They can even make a digital logbook to track what they see in the night sky over time. Download the app so you have it wherever you go.  

Explore the natural world with some biology field trips.

Arizona State University Ask A Biologist

These biology virtual tours will take your students on a time travel tour through the seasons, teach them about venomous creatures found in the desert, shrink them down to explore inside a beehive, and more.

Don’t miss the “Body Depot” section that is related to human biology and even genetics.

You’ll also find teacher resources, quizzes, and games that you can use in your homeschool. 

FS Nature Live 

FSNatureLive wants to bring nature to your classroom. Through online education resources, the USDA Forest Service and Prince William Network bring exciting learning opportunities about bats, climate change, butterflies, and more to everyone around the world.

You can register for live events or view previous adventures. Kids can explore nature and will find a free science journal on this site. 

Generation Health

In these days, where the discussion of a coronavirus vaccine is the headline of every news channel, your tween will be very interested in learning about how medicines are developed.

In this Generation Health virtual field trip, your tween will learn about medicine, from idea and conception to the pharmacy shelf. It includes an educator guide to help you teach this important subject. 

Great Lakes Now 

The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater group of lakes by area on the planet. Great Lakes Now offers three virtual field trips targeted at tweens to explore the importance of coastal wetlands, a deep dive experience, and the danger of algal blooms.

They also offer a newsletter and a very informative blog so you can see what’s going on with the lakes throughout the year.  

Lib Guides Virtual Field Trips

There are a variety of tours on this page sponsored by the NYC Department of Education .

Take ecology field trips to the coral reefs and Everglades National Park to learn about Burmese Pythons.

Learn about sustainability through virtual field trips to NYC to visit their water supply system, wastewater treatment center, and trash island.

Finish up by visiting Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park to study wildlife.   

National Geographic Son Doong 360

Take a virtual field trip to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in Vietnam to study the world’s largest cave, Hang Son Doong .

The name means “mountain river cave” and this one has an amazing rainforest inside it. It was discovered as recently as 2009, and this project seeks to preserve a digital record of the cave before tourism alters its untouched state. 

Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma 

With so many people living in urban areas, it makes it difficult for tweens to experience near-pristine natural areas where they can learn about plants, animals and important environmental issues of today.

OK360 wants to bring remote areas of Oklahoma to students so they can experience its natural beauty without leaving the comfort of home. 

Project Noah 

Tweens with an interest in ecology will happily spend hours exploring the shared online nature journal, Project Noah . Users share photos of nature, create wildlife journals, and help each other identify species.

This is a unique opportunity to explore nature in places you may never be able to visit in person. 

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault  is located on a remote island in Sweden. It’s a cooperative world effort to preserve as many seed varieties as possible in case of a global crisis.

Through this virtual tour, tweens can learn about this fascinating storage facility built into the side of a mountain and the millions of seeds that are located there.

They’ll understand why we need this important vault and why this is the perfect location for ensuring the preservation of one of the world’s most precious resources.  

The Nature Lab

Sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, the Nature Lab offers several virtual tours and lesson plans for students. With them, you can learn about nature throughout the world and the efforts this global organization is taking to protect it.

For example, you can travel from South America to China and learn about the rainforest, coral reefs, and renewable energy, all from the comfort of home.

These amazing virtual tours will help your tween see the world from a broader perspective. 

This tour will help your older kids see how chemistry affects their lives.

3M’s Young Scientist Lab

This virtual field trip sponsored by 3M shows how nature inspires the science behind their products. At the Young Scientist Lab , teens will learn how gecko’s feet, goose feathers, spider legs, and fireflies inspire 3M innovations.

Travel to their world headquarters and explore biomimicry and how it’s used to invent products in areas including food science, adhesives, and healthcare. 

Spend time learning about energy with these virtual field trips that focus on physics.

Energy101: Electricity Generation

In Energy 101: Electricity Generation , an animated host, “Little Lee Patrick Sullivan,” takes kids from electricity’s source through to the light bulb. He teaches students about thermal power generation, different fuels, the grid, and transmission.

This is an enjoyable way for your family to learn more details about electricity. 

JLab Science Education

On this site, you’ll find five virtual field trips from the Department of Energy that give students a peek at what is going in their National Labs .

Young teens can travel down into an atom smasher, learn about 3D imaging of microscopic life, tour a clean room, and see how they use incredibly powerful computers to answer the big questions in life.   

NASCAR Hall of Fame

Racing fans will love these activities from NASCAR Hall of Fame . Every week they add new lessons that focus on STE(A)M that will aid students in real-life problem-solving.

The current lesson focuses on types of energy and will show how all branches of science combine in building cars and racing strategy. 

Navigating Nuclear

Take a online trip to the Idaho National Laboratory , the top nuclear research facility in the country.

The navigating nuclear tour takes students inside a reactor, introduces them to exciting careers in the field of nuclear science, and teaches them about advances in nuclear capabilities and what they mean for the future.

An educator’s guide is also available.  

Powering the Planet

During this Powering the Planet/Nature Works Everywhere virtual field trip, middle schoolers will learn about the power we use in our everyday lives and explore the interesting question, “How can we get the energy we need without harming nature?”

See how scientists are harnessing the power of renewable energy resources, such as sunlight and wind. 

The Manhattan Project Electronic Field Trip

Sponsored by the World War II Museum, this Electronic Field Trip takes tweens on a virtual expedition across the country to discover the science and stories behind the creation of the Atomic Bomb.

Student reporters go on a journey of how the atomic bomb was produced in complete secrecy. Learn about how its ultimate results ended World War II and changed the world forever.  

As you can see, there are plenty of fun and interesting virtual field trips you can use in your middle school science lessons. Put the textbook aside for a bit and check some of these out instead.

Resources for Science Virtual Tours

Along with these virtual field trips, add in some hands-on projects like these to help your tweens master various science topics.

• Teach kids more about electricity with the help of a circuit board engineering kit .
• Dissect an owl pellet together to learn more about owls and the food chain.
• This STEM box will help your kids explore the solar system .
• Have fun with these chemistry experiments that you can easily do at home.

Additional Online Trips for Tweens

These are just some of the virtual field trips we’ve taken. You can also:

• Explore Washington DC with this huge list of virtual field trip locations.
• The sole purpose of virtual tours doesn’t have to be education. Have some fun with your tween checking out places like the jelly belly factory, Legoland, and Harry Potter magic.
• Tour the Big Apple with these fun and informative online tours of New York City .

Which one of these virtual field trips for middle school science are you going to choose first?

• Latest Posts

Megan Zechman

@edupossible, latest posts by megan zechman ( see all ).

• Easy Pumpkin Crafts - August 21, 2023
• Middle School Geography Curriculum - August 11, 2023
• Outdoor Geography Activities - August 4, 2023

Recommended

Nyc high school soccer game canceled after group of about 30 migrants refuse to leave the field — even after cops showed up.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

A high school soccer game at a public field in East Harlem was canceled after a group of migrants refused to leave the pitch so the kids could play.

“I directly asked them to leave and some of them kind of took it into consideration, but then four or five of them said, ‘You know what, f–k it, we don’t have to leave, we can do whatever we want,'” said Erik Johansson, the coach of the Manhattan Kickers 17-year-old boys travel team.

About 40 boys from both teams showed up on Sunday, April 14 at Thomas Jefferson Park for the 5 p.m. match.

The Kickers were set to face off against FA Euro New York.

But a group of about 30 men who appeared to be African migrants and spoke little English, wouldn’t leave — even when the cops showed up.

To resolve the conflict, the cops asked to see a copy of the club team’s city permit.

“When you show up with two teams in uniform, a ref and two coaches, usually nobody is asking to see your permit,” said Johansson.

By the time Johansson’s assistant was able to forward a copy of the Kickers’ permit, the game had been delayed 30 minutes and the teams didn’t feel safe.

“Even when the game is over, you don’t know if they’re waiting for you, so even if the cops kicked them out, it may not be over. So we just all agreed, this is too dangerous,” Johansson said.

In his home country of Sweden — which saw a massive influx of migrants in recent years — the clashes on the pitch were all too common.

“I have seen this before, I know how bad it can get,” he said.

Parents told him they were rattled by the incident, and don’t want to play at the field anymore. Johansson said they don’t plan to return.

At other fields, like in East River Park, they don’t have these issues — but field space in the city is limited and they take what they can get.

“It’s so frustrating that the guys who refused to follow the rules won,” Maud Maron, a SoHo mom whose son plays on the team, told The Post.

“That’s the message the kids got.”

She said it is a sign of the Big Apple becoming “lawless.”

The East Harlem field is packed with teams competing with adults for weekend time on the turf, parkgoers said. Randall’s Island, which sits on the other side of the Harlem River, was converted into shelter space for 2,000 migrants last year at the expense of the popular youth soccer fields.

Share this article:

Advertisement

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Get our FREE Mother's Day Printable 💐!

21 of the Best Chicago Field Trip Ideas

The best yellow bus destinations in the Windy City.

In a city with over three million people, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Chicago is a cultural center that is home to some seriously fun field trip destinations. But in a city so big, how do you choose the best spots? Don’t worry; we’ve done the research for you! Whether you are ready to don your armor and defend a mystical kingdom or take a trip back to the Jurassic era, Chicago has something for your and your students. Here are some of the best Chicago field trip ideas:

1. Are you brave enough to peer over the ledge?

On the Skydeck of the Willis Tower, brave students (and teachers!) can walk on a four-foot-wide glass-bottom balcony—103 stories high! Dubbed The Ledge , this is sure to thrill students of all ages! For students who may not love heights so much, there are plenty of other exhibits in the Skydeck, including games such as I Spy on High and scavenger hunts.

2. From farm to factory: How is ice cream made?

Oberweis is a popular dairy and ice cream shop in the Midwest, so most of your students have probably already tasted this deliciousness, but how many kids get to brag that they saw how their favorite ice cream is made! Visit the Oberweis factory at 951 Ice Cream Dr., Sweet One, North Aurora (cute, right?) and let your students see the behind-the-scenes workings of a real factory.

3. Travel back to the time of King Arthur.

A beautiful princess, daring jousting matches, and a feast fit for a king? Yes, please! A trip to Medieval Times is exciting for any student; there is a little something for everyone! When you book a field trip with a matinee show, your class will get even more: an educational presentation after your 90-minute show and a four-course luncheon. What a fun way to bring history to life!

4. Learn and play at the Chicago Children’s Museum.

Children’s museums are a popular field trip destination, and there are few better than the Chicago Children’s Museum . Students will love the hands-on nature of this museum, particularly the chance to dig for dino bones! Another favorite: the opportunity to explore a three-story boat—without any of the seasickness! If you’re planning a day at Navy Pier, this must be a stop on your adventure.

5. Watch the Bard come alive at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

If you’re an English teacher and plan to teach Shakespeare this year, be sure to plan a trip to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater . We know that Shakespeare isn’t always easy for students to understand, but seeing one of the Bard’s plays come to life allows students to experience a play as it was intended—live.

6. Take an architecture boat tour.

Part of what makes Chicago such a wonderful city is the unique tapestry of architecture.  Chicago Architecture Foundation river tours explore the city’s architecture from the vantage point of the river. Because this excursion boards from the River Walk, it allows you to explore the sights and sounds of the recently renovated walkway—complete with a gelato stand. This would be ideal for older students.

7. Go wild at the zoo.

When it comes to zoos in Chicago, you’ve got choices. There is the Lincoln Park Zoo, but if you’re planning a field trip, opt for Brookfield Zoo. This zoo offers awesome experiences that will thrill your students. Tropic World allows you to walk through the monkey exhibit, while the Bird Encounter allows students to hand-feed parakeets.

8. Reach for the stars at Adler Planetarium.

Studying the planets in science class? Take a trip to Adler Planetarium . From exhibits suitable for preschoolers (a giant space-themed play place) to exhibits and movies suitable for high schoolers, this destination has something for all learners.

9. Discover farm life at Fair Oaks.

Granted, this field trip destination is outside of the city (it’s actually in Indiana), but it’s the perfect opportunity for city slickers and suburbanites to experience a real working farm. Take a bus tour to watch how milk travels from cow to carton. Students can also see calves being born, watch baby pigs play, and play in the several areas. Fair Oaks plans three-hour adventures plus a 30-minute lunch. (P.S. Bring extra spending money if you’re a cheese lover.)

10. Time travel to the Jurassic period.

General, Fieldtrip, Evolving Planet

Do your students love dinos? Take a visit to the Field Museum where your students can see a variety of dinosaur skeletons, including the world famous Sue! The museum experts can even create a tour customized to the age of your students. Chicago and Illinois residents are free, but even an out-of-state ticket is reasonable at $17.75 per person.

11. There’s nothing fishy about the Learning Labs.

A visit to the Shedd Aquarium is more than just watching fish swim in giant aquariums. A visit to the Shedd is as hands on as an aquarium can be! From touching the sting rays (a seasonal offering) to petting a real-life starfish, students can interact with several types of marine life. There is also a play area for young students (across from the penguins) and several learning labs for high school students.

12. Extract your own DNA at the DNA Learning Lab.

The University of Notre Dame offers some seriously cool field trips. In the DNA lab , students can extract their own DNA or learn about forensics by solving a pretend crime (a kidnapped leprechaun, to be precise!). Although this field trip is in South Bend, Indiana, it is a feasible day-long field trip for any school in the greater Chicago area. Ideal for high school biology classes.

13. Become an Iron Chef.

What’s more fun than getting your hands dirty in the kitchen? Learning the science behind what makes your favorite recipes so yummy! With multiple menu options available, your students will love this cooking lesson at  The Chopping Block.

14. Take flight at iFly.

Who doesn’t dream of flying? At iFly , you can! This STEM-enriched program first teaches students about the physics of skydiving. Students then undergo “flight training” before they get to experience their own skydive in a giant wind tunnel. BRB as I go get ready.

15. Let the field trip come to you.

The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum boasts something unusual: They can bring the field trip to you! When you book a classroom-based field trip, curators from the museum bring science-based, hands-on activities to your students. All of the fun without any of the travel!

16. Design your own house with the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.

Venture to nearby Oak Park to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust . Students will not only learn about the vision and design behind the Wright house but they will get the chance to doing a little designing of their own. The Trust even offers lessons plans so you can prep your students before the field trip. If you can’t make it to Oak Park, you can rent equipment and host a design workshop in your own classroom!

17. Channel your inner Bill Nye at the Museum of Science and Industry.

The Museum of Science and Industry , located in Hyde Park, is a tried-and-true field trip destination. Where else can you venture deep into the heart of a coal mine, explore the depths of the ocean on a U-505 submarine, or learn about genes through the world’s cutest farm animal (baby chicks)?

18. Learn about art through making art.

The National Museum of Mexican Art offers hands-on learning! The work of art your students make will be influenced by upcoming Mexican holidays, so your students will learn a lesson in both art and history. Grab your painting smock and head over to Pilsen.

19. See history from a beautiful perspective.

Interested in a trip to the  DuSable Museum of African American History  but not sure where to start? As a Smithsonian affiliate, the DuSable has you covered. Grab your lessons plans  and guide your students through the amazing history of African Americans, from the brave heroines of the Civil War to the number-crunching African Americans who changed the world of mathematics. Did we mention there’s also a “mobile museum” that can bring the history to your school?

20. Make a stand for peace at the Hull House Museum.

Did you know the Hull House was once Jane Addams’ home? It was also a safe haven for immigrants, a nursery school, a hub for the Women’s Peace Party, and a school for ESL and cooking. Visit the Hull House Museum and see first hand how Jane Addams’ work led to her Nobel Peace Prize.

21. Write your own story at The American Writers Museum.

A trip to The American Writers Museum is part museum (see and touch real typewriters), part writing lab, and part write0in. This is great for English teachers who want to help foster of love of writing in their students!

What Chicago field trip ideas did we miss? Come share in  our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus, check out the Best Field Trip Ideas for Every Age and Interest (Virtual Options Too!)

You Might Also Like

Teachers Are Planning Classroom Glow Days & It Makes Us Want To Be Third Graders Again

A theme day filled with neon and fun! Continue Reading

Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

2018 Primetime Emmy & James Beard Award Winner

R&K Insider

Join our newsletter to get exclusives on where our correspondents travel, what they eat, where they stay. Free to sign up.

A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.