Ideas Beyond Museums
Where To Explore Next?
We know them, love them, and they are our go-to... museums! Without question, museums are important and valuable assets in homeschooling, but once you have visited those great historic displays and exhibits, where to next?
While I absolutely adore any and all types of museums, and could visit and revisit a multitude of times, I do understand that even though my kiddos appreciate these areas, my young learners needed more variety and ways to engage themselves.
I dusted off my creativity, and got to thinking beyond the obvious, and came up with some more obscure, yet still educational field trip ideas. What's more, is that all these ideas are completely FREE to visit!
So get ready to pack up your learners, and adventure to these fun and interesting field trip inspirations!
*Get the FREE My Learning Adventure Sheet to take along on your next trip!*
Explore the Store!
There is so much learning to be had just while visiting inside a store. No matter what topic you are studying, there is a store out there to support it! We have investigated many a stores to research, taste, gather goods, and get hands-on learning. While in our ornaments unit, I took us on a learning adventure to the largest ornament store. Likewise, for our cereal lesson plan, we explored the cereal aisle in our local grocery store. For adventures like these, I pull together either a scavenger hunt style sheet or decoding puzzle game, to aid in more understanding of why we are actually visiting, and how it applies to the lesson. I love to show my kiddos that learning is all around us, everywhere we go, and taking a closer look at something as seemingly simple as a local store, that there is tangible information that can be applied in our lives.
*Get the Cereal Decipher Activity Here!*
Adventure Through Gardens
While in our Peppermint unit, I wanted to get my kiddos hands-on with the herb, but had yet to gather some for our study. Rather than just grabbing some at the grocery store, I thought why not make the errand an adventure? I quickly prepared a bingo style sheet of various herbs and plants, and headed us out to a large nursery. While there we explored the nursery, and played the prepared game. They were able to run around in search of the peppermint and identify it along with other herbs. Once done, we did purchase the peppermint to use for our lesson and exploring its anatomy. I later used this field trip concept to explore a large botanical garden while in our Shamrock unit.
Traverse Walking Tours
Either with a tour guide or guided by the information along the trail, taking a walking tour is a refreshing way to absorb information, and see what you are learning about in real life. We have explored several trails, learning about the history and nature as we hiked along, but one of our favorite walking tours was the Land of the First People Walking Tour. We learned of the amazing history of the Kumeyaay people, their culture, and the native plants they used, which gave us great insight while in our Native Americans unit study. With a quick search, there are likely FREE walking tours in your area as well.
Scout The Neighborhood
You don't even need to get in the car for this field trip! There's plenty of ways to incorporate learning topics and concepts just by stepping out into the neighborhood. I think scouting the neighborhood is an excellent way to demonstrate that you don't have to spend anything or travel much beyond your front door to put learning into action. For the times we have used our neighborhood as a field trip, I incorporate a spelling game/letter search or scavenger hunt to keep learning engaged.
Get FREE neighborhood scavenger hunt game sheets HERE!
Escapade To The Pet Shop
With the farm and zoo visit a classic field trip it can, like museums become tired. To mix it up, we took to the pet shops. While in our lovebirds lesson plan, I arranged for us to visit a bird supply store that also boarded pet birds. We were able to visit its nursery and get up close and hands-on with multiple birds, making it a very memorable and unique field trip. Once done, my little adventurers filled out a My Learning Adventure Sheet to reinforce what we had experienced and learned.
I hope these ideas are just the spark you need to get creative and resourceful with great new field trips for your little learners!
Have any creative field trip ideas you'd like to add to this list?
Leave a comment to share!
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