From a child’s perspective, field trips are just plain fun—a change from a typical day where they can enjoy time with their friends in a new environment. Yet, the benefits of field trips go far beyond that sentiment.
How Field Trips Help Children Learn & Grow
According to ExplorablePlaces.com, a key benefit of field trips is that children can engage in “real-world experiences” and gain a better understanding of the world around them in memorable ways. Museums, libraries, and theaters allow kids to make connections between what they’re learning in childcare and what’s happening outside of the center’s walls.
Fueled by their natural curiosity, children can access the world in ways that can’t be done in a classroom. For example, the child might see historical artifacts at a museum that complement a story they’ve recently read in a book or see aquatic life swimming around in the aquarium that they’d recently heard about in a story at childcare. Children also solidify learning experiences by rounding out how they’re learning about and engaging with a topic.
When asking about the value of field trips, it’s important to recognize how the benefits go beyond learning facts. As TipTopBrain.com points out, these adventures help to boost social-emotional development as children collaborate with one another in different environments. This type of development allows them to feel empathy with others among other types of positive growth.
Not surprisingly, field trips help increase academic success in participants as they become more intellectually curious and gain a deeper understanding of relevant concepts. As field trips interest children, they’ll naturally become more motivated to learn more about a topic, with one study connecting going on field trips with better grades in school.
Helping Children Get the Most Out of Field Trips
To take full advantage of a field trip, both parents and childcare staff can provide pre-field trip education. Let’s say, for example, that children will be enjoying a trip to Cleveland Zoo. Their website contains plenty of information about areas of the zoo and animals housed there. Using that information, adults can read or share high-quality, age-appropriate books about the zoo along with coloring pages about zoo animals. You can even bake animal cookies!
As a parent, know where your child has to be at what time for the field trip, how lunch will be provided, and so forth—and share the details that your children need to know with them. If it’s possible with your schedule, talk to the childcare center about chaperoning opportunities. When the field trip is over, whether you could chaperone or not, ask your child what they thought about the experience.
Field Trips at Horizon Education Centers
Our experienced teachers know the answer to the question of why field trips are so important? That’s why Horizon incorporates these experiences into our curriculums. Find out more about our centers and, when you’re ready, schedule a tour.