Children and staff enjoy the excitement and the adventure of a field trip especially when the weather turns warm. A little advanced planning can help make your trip a successful occasion that the children will remember with pleasure.
Here are some suggestions for developing your safety plan:
- Call ahead or visit the facility if you are unfamiliar with the services they offer
- Maintain adult to child ratios at all times. Add extra staff if necessary to insure the safety and well being of the children.
- Post the field trip sheet (parent permission form and facts about the trip) well in advance.
- Keep to your schedule – leave on time and arrive back when planned.
- Carry a first aid kit, health consent forms and emergency information for every child on the field trip. Make sure the staff’s first aid and CRP certification is current.
- If the children will be eating on the trip, make arrangement to keep the food cold and safe along with procedures for handwashing.
- Plan for frequent breaks and plenty of water for cooling off.
- If you are planning to spend time in the sunscreen, be sure sunscreen is available (parent permission form also).
- Establish a buddy system for each and every child. If a child needs to have an adult buddy, make sure there is one that is available for that child.
- While on the field trip, each child should wear a shirt that makes him or her visible while on the field trip. Count the children constantly to insure you have everyone together at all times.
Preparing the children for field trips
Involving children in related activities prior to taking a field trip makes it all the more meaningful for them and builds a level of eager anticipation. For example, if you are visiting a botanical garden, you may wish to study different kinds of plants that will be seen. Reading books, looking at picture, studying habitats and environments, and growing plants can all be accomplished before the trip. Another example – if you are going to a baseball game, you may want to learn the rules of the game.
Before any trip, you will want to review behavioral expectations. Explain to the children who their buddy is and what the buddy system entails (looking out for one another to make sure no one wonders off). Also, review the dress code for the trip. Make sure the children and staffs wear appropriate footwear for whatever activity you have planned.
After the trip
After the fun is over, have the children and staff share their impressions and memories of the field trip. If possible, provide activities or projects that children can do to extend their learning. As a writing exercise, have the children write a thank you note to anyone who made the trip truly special. It is also the teacher’s responsibility to reflect on the entire experience to determine if this is a field trip they would consider next year – with or without any changes.
Getting away from the center and enjoying outside activities can be a great time. Preplan, be prepared for the unexpected and have fun!