One of the best things about homeschooling is: field trips! Kids LOVE field trips. They love seeing how the things they are learning are applicable in the outside world. In a public school setting field trips are very limited because of the expense and hassle of arranging them. Homeschool field trips are much easier to arrange, so you can participate in many more than the 1 or 2 a year that most public schools offer. Going on a field trip once a month, possibly even once a week, isn’t unrealistic at all. You may be thinking, I don’t know if I can afford that. But there are many field trip options that are very inexpensive, or even FREE!

We will give you some suggestions to get you started, then let your imagination go wild. Look at the area surrounding you and think of all the things that are available that you have never explored yourself, then take your kids with you and make it a learning experience for everyone.

History and Geography field trips: the world all around us is full of history, take your kids to a local history museum, historical monument, or other historic area in your city. Get a local map and let your kids find a place they haven’t been that looks interesting to them. This is a great way to introduce maps and help your kids understand geography.

Art field trips: there are many types of arts that you can introduce your children to. Take them to a local play, dance, or musical production. Many cities have outdoor concerts that are free. Visit a local art gallery or a shop that sells local art.

Physical Education field trip: there are TONS of things you could do for a PE field trip. Join a local gym, go to a local sporting event, go bowling, hiking, biking, ice skating, roller skating, or find a local dance class. The possibilities are endless for physical education field trips. Participating in any of these events will help combat depression and improve self esteem.

Science field trips: visit a local farm or orchard, go to a county fair to see local animals, visit an aquarium or planetarium, visit parks, lakes, seashores, or a natural history museum. Get creative with your curriculum and activity ideas. Make science fun and exciting.

Health field trips: visit a hospital, local nursing home, senior center, pharmacy or local gym. You may want to call ahead of time to get permission to visit some of these locations. Let your kids sing a song at the senior center or make cards for people in the hospital or nursing center. This is a great way to combine activities and subjects.

There are many field trip options available. The age of your kids, options in your area, and things you are interested in will all affect what the best field trip options are for your homeschool program. Take some time to get to know the area you live in better and make learning fun!