How to Find a Field Trip Anywhere

Depending where you live, the variety and abundance of museums alone can provide years’ worth of ready-made field trips. Even so, don’t limit yourself to museums and monuments. The world of field trips is as broad as your imagination. Even if you live in a small town, there is plenty going on everywhere you look.

Remember being a kid, when you were curious about everything?

How exactly do they make cars at the factory?

How do mail-sorting machines work?

How does wool get from sheep to clothing?

How do water plants work?

What does that big construction vehicle do, anyway?

Endless field trip opportunities

Bring back that childlike mindset of curiosity, and you’ll have an endless supply of ideas for field trips. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to brainstorm with your kids:

“What have you always wondered about?”

“Where would you like to go?”

“What career might you be interested in?”

Whether you go as a family or with a homeschool group, there are countless opportunities to learn about the world, both in nature and behind the scenes of all kinds of workplaces and occupations. A field trip could be as elaborate as a family vacation to another part of the country, or as simple as a tour at your local garden center.

Ask about backstage zoo tours. Or check with friends and neighbors — even your spouse — about touring their workplaces. Think “Behind the scenes.”

Pick up the phone!

Most of the time, all you have to do is call, ask if the organization or individual would be agreeable to hosting a field trip for a group of homeschoolers, and set a date and time. You’d be surprised how many places will say “Yes.” You have nothing to lose by asking.

Ask someone directly

Another idea is to find an expert or professional. The field trip could be as simple as enlisting someone who knows a great deal about what they do — be it a sports coach, a rancher, an intern in a government office, or a photographer — to come speak with your group. Most people are glad to volunteer an hour or more of their time to share about their passion and answer questions.

Don’t overlook familiar places, either; often there is more to things than meets the eye — even parents will learn new things. (Did you know that some mountain roads are built with styrofoam under them, to avoid excess weight that could cause sliding? Ask your local highway designer…)

For more ideas, try cracking open your phone book, looking at storefronts downtown, or browsing your city’s website.

List of Field Trip Ideas

Here is a starter list of field trip ideas:

• Library
• Your state capitol
• Post office
• Veterinarian
• Chiropractor
• Florist
• Power plant
• Jeweler
• Auto body shop
• Pest control
• Medical facility
• Pharmacy
• Restaurants
• Commercial fishermen
• Farmer/Farm
• Police department
• Jail
• Heavy equipment operators
• Fire station
• Movie theater
• Bakery
• Gunsmith
• Seamstress
• Local church (Learn about new denominations)
• Newspaper office
• Hotel
• Train station
• Opera/orchestra
• Electric company
• Screenprinting shop
• Swimming pool
• Airport
• Nature trails
• …or go stargazing. Because when it comes to field trips, even the sky’s not the limit.