Field Trips

The best thing - or well one of the best things about homeschooling - is that you can do just about what you want.... when you want. There is more flexibility on schedules and where you go. Field trips can be a great way to switch up your lessons, enhance a chapter, of just for fun!

When I first started homeschooling, I had such a hard time thinking of things to do. But as we get the hang of it, I have come across a lot of different ideas about things to keep them occupied. Of course there is the normal or typical:

• Museums - making museum trips for kids can be tough - but I have found using the scavenger hunt routine works well. This gives them a game to play while learning. Of course you can always get lucky and have one of those children enthralled with art or old relics - but for those that don't enjoy it quite so much (they will later, so it's worth it) a scavenger hunt can be helpful.
  
• Outdoors - The great thing about home schooling is that you can do whatever you want with your kids - whether it's hiking, camping, going to the beach - and it is learning. Pre-packaged mother-nature :)
  
• Theme-Parks - Who says roller coasters can't be learning. Talk about the velocity and speed of the roller coasters, calculate your walking distance, see who can throw up the farthest (just kidding.... sort of), and of course monetary values... theme parks add up!
  
• Zoos - Animals - really enough said.
  

And there are dozens more of typical field trip ideas I could think of. But what happens when you have gone and done the zoo 15 times, spent all your money at your local theme park, or just are beyond the point with being enthralled with hiking (can that happen... seriously??).

Well there are great options that you can do on your own or with your homeschooling group. Just last week we went on one with our group to Petco. They did an hour and a half tour of all the animals, talked about care and feeding of the animals and showed them the ways to be responsible. It was really great! A lot of stores will do field trips, as will police stations, fire stations, even local courts and civic buildings! Use your imagination and the sky is the limit!

Here's another place to look for more information :)

http://www.best-kids-activities.com/outings.html