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Organizing Homeschool Field Trips for
Groups
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ORGANIZING
HOMESCHOOL
FIELD TRIPS
FOR
GROUPS
By
Jill Hart
Copyright 2008
This E-book is protected by US copyright laws and may not be transmitted to others via electronic
file or printed copy. You do have permission to print a copy for your own personal use.
Thank you for your honesty and respect for the law.
All Rights Reserved
Jill Hart ©
~2008~
DISCLAIMER AND / OR LEGAL NOTICES
The author has used her best efforts in preparing this report. The author makes no representation or warranties with respect
to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this report. The information contained in this report
is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this report, you are taking full
responsibility for your actions.
Please consult a legal professional for information on your group's liability risk when conducting group trips. The author
disclaims any warranties (express or implied), merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The author shall in no
event be held liable to any party for any direct, indirect, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising
directly or indirectly from any use of this material, which is provided “as is”, and without warranties.
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Organizing group field trips is becoming a highly desired activity in homeschool support
groups and co-ops.
Many homeschool families want the social interaction that group trips provide, but they
are more likely going for the educational experience it can provide (otherwise they
would just meet at the park.)
Granted, a benefit of these group trips is fellowship with other homeschool families, but
without proper leadership and planning, these field trips can easily turn into nothing
more than a “glorified play date.”
Home education time is limited, especially with the increasing number of extra
curricular options for homeschoolers. Parents are becoming more selective of outside
activities and attendance on group trips will fall off if participants aren’t seeing an
educational benefit in addition to social time.
This e-book will describe how to plan and host a great group field trip that will leave
the participants anxious for more and perhaps even take a turn at planning themselves.
First, check with a legal professional concerning your group’s liability and any policies
or paperwork your group should have in place before organizing any trips.
Also, let me suggest that when you organize a group field trip, make it one that your
family wants to attend regardless of whether any other families are interested.
Next, use the GATHERING method for field trip planning.
G – Generate ideas
A - Ask questions
T – Talk it up
H – Have information
E – Explain expectations
R – Rally the troops
I – “I’m wondering…”
N – Note of thanks
G – Get feedback
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G – Generate ideas
Where do you find field trip ideas?
Kids – Ask your kids what they are interested in learning about and see if you can
match a venue.
Visitors Center – My favorite place to start. We’ve lived all over the country and when
we move I can’t wait to get to my local Visitor’s Center (or Chamber of Commerce) to
find out what new exciting adventures we can have.
Online – Do a search for your town or a nearby town. This often produces the same
results as a stop at the Visitor’s Center, but you don’t get the benefit of talking to the
folks who have been “around the block.”
Locals – Ask adults who have lived in the area for years. You’ll meet these folks at
church, in small stores, local restaurants, and on other field trips. Many times they know
the area’s best kept secrets.
Newspaper – Many local newspapers have sections on upcoming events. Don’t neglect
looking at the advertisements, they may spark an idea.
Yellow pages – Check out the listings for your topic of interest.
Parent magazines – In addition to the national publications, many larger cities and
towns have free magazines geared toward parents in the area. I usually pick these up at
the library, children’s clothing stores, consignment shops, and even stores like Toys R
Us that cater to children.
Remember, most trips that are available to traditional public and private schools are also
available to homeschool groups. A bonus is that many places NOT available to these
traditional schools due to size constraints or time issues WILL be available to
homeschoolers.
For example, our support group had a “behind the scenes” tour of a local grocery store.
We had to have it during their “off peak” hours which meant our tour started at 7:30 pm.
and was over at 9 pm. Even though it was a late night, it remains one of my kids’
favorite field trip memories.
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A – Ask questions
Once you have generated a list of possible places to visit, choose one or two to work on, and
start asking questions.
The following list will help you get vital information that you will need to convey to your
group. Many of the answers to these questions will be available online if the destination has a
website. If not, contact the venue by phone or e-mail to find any additional information your
group will need. Not all of these questions will apply to every trip, so adjust accordingly.
Do you have tours?
What days/hours?
Are they self guided or guided?
What does the tour include?
How long does it last?
What can students expect to learn on this trip?
What is the suggested/mandatory age range for this destination?
Can younger siblings participate with parent supervision?
Can parents participate?
Is there a minimum number of participants required?
What is the maximum number of participants the venue can comfortably accommodate?
Is there a cost involved? If so, how much?
Is a group discount available? If so, what are the group discount terms?
Is a deposit or prepayment required? If so, how much? Due date?
If no deposit or prepayment is required, can admission be paid at the door per family, or do
you need a group payment? Even if a group discount is not available, some venues may
require a group payment at the door.
Is the venue stroller friendly?
What is the policy on photos?
Are there facilities for lunch or a picnic area close by?
Are there any special parking instructions?
Where can our group assemble as we arrive?
Are there any special instructions the group needs to know?
Do you have a study guide or other information you can mail or e-mail for distribution to
participants before the trip?
On the next page, you will find a planning sheet to record the answers to these questions and make other notes.
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GROUP FIELD TRIP PLANNING SHEET
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Destination: ______________________________ Date: ___________________ Time: _______ to _______
Description: _______________________________________________________________________________
Destination address: ________________________________________________________________________
Destination phone: _______________________ Destination web address: _____________________________
Directions: ________________________________________________________________________________
Tours? Y/N Days/Times ______________________ Guided/self-guided? Tour length _________________
Tour includes: ______________________________________________________________________________
Educational benefit: _________________________________________________________________________
Target age: _________ Siblings allowed? Y/N
Parents allowed? Y/N Min # __________ Max # _________
Cost ________________ Group discount? Y/N Terms _____________________________________________
Prepayment/Deposit required? Y/N
At the door, pay per family or as group?
Amount _________________
Stroller friendly? Y/N
Due date _____________________
Photos? Y/N
Lunch/picnic facilities? Y/N Where? __________________________________________________________
Parking/Assembly instructions: ________________________________________________________________
Write notes, other Special Instructions/Study guide info below:
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T – Talk it up! (Promote your trip)
Convey the trip details to your group by newsletter, website, or e-mail chain. Include
the following information:
* Destination
* Date and time (A start AND end time should be given – try to “pad” the end time to
avoid causing conflicts for families with other commitments.)
* Description of trip/learning objectives
* Cost (see notes below)
* Participation minimums/maximums
* Address, phone number, and web address of venue
* Directions to venue
* Meeting instructions upon arrival
* RSVP information
* Trip coordinator’s name and contact info
This should be enough information for families to make a decision on whether or not to
attend. If they have addition questions, they can contact the coordinator. Otherwise,
additional information like directions and meeting place will be sent in a confirmation email or letter.
A special note on destinations that require prepayment or a deposit
I would suggest you get payment for these events before confirming a reservation.
Make it VERY clear that there will be NO REFUNDS unless the trip is cancelled. If a
participant can’t attend for some reason, they can find a substitute and work out financial
details privately. It is unfair to ask a coordinator to manage last minute changes and
refunds.
A special note on destinations that involve a group discount
If a group discount is involved, I would suggest collecting payment prior to the trip
especially if there is a chance you will have “just enough” to qualify. Too many times, I
have had families cancel at the last minute, leaving me (and other families) “stuck” with
the non-group discount rate. Prepayment eliminates this problem.
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A special note on destinations that require a minimum number of participants
Some free destinations require a minimum number of participants to hold certain
programs. (This is the case for several programs around our area.) The programs we’ve
been to have been excellent, but they require minimum participation numbers in order
to justify the time it takes the staff to prepare and conduct these classes. In these cases, I
would suggest charging $1 per person to reserve a space. It amazing that just a small
token amount will cause the commitment level to rise. This money can be refunded the
day of the trip, given as a donation to the destination, or put into a special account to be
used for another worthy cause.
Some members of small support groups may find these suggestions extreme, but larger
groups will see the benefits of implementing field trip policies that are clear, fair, and
helpful to the volunteer coordinator. Depending on the size of your group and how well
you know the participants these policies can be adjusted accordingly.
How to collect payments
If your group has a website (like www.homeschool-life.com) with PayPal or some
other payment option, that is an excellent means to handle prepayment of field trips.
If online payment isn’t offered in your group yet, I would suggest having participants
mail in their payment to the coordinator (or treasurer – however your group is set up)
along with a self addressed stamped envelope. The envelope is just a safety net in case
the trip is canceled The coordinator doesn’t have to locate addresses, label envelopes
and come up with postage for all the refunds. If the trip goes as scheduled, (which it
most likely will) the envelopes can be returned to the participants the day of the trip –
they can just keep that envelope and reuse it all year. It seems like a crazy thing to do,
but trust me, I learned from experience. I had a prepaid theatre trip canceled due to a
power outage at the theatre. They refunded our money, but I had to mail out checks to
over 25 families! I wish I had asked for a SASE!
On the following page, you will find a sample field trip announcement that could be
posted in a newsletter, on a website or sent on an e-mail chain. If you send on e-mail
remember some people only receive text e-mail (they can’t see pictures/graphics) so the
simpler the better.
Notice there is a cost involved (although the store is not charging.) This is a VERY
popular trip and fills quickly. Since many people will be turned away because of the 30
person limit, any no-shows are frustrating. They have taken away the opportunity of a
family the WOULD have shown up if an uncommitted person hadn’t taken a spot. The
fee (even though it is small) encourages people to take their commitment seriously.
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ANNOUNCEMENT
Please join us on a field trip to:
BEHIND THE SCENES AT “GROCERY KING”
Tuesday, January 24
7:30 pm – 9 pm
Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a grocery store? Join us for
a tour of the facilities including the office, loading dock, stockroom, front end, produce
department, bakery, deli, and meat department. Each department manager will give a
brief explanation of their responsibilities and explain how their job fits into the bigger
picture of running a profitable store.
Limit: 30 participants (Must be 5 years old or older.)
Cost: $2 per person – funds will be used to buy food to donate to the local food bank.
Your spot is not confirmed until your payment is received. The first 30 paid can
attend.
Grocery King info: 123 Main Street
Anywhere, US
555-555-1234
Reservation information: Please reserve your spot and pay online at the group website
or you can mail your check payable to: (Group or individual name) along with a SASE
to: (Coordinator’s name and address).
Your reservation will not be confirmed until payment is received. No refunds will be
given. If you are unable to attend, feel free to find a replacement and work out any
financial details with them directly.
If you have additional questions about the tour, please contact:
Ima Homeschooler at 555-5678 or by e-mail at ___________.
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After you send out your announcement you will soon start receiving reservations. You'll
need to keep a list handy of the people who are coming and their contact information.
Some support group websites have a feature the keeps track of sign up lists. Our group
uses www.homeschool-life.com for this task and for the other great features they
provide. The names, contact information and payment status is all in one handy place.
Or, this can be done on a simple computer spreadsheet or manually on a sheet similar to
the one that follows on the next page.
For trips that require prepayment for any reason, I do not add participants to the
confirmation list until I have their money in my hand. If you choose to have this policy,
make it very clear in your announcement to the group.
I also use this list to send a follow up announcement via e-mail two days prior to the
trip. That allows for people who don't check e-mail every day to have a chance to get
the reminder.
In the reminder, I include the destination, day and time of the trip. I also ask them to
call if unexpected circumstances arise (sick child, car won't start, ect.) and they can't
make it. I include my home phone, cell phone, and time I get up in the morning. I have
a tendency to worry about people who don't show up for something they've committed
to and don't let anyone know they aren't coming.
I take a copy of my confirmation list with me to the destination just to keep track of who
should be there, who is there and who is missing. I make a quick call to no-shows after
the trip to make sure everything in OK in their family, since I told them I'd worry about
them if they didn't show.
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FIELD TRIP RESERVATION LIST
for
_______________________________________________
(Destination)
on
_______________________________
(Date)
Participant Name(s)
Phone number or e-mail
_______________________________________
____________________
_______________________________________
____________________
_______________________________________
____________________
_______________________________________
____________________
_______________________________________
____________________
_______________________________________
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
________________________________________
____________________
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H – Have information
Discovering a little about the topic you will experience on the trip is beneficial. It
creates an “advance organizer” that allows your brain to more easily assimilate new
information it gathers on the topic. Doing this also helps formulate questions that can
possibly be answered during your visit.
For example, let’s suppose you are planning a trip to the bakery. A very young child
may not even know what a bakery is. With a little pre-learning, he creates and advance
organizer that reminds him a bakery makes and sells foods that are baked in an oven.
Mom may continue to spark and interest in the trip with questions like, “What do you
think they make at a bakery?” The child comes up with some ideas that are confirmed
or changed on the trip. Parent and child may even come up with additional questions
like, “I wonder what makes a cake and a loaf of bread come out different.” What a great
question to have answered in “real life.”
An example for older students, might schedule a visit to a manufacturing plant that
makes diapers. There are many vocabulary words associated with the manufacturing
process – yield, uptime, polymer, rate, labor utilization, throughput - that having a grasp
of these words BEFORE the trip will facilitate understanding during the tour. Questions
like, “ What products are used to make disposable diapers?” or “What would an average
yield for this process be?” may arise during this pre-trip vocabulary study.
Based on that, a good field trip coordinator will pass along information to help other
participants prepare. (Remember, you are planning trips that you are interested in, so
you should already be doing some background research for your own family’s benefit.)
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As soon as you get a reservation for your trip, send out a confirmation e-mail or letter
(ask for a extra SASE at sign up if you need to.)
In your confirmation include the following information:
Destination
Date/Time
Destination address and phone number
Directions
Group meeting place
Paid (if applicable)
Participants’ names
Any special reminders (bring a sack lunch, parking fee, no strollers, ect.)
Ask that they check e-mail the morning of the trip – just in case there are changes or
cancellations. (No word, means no changes.)
Also, include a few ideas to get parents started on preparing their children. You don’t
have to do it all, just a few suggestions to get the ball rolling for those who so desire.
Some ideas:
Destination web address
Any background information forwarded to you by the venue
Book ideas
Other related websites
References to news articles that relate
On the next page you will find a sample confirmation that can be sent by e-mail or
USPS mail – of course, all the websites and book titles mentioned in this example are
made up!
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SAMPLE CONFIRMATION
Dear Sally,
Thanks for signing up for the following field trip. This confirmation contains
information that you may find useful as you prepare for the trip. Please check your email the morning of the trip – just in case there are changes. If you do not have e-mail
access, please let me know so that I can put you on my “call” list for last minute updates.
Thanks,
YFFTC
(Your friendly field trip coordinator)
BEHIND THE SCENES AT “GROCERY KING”
Tuesday, January 24
7:30 pm – 9 pm
Grocery King info: 123 Main Street
Anywhere, US
555-555-1234
Directions: Located on the corner of Main and 1st in downtown Anywhere – contact the
coordinator if you need more specifics
Meeting Place: Please meet in the outdoor covered breezeway on the east side of the
store entrance and wait for the group to assemble before going in.
Paid: $6 for Sally, Sam and Stephanie
Helpful info:
Grocery King website: www.groce ? king.com
Interesting books: Behind the Scenes at a Grocery Store by JP Smith
Where Does Our Food Come From? by JA Jones
Related websites: www.groce ? manager.com
News article in last Monday’s paper about the grand opening of Grocery King
I’m looking forward to seeing you there!
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E – Explain expectations
When dealing with different family dynamics, personalities, and values, it is in your
group’s best interest be upfront with “ground rules” for parents concerning group field
trips, even if your group is small.
Some support groups have a written policy signed by the parents, some just a verbal
understanding, but however you choose to convey your policy, consider including the
following items worded to suit your style.
•
Only sign up for a trip if you are committed to going. It’s poor public relations to
have a business prepare for 50 people and have only 10 show up.
•
Understand and follow the RSVP/prepay policy of the group. Refunds are not
given. Substitutions are acceptable, but financial details resulting from subs should be
handled by individual families.
•
Respect the age requirements of each venue. For example, some venues may
exclude pre-schoolers. They have a reason for the policy and “sneaking” your 3 year old
in because the cutoff age is 4 is dishonest. If you have older children who don’t want to
miss the trip, find another parent willing to chaperone your older students.
•
Make sure your children understand where they are going, what they’ll probably
see, your expected (good) behavior, and help them create a list of possible questions
they might want answered.
•
Attire should be clean and in good taste.
•
Be on time to the meeting place! Tardiness is unfair to those who are on time and
to the businesses that are hosting the trip.
•
Wait in the prearranged location and go in as a group. Having a group trickle in
over a 15-20 minute period is stressful for many businesses.
•
Supervise your children at all times. Sometimes, adults get caught up in the
lesson/tour and forget to check on their little ones. Please kindly alert any non attentive
parent of their child’s wanderings/disruptions.
•
Be respectful to staff, other families, and your own family.
•
After the trip, send a thank you note, preferably written/drawn by the children.
Sometimes, your group trip may be the first or only exposure some people have to
homeschoolers. We want to leave them with a great impression!
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R – Rally the troops!
The day of the trip has finally arrived. Here are some tips to make your experience go
smoothly. You want to enjoy the trip with your family too! Call the destination and
confirm with them one day prior, leave a contact number in case they have an
emergency in the meantime. (Remember, my theatre trip where they lost power
overnight?)
First, make sure your car has plenty of gas and you have all your necessities organized
the night before. This might include:
Money
Admission tickets/letters/confirmation
List of participants (their SASE, or reservation deposit, if applicable)
Lunch
Proper clothing and accessories for the destination
Camera/batteries
Directions to the venue
Venue phone number and cell phone – just in case!
I would suggest as the coordinator, you arrive at the venue about 15 minutes early, go in,
introduce yourself, and tell the contact person where you will be meeting your group.
Ask if there are any last minute instructions and find out where you should bring the
group when you are ready. Let the contact know you expect to have everyone there
shortly so you can start on time.
Be available at the designated meeting location for your group about 10 minutes (earlier
for a very large group) prior to start time and greet participants as they arrive. Complete
paperwork and financial transactions if necessary at this time.
Before starting, give a quick (one minute or less) reminder to parents and students about
details of the trip - what they might see and the expectation of good behavior and
supervision by parents.
I had a policy of starting every trip right on time. At least we were ready to start right
on time, sometimes the venue wasn’t quite ready. At first, we had many families who
were late, but that changed quickly when the word got out that we didn’t wait around!
Lead the group to the meeting place with the destination contact and have a great time!
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I – “I’m wondering…”
Hints for question and answer time
Most homeschoolers aren’t on a strict schedule on field trip days and tend to take longer
to get through exhibits and activities than traditional school groups. In addition, they
ask A LOT of questions.
This is super and most destinations encourage questions and revel when their work is
being thoroughly investigated. However, as the coordinator, please be mindful of the
staff’s time. Many places like museums have tours scheduled back to back and an
extremely slow group or a lengthy discussion can throw off their whole day.
One way to be sensitive to staffer’s time is to start on time.
During question and answer sessions, realize that many homeschoolers aren’t
accustomed to raising their hands and asking to be recognized, but this behavior makes
sense in this type of group situation. Parliamentary procedure states that a speaker be
recognized by the chair before speaking, and even adults in business meetings have a
similar motion (raising their pen) so it is a “real life” skill that requires practice. A
gentle reminder may help question time run more efficiently and add to the learning
experience.
Some children may bring a list of questions they wanted to have answered on the trip
and hopefully they will consult their lists and have a variety of great questions to ask.
When the tour/lesson/activity and a reasonable question and answer session is over
gently remind the participants that the staff member needs to return to work or has
another tour waiting. You may also ask the staffer to announce whether the families can
stay around indefinitely or where to look to have additional questions answered. I
usually figured in about 10 minutes for Q & A –much longer than that, and the questions
got redundant or silly even in a large group.
Some families love the opportunity to ask a multitude of very detailed questions while
on a field trip, especially if the topic is of significant interest to their family. While a
question and answer session is beneficial in most cases, other families shouldn’t feel
obligated to hang around and listen to an endless stream of questions, unless they want
to.
Ending a trip on time not only allows the staffers to return to work, but also allows
families with prior commitments to leave without feeling like they missed something. It
also relieves you of the feeling of obligation to stay until the last family leaves.
You, the field trip coordinator, may need to announce that the trip is “officially” over –
this should happen close to the advertised ending time. Participants and leave or stay (if
there is no objection from the venue) depending on their personal schedules.
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N – Note of thanks
After the trip, it’s a nice idea for the families who attended to write a thank you note to
the host business. You may want to remind parents of this as they leave for the day.
I prefer for the students to write or draw something. Our veterinarian’s office still has a
thank you hanging on the wall that my daughter wrote nearly two years ago!
If you, as the coordinator, feel led to write a note as well, that is also a nice gesture. I
usually wrote one on plain cardstock folded in half with a group picture at the venue on
the front.
Thank you notes are becoming a lost art, but again, many times these field trips are the
first exposure some people have to homeschoolers, and a kind gesture is always good
publicity.
G – Get feedback
To help with future planning, get as much feedback as you can from the participants. I
usually did a quick survey verbally or on a half sheet of paper at the end of each trip.
You could send this via e-mail after the trip, but I found that only a few are actually
returned.
If you can keep copies of these surveys (or just the results/comments) in a notebook, it
will help any future coordinator with ideas and planning.
Below is a sample of questions I might ask at the end of a trip.
What was:
The best part?
Something you learned that you didn’t know before you came?
What would you change?
Would you like to come back again?
The questions should be short and answered in one or at the most two sentences. If you
choose to do a written survey (maybe you have a large group, and doing individual
surveys would take too long) consider passing it out at the beginning of the trip when
you greet people so they can work on it during the trip, or at least be formulating
answers.
SEE YOU IN THE FIELD! J
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