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Child Care 101: Field Trips

Field trips promote child learning at its best. Children, staff, everyone likes the excitement and the adventure of a field trip especially when the weather turns warm. Field trips give children an opportunity to learn in the way they learn best - first-hand experience. They open children's eyes to their community and widen their horizons. They expose children to careers and how things work. Best of all, field trips are exciting and fun. A little advanced planning can help make your trip a successful occasion that the children will remember with pleasure.

WHERE TO LOOK
You don't have to look for a place that is far away or costly. When you learn where to look, how outings fit in, and the power of positive planning, you'll be ready to tap into the multitude of resources available in your community. Many of the neatest trips are not the first that would come to mind. Take a moment and look in your area for:

• parks, forests, and wildlife preserves
• small businesses, such as locally owned stores and specialty shops (area farms, orchards)
• large businesses, like regional, state, and national companies
• manufacturing and distributing sites (area recycling center)
• service agencies (police, fire, post office, transportation, and medical facilities)
• commercial recreation areas (pools, bowling alleys, video arcades, theaters)
• community resources (museums, libraries, and historical spots)
• Are lake to hike, play in the sand, and picnic
• your own back yard and neighborhood

• Additional ideas for Kern County

HOW OUTINGS FIT IN
You can make a field trip happen or you can let it blossom from the normal scheme of things. Lets look at several ways that field trips can fit into your plans:

• Use the field trip as part of a regularly scheduled activity (for example, have the kids go to the grocery store to buy their snack and cooking ingredients).
• Use the field trip as part of a long-term topic or theme activity (for example, visit a local recycling center as part of a month-long recycling project).
• Use the field trip as a one-time activity (for example, visit the local leather shop before creating your own leather works of art).
• Use the field trip to create awareness or spur an interest (for example, watch the local papers for "what's happening").
• Use the field trip to provide an otherwise unavailable opportunity (for example, catch that special matinee performance at the local theater).
• Use the field trip as a means to involve families (for example, plan visits to parent work sites).
• Use the field trip just for fun!

POSITIVE PLANNING
Some of the best field trips are spontaneous. But even spontaneous fun can benefit from a little positive planning. The first thing to remember is that courtesy pays off! When you plan ahead, you'll know what to expect and they'll be prepared for you.

• Plan trips based on the ages of the children. Consider the developmental level of your children. Children enjoy hands-on and interactive activities rather than watching or listening to someone else.
• Maintain a file of all field trips, past and future, with as much information as possible -- fliers, maps, observations and evaluations if you've been there, suggestions for preparation and follow- up. Add to your file whenever you have a brainstorm, read an article in the newspaper or hear about a destination that the children might enjoy. Keep your eyes open for special events and work them into your calendar.
• Let the management know that you'd like to visit (through a phone call, a letter, or a personal visit). Have your possible dates and times ready when you talk. Get as much information as you can. Be clear about your expectations, and let them know what to expect as well.
• Have signed permission slips from all parents. Remember to carry emergency information with you at all times.
• Don't forget to confirm the outing a day or two before the scheduled date.
• Be sure to thank your hosts in person and in a follow-up note from you and the kids. Also, remember that school-agers enjoy being involved in some of the decisions. They should be given the opportunity to prepare themselves for their activities.
• Discuss as many of the details as possible in advance. Answering questions can alleviate any misconceptions or disappointments when you arrive.
• Have the children help decide and plan as much of the excursion as possible. Don't forget planning how to pass the time getting to and from the activity!
• Children are as forgetful as the rest of us, even about special events. Remind them the day before your outing.
• Plan for rests along the way. Know where the public washrooms are.
• Have a quick discussion of your expectations and your hosts expectations, about the children's behavior, and what will happen if they misbehave. Let the children know before you go on a field trip that you return immediately if children act in an unsafe manner. Stay calm if it happens, but don't back down. You can always try another day and the children will learn that you are serious about safe behavior.
• Call ahead or visit the park or facility if you are unfamiliar with the area or the services available (water, bathrooms, food, fees, etc.).
• Well-trained caregivers will cancel a trip at the last minute due to extreme weather, not enough adult helpers, or a child who suddenly becomes ill.
• Planning with parents in mind is also important. Get their input on field trips they think their child would enjoy. Also ask them what types of experiences they would like for their child. Once arrangements are made, be sure to give parents plenty of notice. And remember to have signed permission slips on hand before the big day.

SAFETY
Here are some suggestions for developing your safety plan for children of all ages:

• State the ground rules. "Walk, don't run". "Hold hands." "Stop at every street crossing." Practice the rules with the children, "Look to the left and then to the right." Play "red light/ green light/ yellow light" games.
• If you are taking a stroller, the younger or easily diverted children can be asked to hold on to the other children's hands.
• Establish a safe and direct route to and from your destination.
• Maintain adult to child ratios needed to insure the safety and well being of the children. Add extra staff if safety is a special concern (crowded area, limited visibility, etc.).
• Adults count children in their group before leaving, during the outing, and at the end. <li.Sign-in/sign-out sheets are used to keep track of all children
• Post trip information by the telephone in the office area or other pre-established location. Include route, destination, departure and return times, a list of the children and adults involved, field trip permission slips, and a cell phone number if available.
• Carry a first aid kit, health consent forms and emergency information for each child with you. Also include "as needed" medications for children with special health needs and directions for its use for that child. Bring along medication, inhalers, and bee-sting kits if needed. At least one staff member must have a current first aid and CPR certificate.
• Plan to keep food/lunches cold and safe. Make arrangements for handwashing if running water is not available.
• Plan for frequent rest and water breaks between activities.
• Notify parents of your usual neighborhood routes and any special field trips.
• Take a compact first aid kit and your "Emergency/Consent cards".
• Carry a survival bag with spare clothes, finger food snacks, beverages, Kleenex, etc.
• Provide tags for each child with the name and phone number of your child care facility. Never put name tags on the children. This makes it easier for strangers to approach, familiarizing themselves by using the child's name. If you need to visually identify the children, have them wear the same color shirts on the day of the trip. (If your program has the funds to print T-shirts, they are also a great marketing tool!)
• Make sure the adults are all familiar to each child.
• Establish a buddy system. Children with special needs may need to have an adult buddy.
• With parental permission, apply sunscreen (follow container directions) to each child as necessary.
• When you arrive at your destination, point out key landmarks and identify a "lost child" area.
• Teach children the steps to take if they get separated from the group:
  1. Remain in the area where they last saw the group or go to the "lost child" area.
  2. If possible, ask for help in an open visible place from someone in charge (ticket taker, clerk, etc,).
  3. NEVER leave the area with an unidentified person.
  4. Reassure the children that if they do become separated from the group, you will be looking for them. Count the group out loud so the children know you will know if someone is missing.
• If you are using private cars, make sure there is a booster seat or seat belt available for each child and that the car is insured for transporting children.
• If you are walking, review safety rules (safe street crossing, staying together, etc.).
• If you are going by van or bus review those safety rules and have appropriate insurance coverage. Double-check your gas tank!

RESOURCES

• More Field Trip Ideas
• Planning Successful Field Trips
• Field Trip Planning Made Easy
• Safety and Field Trips
• Tips for Parents on Field Trips
• Sample Permission Forms for Home-Based Child Care Providers

Reprinted in part with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC. Davin, S. (1992). Summer is for field trips. In Todd, C.M. (Ed.), *School-age connections*, 1(6), pp. 1-3. Urbana-Champaign, IL: University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service.

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