10 Things to Bring on a Field Trip
It’s field trip time! But before you buckle up, start walking or climb aboard the bus – you have a to pack a bag.
So what do you bring on a field trip to make sure your kids are interested, engaged and learning?
Does it matter?
I think packing the right things to bring on a field trip can make a HUGE difference in the success of the trip.
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10 Things to Pack for a Field Trip
Below are the 10 things that I at least consider for each field trip I’ve taken with kids.
Depending on the age of your kids and where you are going not all of these will apply. This is a good place to start when going through what you need for the trip.
1. First Aid Kit
Having a basic first aid kit on a field trip is super important. I also like to include a snack, water, and any medicine like an EpiPen in my kit. Those are always my basic – Leaving the House (or classroom) Supplies.
2. Clipboards or Notebooks
Something to write with is another staple in my bag. Depending on where we are going I might have one for me or one for each kid, but something to record thoughts and observations is always in my bag.
With kids it is often especially helpful to have clipboards or notebooks so they have a surface to write on. Or better yet – start your own adventure journals!
I often pack:
- Clipboards
- Paper
- Pencils or Pens
- Colored Pencils
- Small Notebooks
3. Tools for Investigations
Have tools make kids feel like real scientists or adventurers. I have also found that tools help kids slow down and pay attention more to their surroundings.
Our favorite tools for investigations:
4. Camera
These days, more often than anything else, I use my cellphone as a camera.
If you’re going on a school field trip though, it can often be helpful to have a small camera you can let a parent volunteer use to take pictures while you focus on interacting with the kids.
5. Walking Rope
When walking with little kids it can be helpful to have a rope to hold on to keep everyone together. My centers used a rope like the one pictured above to keep our toddlers and preschoolers together.
6. Name Tags and/or Bright T-Shirts
When you’re going out of the house or your school it can be super helpful to dress in bright colors. Some people prefer matching field trip shirts. That depends on the size of your group and monetary factors, but regardless I think a bright color is helpful in spotting everyone in a crowd.
I also think if you’re taking a bigger group it is a good idea to put a label on each kid. There has been some debate recently about whether you should put the child’s name on the tag. I think that depends a lot on where you are going – but I did always put our center name and phone number on each child’s shirt just in case.
7. List of Questions
I will talk more about this in my webinar about field trips – but I always bring a list of questions if we are going somewhere where we will get to engage with an “expert” on a topic.
Kids are full of questions. Write them down beforehand and then see how many you can answer through your experiences and through interactions with whoever works where you are going.
8. Bags for Collections
If you are going for a walk, on a hike, to the beach – bring a bag. Kids of all ages have a remarkable capacity for finding “treasures” wherever they go.
9. Diapers and/or Change of Clothing
The diapers part will depend on the age of your kids, but I think at least one change of underwear and pants is helpful for any field trip with kids aged 9 and under.
10. Cell Phone & Cash
This seems like an obvious one, but sometimes that’s what is easiest to forget. Just in case of an emergency, a cell phone and a little cash is always a good idea.
