Plan a Memorable and Unforgettable Field Trip for Preschoolers
Planning an outing with preschoolers?
It certainly sounds a lot easier than it is!
There are several things you will have to deal with, like hungry or tired toddlers, or even abrupt changes in weather that might literally ‘dampen’ those Preschool Trips you had erstwhile thought foolproof. Not forgetting to mention, the tons of stuff you might have packed for those eager beavers, only to find you’re still missing something.
In this post, we hope to allay any fears, and quell any insecurities you might have, when it comes to thinking of how to plan a field trip for preschoolers. What better way to begin, than with some invaluable tips that will help you make that outing, a most memorable one.
How to Plan a Field Trip for Preschoolers
You might want to pay heed to the following points, to ensure that the field trip is a successful one.
Make a checklist of ‘Essentials’
Here’s a list of things that are an absolute must, to carry along on your field trip.
- First Aid Kit
- List of children’s names and Emergency Contact Numbers
- Cell Phones
- Hand wipes
Carry a backpack
You want to have a backpack for storing those essentials. This is because you want to be ‘hands-free’, to be able to look after kids with the utmost efficiency. This includes holding their hands, as you walk with them around the neighborhood.
Notify parents and guardians of the Itinerary in advance
Besides providing parents with the field trip schedule, ensure you share with them the emergency contact number of a staff member on the trip.
Determine if snacks and water are needed
The last thing you want is little campers screaming because they are hungry or thirsty! This depends on the accessibility of clean food and drinking water when away, and even the duration of the trip.
Activities to do at the Park
You’re at the park already. Now what? Here’s some really fun things you can do, to spice those picnic trips in the park!
Play The Game of Frozen Tag
Looking at playing things in the park, without any need of equipment? This one’s a great choice!
To do: One person needs to be ‘It’, and everyone else needs to run from them or risk being ‘frozen like a statue’. The only way to ‘unfreeze’, is if someone else crawls through the frozen person’s legs. The game only ends when whoever is ‘It’ manages to freeze everyone.
Finding a Stick
No, it’s not just about who can bring just about ‘any’ stick. There are different versions of this game you can play with preschoolers, like the following.
- Find the ‘smallest’ stick.
- Find a stick that has leaves on it.
- Find a stick that is bent.
Hot and Cold
This one’s a delightful game that will make those picnic trips, ever-memorable for kids.
To do: One person has to hide a small object, such as a ball, in a place while the others turn their backs from them. When the others search for the missing object, the ‘Hider’ is able to provide them clues such as ‘Hot’, ‘Cold’, and ‘Warm’. When they are closer to the object, they are ‘Hot’. The farther away they get, the more ‘Cold’ they become.
Having a Picnic
Picnic trips are even more memorable for little ones, when they are in a place they love most of all. And What might that place be? The Park, of course!
To do: All you need is plenty of blankets laid on the ground, amidst some beautiful scenery. That will help create the perfect picnic spot. Needless to say, you want to pack in plenty of snacks and water, in some hampers. Oh, and there’s one more thing. Getting kids to sit on those blankets will be a lot tougher than you think. It doesn’t matter. Let them go wild playing all around the park. Under strict adult supervision, of course!
Flying Kites
When searching for activities to do in the park, you don’t want to miss out on this one. Flying kites, after all, makes for some serious fun!
To do: Get your children running through that large open area, trying to launch their kites in the wind. If you didn’t do this as a child, you might want to give it a shot now. Bonus: As children get their kites flying in the air, they will come to understand all about the Science of Kite Flying. This pertains to concepts related to Speed, Air, Lift and Drag.
Tug of War
When searching about playing things in the park that whip up a great deal of fun, you don’t want to miss out on this one. All you need is a park with an open area, and a long rope.
To do: Begin with marking an area on the ground that will serve as the middle line. Divide the group into two teams. Once the game kicks off, everyone in each team has to pull on the rope as hard as they possibly can, to pull the other team across the middle line. The team that pulls the whole other team across, is the winner.
Leaf Hunt
Those sticks we talked about earlier, are not the only cool things for children to find on their next field trip to the park. This activity is certainly one of the most fun things for your children to do, on those picnic trips.
To do: Children are fascinated with all things Nature. Why not make an activity out of it? Set them off to find leaves in as many colors as they can. This simple hunt will have them excited, and keep them engaged, for a long time.
At EuroKids we believe that field trips are a great way to engage children for hours on end. Moreover, they go a long way in helping them improve their Social skills and Interactive skills. Taking part in those field trips is a great way to make learning fun for children outside the classroom.
