Planning Successful Field Trips
by Barbara Kaiser and Judy Sklar Rasminsky
Why go on field trips? They break the routine that makes the children feel secure at the day care
centre and they're extra work to organize. Are they worth it? Are the children actually getting
something out of them or are they created just to please the parents?
A good day care field trip broadens children's horizons -- it shows them a new bit of the world or a familiar bit in a new way. It makes subjects more concrete and deepens children's understanding of them -- a group of four-year-olds who are learning about transportation will understand it much better if they take a train ride, for example. And, a good field trip is lots of fun!
A day care lucky enough to be situated beside a large park with a greenhouse, library, swimming pool, arena and well-equipped playground may have less impetus to venture into the outside world than an isolated rural centre or a day care surrounded by sidewalks and tall buildings. Fortunately, children in every sort of day care centre can profit from the variety of experiences that well-planned outings provide. Good field trips teach children that there's a wonderful world to explore out there and that, at least on some level, it belongs to them.
Where should your day care go on its trips? The multiplicity of your possible destinations, your curriculum, the ages of your children, your financial resources and the location of your day care -- all of these factors play a role in your choices.
Some destinations -- like viewing department store Christmas windows -- are more appropriate for family visits; others -- like that perennial favorite, apple-picking -- are thoroughly covered by the local primary schools. But there are plenty of excursions to enjoy with day care friends. Robbie may not care much for bugs but when Paul becomes ecstatic about them on a day care visit to the insectarium, everyone including Robbie will catch his enthusiasm.
A field trip should enrich the centre's curriculum, although occasionally something unconnected to any day care theme, like a giant Lego exhibit, will appear out of the blue. Do take the opportunity to give everyone a good time.
The destination itself will determine who should go. A journey to the pumpkin patch is fun for anyone who can carry a pumpkin; a museum exhibit of Christmas trees from around the world -- which is clearly labeled "Do not touch" -- is better for the older children. Even 18-month-olds can enjoy the fire station if they go in a small, well-supervised group. That way the firefighters can give them some individual attention and they will be much safer if the fire bell rings and everyone has to be out of the way in two seconds flat.
A trip doesn't have to be costly to be worthwhile. For example, the teddy bear clinic at the children's hospital, the dental clinic, the post office and the fire station all willingly open their doors to day care centres without charge.
Children under five often ride for free on public transport, so if you're near a bus or metro, you'll keep your costs down and reach lots of places besides. As a bonus, the children will learn about using public transportation -- a real treat in areas where children habitually travel by car. Of course, if you need to hire a school bus to leave the centre, then your budget will restrict the number of excursions you can take.
Don't worry if there aren't many appropriate places to visit that are close to your centre. There is no point in going someplace just for the sake of going -- it is possible to provide a marvelous program without leaving your own back yard.
Although the supervisor's role in organizing field trips is often unappreciated, it is crucial. If the children are going to have a good time, the excursion must be well planned. Here are some tips for making your day care's outings special.
Begin with a phone call to gauge which ages will benefit and to find out exactly what the children will see and do. Ask about cost, guided tours, food and drink, toilet facilities, picnic areas, resting places and how long a visit is likely to last. Inquire about emergency arrangements and the name and location of the nearest hospital. Request brochures, maps and ideas for activities geared to children if they're available.
Don't forget to get precise directions. How many buses or metros will you have to take? Where do you change? How long is the trip? Will you need to schedule a school bus, arrange for a van or ask parents to drive? What is the best route? Where will you park? How much will parking cost? While you're on the phone, find out if other day care centres have been there recently. Then call them and benefit from their experience!
Be warned, however, that scouting expeditions and phone calls to other supervisors don't guarantee perfection. It's always possible that a new, unsafe merry-go-round has been installed in a beloved playground or that its bathrooms have been closed for renovations.
When you're figuring out your ratio requirements, don't count parents. They aren't trained (they probably don't know first aid, for example), and they don't have the necessary skills to deal with groups of young children. To make up the necessary complement of qualified adults, you may have to hire a substitute or two, ask a part-timer to stay a few extra hours or make the trip yourself.
Bear in mind that too many adults can be a disaster. In the aquarium or biodome, where there will be lots of reading and lots of questions, it is useful to have one adult for every four children. But where there are gifted guides, lots of adults translate into too many tall people that the children can't see over. And, you may not be able to squeeze everyone into the bus.
Remind the staff that field trips are very task-intensive and not a time for them to be talking to each other. Tactfully let them know that they are role models who must not smoke, drink sodas or hot drinks, or eat candy and chocolate in the presence of the children.
But don't make too many rules. As one experienced tripper puts it, "The goal is to find the right balance between safety and fun."
At a certain point, of course, you must have confidence in your staff and let them go without you. For their first solo effort, choose a trip that uses a school bus and has few potential hazards.
Appoint a lieutenant to be responsible in your absence. It should be someone whom you trust to stay cool in an emergency and who could abandon his/her own group to take charge of the entire day care if necessary. Provide your surrogate with emergency money (taxi fare to send a child and teacher back to the centre or the hospital), money for entrance fees and the list of all of the children on the trip with their medicare numbers and home phone numbers. Of course you are in charge when you are present, but remember that you are ultimately responsible for everything that happens, whether you're there or not.
Before departure, help the educators organize bathroom visits for the children, snacks, pinneys or whatever is required. Remind the staff to take a minute to reassess the situation when they arrive on the site (especially if this is their first look at the place!) and to have a short circle, even if they had one before they left. Reminding the children of the rules, talking about why they're there, and singing a few songs calms everyone down and gets the visit off to a good start.
When the groups return, everyone will be tired. Clear your agenda so that you can give your staff a short break by replacing them on the floor (those on the late shift will need it most) or assist with any children who need some extra TLC.
Barbara Kaiser is the founder and director of Narnia Daycare Centre in Westmount, Quebec.
She and writer Judy Sklar Rasminsky are co-authors of The Daycare Handbook: A Parents'
Guide to Finding and Keeping Quality Daycare in Canada.
This article first appeared in Interaction published by the Canadian Child Care Federation, Spring, 1995. |
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