Field trips have the potential to be the highlight of a school year for all ages. Both educational and exciting, these day trips allow students to get out of the classroom and stretch their legs (and minds). In the long run, these excursions are often more memorable than any given individual lesson. That being said, field trip ideas often vary by the season and might be easier to schedule in the warmer, end-of-school-year months rather than a few weeks or months into a new semester.
We’re here today to share some school field trip ideas to try out this fall, and maybe you’ll walk away with newfound ideas for each fall to come!
Fall Food Festivities
Fall is the time for pumpkin patches, apple orchards, farmer’s markets, and more. The great thing about these types of field trips is that you can discuss many topics, especially around autumnal crops. For instance, it’s the perfect opportunity to teach about nutrition, production, food waste, and composting or recycling.
Alternatively, you can teach about supporting local farmers and businesses through these sorts of events. Sure, there may be some seasonal hubbub like corn mazes, hayrides, and small carnival activities at some of these spots, but the learning opportunity is just as great as the potential for fun. Plus, you won’t have to worry about what to eat on a food-oriented field trip, so you can cross off field trip lunch ideas from your list.
Aquariums, Museums, or Planetariums
These field trip ideas come with built-in learning opportunities for all ages and a variety of subjects. Depending on what your class is studying, you could explore an aquarium that’s rich with aquatic animals and plant life as well as water-related data and history. Perhaps a museum would better suit your class; you could visit a museum that specializes in any of these things:
- art,
- nature,
- science and technology, or
- U.S. history
Finally, planetariums – which offer all things air and space – can provide learning experiences about anything from astrology and astronomy to cosmology. Your students can explore:
- black holes,
- comets,
- galaxies,
- meteor showers,
- moons,
- nebulae,
- planets,
- space crafts,
- space stations,
- space travel, and
- stars
These are perfect field trip ideas that blend education and entertainment seamlessly. These establishments are also typically indoors (unlike zoos!), which makes them viable even when the seasons change from temperate to chilly.
Embrace the Season of Giving with Service Trips
What better way to get some real-world experience and embrace empathy than with a community-service opportunity? Your school could use this field trip idea year-round, but during the nearing holiday season, things like donation centers, food drives, meal deliveries, gift drives, working in a soup kitchen, or gathering military care packages are great examples of service. If you want to get outside before it’s too cold, you could also have your class rake leaves, clean up fallen branches, or shovel snow off sidewalks when winter approaches.
Fall is the perfect time to teach students to think about more than just themselves before the festivities of winter arrive.
Field Trips Are as Important as School Spirit Itself
These days, field trips seem to be few and far between, especially after the pandemic made things take a virtual turn. That’s why thinking outside the box, literally and figuratively, has become almost second nature to facilitate pre-pandemic normalcy and post-pandemic innovation. That doesn’t make field trips any less important. They’ve been an integral part of growing up for generations. They’re a break from the mundane classroom, a chance to learn in the real world, and fun for all – teachers, students, and chaperones alike. Plus, you and your students will remember field trips for years to come!
Sure, matching shirts might be the last thing on your mind when planning the year’s fall field trip, but they shouldn’t be! Soak in school memories by wearing school spiritwear – whether you’re at a sports game, club night, field trip, or in a regular class. When you wear your special shirt, you’ll always think of fond memories on your fall field trip.
