As a homeschooling family, we love planning field trips throughout the year – this is easily one of our favourite perks of being homeschoolers! Field trips give kids (and even parents!) hands-on experiences while bringing learning to life and creating the most amazing memories. The beauty of homeschooling is that you can take one field trip a year or even plan for a couple a month.
Homeschool field trips don’t have to be expensive or complicated. They can be as simple as a nature trail or going to the beach or personal and community based like visiting a firehall.
In this post, I’ll share 58 homeschool field trip ideas that cover every subject, fit every budget, and work year-round.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I could earn a commission if you make a purchase using them. This comes at no additional cost to you and all opinions expressed are my own.
Taking Field Trips as Part of Your Homeschool Journey
Field trips are so much more valuable than merely breaking up a routine. They offer:
- Real-world learning – Kids get to see how the things they’ve studied actually work. And if your field trip is unrelated to anything you’ve learned at the moment, it can inspire a future unit study.
- Hands-on experience – Experiences that engage children’s senses help kids to better retain what they’ve learned than reading alone.
- Family bonding – Field trips are a chance for the whole family to share learning together and make for an extra special opportunity to get younger siblings involved in the fun!
- Flexibility – Visiting places at less busy times always makes for a calmer experience.
- Building friendships & community – Field trips offer a fantastic way to connect with other homeschooling families in your area. And since homeschool co-ops usually consist of a diverse group of families from all sorts of backgrounds and of different ages, it’s a great reflection of the real world.
Budget-Friendly Homeschool Field Trip Ideas
Not every field trip needs to cost a lot of money and in fact, some of the best memories are created during the simplest moments.
- Parks & Playgrounds – You can never go wrong with some simple fresh air, exercise, and playtime! So consider checking out new parks and playgrounds by making park hopping a part of your rotation. The kids will love mixing it up with different structures to climb and explore.
- Public Libraries – Books open the door to so much wonderful knowledge and so many amazing stories! Plus many libraries offer free classes, events, and even tours. You might also be able to find homeschool programs running out of your local library or rec centre.
- Farmers’ Markets – Practice math skills while supporting local growers. Kids will have the chance to taste new foods, practice budgeting skills, and meet farmers in the community. You could even inquire about taking a field trip to their farm while you’re there!
- Fire Stations & Police Departments – Give kids the chance to meet a firefighter or police officer as they learn more about the important roles these community helpers play.
- Post Office – Kids can learn about how mail gets sorted and then delivered. Be sure to have children practice their writing skills by handwriting a letter to a friend or family member that you’ll mail out on your field trip day.
- Beaches or Lakes – Hang out at the beach and collect seashells while studying ocean life. Or just enjoy a fun day of outdoor exploration. Pack notebooks, field guides (we really like these ones for young readers), and buckets (these ones are amazing and don’t take up too much space at home or in the car because they’re collapsible)!
- Community Garden – Kids will have the chance to learn about how their food grows while discovering new things like composting. Pack a clip board (this one is waterproof and has storage inside for pencils and art supplies) and a pad of paper, with some paper or print off plant lifecycles in advance to enhance the learning experience as well.
- Walking Tour – Explore landmarks and historical sites as the kids get to know more about where they live!
- Grocery Store Tour – Some stores will take kids behind the scenes to see how products are stocked and stored. You could use this field trip to plan out math and nutrition lessons too.
- Animal Shelters – Visit pets waiting for adoption and learn about the process and important of animal shelters. Some will even allow homeschoolers to help out with feeding and other small tasks.
- Thrift Shops or Antique Stores – We love the book section at our local thrift shop. Thrifting offers a fun adventure and includes opportunities to discover new and classic read aloud books and activities. Antique store offer a unique lens into history as well! There’s likely a few interesting things at the antique store that your child and maybe even you are unfamiliar with.
- Nature Centers or Visitor Centers – Get more information about local hiking trails, free exhibits, and displays at your local nature and visitor centers.
More homeschool ideas to make it a memorable school year:
- Top Tips for Creating a Beautiful Homeschool Room (Even in a Small Space!)
- 30+ Must-Have Homeschool Morning Basket Ideas to Start Your Day with Peace
- How to Schedule Your Homeschool Year Like a Pro (and Still Have Time for Fun)
- 10 Must-Try Kindergarten Ideas for Homeschool Families
Homeschool Field Trip Ideas by Subject
Planning field trips around your curriculum is definitely one of the easiest and most fun ways to make learning more interactive. Alternatively, if your co-op is planning activities for the year, consider scheduling your lesson plans and/or unit studies around that schedule.
Here are some fun subject based field trip ideas for homeschoolers.
History & Social Studies
- Local museums or heritage villages
- Historical sites
- City hall
- Courthouses
- Parliament
- Small business tours (bakeries, bookstores, carpenters, pottery studios, etc.)
Science & Nature
- Science centers
- Planetariums
- Zoos
- Aquariums
- Wildlife sanctuaries
- Botanical gardens
- Recycling plants
- Water treatment facility
- Garden centres
- Pumpkin Patch
- Cranberry Farm
- Blueberry Picking
- Strawberry Picking
- Dairy Farm – this was easily both of my kids favourite activity of the year! We all had a chance to milk a cow and then try the milk.
Art & Music
- Art galleries
- Children’s museums
- Symphony or orchestra rehearsals
- Community theater performances
- Local art studios – some may even offer homeschool classes at a group discount
- Music store – allow kids to discover new instruments and sounds as they explore the music store. Your children might even find a new hobby (and you can start browsing home music room inspiration)!
My daughter saw this pink guitar and had to try it out the last time we visited the music store – it was a bit big for her though and we ended up getting her an acoustic later on.
You can check out my list of homeschool music gear recommendations.
Get free printables and worksheets:
- Get Our Kids 100 Book Reading Challenge Template!
- Free Printable PDF Homeschool Supply Shopping List
- 30+ Low-Prep Alphabet Activities for Preschool and Kindergarten Students
- Free Printable A to Z Alphabet Worksheets with Tracing (For Pre-K to Kindergarten)
Seasonal & Themed Field Trips
Planning your field trips according to the season you’re in will open up the doors to some pretty unique and fun experiences.
Fall Field Trip Ideas
- Apple orchard
- Pumpkin patch
- Corn maze
Winter Field Trip Ideas
- Indoor museums
- Holiday light displays
- Skating rinks
- Skiing or tobogganing on a local mountain
Spring Field Trip Ideas
- Petting zoos
- Farms (children will love seeing new baby animals!)
- Flower festivals
- Botanical gardens
Summer Field Trip Ideas
- Beaches
- Outdoor concerts
- Outdoor plays
- Camping trips
- Walking Tours
Have a Backup Plan: Virtual Field Trip Options
Are the kids under the weather and you can’t make it out today? Virtual trips can a good alternative. Check out:
- Online museum tours
- YouTube tours (farms, factories, and more)
- Educational documentaries
When paired with notebooking or a craft, kids can still enjoy a really fun and memorable experience from home.
A virtual field trip plan is a great thing to have in your pocket in case of bad weather too!
Field Trips Planning Tips
Here are a few ways to make sure you get the most out of your field trips.
- Choose trips that interest your child – Everyone’s experience will be better when kids love what and where they’re learning!
- Write it Down – don’t forget to write important dates and times down so you remember when they’re happening and don’t double book yourself.
- Don’t Overdo It – I think we’re all guilty of taking on too much sometimes. It may be tempting to schedule a couple of field trips in the same week (especially when you’re part of more than one co-op) but be careful to consider your other obligations too. With kids’ activities, family life, and daily housework, you can become fatigued from taking on too much.
- Bring Snacks and water – Keeping the kids fed and hydrated is really important on big days out! We love these water bottles because they’re spill proof, easy for small kids to drink out of, and keep drinks cold (or hot!) all day long.
- Pack essentials – Whether its beach toys for a day at the lake, or sketchbooks and a camera (this is a great and affordable starter camera option for kids 8 years old and up!) for a nature walk, be sure to pack supplies that will enhance the experience.
- Encourage curiosity – Prompt your children with questions and encourage them to explore and discover their surroundings.
- Reflection – Doing a relevant craft, writing in a journal, and choosing your favourite photos to print as you have a discussion on the day’s events could all be fun ways to reflect on the field trip experience.
Related: 15 Tips to Make Road Trips with Kids Amazing!
Make Memories Through Fun Field Trips
Homeschool field trips offer so many ways to make lasting memories.
From family bonding time to new friendships and experiences, children will love taking a break from the books to discover the world around them. And the best part is, you don’t need a huge budget or an elaborate plan to start scheduling time for field trips during your homeschool year.
Start small by visiting different local parks and playgrounds, even if it’s just once a month. Over time, you’ll find that “adventure days” are the ones your kids enjoy most.
Which field trip ideas do you want to use in your homeschool this year? Share your plan in the comments below!
– Nikki
