Importance of Educational Field Trips

The purpose of educational field trips is usually observation for education or to provide students with experiences outside their classrooms, such as learning outdoors with teachers and classmates. Going on educational trip boost their critical thinking skills and gives students a chance to think “out of the box”. Several children don’t get an opportunity to experience such educational trips with friends and families. A school trip gives students a chance to not only experience new places but also learn differently. 

Let us tell you why educational field trips should be given importance and how it contributes to general education.

Education and learning processes should not only be limited to the classroom surrounding. Real-world contact and hands-on experience are proven techniques for better learning.

Benefits of educational field trips

Field trips have several brilliant advantages. It not only adds a fun element to education but also helps children learn in various different environments.

1) Field trips are a fun-filled activity that relaxes a child’s mind and boosts overall energy levels.

2) Through a field trip, children get an opportunity to develop and maintain relationships with other classmates.

3) Enhanced communication and interaction skills of the students are promoted.

4) Students get to explore the beauty of nature as well as gain knowledge about the environment.

5) In a new environment, students can discover their hidden talents and be open-minded to explore newer things.

Some examples of school field trips

1) Museums and art galleries: Students can visit the museums and the art galleries and see various monuments or items in their real form. When the concept is physically presented to a person, their understanding is automatically higher compared to classroom learning. Hence, it is highly recommended to arrange a school field trip to renowned museum and art galleries to enhance factual knowledge in children. 

2) Field trips to community gardens: In a garden, a student can learn tremendously about the wonders of nature. You can also add a small touch of being responsible citizens of society by clubbing the trip with a cleanliness drive. It could be cleaning up a garden or even a beach. Such collaborations not only serve as an outing but also inflicts community service feeling on young minds.

3) Field trip to a village: Arranging field trips to a nearby village habitat can help the students experience how people live in rural areas. Getting them closer to traditional food and traditional living gives them a feeling of being blessed and thanking god for the lifestyle we have in urban areas. This teaches empathy and a feeling of understanding our cultural roots. These will increase their viewpoint of the world.

Top 8 criteria to keep in mind while planning for an educational school tour: 

To arrange a successful trip, the teachers should keep the following things in mind:

1) Make sure that you inform the parents beforehand to get the necessary permissions. Please make a list of the parent’s contact numbers and keep it handy.

2) Provide the instructions for the children and help them plan in advance. Ensure that they carry all the essential utilities.

3) Instruct the students about their expected behaviour and group management.

4) Take help from the adult volunteers.

5) Carry a robust first aid box for every field trip.

6) Be prepared for emergency management. Students may or may not be allowed to carry their cell phones for the trips.

7) Make sure that the roll count/head count is taken regularly.

8) Plan activities and materials before and after the tour to upgrade the learning experience and provide background for the destination.

Key takeaways:

A school trip for students is also a means of valuing the smallest pleasures of life. Additionally, they also can think differently in a different environment which can be used as an advantage to absorb concepts efficiently. 

Developing a child’s mind and skillsets through a perfect blend of classroom learning and outdoor experiential learning, we at Harshad Valia International School carve out holistic students ready for worldly challenges.