The Truth About Field Trips

I remember taking field trips when I was in school. I remember loving the excitement of the bus ride, the day away from the school’s routine, eating a sack lunch, and taking pictures of my friends.

Field trips are supposed to have a significant educational purpose. Sometimes you have to find a zoo animal that matches every letter of the alphabet. Sometimes you have to seek out answers to questions that can only be answered during the field trip event. Sometimes you have to complete a task; like performing in musical competition or competing in an athletic event.

Don’t say this out loud, but field trips are really a chance for kids to practice their social skills and to be involved in creative play. I took a trip to the Aquarium at Charleston and the Zoo in Columbia during my internship. Different groups of children, but similar experiences.

The children were coached on their social skills and the expectations were high, especially since so many parents were going along as chaperones. And the children held up their challenge. They were quiet at railroad crossings (got to hear the train). They stayed in their seats (though they were never still). They stayed with their chaperones (only two were momentarily lost). And they worked on their worksheets (well, for the most part).

But when lunch time came, how they entertained themselves! On one field trip we had plenty of open space and in short order, lunch was eaten and tag and chase games began. Soon it was “kick the plastic bottle” (for us old timers, that would be “kick the can”), and several versions of “I dare you…” and “I betcha you can’t…”

On another trip, where lunch space was minimal, the children entertained themselves with wild stories, creative name calling and burping contests. What fun!! This is the real stuff of a good field trip!

Though field trips are a lot of work, they are very beneficial to a class. They demonstrate that lessons can be learned outside the confines of a typical classroom. They give children a chance to practice social skills, which are very important to a successful life. They build relationships between students, teachers, and parents. They remind us that play is important, and that our adult priorities might not be as important as we think.

I already know that we do not play enough at church. But I look forward to those few times when we do play and play hard. Times like Summer camp, and Vacation Bible School, and holiday events. It’s a sacred time; a time to build relationships and get to know each other, a time to practice our social skills and learn to love each other, a time to rediscover the child with in each of us and be reminded of the words of Jesus: “Let the little children come to Me. Don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Mark 10:14-16)

Take time to play, especially with those you love,

AL