Tips for Field Trips with Young Children

Field trips outside of preschool and daycare environments are a crucial component of offering quality programming. The trips involve proper planning and organization. Here are some suggestions for making a field trip safe and successful, followed by some field trips ideas.

Setting Dates and Location:  it is important to make sure the establishment where the field trip is planned has set dates with the commitment made weeks before the actual event. For some popular locations, such as a Fire Station,  it doesn't hurt to call months before the field trip outing. Then, a day before the field trip, call to reconfirm your visit. I have experienced arriving to places with children in tow and the employees being surprised by our arrival, and have learnt to always call and reconfirm! In addition, consider visiting the location to make sure it is safe for young children.

 
Parent Permission Forms: Provide informational sheets to parents about the upcoming field trip, at least two weeks prior to the event, along with permission forms for the families to sign. If money is required from the families for this field trip, then start collecting and recording well ahead of the field trip date.

Parent Volunteers: Place a sign up sheet a week ahead for helpers. On the field trip day, make special buttons for those parent helpers to wear, particularly  if many parents are joining in the field trip. This way, the teacher knows who to call upon for help. My suggestion is don't be shy about delegating parents on ways you need help, for instance, clearly ask a parent, "will you please hold this door open and then return to the line up". It's all about safety first, and parents will understand. At the end of the field trip try to individually thank each parent for their help. Often, these parent helpers will be repeated helpers throughout the preschool year, or daycare time period and they deserve recognition for their efforts.

Field trip Backpack: Prepare a field trip outing backpack for your classroom, filled with first aid, a spare set of clothes, a cell phone, kleenex, pen and paper, coins, plastic bags, and bottled water. Try and anticipate what you might need and prepare for those unexpected events. MAKE SURE THE EMERGENCY CARDS ARE UP TO DATE.

Group Identification: Bright colored tshirts with the daycare/preschool  logo and name on it is a great way to identify the children in a crowded place, particularly when the field trip is a busy place, such as the Aquarium.

Walking route: Before leaving for a field trip, if applicable, plan out the walking route.  Try and choose streets with traffic lights for crossing traffic, and consider where toilet emergencies could occur if necessary.

Setting up the Partners and Groups: Before leaving, place each adult with a small group of children that they will be responsible for when arriving at the field trip destination. In addition, carefully choose appropriate partners and their placement in the line up. Set up the children for success and safety. So, for instance, place an older child with a younger child, and separate children who like to get silly together or are very chatty with one another. Place an adult with any children who need extra help or guidance. In addition, spread out parent helpers, and always have one staff in the front and back.

Before leaving Checklist

1. Make sure all the children have gone to the washroom
2. Each child is wearing the field trip identification clothing: (ie: tshirt, cap) 
3. Talk to the children at a group circle about field trip safety: how to safely walk, being courteous of other people by lowering our voices, etc.
4. Make sure the children's emergency cards are with you in the backpack before leaving.
5. Place a note on the door with the walking route if applicable and the anticipated time of return for any late arrivals. Alternatively, arrange with other programs, to have children who arrive late to spend time there until your return.
6. Create the partners and line up arrrangement
7. Head count
8. Have Fun

DON'T FORGET TO COUNT CONSTANTLY WHEN YOU ARE OUT! This is the best way to assure you have all your children.

Field Trip Destinations

Overall, the questions to ask when choosing a field trip destination is will the location be developmentally appropriate and will the trip be educationally appropriate. Furthermore, will the children be able to follow the safety guidelines for this field trip location. Places to consider for field trips with preschool aged children:  

1. Library
2. Restaurants
3. Pet Stores
4. Post Office
5. Farms
6. Special Community Walks
7. Riding a Bus
8. Fire hall
9. Police Station
10. Nature Walks
11. Senior Citizen Homes
12. Grocery Stores
13. Garden Shops
14. Bus or Train Stations
15. Storytimes/ Drop In Events
16. Farmer's Markets
17. Factories
18. Water Parks
19. Art Galleries
20. Science Centers

            Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas 

Show and Tell

Show and tell in preschool can occur throughout the school year or during a shorter period of time and usually involves one or two children at a time. Show and tell works best with older preschool ages, such as older threes and four year olds. The benefits of show and tell for young children are plentiful and with some organization on the preschool teachers end, show and tell can run fairly smoothly. This article provides some ideas for how to run a show and tell within a preschool curriculum and its benefits.

The Benefits of Show and Tell in Preschool

Although, at times, it seems hard to decipher the benefits of show and tell with young children, indeed this active involvement of the speaker and the listeners fosters a great deal of developments within each child:

•Learning How to Ask Questions and Answer: many preschool children do not understand the difference between a statement and a question, and so going through the process helps teach this concept.

•Speech Development: for the speaker, show and tell provides an opportunity to use descriptive language, concept thinking, story telling and so forth. Overall, it helps develop effective communication.

•Emotional Development: giving children time to share a part of their home life, their interests, with the group creates an environment of caring and fosters their emotional selves.

•Respectful Listening: show and tell can create structure for preschool children to learn how to be respectful when someone is talking and to use proper manners

•Children Take the Lead: the act of show and tell, from choosing the item, to talking about it in front of peers, to showing it to everyone, provides children the chance to be in charge, and have their choices and voice honoured. This is especially true for the more shy children in the group.

What Items to Bring for Show and Tell

Many preschools and primary classes in elementary school, choose a theme for show and tell. Toys are often not permitted for show and tell as it can create challenges for sharing afterwards, and a sense of “look what I have and what you don’t”. Some theme suggestions are:

1.something used in the house

2.a photo that holds a story or experience that can be shared

3.something made

Preparing for Show and Tell

There are three important ways to prepare for show and tell as a preschool teacher by making enough time to include all children, informing the parents about how it will occur, and making a visual cue that will be sent home as a reminder.

Perhaps one of the most important parts of show and tell within a preschool curriculum is to inform the families beforehand. Send out a special letter or include in a monthly newsletter an explanation about how show and tell will be run. Provide parents with the what to bring guidelines regarding the chosen theme, the amount of items that are allowed (i.e.: no more than two), the size of items and a reminder about the importance of letting the child make the choice. Structure and guidelines that are clearly stated will help with the running of a show and tell. Many parents will say yes to their child’s request of a toy or bringing ten items to show, for example, in attempt to get out the door. Stating the importance of the process of show and tell versus the product is a good addition to the parent information note.

Decide beforehand how many children will show their special item in a day, making sure that you have provided enough time to allow everyone in the classroom to have a chance. Often, show and tell is forgotten or a child is sick, and so enough leeway time should be allocated in the curriculum. Create a clear chart for marking down who has had a turn and who has not to avoid confusion.

Clearly provide children who are having the next show and tell turn a visual cue to send home. One suggestion for a visual reminder is to clip onto backpacks bags that are labelled with large lettering, “its My Show and Tell Turn” or have a selected Show and Tell Mascot with the same label clipped onto the child’s backpack.

Preschool Teacher Tips for Running Show and Tell

Show and tell will bring out the different personalities of each child from the child who has been planning all week, and would love to act, lead and take over the entire circle if given the opportunity versus the child who is petrified and has been anxious all morning knowing he/she would have to speak loud enough for the rest to hear. Following the same steps with each child consistently will quickly illustrate to the children what to expect and the guidelines for this particular classroom activity. The following steps works well:

1.Child stands in front of the group who are sitting in a circle.

2.Child shows the item and talks about it, teacher guides gently if needed.

3.Child can show the item to each child, if he/she wishes by walking around the circle.

4.Child chooses two people for questions, then answers.

5.Everyone claps and the teacher says thank you for sharing.

Another tip is to model how to ask questions, and how to listen to the group at the very beginning of show and tell. This can be done with the help of another teacher or a parent helper. Puppets can also be used to demonstrate. Teaching children beforehand what questions are will also aid in the smooth process of show and tell. A final tip is many parents wish to record their child doing show and tell. Sometimes, the presence of the parent can bring comfort to a child and other times it can make them feel nervous. One way to solve this dilemma is for the teacher to take a photo or record on video the child to give to the parents afterwards as a special gift.

Show and tell is a steadfast part of early school time experiences and it holds all the same benefits no matter when or how it is done.

        Online Early Childhood Workshops with Circle of Ideas