TOS Crew Blog Cruise: Field Trips

A big part of our homeschool philosophy is providing real-life opportunities for learning with hands-on experiences.  Of course that includes field trips!  I can remember my own public school days and looking forward to those chances to get out of school for the day to learn in a different environment.  Homeschooling means those opportunities tend to happen a lot more often, at all times of the year.

Over the past few years, we've been able to visit the following places for field trips:

Niagara Falls

3 different aquariums (freshwater and salt water)

numerous state parks

2 national parks

The Statue of Liberty

Boston

Cape Cod

numerous lighthouses (Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean)

The Mayflower II and Plymouth Rock

5 different zoos

Revolutionary War battle sites

Almanzo Wilder Farm (blog post coming soon!)

Eisenhower Locks (northern NY)

Soo Locks (Sault Sainte Marie, MI)

Mackinac Bridge, Fort Michilimackinac, & Mackinac Island

the Finger Lakes in NY

Green Mountains

Adirondack Mountains

Pocono Mountains

Appalachian Mountains

a lobster boat

watching harbor seals swimming along the coast

collecting sea shells on the beach

. . . and I think I'm leaving some out!

Geography, science, history, and social studies are just a few of the subjects we've covered through field trips.  Everytime DH has been sent to training for work, we have tagged along for the educational experience.  DH gets to participate in the lessons this way, too.  It's great family time!  We've also seen some of these things just because they are nearby or we pass by them on the way to visit extended family.  Field trips don't have to be expensive or elaborate -- we've enjoyed many free resources close to home.  We're always on the look out for fun excursions into learning adventures!

I'm linking up with the TOS Crew Blog Cruise this week.  Be sure to stop by and see what other Crew mates have to say on the topic of field trips!