I always took field trips for granted. We always took at least one or two field trips a year when I was in school, and my kids have always gone on field trips with their classes. I went on as many of those as I could, too, because field trips are fun. The kids enjoy getting out of the classroom and being able to experience some of the things they've been learning throughout the school year. I'm realizing now that we've been some of the lucky ones.
One of our friends was teaching summer school last year and decided to take her class on a field trip. Most of these students were seniors in high school, and they had never been on a field trip! This was their first one ever, and those students were so excited. Those kids aren't the only ones, because according to a 2009 report from The American Association of School Administrators, it’s estimated that over the course of the current school year, the number of school districts eliminating field trips will increase by 56 percent. That’s more than 30,000 schools. Those darn budget cuts again!
Are field trips really that important? Some people might think they're just a waste of time or an excuse for kids to get out of school. I don't think classes should take field trips just for the sake of taking a trip or just for fun, but if a field trip gets students excited about something they are learning, it's invaluable. Field trips to museums to see things they've been studying in science or art class, field trips to the State Capital to see government in action, field trips to historic sites to see where the things they've been studying in the classroom actually happened - you just can't get that from a book.
Check out the faces of these students as they experience something no one else has:
The Lunchables Team believes so strongly in the importance of field trips that they've started a program called Field Trips For All. Through this program 50 classrooms will be selected to go on an inspiring, educational experience. Anyone, ages 6 and up, can nominate a classroom. Simply go to www.lunchables.com and click on the "LUNCHABLES Field Trips for All: 50 Field Trips" icon to register and submit an application. Applications must be submitted by June 1st, so if you know of a deserving classroom, be sure to nominate them right away. Since I won't have a kid in school next year, and my kids have been some of the lucky ones, I really don't know who I would nominate. I really hope some students who have never had the opportunity to go on a field trip get to experience something great.
