Mommy and Me Field Trip Group

A friend of mine started up a field trip group with some of her friends and invited us to join her.  We call the group "Mommy and Me Field Trip Group."  We have been able to do a lot of really neat things with our group, my kids and I have enjoyed it so much that I wanted to share the idea here on our blog.

How Big is Your Group?

Our group consists of 7 moms and 12 kids (mostly preschool aged.) 

The group really could be however big or small you want although I would recommend having at least 4 dependable moms to help out.  Don't go to small: We had only 2 kids at one event and felt pretty silly taking time away from a business for such a small group.  I also wouldn't go to big: it's hard to keep a lot of kids under control and coordinate schedules. 

How Often Do You Meet?

We get together once a week or every other week depending on the month. We have found that afternoons work well for most businesses.  We usually meet every Tuesday at 1:00 pm.

How Do You Organize the Field Trips?

We set up the field trip ahead of time so that the business knows we are coming...we tell them we are a local mommy and me field trip group with preschool aged kids and they are usually very happy to have us.  We brainstormed a bunch of places we could visit. One mom is in charge of scheduling the field trip, one mom takes pictures and one mom writes thank you notes.  It has been a great system. 

Where Have You Gone?

We have done a lot of fun things including:

Local Organic Farm- We got to see how chickens, turkeys and cows are raised. We also learned all about vegetable gardens and how food grows. 

Airport- We visited our local airport and learned about flying planes and helicopters. The kids loved sitting in the helicopter and airplane. 

Honey Store- We learned about how honey is made, we saw a bee hive and got to see the bee's making honey, we also got to sample 3 different kinds of honey. We took a jar with us and filled it with honey so we could enjoy it at home. (It cost about $2 to fill the jar below)

Artisan Bread Bakery- We learned the art of baking bread and got to see how bread is mixed, baked, cooled, and cut. We bought a loaf of bread and enjoyed it together. 

 Bus- We all met at a bus stop and rode our city bus to the transit center. We toured the transit center  and then got a personal tour of a bus. The kids got to sit in the drivers seat and push all the buttons.

Logan Fire Department- We toured a fire station and learned about fire safety. The kids loved the firefighter outfits and getting to sit in their truck.

Pizzeria- We toured a local pizzeria and got to see the big oven and walk into the huge Freezer.  The kids got to toss pizza dough and then make their own personal pizza.  (We paid $2.50 a child so they could make their own pizza and get a drink).

Zoo- We made a list of things to watch for and gave one to each child. They had fun looking for certain things like: something that swims, flies, is pink, growls.  

Recycling Center- We talked about recycling and the kids got to see where things go when we recycle.

Post Office- We toured a post office and the kids got to see what happens when we put mail in a mailbox.

Police Department- We toured the police station and got to hear about what a police officer does, we also got to sit in a police car and hear the siren. 

Local Market- We visited a grocery store and learned about how it functions: where all the food comes from and how the shelves are stocked.

Other Field Trip Ideas
Train Station
Animal Center/Pet Shop
Children's Museum
Doctor's/Veterinarian's Center
Farm
Florist/Garden Shop
Hospital
Library
School
Aquarium
Pumpkin Patch
Fish Hatchery
Animal Sanctuary/Nature Area

As I said earlier we have really enjoyed field trip group and look forward to many more fun field trips.  If you are thinking you want to put a group together I would totally recommend it! If you have any questions leave me a comment and I will try to help.