$$$$ The price of field trips is often a discouraging factor when it comes to scheduling them into your curriculum. Field Trips can be pricey if you aren’t careful. Today I will share some ideas of ways to cut the cost of field trips.
First and foremost is to look into FREE trips. These can vary by location. Nature Field Trips are typically free and can take place even in your own yard or at a near by park/reserve (if not free, they are generally inexpensive). Geocaching is a fun, free outdoor field trip. Letterboxing is also an option (which we have not tried).
Many Factory Tours are FREE – Factory Tours USA is a great resource for finding tours near you! Your local grocery store may even offer a FREE program. Ours did!
We also toured a Cheese Factory in California for FREE!
FREE trips DO Exist!
Check out this great list by Kathy’s Cluttered Mind
Virtual Field Trips are also an option (more on them to come in the series)
Lots of places are inexpensive, or free for kids 6 and under (or if your lucky 12 and under, though that typically means they aren’t really geared for children). You just have to shop around a bit for your area.
Consider a season pass, if it’s a museum or another place you could see visiting more than twice (generally), look into a season pass, they are often a lot more affordable.
Ask about Homeschool Days, as homeschooling becomes more and more mainstream, many places are having homeschool days and discount rates to bring business to them during off season times. The costs are typically quite a bit lower, may include parents for free, and often also include some sort of educational program. If they don’t have Homeschool Days, ask them to consider it!
Organize a group trip for a discount rate! (More on this in a future post) Typically places give discount rates for larger groups. Rally your homeschool friend together and make it a group day!
Going to a field trip further away? Consider camping! It’s a great learning experience as well, and a lot cheaper than hotels!
Pack lunches! Not all places will have picnic areas, but you could look for nearby parks or other locations to enjoy a picnic lunch instead of eating out or buying from an onsite shop!
Inquire at your local library for homeschool classes or other free activities, especially during the summer!
Check discount sites like Living Social, Groupon and other more LOCAL sites in your area. A new one I just discovered that is in several areas is Certifikid.
Most families have a homeschool budget of some sort, I urge you to budget in some field trips! Determine how much a month you can spend on trips, and then plan based on that. This will also help determine how many trips you can take a month or semester or year, however you plan it. You won’t regret it!
You can also join us in our Facebook Group Homeschooling Tips for Moms
Goes Live July 15th
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