Fall Fieldtrip Ideas for Elementary Students

Most elementary classrooms take at least one fieldtrip a year. That means teachers must plan for fall fieldtrips before the school year begins or shortly thereafter. What are some possibilities for elementary classroom fall fieldtrips? Here are dozens of fall fieldtrip ideas that teachers might plan for and implement--with the help of parent volunteers, administrative support, transportation, and a budget that allows.

Fall Fieldtrip Ideas: Visit Museums

In the early fall, when weather is still fairly pleasant, it's a good time for outdoor fieldtrips. Students might visit a farm museum or history museum, where they can learn of old harvesting methods, see old tractors and plows, and learn how harvesting methods have changed over the years. Other museums that are student favorites and work anytime during the year (but are best when weather cooperates) are these museums: flight museum, art museum, marine museum, science museum, and children's museum.

Fall Fieldtrip Ideas: Go Birding

Early fall also makes a great time for a birding fieldtrip, when temperatures aren't too hot or too chilly. Birds make a wonderful unit study. Places to go for an early fall fieldtrip centered around birds, might be to the seashore for watching shorebirds. There's also hawk-watching in more inland areas, where local bird life begs to be studied with binoculars, a sketchpad, and a student journal.

Fall Fieldtrip Ideas: Enjoy Agriculture

Another early fall fieldtrip idea is to visit local farms--particularly a pumpkin farm or pumpkin patch. Hayrides and mazes usually top the visit. Gathering pumpkins for classroom Halloween activities means lots of additional learning opportunities in the classroom. Also, teachers might consider taking students to an orchard to observe apple-picking, or to a cattle ranch, a dairy farm, zoo, county fair, or local animal barns.

Fall Fieldtrip Ideas: Visit Regional Nature Centers

Students enjoy visiting nature reserves, nature trails, regional parks, wetlands, national landmarks, and places of geologic interest to see fossils, rock formations, and flora of the area. Most students are intrigued with the history of the area in which they live. Add a picnic to the day, and it makes for a great fall fieldtrip for elementary students.

Fall Fieldtrip Ideas: Go to Care Centers in Costume

Care centers, nursing homes, assisted living homes, adult care homes--most of these types of centers are open to having elementary children come to visit residents. Tie a visit in with Halloween, and children can model their costumes and trick-or-treat in the same outing.

Fall Field Trip Ideas: Take Curriculum-Related Outings

Curriculum-related fieldtrips are always optimal--particularly in a subject area for which a teacher just can't seem to motivate. A fieldtrip can supercharge that subject area for both teacher and students. For example, units covering law and government are ripe for a fieldtrip to the local fire station, police station, or courthouse.

Taking a fieldtrip isn't a day off from school. It's an extension of what the student is learning in school. With sufficient volunteer support, district and administration support, available transportation, and a budget that allows, fall is a wonderful time for a fieldtrip. These fall fieldtrip ideas provide teachers with dozens of options for student fieldtrip experiences.