Field Trip Idea: Beehive Tour

Whether you're a mom searching for field trip ideas, a caretaker who wants to do something special for the kids you babysit or are looking for ideas for school-wide field trips, consider a beehive tour. Though bees may sound like a scary subject (for both kiddos and adults!), this field trip idea is anything but.

A beehive tour is a great learning experience for a student or adult of any age. There, students can learn all about honey bees, how honey is made, what types of honey they make and can even taste some of the delicious stuff.

For those who are worried about stings, have no fear. Many bee farms have field trip tours available that allow students to watch from behind a glass wall. For those who want to get up and close to the bees, some farms allow for small, older-aged groups to put on a bee suit and interact with the buzzing critters.

Either way, this field trip idea teaches everyone involved about the queen bee, drone bees, worker bees and the various tasks each of these bees have. For example, the queen bee and drone bees work solely to produce more bees. Worker bees collect pollen, nurture the larvae, make honey and make wax.

I recently took a small group to a honey farm for a hands-on tour and it was one of the most informative experiences I've ever had. We had the opportunity to interact with the bees and some members even petted a few of the fuzzy creatures. We learned that honey is the only naturally occurring sweetener and that those who consume local honey on a regular basis are statistically healthier. We also learned what the bees do is amazing. My group walked away with a completely different outlook on bees (they are no longer scary insects ready to sting at any chance) and a lot more knowledgeable about the honey-making process.