Whether you are a public school or homeschool family, field trips are a good way to break up the monotony of winter blues. They can also help broaden your children’s experiences beyond the classroom. This is also great for working parents because you are in the driver’s seat of choosing the date that works for your schedule.
Schedule in Advance: Make the day well in advance so your children have something to look forward to. If you present the field trip like it’s a special event, your children will join you in the enthusiasm.
●In the meantime, be sure to go online with your children and look up information on fire trucks and fire stations. They will get more out of the experience if they have a little background information.
●Go by the public library (or your school library) and check out some books on fire trucks and fire stations. This is all part of the build up to the field trip.
Who Should Go With Your Family? This is a great opportunity to let your children help invite people to join you. You could have them make invitations as part of an art project or simply pick up the phone and call people. Children can benefit from learning how to make phone calls and what to say. You could make a simple outline of information with them so they know what to say. It’s a good lesson on – Who, What, Where, When, and Why. The tour group does not need to just include children. Think outside of the box. Invite an elderly neighbor, grandparents, cousins, neighbors, and friends to join you. Be sure to find out how many people your fire station permits in a tour group. A good number might be 8-16 people to aim for so that there are enough people to make it a fun event but still small enough that it’s not overwhelming for you.
Easy How to Set it Up:
- Call your local fire station and ask about scheduling a tour. In our town, tours only occur at the main fire station, and you schedule through them. Be sure to ask how many people are permitted in a tour group.
- Choose the date and schedule it with your fire station.
- Decide who you want to invite to tag along and invite them.
- Go on the tour.
- Write a thank you note.
THANK YOU NOTE. You can always buy or make a thank you card and take it with you on the day of the tour. After the tour, you can have all of your tour group sign the card. Then later, you can mail it to them or better yet, have your kids help you make a treat and go deliver it to the fire station with the thank you card. These life lessons, help teach your children how to notice when someone does something nice for them, to show appreciation.
TAKE PHOTOS. Be sure to take some photos. It’s surprising how quickly these years will fly by and you will treasure these photos. If interested, you can submit a favorite photo to a local newspaper or magazine. Your kids will love to see themselves, and it might encourage another family to take a tour.
It’s the little things that add up to a magical childhood. With minimal effort and zero expense, your children are set up for an enriching experience, thanks to you. YOU’VE GOT THIS!
Blessings,
Jeanne
Copyright 2025
