The Benefits of School Trips for Kids

*Collaborative post.

Taking children out of their normal learning environment can have many benefits. The variation in their normal routine will provide a little bit of excitement and approaching topics from a different perspective will help cement their knowledge. School trips provide a more relaxed way of learning, which some pupils will be more receptive to this than classroom-based learning. Here a preschool in New York outlines some more benefits of school trips for children. 

Reinforcing classroom learning

Allowing students to get hands-on experience of subjects, such as touching historical objects at a history museum, will reinforce what they have learnt in the classroom and bring topics to life. This is especially useful for kinaesthetic learners who learn best through movement and touch, as well as visual learners. In fact, school trips will appeal to all the senses. 

Seeing objects in real life will help children retain information around the subject. It’s easier to understand complex concepts if they’re illustrated in real life and learning from experts in the subject will also allow children to learn about them in more depth. 

Skills development

School trips provide children with opportunities to develop skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and teamwork. They will often be put into groups or pairs and have to work together to solve a problem or find out some information, which helps develop their interpersonal skills. Children may also get the chance to use their imagination and creativity to design something from scratch using the resources available.  

Confidence and self-esteem

Being taken out of their comfort zone can be daunting for some children, but they will most likely feel a sense of achievement once they’ve done it. This will boost their self-esteem, as will taking on challenges and interacting with pupils they might not otherwise talk to. School trips encourage independence, and this in turn helps increase children’s confidence. They also provide both pupils and teachers with an opportunity to see each other in a new light, helping to strengthen existing relationships and forge new ones. 

School trips offer a unique opportunity to embrace children’s different learning styles and being able to learn in their preferred style will increase children’s engagement with the subject matter. Teachers may be able to observe more easily how different pupils learn best and apply that knowledge to the classroom. Of course, school trips are also a chance for children to have some fun!