Field trips are a great way to show your students how their lessons can be applied outside the confines of the classroom. They provide meaningful teaching opportunities that can help your class better understand and retain the concepts you’ve introduced to them. 

However, field trips can also be a major source of stress for educators who are unsure of how to keep their students safe in a new environment, which always presents unknowable risks. Read on below for our tips on how you can keep the young people under your care safe during a field trip:

Put a comprehensive plan together

Regardless of whether your class is composed of kindergarteners or high schoolers, a field trip is bound to be an enormous undertaking. Having a plan for certain contingencies can help take the pressure off and allow you to enjoy a fun day out with the class. In general, it’s a good idea to visit the site(s) you’ll be heading to before the trip to figure out basic logistics. Mapping the route out helps you develop a schedule of activities that can keep kids from growing bored or unruly on the day of the trip, too. 

Make sure the class is prepped

Preparing your class for a field trip involves more than acquiring signed permission slips from their parents. An educational trip is always more meaningful if you can relate it to the lessons that you are currently teaching the students in the classroom, allowing them to see how abstract concepts are applied in real-world scenarios. Introduce the sites you'll be visiting during your classes and put together trip-related activities that can be done during or after the field trip.

To prevent loss or theft of their belongings, you can tell your class to leave toys and small electronics at home, or remind them that they are responsible for these items should they choose to bring them. Tell them to dress appropriately for the activities you have lined up. As an added safety measure, you can distribute identification items such as lanyards or silicone wristbands before the trip. These can help you keep track of your party while you’re out. 

Formulate a set of rules and make sure everyone understands them

Rules will help keep rowdy and disruptive behavior down during an educational trip, allowing you to maintain order. You may have to tailor your class rules to the locations you’ll be visiting. For example, most museums prohibit touching the artifacts or artwork on display, while some outdoor locations encourage getting up close and personal with the flora and fauna. Check with the venues if they have any specific rules that your students should keep to while there. 

Rules also help keep the students under your care safe. Prohibit roughhousing and wandering off, make sure everyone keeps to the schedule, and teach your class how to respect the venues by telling them not to litter. 

Create a field trip kit

A kit of must-haves for sickness and minor injuries is essential for every educator leading a field trip. 

It should contain disinfectant wipes and tissues, hand sanitizer or a travel-size bottle of rubbing alcohol, and spare plastic bags to serve students who suffer from motion sickness. Mints or hard candy could also be useful. You should also be equipped with a well-stocked first-aid kit to attend to small cuts, abrasions, or burns. It's also a good idea to encourage your students to bring a spare shirt or change of clothes with them on the trip.

Keep a list of emergency numbers handy

You’ll want to know the numbers to call in the event of a major emergency. In addition to having an updated list of emergency contacts for each member of your class, take note of the numbers for the local police and fire department as well as the national emergency hotline on your phone. 

A bit of foresight can go a long way towards a fun and enlightening educational trip for all. Make sure everyone has been briefed properly and knows what is expected of them on the day of the event itself. But more than that, don’t forget to take pictures and have a great time!