The Benefits of Taking Children on Field Trips

Changes in societies today are affecting childhood experiences greatly. Outdoor playtime is decreasing, contributing to more sedentary lifestyles and disconnecting children from the natural world. In this article we'll talk about field trips and some of the benefits they can bring to you and your children.

Taking children on field trips is a great opportunity for them to explore and confidently ask questions about the world around them.

Field trips can also be a way to promote and encourage the participation of the child’s parents or relatives. They represent a fantastic way for both adults and children to learn side by side and make discoveries together.

In the same way, excursions in natural environments are an exciting and educational way for children to gain new knowledge. Suddenly, the world makes more sense when you connect the lessons in the classroom with real-life experiences.

Unfortunately, most children today spend a lot of time carrying out activities on electronic devices. This leaves little time for unstructured play in nature.

However, children’s learning and development are improved through direct interaction.

Field trips provide countless benefits and provide children with a method to learn about the world around them.

Benefits of taking children on field trips

These are the most outstanding benefits of taking children on field trips. Take note!

1. They bring out the best in children

Without a doubt, routines limit children’s potential. On the contrary, taking children on field trips allows them to use their mind’s full potential since being in nature keeps the mind fresh.

This means that children are exposed to various situations in which they’re forced to learn and adapt better to the conditions. For example, playing in an environment with uneven surfaces helps them develop coordination and balance.

Certainly, outdoor play is much better for children than staying indoors, since it encourages activities such as climbing, jumping or running.

In fact, experts recognize nature as an important role in improving children’s mental health. According to studies, getting a little dirty outdoors helps children lead happier, healthier lives.

When we allow children to play in a natural environment, they can both explore the wonders that surround them as well as expose themselves to healthy bacteria, parasites, and viruses, which will help create a strong immune system.

2. Stress reduction

Field trips cause children to feel good. As opposed to what happens in interior spaces, the outdoors offer freedom of movement when exploring.

In addition, being in nature, surrounded by green spaces and natural views, helps children relax and reduce their stress levels. Being outdoors allows them to eliminate stress, making nature a refuge for children that breaks the pressures of school, family and social demands.

3. Improvement of social skills

Field trips are a perfect opportunity for children to interact with other children their age, in addition to allowing them a break from routine. In nature, they can help each other learn and solve problems together.

Without a screen, video game or mobile device to hide behind, children interact more with the people around them. The freedom that comes from unstructured outdoor play time teaches children how to collaborate, make friends, and create new games to play together – increasing social skills significantly.

4. Creativity

The outdoors provide many natural materials for children to use in their games: sticks, stones, leaves, mud, sand, water and much more. In fact, a child’s imagination has no limits with all the possibilities presented by these materials.

Certainly, children are more creative when they’re exposed to nature since they can use all their senses, including their imagination. Creativity in children can be limited in multimedia and technological environments.

Being outdoors causes children to be more alert, improve the use of their bodies, and create their own games. This may be because there are more objects without specific uses in nature, so children can use them as they want.

To finish, remember that the benefits of taking your child on field trips are innumerable. Nature can increase creativity and help children get to know themselves better. Not only that, field trips are a great way for family members to spend time together.