100+ Field Trips!
by Carol Ryan
A few years ago, I was asked to present a workshop for Missionettes sponsors on Field Trips. The following is the handout from the class.
I’d be happy to share the field trip information with you. I’m sending it just like it was in the handout for the classes. We live in Central Florida (near LOTS of touristy places) so they are included but most everything on this list can be done just about anywhere. I’ve left the specifics so that maybe they will jog your memory of what is available in your area.
Until I started researching this for the class I was asked to teach, I had NO IDEA what was actually going on around me. I didn’t know that the Olive Garden (Italian restaurant) gave tours, that the local zoo had a great sleep over plan (Discovery Zone has one, too) or that you could go digging for fossils in a phosphate pit. I laughed so hard when someone first suggested that one to me. It turns out that it’s one of the girls’ favorites!
I did not come up with these ideas on my own. Three dear friends helped me prepare this list and I would like to give them credit for their work as well. Thank you to John and Sarah Bishop and to Marjorie Lockwood.
I hope this information helps you out. Ignore what you don’t want and keep the rest!
2. If you decide to let them choose their field trip, give no more than three choices.
3. Let the girls help with the plans.
4. Where will the money come from?
5. Check with your church calendar.
6. Have dependable, reliable transportation.
7. Have adequate adult supervision.
8. Obtain a notarized permission slip for each girl.
9. Plan your trip well in advance.
10. When inquiring about a field trip, ask for group rates and/or educational tours.
11. If your group is not large enough, combine with another group.
12. If you join with another group, establish chain of command.
13. Plan for more than what you can possibly accomplish.
14. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN.
15. For camp outs, sleep overs, or other overnighters, arrange for security.
16. Know what to expect.
17. Confirm your field trip. Reconfirm.
18. Be patient. If something changes, relax, and be flexible.
19. Establish the rules before you go.
20. How will you handle last minute guests?
21. Leave your area cleaner than how you found it.
22. Leave a good tip for services rendered.
23. Leave them with a good impression.
24. Send a thank you note.
2. Parents and their jobs
3. Animals from shelter (their daily care, adoption, etc.)
4. Policeman
5. Fireman
6. Nurse
7. K-9 Unit
8. Ambulance
9. Sheriff’s helicopter
10. Fingerprinting
11. Forestry service (Smokey the Bear)
12. McGruff (preventing crime)
13. Police robot
14. Artist
15. Teacher of the Deaf (learn a song or scripture verse in sign)
16. Auto mechanic (They are learning to drive. Can they change a flat tire, check the oil, etc.?)
17. Skin care/hair care
18. Popcorn/movie night
19. Astronauts for the day (set class up like the moon)
20. Female reserves officer
21. Lawyer
22. Judge
23. Cultural/regional night (Can be home missions night e.g. Louisiana Cajun food, French)
24. Progressive Dinner (great interaction with elderly, work on My Church badge)
25. Meet Sectional Coordinator, Regional Coordinator, or Sectional WM president
26. Have a weatherman or other qualified personnel come in for a talk about hurricanes, what to do, what to expect, how to prepare, etc.
2. Juice Bowl 665-5515
3. Orange Grove
4. Lowry Park Zoo
5. Library
6. Doctor’s office
7. Dentist’s office
9. Fire department
10. Police station
11. Museum of Science and Industry
12. Old town (free admission)
13. STAR (Spanish Television & Radio – Joe & Margaret Register)
14. Local church (during a work day in summer would be great)
15. Petting farm (Grandma’s farm)
16. Bowling
17. Southeastern college of the Assemblies of God
18. Miniature golf
19. Ball game (basketball, volleyball, baseball, etc.)
20. Flea market/farmer’s market
21. Nature walk
22. Playground or park (Lake Parker Park in Lakeland is great)
23. Discovery Zone
24. Pool
25. YMCA
26. Exercise class
27. Ballet performance
28. Piano recital
29. Hospital (General tour or specifically the baby nursery)
30. Surgicenter
31. Nursing Home and shut-ins (deliver cards and cookies)
32. Bobby’s Seminole Indian Village
33. Pizza Hut
34. McDonalds
35. Grocery store
36. Christmas caroling
37. Beach
38. School for blind/deaf (St. Augustine)
39. Bakery (Country Hearth and Pepperidge Farm in Lakeland)
40. Factory
41. Gas Station
42. City bus ride
43. Train Station & train ride
44. Planetarium (Florida Southern College)
45. Tampa International Airport 1-800-767-8882
46. Waterfront
47. Fly kites
48. Post office
49. A parent’s workplace
50. TV station (I’ve heard Channel 8 is good)
51. Radio Station (WCIE in Lakeland – 859-1477)
52. Construction site
53. Florist
54. Greenhouse
55. Nursery (floral)
56. Olive Garden
57. Pet Shop
58. Humane Society
59. SPCA
60. Music store
61. Concert/opera
62. Beauty shop
63. Newspaper office
64. Day camping
65. Picnic
66. Florida Aquarium
67. Explorations V – Lakeland – 687-3869 (or other children’s hands-on museum)
68. Polk Museum of Art – 688-7743 (or other art museum)
69. Mayfair by the Lake (Lake Morton – Lakeland – Mother’s Day week-end
70. Art Festival – November, 1997 – FSC (680-4111)
71. Pen. Florida District office
72. Another Missionettes club (from another church or possibly the Spanish District)
73. Recycling Center or Drop-off place
74. Natural History Museum
75. Home business
76. Bicycle shop
77. Scavenger hunt in woods/park
78. Boat ride or day cruise
79. Strawberry fields
80. Emergency Communications Center (911)
81. Ambulance Station
82. Bank
83. American Red Cross
84. Salvation Army
85. Homeless shelter
86. Food Bank (bring donations of canned goods)
87. Epcot
88. Sea World
89. Photo Processing Center (take a roll of film of the kids to be developed)
90. Wal-Mart
91. Mall
92. Bookstore
93. Printing shop
94. Camp Wilderness/KOA campgrounds
95. HONOR STAR CROWNING
96. Slumber parties (include water balloons!)
97. Military base (impossible during Olympics or national threat)
98. Ceramics shop (older girls)
99. Ice Skating (Lakeland Civic Center)
100. Roller Skating
101. Sun ‘N Fun Fly-In (Museum & Antique Air Show – Lakeland)
102. Kennedy Space Center
103. Old Army Forts or lighthouses
104. Courthouse
105. Daycare center
106. Gymnastics meet
107. Rafting/inner tubing
108. Canoeing
109. Fishing
110. Veterinarian’s office
111. Emergency animal hospital/clinic
112. Ophthalmologist or optometrist
113. Blood Bank (Citrus Regional Blood Center – Lakeland – 687-8925)
114. Local medical clinic
115. Fish Hatchery- Ocala
116. Fabric store (variety of fabrics – Stars’ sewing badge)
117. Sanlan Ranch – 665-1726
118. Lake Kissimmee State Park ($ 3.25/car – 696-1112)
119. Crystal Springs
120. Gator Jungle of Plant City – 752-2836 (I-4 to Exit 10 – has a petting zoo)
121. Alarm or security company
122. MGM
123. Universal Studios
124. Horseback riding
125. City electric
126. Goodwill
127. Soup kitchen
128. Florida Southern College – 680-4111
129. Polk Community College – 297-1000
130. Disney Village (free 7 ride the monorail too!)
131. Harcourt-Brace-Jovanovich Publishers (Orlando)
132. Busch Gardens
133. Splendid China
134. National Guard Armory – Lakeland
135. Orange Blossom House (call district office first)
136. Bok Tower ($ 4.00/adults & $ 1.00/children – 676-1408)
137. Cypress Gardens 1-800-237-4826
138. Disney World
139. Ross of Florida (manufactures underclothes – Stars & Y’s probably – 2765 New Tampa Hwy. -Lakeland – 686-5103
140. Owens-Corning – Lakeland – 680-4800 (they also recycle glass)
141. Day-old bread stores (Merita, Dolly Madison, Country Hearth)
142. U.S. Coast Guard – Clearwater
143. Lew Gardens – Orlando (lots of birds)
144. City Hall
145. Dairy Farm
146. Ranger store
147. Christian school
148. St. Augustine
149. Florida State Fair
150. Strawberry Festival
151. Chamber of Commerce (learn all about your city!)
152. Phosphate Museum (Mulberry -425-2823 – dig for fossils)
153. Native American PowWow – Lakeland – 534-4372 – held in November
154. Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center – 221-1045 (get on mailing list)
155. Pied Piper Players (Lakeland) 644-2468
156. Theater Winter Haven -297-4020
157. Lakeland Imperial Symphony Orchestra – 688-3743
7530 North Florida Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33604
(813) 935-8552
CONTACT: Laura Welborne – Education Department, Ext. 232
DESCRIPTION: Spend the night with the manatees. 6:45pm – 8:00am lock-in. They have a snack of 1-2 slices of pizza and soda around 8:30 or 9:00PM. They will have a light breakfast of cereal and juice. You may not bring in your own food. The children take a night hike through the zoo (behind the scenes look). Zoo staff leads other activities such as crafts or games. A night light is on in the tank so the children can watch the manatees. They are active throughout the night. You pick your own theme for the evening. (Manatees, reptiles, amphibians, rain forest, natural Florida, birds, wetlands, etc.) A packet will be sent to you ahead of time. Regardless of the theme, they will be with the Manatees at night. The theme helps determine games, crafts, etc.
BRING: Sleeping bag and pillow.
COST: $ 18.00/child – One FREE adult per 10 children. Additional adults are $ 25.00 each
GROUP AGES: 6 – 18 year olds. It sounds like they may be a little flexible on this but this is their preference.
LIMIT: Minimum is 15 children. Maximum is 90 children (packed tight).
FLORIDINOS ITALIAN RESTAURANT
105 Lake Miriam Drive
Lakeland, FL
(941) 644-9177
CONTACT: Robert
The tour begins at 10:00 am. Children are allowed to make their own pizzas. The restaurant opens at 11:00 am at which time the pizzas are cooked and ready to eat. Groups of 4-23 people are welcome (approx.)
COST: $ 1.75 for children. $ 4.00 for adults (if you want the buffet that is available)
AMTRAK
For group reservations, call 1-800-872-1477. (Groups of 15 or more)
Lakeland – Tampa 10:21 AM departure. 11:17 AM arrival
Tampa – Lakeland 4:38 PM departure. 5:11 PM arrival
ONE WAY: Adults $ 10:00, Children $ 5.00 ROUND TRIP: Adults $ 16.00, Children $ 8.00
The cost may vary according to holidays, etc.
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