- Elementary students are very curious. If something catches their attention, they may wander off to examine it more closely. Thus, train students to walk with a partner and tell all students to let a teacher know if a partner is missing. Also, teachers should frequently do a head count to ensure all students are present on the field trip.
- Parents magazine states that "Up to 8 percent of children experience peanut allergies." Send a note home to all parents that students must not bring peanut products or any other banned food on the field trip. Be vigilant as students enter snack time to ensure that students have not brought peanut products for a snack. Talk to the school nurse before the trip about procedures to handle a student experiencing a peanut allergy and in crisis.
- Some children can have a strong, life-threatening reaction to a bee sting. If a child is aware they are allergic to bee stings, the school nurse may be asked to accompany a field trip or a parent may attend the trip, so someone with authority can administer the epinephrine auto-injector shot needed to stop a bee sting from causing harm to a student with a bee allergy. Some students are not aware that a bee sting can cause a medical crisis. Thus, teachers and parents on a trip must be vigilant to any signs of a child in distress and seek immediate medical care. Some spider bites may also cause a medical crisis which will require immediate medical care for the student.
- Teachers must bring all medical records for the students on the trip. If a student has seizures or asthma attacks the teacher in charge should pay close attention to these students to ensure they are not in the midst of a medical crisis. Know where the nearest hospital is while on a field trip and have a phone available to call an ambulance if needed.
- Some students try to be a bit more boisterous on field trips than they normally are in the classroom. Keep a close eye on students to ensure some students are not harassing other students. Take any problematic student aside and warn he or she that parents will be called if they continue to act up on the field trip.
- Elementary school children are always vulnerable to kidnapping attempts, especially while on a field trip. Thus before the trip begins inform all students who the teachers and volunteers on the trip will be and tell them they must not speak with any other strangers while going about the activities of the field trip. Teachers and volunteers must also be wary of any unknown adults loitering near the children while the group goes about the field trip activities. Keep the children away from unknown strangers. Monitor the children closely and keep the group moving along to activities; unplanned time is problematic on field trips. If any child is missing, notify the police immediately. Also ask people in the nearby area to stay there until the police arrive so they may provide any information they may have about a possible kidnapping incident. Bring a school yearbook on the field trip so if a photo of any child is needed to identify them to the police it is available immediately.
- Give all children clear instructions, in writing, of what to do if they get lost on a field trip. At the beginning of an activity in a new location, inform the group where they are to go if they become lost or separated from the group. Carry a cell phone and give all students on the trip the cell phone number so if a child is lost they may call the teacher if the student has a cell phone. Tell students to never leave the building they are in if they become lost. Train students to know what to do if they find themselves lost during a field trip. Taking the time to clearly instruct students what to do if lost may help students avert a crisis if they find themselves alone and apart from the group on a field trip.
