How to Cover the Cost of a Field Trip
Field trips can be an important part of the learning experience for a child and are admittedly some of the child's favorite days to go to school. However, the cost of the experience can leave a parent or even the school a little strapped for cash. No one wants a child to miss out on an engaging learning opportunity, so when planning for a field trip either as a teacher or as a parent, there are some things to consider and steps to follow to reduce the cost and make the program more accessible.
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Contact the field trip site and inquire about possible donor programs. Many historical sites and academic destinations such as museums offer programs that provide tickets for free or for discounted rates to students. Teachers should also inquire about group rates. Sometimes it may save parents and the school money if more than one class goes at a time.
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Apply for field trip grants. Parents should encourage teachers to look for field trip opportunities that have grant programs available for funding. For example, the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles has a program that awards U.S. educators up to $800 to fund a field trip to the museum for their students.
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Ask the city council if they have a charter bus program that offers the use of a free bus. Many cities have a program where parents and educators can contact the city government office and ask for the individual that handles charter bus programs. In Los Angeles, you can go to www.lacity.org and click on "My Neighborhood" where you will find information about the program and how to contact the appropriate city personnel.
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Encourage children to take part in field trip fundraising. Many schools already offer programs that have students sell things like candy and calendars to help pay for their end of the year field trip. For those schools that don't already have this option, parents should encourage educators to institute the program to cut down on costs and make the trip more accessible. One example is the American Traditions Baskets Program, which has students sell wicker baskets to raise profits for an annual field trip.
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Tips & Warnings
Parents can also contact the school and ask about programs for students who need extra funding help.
