field trip ideas during covid

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12 Virtual Field Trips Your Kids Can Take

Verywell / Caitlin Rogers

• Art and Culture

History and Social Studies

Though nothing can ever match the experience of going on a field trip to explore something in the real world, a virtual field trip can come close. Popularized at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual field trips for kids are likely here to stay. They offer families and schools a chance to allow kids to explore a world-class museum or monument without having to schedule travel or spend a mint. In fact, these virtual field trips are free!

So, if you have a free morning or afternoon and want to keep curious kids busy, head to one of these virtual field trip sites. A virtual tour can be a learning experience in itself or help families decide where they want to travel to next.

Art and Culture 

If your child has always had an interest in the arts or you find that they are looking to draw or color something new, then these options below may be a great choice for your kid.

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Whether you’re obsessed with fashion, sculpture, music, or poetry, The Metropolitan Museum of Art has a virtual tour for you. With online and in-person exhibits made viewable thanks to Google’s street view cameras, you can make your way through museum rooms or photo galleries full of art to admire. 

This tour is presented in partnership with Google's Arts & Culture program, which features tours from museums large and small, all around the world. Visit cool collections and classic artworks without leaving your home.

The Blue House Frida Kahlo Museum

We can’t decide what’s more fun to look at in this virtual tour of The Blue House , a museum dedicated to Frida Kahlo: the art itself or the architecture housing it, which ranges from brightly painted houses and walls to lush greenery and fascinating trees.

Of course, the museum is also the place where she lived, died, and created much of her work—so you get up close and personal with Frida Kahlo the artist and Frida Kahlo the woman. 

The National Gallery of Art 

Scrolling through photos of art in a museum online isn’t that different from looking at them in a book—unless you're taking a virtual field trip to The National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC!

This museum has found a way to make viewing art interactive. With its children’s video tours, it brings 50 different historic pieces of art to life in just a few minutes, including audio effects, narration, and close-up shots of the details featured in each work.

There are also conversation starters about art, a guided video tour of Stuart Davis’ work hosted by John Lithgow, and an interactive app for kids. 

Got a future paleontologist, zoologist, or "Bill Nye the Science Guy" on your hands? For kids obsessed with animals, outer space, dinosaurs, chemical reactions, or how the world works, these science field trips are engaging and educational.

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

If your child is interested in learning about the natural environment and the organisms that inhabit it, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is a great option. Current, past, and permanent exhibits are included in this virtual tour, which allows you to navigate through the museum using your device or to click on different areas to visit on an interactive map.

There is even a series of narrated tours on video for kids who want to dive deep into a topic (like megalodons). The 360 degree images on this tour are crystal clear, making it feel like you are really there!

San Diego Zoo

Not only does the web site for the San Diego Zoo feature exhibit cams and zookeeper-hosted videos of many of its animal residents, but it’s also a great resource for animal crafts, online games, and fact-based infographics about different species. It’s more than just tuning into a live cam; it’s a virtual visit that gets close to being as fun as the real deal.

Seattle Aquarium

The Seattle Aquarium is a mecca for marine biologists-in-training. Check out what kinds of exhibits the aquarium houses on location through live cams, activities, and fact sheets, then head over to YouTube , where staff host a virtual field trip by walking-and-talking you through several of the species native to the Puget Sound that spend their days inside the aquarium.

Farm Food 360

Is your kid curious about how chickens, cows, or pigs are raised? No problem! At Farm Food 360 , you can read about how more than a dozen Canadian farms are run and watch a series of videos about each one, explaining everything from how a farmer spends their day to environmental sustainability of modern-day farms. 

Johnson Space Center

Mini Neil Armstrongs should check out the Johnson Space Center online for aerospace education opportunities. Boeing and Discovery Education host two virtual field trips on space exploration: Innovating the Future and ecoAction.

Both trips consist of a video series and companion educator guides, so you can apply your newfound knowledge over the course of a few days’ worth of lesson plans and activities . 

Museum of Science

The Museum of Science , a Boston-based science hub, is worth a trip at some point in your life. Until you can get to Boston, the museum is hosting virtual content, including live animal demonstrations to chats about current science events to planetarium tours.

If your kid's life goals include becoming president of the United States, these field trips focused on American history, civics, and notable landmarks will be right up their educational alley.

Ellis Island

Whatever country your family tree can be traced back to, it's likely that you have some kind of connection to Ellis Island . Through Scholastic’s website, you can take a 30-minute virtual tour of Ellis Island and follow it up with an interactive story and photo tour, diaries of real young immigrants, and colorful charts and bar graphs depicting important statistics about immigration through the decades.

Yellowstone National Park

You can go on virtual “walks” through Yellowstone National Park in a series of videos on the National Park Service’s website. When you’re done, dig deeper into fascinating areas of the park—like Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Geyser Basin—by reading about their histories, taking guided photo tours, and exploring their landmarks on an interactive map.

Mount Rushmore

You've seen Mount Rushmore in history books, but that didn't get you as close to Teddy Roosevelt’s left nostril as you hoped! Never fear: you can go on a "deep dive" (pun intended) on this virtual tour of the famous American landmark.

Featuring a 3D explorer, a 360 degree virtual tour, and a video about how the landmark has been digitally preserved over the years, you can get a good look at the true size and scale of this impressive monument—and learn a little about history, too.

By Sarah Bradley Sarah Bradley has been writing parenting content since 2017, after her third son was born. Since then, she has expanded her expertise to write about pregnancy and postpartum, childhood ages and stages, and general health conditions, including commerce articles for health products. Because she has been homeschooling her sons for seven years, she is also frequently asked to share homeschooling tips, tricks, and advice for parenting sites.

The Miraculous Comeback of the Field Trip

What we can learn from a group of third graders on their first school outing since the start of the pandemic

This article was featured in One Story to Read Today, a newsletter in which our editors recommend a single must-read from The Atlantic , Monday through Friday. Sign up for it here.

You could hear them getting antsy through the bus windows. “I want to see a meerkat!” “Finally, I get to feel my feet!” And a deeper voice, just as emphatic: “SIT! DOWN!” It was a little after 10 a.m. on May 6 when three busloads of third graders poured out into the heat of a dusty parking lot at Out of Africa, a wildlife park about 90 miles north of Phoenix, Arizona. As a billboard had promised us on I-17, here in the high desert scrub, next to the Yavapai County jail: Adventure awaits.

After a year of Zoom school, followed by another year of mostly in-person learning characterized by stringent masking, constant hand sanitizing, and extended absences because of COVID-19 cases and possible exposures, the Academy of Math & Science Glendale had finally taken the plunge and returned to field trips. Now some 140 third graders were milling about, awaiting their next round of instructions in the unending sequence of logistics involved in a school outing.

AMS Glendale, a charter school in a working-class suburb of Phoenix, is more than two-thirds Hispanic; many parents are immigrants. About 80 percent of the students qualify for free- or reduced-price lunch. For most of the kids, this was their first field trip since before the pandemic; for some, it was their first field trip ever; for a few, it was their very first taste of Arizona beyond the edge of Phoenix’s sprawl. The school had been building anticipation for weeks with lessons about mammals and vertebrates, and a “habitat diorama” project planned for the kids’ return. I doubted whether Out of Africa, with its chain-link fencing and lethargic rhino, was the best place to learn about habitats, but the value of an outing to break the kids’ collective cabin fever was impossible to miss.

Field trips have been on the decline in American schools since well before the pandemic, much like art and music classes, and even recess. Administrators cite the usual culprits: money, instructional time. And research about the educational value of visiting zoos and museums has been mixed—sometimes kids aren’t even aware of what teachers hope for them to learn. But another strand of scholarship broadens the lens: It may be less important to absorb the particulars of what makes an ungulate an ungulate than it is to simply lay eyes on a giraffe, and, as a result, find yourself more interested in science than you were the day before.

Read: Why the demise of the field trip is bad news

One parent-chaperone joked that the years of cancellations and postponements during the pandemic have felt more like dog years in terms of child development. He was talking about his sons’ three missed seasons of Little League, but for children this age, the pandemic lines up, roughly, with not just the years when they learn to catch and throw but also the years they learn to read and write, ride a bike, tie shoes, establish deeper friendships, and develop a sense of self outside their parents’ orbit. A field trip couldn’t compensate for the long months of learning over a bad Wi-Fi connection. But it did promise to deliver a jolt of what parents told me their kids have missed: socialization, time outdoors, and a break from the pandemic doldrums.

We’d missed the turnoff for a planned bathroom break on the drive up, and now chaperones were eyeing a bank of porta-potties nervously as the kids squirmed. When I asked if she was excited for the occasion, Miley, shuffling in her patent-leather boots and bobbing a head full of twists, couldn’t yet focus on the attraction at hand—“It’s just another day until I get to use the bathroom.” Her classmates giggled in agreement. Half the charm of a field trip is in the waiting: the bus rides, the snacks, the jumbling of the social order as a school gets transposed onto a new environment. Standing in line to get into the park, Miley and her friends tested one another on the proper pronunciation of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious . The moment when this are-we-there-yet energy transformed into full-on catharsis finally came when we boarded a park bus inside the gates for a loop of the Serengeti section, where, we were told, we’d get to feed a giraffe.

After a quick advisory on volume control, we rumbled forward, each clutching tiny sprigs of acacia leaves. Around a bend, Pilgrim came into view, towering over a fence beside the road: 23 feet of legs and neck covered in brown puzzle pieces, somehow both muscular and gangly. The row behind me let out an electric squeal, and the driver crackled over the loudspeaker, telling us to wave our acacia around outside the windows. Bracketing for a moment the question of whether a life of being hand-fed by screaming children in an enclosure on the juniper savanna is a good and humane one for a giraffe, the next 60 seconds were an ear-splitting assault of juvenile joy. The giraffe bent low and unfurled a gigantic black tongue, plucking the wisps of cool, green acacia from outstretched hands to choruses of “Oh my God!!!”

And yet I wondered whether the thrill owed more to the giraffes or to the social outlet provided by such a concentrated dose of other kids. When a squirrel crept along the fence line to see what the fracas was about, one student shouted, “The squirrel! The squirrel!” This pattern repeated itself throughout the day as we explored the park on foot—outbursts of euphoria triggered by things that seemed impossibly mundane. Yes, the kids screamed at the baby tigers splashing around a shallow pond with their handlers, but they screamed just as loudly at the sight of lizards crossing the road, a daily sight in Phoenix at this time of year. I remembered how invigorated I’d felt on the few occasions in the past year when I’d been surrounded by the freewheeling energy of a crowd—high in the stands at a WNBA game or dancing at a friend’s wedding. In this case, the crowd was one the kids saw almost every day, but schools are like airports or offices; your visits unfold on somebody else’s terms. Here, perhaps for the first time in years, they were out in force and (relatively) free to set their own agenda.

On the way up, I rode in the back seat of a Chevy Suburban as the fifth wheel to a group of chaperones—three mothers and an aunt—who pulled up photos from the school-bus convoy that teachers had uploaded in real time on an app called ClassDojo. Dalia Garcia said that her daughter Elena had woken up at 5 a.m.: “Today is the excursión !” Ana Laura Santiago and Katia Duran, sisters with daughters born a day apart, said that their children had been talking about it all week. Santiago adopted the tone of a child paraphrasing Very Serious Orders from her teacher. “I have to finish my homework, because if I don’t, I won’t be able to go on my field trip.”

Gauging exactly what we’ve asked kids to give up throughout the pandemic is hard. Fully grasping COVID-19’s impact on school learning and child care—to say nothing of the illnesses and deaths of millions—will take decades. But the lessons we take from childhood experiences can veer sharply from what adults might expect. My informal poll of students crowned Zoom school a clear winner over in-person classes, for reasons only third graders would think of: “You can’t get sent to the office”; “You can sneak onto YouTube”; “You can turn off your camera to go … ”—here, my respondent mimed the bliss of nodding off in class. It’s possible that they were serious. For an 8-year-old, the sacrifices and disruptions of the pandemic have now colored more than a quarter of their life, and perhaps as much as half of the time that they actually remember.

Even parents who professed relief at the strong return-to-normal energy of an all-day field trip acknowledged that it required some adjustment from them too. During the past school year, Alyssa Gastelum told me that she had felt mounting anxiety over the fact that her daughter, Melyssa, an only child living with her mom and grandparents, was “only around adults.” But she got emotional when she heard that the field trip would take Melyssa an hour and a half from home. “It was excitement, and then a little bit of fear,” she said. “I wasn’t comfortable with her being so far away.” Chaperoning was, for her, a kind of trip back to the realm of parenting in normal circumstances, a chance to get used to seeing Melyssa venture farther afield.

Maria González had left Yuma, a farming town on the Mexican border, at 4 a.m. to meet her granddaughter on the field trip, and at the end of the day she waited in the shade of a juniper tree until she was sure her nieta was safely back on the school bus. “This is very good to restore the confidence of the kids,” González said, keeping her eyes on the idling bus. “They finally feel a bit free—running around, not wearing a mask. Kids will pick up on the confidence we project.” Her own children had lost patience with COVID-19 precautions, but she still wore a mask, and her nieta did too, at least when she was hanging out with grandma. Today, though, it felt good to put the pandemic out of mind.

8 virtual field trips for STEM education

Top 10 of 2021: in-person field trips aren't possible during the pandemic, but virtual field trips offer fun learning experiences for students.

Each year, we share our 10 most-read stories. Not surprisingly, many of this year’s Top 10 focused on student engagement and online or hybrid learning strategies related to pandemic teaching. This year’s 6th most-read story focuses on how virtual field trips can engage even the most reluctant STEM learners.

It’s January. Winter break is over, and the rest of the school year–whether in person, hybrid, or virtual–seems never-ending. And while traditional field trips are on pause while COVID still spreads, virtual field trips are still very much possible.

Hands-on STEM subjects are challenging to teach when students aren’t in the classroom all the time, and student engagement is also a challenge during COVID. Virtual field trips address both of these persistent roadblocks.

Virtual field trips can help students get a front-row look at STEM outside of the classroom. Where can those engineering concepts you learn during school take you in adulthood? Is it possible to be creative in a STEM career?

Here are some virtual field trips highlighting STEM careers and experiences:

1. Slime in Space : What happens when you send Nickelodeon slime to the International Space Station? That’s exactly what a group of NASA astronauts set out to answer, and we want you and your kids to come along for the ride! This free 15-minute virtual field trip will take kids 250 miles above earth to see how slime, and water, react in a microgravity environment. It’s truly out of this world!

2. Innovation Generation : Transport students beyond the walls of the classroom and into a Stanley Black & Decker Makerspace where making and doing is a way of life! Inspire your students to be agents of innovation. Working alongside the experts of the Stanley Black & Decker Makerspace, students will see and experience first-hand how math, science, technology, creativity and teamwork can lead to technological advancements in our everyday lives.

3. Internet of Things: Infinite Possibilities Virtual Field Trip : The Internet of Things refers to a collection of computing devices – such as smart speakers, thermostats and sensors –which are connected to a network to allow for an improved real-time data to better manage two of the most critical resources to humanity: energy and water. Students will get an exciting look at how the internet they use in their everyday lives can be used to conserve natural resources, protect ecosystems, and create safer, more sustainable communities.

4. ecoAction Virtual Field Trip : We’re traveling to Seattle to see how Boeing is incorporating sustainable practices and innovations as they pertain to sustainable air travel, natural resource preservation, water quality control, and waste management. Follow along to learn some easy ways you and your community can be sustainable, too!

5. Girls Get Stem – Unleash Your Inner Scientist : Have your classroom join us as we experience a brand-new kind of camp – it’s not just swimming, sun, and s’mores – but STEM! Tune in to transport students to the STEM Center of Excellence where STEM will come to life in new and unexpected ways.

6. Gray, Green, Blue: Water Security and YOU! : People, businesses and industries, recreation, waste removal, transport, nature, and even lawn care all require water. Making sure there’s enough reliable, clean water for the health and livelihoods of people and natural environments is what we mean by water security, and it is one of the biggest challenges we face. Learn how nature can play a role in ensuring water security and what YOU can do to help!

7. The National Museum of Computing : The museum has virtually opened its doors for anyone to visit and take a tour of the world’s largest collection of working historic computers. Wherever you live, you can now journey through the history of modern computing from its very beginnings to the present day–from the comfort of a PC or device. You can stroll through our new, virtual experience–unguided or with one of the museum’s experts for a live, virtual tour where you will gain first-hand insight and knowledge about the 50,000 artifacts in the museum’s unique collection.

8. Museum of Science Virtual Field Trips : Students can talk with experts, observe leafcutter ants in action, discover the science behind Pixar Animation Studios, explore and identify animal skills, and more.

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• Safe outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic doesn't have to halt all of your outdoor fun. Here are several fun outdoor activities you can still enjoy.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected activities for many people. With COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and treatment, events and travel are coming back in many places.

But as waves of COVID-19 cases, also called outbreaks, happen, it's important to stay flexible with your plans.

Despite the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there's still plenty of fun to be had. In fact, seeking out fun activities may be even more important now. Doing something you enjoy can distract you from problems. And it can help you cope with life's challenges.

Depending on the weather where you live, many activities may be available. Heading outdoors can be a good way to have fun safely, no matter what COVID-19 cases look like in your community.

Why choose outdoor activities?

It's much harder to catch the virus that causes COVID-19 when you are outside.

The COVID-19 virus is mainly spread from person to person among those in close contact. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets from your lungs, mouth and nose. These droplets are released into the air when you talk, cough, speak, breath or sneeze.

In small places or spaces with air flow, also called ventilation, that is poor, the COVID-19 virus can stay in the air for minutes or hours.

When you're outside, fresh air is always moving, scattering these droplets. So, you're less likely to breathe in enough of the respiratory droplets that have the virus that causes COVID-19 to get the virus.

Places at high risk of COVID-19 spread are those that have a high number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 or a high number of new COVID-19 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In areas of medium or high risk, the CDC suggests people wear well-fitted masks indoors in public, among other tactics.

The CDC and other health agencies also suggest that outdoor group activities are less risky than indoor ones in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 .

Outdoor activities that are near where you live and allow plenty of space between you and others pose a lower risk of spread of the COVID-19 virus than indoor activities do.

Being outside offers other benefits, too. It offers an emotional boost and can help you feel less tense, stressed, angry or depressed. And sunlight can give your body vitamin D, too.

Low-risk ways to move more

Coming into close contact with people who don't live with you makes your risk of being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 go up. Keep in mind low-risk ways to be around people if your area is considered at medium or high risk of spreading the COVID-19 virus. In general, any activity that allows you to keep your distance from others is a lower risk activity.

You can enjoy many activities close to home, whether you're visiting your favorite public, state or national park. Or you may even be spending time in your neighborhood. Some activities may not be possible during some seasons. But there are many ways to be active outdoors throughout the year. Get moving with outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Walking, running and hiking.
• Rollerblading and biking.
• Fishing and hunting.
• Rock or ice climbing.
• Kayaking, canoeing, diving, boating or sailing.
• Skiing, including cross-country and downhill skiing.
• Ice skating.
• Snowboarding.
• Snowshoeing.
• Fitness classes, held outside or virtually, that allow distance.

Choose routes that make it easy to keep your distance. If you live in an area with a medium or high risk of spread of the COVID-19 virus, the CDC suggests that you wear a well-fitted mask indoors in public. Don't wear a mask during activities in which it might get wet, such as swimming.

And don't let cold weather stop you from being active outdoors! Dress in layers. Protect your head, hands and feet. Then head outside for a winter hike or go cross-country skiing. And aim to keep a positive mindset about winter. This may help you to enjoy the season and winter activities more.

Low-risk social activities

Depending on your location and the weather, many other outdoor activities can be good low-risk choices:

• Picnics. Pack food from home. Or pick up takeout from your favorite restaurant or food truck. In some places, you might be able to have food delivered to you. Take it to enjoy at your favorite public park. Or eat out on your patio or deck.
• Outdoor farmers markets. Wear a mask when in crowded areas where it's hard to keep your distance from others.
• Outdoor movies. Either at a drive-in theater or a community event, watching movies outdoors is something many people can enjoy together with plenty of physical distance.

Low- to moderate-risk outdoor activities

Some of these activities may not be available in all seasons and locations. But take advantage of them when the weather permits. Some ideas include:

• Restaurant patio dining. Outdoor patio dining at uncrowded restaurants where patio tables are spaced apart is safer than indoor dining. Keep your distance from people in other areas of the restaurant. Avoid self-service food and drink options. And remember to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer when you enter and leave.

Camping. If you only have close contact only with people you live with, camping is low risk.

If you camp with people outside your household, camp in separate tents spaced away from each other. Avoid sharing camping supplies, including food and drinks. Pack hand soap, hand sanitizer, and supplies to clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces.

• Swimming pools and beaches. Close contact with others, not water itself, can make these activities risky. Water itself doesn't spread the virus that causes COVID-19 to people.

Gathering with small groups of friends. Allow for social distancing between people from different households, and meet outdoors in small groups. Skip the hugs and handshakes. Plan activities that don't need close contact, such as sidewalk chalk for kids and games such as kickball. And bring hand sanitizer.

Keep in mind that just getting together for a chat at a safe distance can offer a valuable opportunity to be with people you care about. And it can boost your mood at the same time.

• Boating with friends. Canoeing, kayaking or rowing with people outside your household is riskier than doing these activities with only those from your own household.
• Barbecues, campfires and outdoor potlucks. Grill out on the patio. Or if the weather is cool, bundle up in warm clothes and sit around a fire pit. In general, keep your gathering small and keep distance from others. Plan activities that don't need close contact. Wash your hands when you come and go from the gathering.
• Sports and sporting events. Contact sports, such as wrestling and basketball, carry more COVID-19 risk than other options. Tennis, baseball, softball and soccer pose less risk because players can keep physical distance. It's important for spectators, players and coaches to keep their distance too. Wearing a mask that fits and is comfortable when at crowded events can prevent you from getting or spreading the virus that causes COVID-19 . And use hand sanitizer. Ensure you have enough space between you and other spectators, whether you're standing, sitting in chairs or sharing bleachers.

High-risk outdoor activities

Risk increases with how long you spend with others. It also increases if someone who has COVID-19 was near you and coughing or doing an activity such as singing.

Being in large gatherings or crowds of people where it's difficult to stay a safe distance apart poses the highest risk. The larger the group and the longer people are together in these situations, the higher the risk. Weddings, festivals and parades are examples.

Think safety and enjoyment

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it's important to take care of yourself and those around you. Practice precautions. It's important to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. Test for COVID-19 if you have symptoms. And cancel plans if someone may be sick.

When you are out, wash your hands often. Avoid touching your face. If you live in an area with a high risk of COVID-19 , wear a well-fitted mask. If you are at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19 , wear a mask when you are in an area that has a medium or high level of risk of COVID-19 .

At the same time, well-being also includes doing things that make life worth living. With the right information, you can make thoughtful choices about ways to bring a sense of normalcy and joy to your life during the ups and downs of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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• Questions relating to food consumers. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/question-and-answers-hub/q-a-detail/questions-relating-to-consumers?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0KuIypKd6gIVy8DACh1RiwVTEAAYASAAEgI7w_D_BwE. Accessed June 22, 2020.
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Considerations for wearing cloth face coverings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprevent-getting-sick%2Fcloth-face-cover.html. Accessed June 22, 2020.
• Slowing the spread of COVID-19. National Recreation and Park Association. https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/Three-Pillars/health-wellness/coronavirus-disease-2019/slowing-the-spread-of-covid-19/. Accessed June 22, 2020.
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Considerations for events and gatherings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/considerations-for-events-gatherings.html. Accessed June 22, 2020.
• Poland GA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. May 26, 2020.
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Considerations for community-based organizations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/community-based.html. Accessed June 22, 2020.
• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Youth sports program FAQs. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports-faq.html. Accessed June 22, 2020.
• Suggestions for youth and summer camps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/summer-camps.html. Accessed June 22, 2020.

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Bring Back In-Person Field Trips. Here’s Why

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Just as peak field trip season was set to get underway in the spring of 2020, the pandemic hit. Schools, and the cultural institutions and countless other organizations that normally welcome K-12 students for experiential learning, closed their doors.

“The pandemic was absolutely devastating for field trips. They went off a cliff, even when schools went back to in-person,” said Susie Wilkening, principal of Wilkening Consulting, a Seattle-based audience research firm.

Statistics bear this out. In the spring of 2023, Wilkening Consulting and the American Alliance of Museums conducted a survey of 340 museum directors from around the country on post-pandemic visitation. Forty percent of respondents reported that they continued to experience lower on-site visitation from K-12 teachers and students.

Several factors may be keeping schools from venturing back to in-person field trips. Virtual field trips rose in popularity during the pandemic, allowing students to glimpse educational sites as far-flung as the Egyptian pyramids or the Louvre art museum in Paris from the comfort of their homes or classrooms—and those opportunities still exist.

Logistics and funding may also be preventing schools from returning to on-site field trips. Educational researchers have suggested that some schools prioritize putting resources toward activities that may improve student achievement on standardized tests over experiences like field trips, whose results aren’t as quantifiable. That may especially be the case for schools struggling to help students recover from pandemic-era learning declines.

The argument for doing field trips again

But a growing body of research, advocacy from some district-level officials, and anecdotes from students provide compelling reasons for bringing back in-person field trips.

Lin Tajeken Jeufack, a high school junior at Kenwood High School in Maryland’s Baltimore County schools, vividly recalls how a 6th grade field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore that offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse into husbandry of aquatic animals planted an idea in her head about one day becoming a marine biologist.

Lin described testing the water in the animal tanks, peering under a microscope in an onsite laboratory at the aquarium, and learning about a profession she knew little about. The 16-year-old, who is now enrolled in her school’s International Baccalaureate program, volunteers at a local hospital, and says she’s leaning toward majoring in math in college, though she hasn’t ruled out a career in marine biology. Lin still welcomes the opportunity to attend in-person field trips—like a recent outing to the Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, an art museum that features a “Giant Heart” exhibit that allows visitors to walk through the organ’s enormous, lifelike chambers.

“I think students feel safer now [post-pandemic],” said Lin. “We have a really tough course load; we’re always working. It’s good for us to get away from school for a little while.”

Field trips are especially beneficial for disadvantaged students

The lasting benefits of field trips don’t necessarily register in students’ consciousness at the moment of the visit. But these experiential outings have been proven to increase student interest in, knowledge about, and motivation to study subject matter to which they’re exposed, according to a sweeping, decade-old report by Ohio University researchers on field trips. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds tend to reap the biggest benefits from these experiences, as they are less likely to have the opportunity to engage in these activities outside of school-sponsored trips.

That’s not lost on Kadee Anstadt, superintendent/CEO of Washington Local Schools in Toledo, Ohio, who’s committed to ensuring that the students in her high-poverty district take field trips routinely.

“We are quite intentional now about the breadth of experiences we are offering our students,” said Anstadt, who recently established what she refers to as “superinten-dates,” in which she personally takes groups of students on field trips they likely wouldn’t otherwise experience.

“As an urban district, our kids sometimes don’t get to see their larger community. We’ve been to the Detroit Auto Show, to hear a Holocaust survivor, experienced the Toledo Opera, and taken the entire junior class to the Henry Ford Museum,” she said.

Some of the field trips students in the Washington Local Schools take are culturally enriching; others, practical. The district has developed a partnership with two local YMCA branches in which every 2nd grader receives eight water safety lessons.

“This ensures our kids know the dangers of a pool, pond, or lake, and also know how to get help if they need it. Some learn to swim during this time. For so many, it’s the first time they’ve ever been in a pool,” said Anstadt.

Since last year, more than 1,000 of the district’s approximately 7,000 students have received the lessons.

Fish hatcheries, hiking, ice fishing, and Native American landmarks

Laurie Barron, superintendent of the Evergreen school district in Montana, shares a philosophy on experiential field trips similar to Anstadt’s—but with vastly different surroundings to explore.

“We are in northwestern Montana bordering Glacier National Park, a recreation mecca,” said Barron, reeling off a number of recreational and cultural resources available within a quick bus trip: fish hatcheries, hiking, ice fishing, skiing, forestry opportunities, and Native American landmarks.

Barron says administrators aim for younger students in the K-8 district to go on between two and four trips per year, a number that increases to six to eight trips by the time students reach 8th grade.

“We love for them to have several off-campus opportunities each year, experiencing the great west Montana outdoors. It’s very relevant and easy to connect that to our curriculum and content,” Barron said. “And students remember a lot more that way than just reading about places in a book.”

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Ideas for virtual field trips and backyard fun with kids, as coronavirus closures continue

Please, just stay home.

Right now, the best thing we can do to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus is practice social distancing, i.e. sit on our butts at home. Flatten that curve.

Spending this much time at home is a major challenge if you have young children and you’re used to hitting the library/playground/toddler gym circuit. We’ve got ideas for how to fill the days with safe and fun — even educational — activities so your kids don’t drive you completely nuts. #WeGotThisSeattle

(If all else fails, you can get a seven-day free trial of Disney+, which just released “Frozen II.”)

Take a virtual field trip

The Pacific Science Center is a family favorite and you can still visit, albeit online. Watch a live science demo about combustion or monster sound on YouTube . Other resources include educational worksheets, activities and hands-on experiments.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is featuring a new animal every day on Facebook Live. So far, viewers have met Fiona the hippo, Rico the Brazilian porcupine and Sihil the ocelot. You can ask questions if you watch it live (every day at noon); the episodes are also archived on the zoo’s site.

“Walk” through art museums around the world , from the Guggenheim in New York to the Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The virtual tours use Google street view technology, so it’s a little clunky, but you’re getting a lot of art and culture for free from the comfort of your couch.

Are you more of an outdoors person? Google Arts & Culture lets you explore five national parks , from the Nahuku Lava Tube in Hawai’i to the Kenai Fjords in Alaska, for free. Each virtual tour leads with a stunning video introduction, followed by a 360-degree image you can poke around in. Unlike the museum tours, these are narrated so your kids have no choice but to learn some geology.

How about an out-of-this-world story time? NASA astronauts read children’s books while in orbit — you’ll see the astronauts’ ponytails and the book floating around. For a deeper look at outer space, NASA’s image and video library is open to the public, searchable and absolutely free.

Backyard fun

I highly recommend getting this $15 Stomp Rocket . Ours has paid for itself a hundred times over. It’s easy enough for preschoolers to operate by themselves, and entertaining enough that bigger kids will line up for a turn.

Make an outdoor mud kitchen . It doesn’t need to be Pinterest-perfect; it just needs to have water, dirt and some foil tins and used containers.

Bring some magic to your backyard with a fairy garden in a bird bath or on a tree stump. Set up a miniature home and tell stories about the tiny people who live there.

No backyard? How about a balcony? Bubbles are easy and cost next to nothing. All you need is a bucket, warm water and dish soap (Dawn or Joy works best, not the generic knockoffs). Add a bent wire hanger or a plastic six-pack holder and watch your kids bubble over with happiness.

This story has been updated to remove mention of parks, to avoid overcrowding.

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Virtual Field Trips: Benefits and Resources for Schools

The move to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has forced educators to find new and innovative ways to deliver curriculum to their students. The virtual field trip has become a popular pedagogical strategy for connecting young people to enriching educational experiences from the comfort and safety of the classroom — or home.

Jasmin Poor, virtual field trip coordinator at Roper Mountain Science Center in Greenville, South Carolina, recently described the value of virtual field trips to ISTE conference attendees. Virtual field trips are not limited by distance and are typically more cost-effective than traditional in-person field trips. They eliminate the need for transportation, decrease lost instruction time spent on travel, and involve fewer safety concerns (no permission slips required). In addition, virtual field trips create enriching, interactive experiences that cater to students of all learning styles and expose them to diverse perspectives.

“Technology allows students to travel the world, both in time and space,” said Poor, who teaches elementary and middle school e-lessons. “I want to spark students’ curiosity so that they are inspired to go out and learn.”

It is important to note that virtual field trips are not without barriers. To participate in virtual field trips, educators and their students need internet access, a webcam (so the presenter can see the class), and a way to project an image on the whiteboard. Educators must also have a decent microphone and be aware that field trip content providers may be in a different time zone. Some virtual field trip providers also charge a small fee.

Web Resources

The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) offers free community learning programs for students of all ages every weekday at 1 p.m. ET. These virtual programs are typically 45 to 50 minutes and provide students and educators with opportunities to “visit” museums, national parks, zoos, aquariums and science centers.

WeAreTeachers.com compiled a list of the best virtual field trips available via YouTube and the web, including the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum and Farm Food 360 , which offers free 360-degree video tours of Canadian farms and the foods they produce. For literature and drama teachers, TheatreWorks USA is bringing exceptional theatrical experiences directly to homes and classrooms. The cost is typically five dollars per student. Math and science teachers will enjoy the National Museum of Mathematics , Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants and the Academy@Home series offered by the California Academy of Sciences . Finally, History.com has curated a list of the top 10 history museums to explore virtually, including the British Museum , which presents online exhibits and browsable archives of ancient treasures and artifacts. The American Battlefield Trust offers a variety of 360-degree virtual tours of American battlefields from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

Educators may also be able to locate virtual field trip opportunities in their state. Connect 2 Texas is a network of Texas-based educational content providers ― including museums, authors and cultural, historical and scientific organizations ― who use interactive videoconferencing to deliver live educational programs and professional development to students and educators across the country. Educators can use the site’s program filter to find free events by grade level and content area.

A variety of affordable subscription resources are also available. Field Trip Zoom and Streamable Learning deliver live and interactive learning experiences for K-12 educators, students and homeschoolers. Also, be sure to check out this collection of virtual field trip apps and websites from Common Sense Education and these tips for planning virtual field trips .

EBSCO Resources

In their research on environmental education field trip programs, Lee, Stern and Powell (2020) found that “factors influencing field trip success often occur before and after the trip” (p. 1000). They argue that pre-visit preparation and post-visit follow-up activities can enhance student learning outcomes and increase achievement.

EBSCO offers several resources that educators can integrate with virtual field trip activities:

1. integrate library databases into pre- and post-visit activities..

Explora , an easy-to-use search interface available for elementary, middle and high schools, is a great starting point for student research before virtual field trips commence. Topic Overviews provide background information on a variety of topics, and more than 60,000 videos from the Associated Press include primary source footage of people, places and events.

Science Reference Center includes thousands of full-length biographies of scientists, science videos and animations, a vast image collection including photographs from the world’s best nature and wildlife photographers, and infographics of 60 U.S. National Parks featuring historical facts and scientific data about each park’s size, topography, animals, plants and more.

History Reference Center contains thousands of primary source documents and over 80 hours of historical video to use in conjunction with virtual field trips related to U.S. and world history.

Attending a virtual theatre production or arranging a virtual author or poet visit for high school students? Familiarize them in advance with content from Literary Reference Center Plus and/or Poetry & Short Story Reference Center . These databases include thousands of full-text poems, short stories, plays, author biographies and more. Poetry & Short Story Reference Center also includes audio recordings of poets reading their works (and the works of other poets), high-quality videos from MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, and Poetry Showcases from The Paris Review .​​​

2. Incorporate virtual field trips into career exploration.

Assign students to learn about occupations that interest them using PrepSTEP for High Schools and Job & Career Accelerator . Then tap various professionals in your community to give online talks about their careers.

Interested in other resources EBSCO has for schools?

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During COVID-19: Field Trips and Site Visits

During this global health crisis, our maintaining safety as we go out in the field requires even more care and attention. Use this guide to help consider the ethics, risks, and opportunities of heading off-campus for class. Please also refer to the original Site Visits guide for additional detail.

Blue Page: During COVID-19: Field Trips and Site Visits

Blue Page: Overnight Trip Recommendations

Spring 2022 Travel Policy

Additional Resources Art Field Trip Liability Template Architecture Field Trip Liability Waiver Template Checklist for events with visitors during COVID-19

DO NO HARM; MINIMIZE RISKS 

We want to do no harm and minimize risks in the places we visit.

Protecting the Community A top priority in planning is ensuring the safety and well-being of community members and the general public, who may be more vulnerable than students. Is it possible to stay at a safe distance? What can you do to minimize contact between yourself and others? COVID-19 may be impacting the community you are visiting differently than your own. While you may be vaccinated and low-risk, that may not be true for others. Educate yourself about the structural inequalities and context.  

Do You Need to Go? Reflect on the purpose of your field work. There is a value in seeing a place first-hand and interacting with people. Are there suitable alternatives that are lower risk?

Flexibility and  Accommodation At this time, flexibility for students is recommended, particularly to accommodate students who are ill or quarantined. Field trips and travel may only be required with the permission of your director.

Communicate Clearly Communicate the requirements and expectations to all involved in advance, including students, community partners, and others involved. Clarify the current guidelines, and specify if masking and distancing are expected.

Requiring Field Trips We recommend flexibility around field trips and travel to accommodate students who may be ill, quarantined, or have concerns for personal health or safety. Field trips and travel may only be required for a course with the permission of the director.

INCLUDING THOSE WHO AREN’T HERE 

Students who can’t participate in field trips or site visits, due to health risks, isolation, or other factors, still need a way to get involved. Below are some suggestions to bringing them along in the experience.

Create a Video or Virtual Tour

Create a video tour of yourself visiting recommended sites, and encourage students to observe closely for important characteristics.

Utilize virtual platforms like ArcGIS StoryMaps and Google Earth Tour Builder to create an interactive tour that connects reading and other materials.

Pair Students Here and Away

Pair students who are able to go on a local field trip with those who cannot, and ask them to share investigation into the site.

Approval For Overnight Trips Group overnight travel must be approved by your chair and director prior to scheduling. Additional procedures are in place to promote safety.

FOLLOWING GUIDELINES

All WashU community members must follow the University and local guidelines for each municipality and/or site.

Check with local public health requirements such as gathering size and travel warnings.

– City of St. Louis Department of Health

– St. Louis County Information Center

– Missouri Health & Senior Services

Note the University’s Alert Level

Check WashU Together . If the University moves to a Red Alert, cancel your trip.

Plan ahead to limit risk

• Whenever possible, plan field trips that meet outdoors in a location where social distancing is possible.
• Communicate expectations around masking and distancing with guests and partners in advance.

Consider additional protection, especially indoors.

• Wearing masks with community members or partners from outside the University community while indoors and in crowded places.
• Maintaining distance from other people.
• Regularly sanitizing or washing your hands.

Additional guidelines on WashU Together .

All field trips must have travel time included during designated class time.

GET READY TO GO

Being fully prepared for a field trip will make everything run more smoothly.

Make a Plan and Share Widely Make sure you have informed everyone of the plan including:

• Transportation from place to place
• What clothing you’ll wear to be comfortably and respectfully dressed
• Sharing responsibilities with classmates
• Safety precautions
• Emergency plans and contacts
• Inclement weather plans
• Needed supplies including transit cards, identification, and recording tools

Sign Field Trip Waivers Field trip waivers are still required for all off-campus trips, regardless of distance. See the end of this page for more information.

Bring Supplies Be sure to bring along additional supplies such as masks and hand sanitizer.

Have a Record of Who’s There

Keep accurate records about who participates in field trips for the purpose of contact tracing. Read more about campus contact tracing here .

INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE 

While you’re out on site, you may encounter people going about their daily life. It is essential to reduce risk and do no harm to those you encounter.

Be Respectful of Others Preferences

If you are asked to comply with specific procedures by a community member beyond what you would normally do such as wearing a mask outdoors, be respectful of their tolerance for risk.

Be Ready to Set Boundaries

As you interact with people in public, such as on the sidewalk or in public, outdoor spaces, be prepared to ask for the necessary health boundaries. Practice saying “Could you stay six feet back from me please? I want to be sure to keep us both healthy.” or “Would you mind putting on your mask?”

Remove Yourself as Needed

If you are in a situation that feels unsafe or unhealthy, exit immediately and get to somewhere that you feel more comfortable. Do not engage in confrontations about mask usage, distance, or other health precautions; simply leave if you feel that anyone’s health or safety is at risk.

Have a Description

Decide as a group how you will talk about who you are, what you’re doing, and what will happen as a result of your work. Be consistent in identifying yourselves and setting expectations.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

Consultations

Contact the Office for Socially Engaged Practice or the Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community Engagement ( gephardtinstitute.wustl.edu ) for consultation about your particular class.

Other Blue Pages

Site Visits: In The Field . Going out in the world to see the site and location where you want to work is an essential part of understanding a project for a course. Use this guide to help consider the ethics, risks, and opportunities of heading off-campus for class.

Representing People: Photography & Visuals . Representation of people and places is powerful. The use of photography, drawings, and words communicates experiences, opinions, perspectives, and judgments about the people and places. Consider these guidelines for ethical representation.

Entering & Exiting Communities . This guide goes more in-depth on entering and exiting when working with a partner or a community. Think through the before, during, and after to create a safe and reciprocal experience for communities.

FIELD TRIP LIABILITY WAIVER 

All students participating in off-campus activities for class must complete a Field Trip Liability Waiver. Check with your faculty member to ensure you’ve completed this form.

Field Trip Liability Waivers should be completed for every individual field trip, rather than as a blanket for St. Louis trips. This allows for more accurate tracking of who participated in trips.

Waivers must be returned to the Registrar’s Office ( [email protected] ), in addition to the following contacts:

• Undergraduate courses : Kat Vendetti ( [email protected] )
• Graduate architecture courses : Mandy Wortmann ( [email protected] )
• Graduate art courses : Melissa Whitwam ( [email protected] )

Download the templates:

Art Field Trip Liability Waiver

Architecture Field Trip Liability Waiver

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Free printable Mother's Day questionnaire 💐!

40 Amazing Educational Virtual Field Trips

No permission slips needed.

Virtual field trips are a game changer. Not only do they fill in for real field trips when budgets and other roadblocks prevent in-person options, but virtual field trips also open doors to educational experiences all over the country and the world, both past and present. No fundraising or permission slips required!

(Note: For anyone who needs it, YouTube offers a closed-captioning option. Just click the CC button in the bottom right-hand corner.)

1. Amazon Career Tours

Amazon Career Tours are free virtual field trips that inspire students to pursue careers of the future. Tour whenever, wherever on Kahoot! Each tour comes with a Teacher Toolkit that includes a facilitation guide and student worksheets.

• (New!) Amazon Music: Careers Behind the Beats : From studio to streaming, check out how computer science and amazing professionals make listening to your favorite songs possible.
• Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour : Explore how packages get delivered at lightning speed and how computer science, engineering, and real people work together to make the magic happen. 
• Data Center Tour 1: Uncovering Cloud Computing : Do students know what “the cloud” actually is? Find out how we went from renting movies at the store to streaming them from anywhere at any time.
• Data Center Tour 2: Keeping Data Safe and Sustainable : Discover the infrastructure that keeps your information safe and sustainable while diving into data careers of the future.
• Space Innovation Tour : Students will learn about the amazing technology on board the Orion spacecraft in NASA’s Artemis I flight test and hear from the engineers who made it all possible.

There are so many amazing online options when it comes to zoos that we couldn’t narrow it down to just one. Most zoos have live webcams in some of their most popular exhibits, such as the KC Zoo Polar Bear Cam and the Giant Panda Cam at Smithsonian’s National Zoo . However, some zoos offer a more in-depth look. You’ll definitely want to check out the San Diego Zoo as their site for kids includes behind-the-scenes videos and stories, as well as a variety of printable activities and online games. Check out our full list of virtual zoo goodness.

3. The Aquarium

It’s a similar story with aquariums. You have your pick of live webcams, but our favorites are the Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager webcam (wait for the whale shark!) and the “Jelly Cam” at Monterey Bay Aquarium (so soothing). The Seattle Aquarium even has a 30-minute video tour . Want more under-the-sea fun? Here’s our ultimate list of virtual aquarium field trips.

4. The Farm

The classic preschool field trip goes online! You can have your pick of dairy farm field trips, but we like this one from the Dairy Alliance  and this one from Stonyfield Organic . Farm Food 360 gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in Canadian farm and food tours—from raising pigs to making milk and cheese. We’re also loving these virtual egg farm field trips from the American Egg Board.

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5. An Art Museum

We found 20 art museums with virtual tours , including the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s # MetKids and its awesome Where’s Waldo? setup. And you can’t miss the world-famous Louvre in Paris (no passport needed!). Check out the current virtual tours: Traveling Materials and Objects, the Advent of the Artist, the Body in Movement, and Founding Myths: From Hercules to Darth Vader!

6. A National Park

From webcams at Hawaii volcanoes to a virtual run along the rim of the Grand Canyon , you have tons of options here. Our top pick would have to be Yellowstone. The interactive maps are a great way to see the Mammoth Hot Springs and Mud Volcano, but we think kids will be psyched about the Old Faithful Geyser livestream and the opportunity to make their own predictions for its next eruption . Check out everything the National Park Service has to offer virtually.

7. A Planetarium

Through Stellarium Web , kids can explore over 60,000 stars, locate planets, and watch sunrises and solar eclipses. If you enter your location, you can see all the constellations that are visible in the night sky in your corner of the world.

8. A Recycling Center

Take your students on a virtual field trip of a recycling center and a modern landfill . Plus, there’s a full-on curriculum that includes lesson plans, take-home handouts, and more.

9. Slime in Space

Nickelodeon teamed up with two astronauts on the International Space Station to demonstrate how slime reacts to microgravity and had kids reproduce those same demonstrations back here on Earth. It makes for an amazing 15-minute virtual field trip .

10. Nature Lab

The Nature Conservancy has a brand-new virtual field trip entitled “You’re the Scientist! Citizen Science, Frogs & Cicadas.” Check out their full library of videos on topics like climate change and water security.

11. Discovery Education

Discovery Education hosts a variety of virtual events —each with a companion guide with hands-on learning activities. Current offerings include “Making a New Life: The Courage of a Refugee” and “The Future Is Now” (architectural and engineering innovations). Stay tuned for their upcoming civics virtual field trip, “The American Ideal.”

12. The Great Lakes

This virtual field trip from Great Lakes Now has three components: coastal wetlands, algae, and lake sturgeon. Each video is a quick five minutes long.

13. The Strong National Museum of Play

Explore online exhibits and discover the history and evolution of play. Check out board games that changed play, sports video games that shaped digital play, and the making of Monopoly to name a few.

14. U.S. Census Bureau

Kids can learn about the most recent Census and how census data is collected and used. This virtual field trip also features interviews with subject matter experts and an interactive challenge.

15. National Constitution Center

The “Museum of We the People,” the Constitution Center serves as a “headquarters for civic education.” Check out the Interactive Constitution section , and be sure to watch the virtual tour .

16. The Johnson Space Center

Houston, we have a virtual field trip. Three, actually. All with companion educator guides. The star of the show is the behind-the-scenes tour of the Johnson Space Center .

17. Birthplace of Music

Boise State put together this fully interactive virtual field trip with text, photos, audio, and video about the history of music. The four featured music locations are: Vienna, Austria; New Orleans, Louisiana; Cleveland, Ohio; and Bristol, Tennessee-Virginia.

18. Colonial Williamsburg

This living-history museum provides a look into life in an early American community. The website offers five different webcams featuring areas such as the tavern and the armory.

19. Mount Vernon

This virtual experience of George Washington’s home is incredibly well done. Enter the different buildings—from the opulent mansion to the chilling slave quarters—and click on different items for video and text explanations.

20. Mount Rushmore

This virtual tour comes with a real tour guide! Blaine Kortemeyer is the Assistant Chief of Interpretation and Education, who lends his expertise on the building of this national monument. The 3D Explorer is also an excellent tool.

21. The Manhattan Project

Take a visit to the National WWII Museum for “a cross-country virtual expedition to discover the science, sites, and stories of the creation of the atomic bomb.” Don’t forget to download the classroom guide!

22. The White House

For a look inside the iconic building, check out the 360° tour of some of the most historic rooms of the People’s House, from the Situation Room to the Oval Office. Examine each room and check out the contents up close.

23. The Smithsonian

The National Museum of Natural History’s virtual experiences are self-guided, room-by-room tours of permanent, current, and past exhibits. Be sure to send kids to the second floor Bone Hall so they can take a look at all different kinds of skeletons.

24. Google Arts & Culture

A collaboration with over 1,200 leading museums and archives, Google Arts & Culture is an incredible storehouse of monumental works of art. We recommend the Street View and Play sections.

25. 360 Cities

Boasting the world’s largest collection of 360° image videos, 360 Cities provides kids with the opportunity to see stunning panoramas across the globe, including their video of the ice floe on the Vistula River in Poland.

26. Buckingham Palace

It’s the official residence of the Queen of England, and boy, is it opulent! Get a peek inside the gorgeous Grand Staircase, White Drawing Room, Throne Room, and Blue Drawing Room.

27. The Great Wall of China

See one of the wonders of the world with this amazing, thousands-year-old fortification system known the world over. This virtual tour has four scenes available (you have to pay to get access to all 14). The bird’s-eye view of Mutianyu pass is a highlight.

28. Easter Island

Most of us recognize the giant stone statues of Easter Island, but what’s the story behind them? Nova’s online adventure “Secrets of Easter Island” delves into the mystery with a virtual tour.

29. Son Doong Cave

National Geographic lets you explore the world’s largest cave, located in Vietnam. Use the interactive map to enjoy the fully immersive experience (sound on!).

30. Ancient Egypt

You don’t need a time machine! Discovering Ancient Egypt has a ton of free resources, but it’s the interactive pyramid map and 3D temple reconstructions that really give it a field trip feel.

31. Back Through Time

Virtually visit Turn Back the Clock , a museum exhibit that ran for two years at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. Through compelling personal stories, innovative interactive media, and pop culture artifacts, the exhibit takes guests through seven decades of history—from the dawn of the nuclear age to significant policy questions our leaders face today.

No, really! You can absolutely “go” to the red planet. With Access Mars , you can see the actual surface of Mars, recorded by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Trust us—don’t skip the intro. And if your kids liked that, check out this 4K tour of the moon . These may go down in history as some of the best virtual field trips your students get to experience.

33. The Battleship New Jersey

Take a virtual tour of this historical battleship located on the Camden waterfront. This battleship has traveled more miles than any other!

34. The Vatican

No need to travel to Rome! Take in the amazing art and architecture located in the Vatican Museums with these 360-degree views.

35. Space Center Houston

Download the app and climb aboard the virtual tram line! Take a virtual walk through the Space Center Houston with informational stops along the way.

36. The Louvre

Virtually visit museum rooms in the famous Louvre located in Paris. Even check out The Louvre kids’ site for student-friendly galleries and stories. You can’t visit The Louvre without seeing the Mona Lisa , so check out their immersive Mona Lisa experience available in the app store.

37. Ellis Island

This interactive tour of Ellis Island lets students explore places like the Baggage Room and the Stairs of Separation through short stories, historical photographs, videos, and audio clips. Students can also hear the stories of real kids who recently immigrated to the United States, explore colorful charts and graphs with immigration data, and watch a 30-minute movie that includes a Q&A with National Park Service Rangers who explain what coming to America was like for many immigrants.

38. Plimoth Patuxet Museums

Travel back to the 17th century with options for free, on-demand, digital resources or a live, 1-hour virtual school program led by a Plimoth Patuxet Contemporary Indigenous Museum Educator. Students explore Wampanoag daily life and history; discover the real history of Thanksgiving and the legend behind it; meet a 17th-century Pilgrim; get an interactive sneak peak into 17th-century wardrobes; and learn about simple machines and water power at the Plimoth Grist Mill. There are also options for virtual hands-on history workshops, including Wampanoag Pottery and Write Like a Pilgrim.

39. Children’s Museum Houston

When you can’t visit the museum in person, 3D virtual field trips to the Children’s Museum Houston are the next best thing. All videos are produced and curated by museum educators and feature hands-on activities that can be done in the classroom. Topics include nutrition, math, states of matter, forces and properties of water, and more.

40. Museum of the American Revolution

Beyond the Battle Field is a virtual field trip for grades 2-8 hosted by Lauren Tarshis, author of the I Survived historical-fiction series for kids. Students will meet a museum educator as well as the museum curator, and explore artifacts and documents from the American Revolution. Plus they’ll hear the stories of teens who served during the war. There’s also a Classroom Kit available with a vocabulary list and discussion questions by grade level.

If you liked this roundup of the best virtual field trips and want more resources like this, be sure to  subscribe to our newsletters.

Plus, check out the best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too) ..

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DIY Dayton field trips the whole family will love

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Virtual learning doesn’t have to mean staring for hours on end at a computer screen. History, science and art can come alive for students and parents, alike, with a family field trip.

Granted the big yellow school bus won’t roll up in front of your house, but the opportunities for active learning are abundant in the region.

Here are ideas on places to visit for your own self-guided field trip.

History comes alive at Carillon Historical Park. Where else can you see the original Wright Flyer III, climb aboard a train, visit a fully-operational 1930s print shop and experience life as an early-American settler? Not to mention enjoy a milkshake and take a ride on the one-of-a-kind hand-carved Carousel of Dayton Innovation.

“There’s a lot for all ages, something for everyone to enjoy,” said Haylie Schlater Dayton History marketing associate. “And we have the largest collection of Wright Brothers artifacts anywhere.”

Carillon Historical Park celebrates Dayton’s rich heritage of creativity and innovation with more than 30 historic structures and 3 million artifacts on 65 acres. It’s not an exaggeration to say that inventions rooted in the Miami Valley have changed the world. Guests can get a firsthand look at some of those inventions and gain a greater understanding of the impact Daytonians have had by watching an engaging 4-D animatronic presentation.

Visitors can enjoy a self-paced, self-guided tour — spending as much time as they like at each of the exhibits. Costumed interpreters provide an immersive historical experience. Round out the day with a refreshing soda fountain favorite from Culp’s Café.

“And there is a lot of open-air areas for kids to run and explore,” Schlatter said.

Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for visitors 3-17 years old. Children under 3 and Dayton History members are free. For more information, visit www.daytonhistory.org .

Visitors to SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park take a trip back in time 800 years. SunWatch Indian Village — which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1990 — is an educational center for archaeology and Native American culture, offering exploration indoors and outside.

Start the experience with an introductory film in the indoor theater and then view artifacts and learn about the history of the village and its inhabitants in the Interpretive Center. Explore the reconstructed structures — located in the exact locations of the original buildings — as well as the native garden and prairie.

Admission is $7 for adults and $6 for students 6-17 years old. Children under 6 and Dayton Society of Natural History members are free. For more information, visit www.sunwatch.org .

Credit: Tom Gilliam

While the historical farm buildings are currently closed due to COVID, Carriage Hill MetroPark still offers a unique peek at the agricultural heritage of the Miami Valley. With fields of heirloom crops and resident heritage breeds of draft horses, sheep, hogs and chickens, visitors are immediately immersed in 1880s farm life.

Want to continue the experience at home? Five Rivers MetroParks offers a variety of take-home program kits, including a 9-patch quilt kit. In the 19th century, one of the first sewing projects a youngster might undertake was sewing a 9-patch quilt block. The kit includes all the materials needed to sew a simple quilt block. For more information on the take-home kits, visit www.metroparks.org/metroparks-new-take-home-kits/ .

Science and nature

An engaging field trip can be as close as your own backyard or community park.

Five Rivers MetroParks has developed a series of Virtual Field Trip topics and accompanying teacher/parent resources. It’s all available free online at www.metroparks.org by searching virtual field trips.

Geology and fossils? Check. Habitat exploration and ecology? Check. Gardening, homesteading and sustainability? Check.

“We’re working to give local families and teachers the resources that are the best fit for the area,” said Joshua York, Five Rivers MetroParks naturalist and education coordinator. “And it’s also a fun way to bond as a family and enjoy quality time together.”

Hiking in the park or splashing in the stream is a lot of fun but it can also be a learning experience with the MetroParks take-home program kits. The Conservation Kids Discover Kit includes a variety of tools including a net, magnifying glass and flashlight as well as access to online resources and videos. The “Guess Who, Butterfly or Moth?” kit includes a temporary enclosure and helpful field guides. From pressed flowers to fishing, there are a variety of kits, offered at little and, sometimes, no cost.

“The kits inspire kids and their families to make backyard connections and they include great resources,” York said.

For more information, visit www.metroparks.org .

While some areas remain closed, there is still plenty to discover at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery.

From the starry skies in the Planetarium to the adorable fan-favorite otters in the Discovery Zoo, there’s tons of fun for kids and parents alike. The popular Boonshoft Water Table is also back up and running for some safe, clean water fun.

While the museum has long been known for its hand-on fun, a new Kids' Place exhibit focuses on feet. Hands-Off Interactives – Use your Feet, includes a series of balance beams, a large floor maze, and jumping circles. The new hands-free exhibit has plenty of space for safe social distancing.

To ensure safety, all interactive elements are being cleaned once an hour and extra hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout the museum.

Admission is $14.50 for adults and $11.50 for children 3-17 years old. Children under 3 and Dayton Society of Natural History members are free.

Credit: Lisa Powell

The Dayton Art Institute is striving to make art accessible and fun during these challenging times with both in-person and at-home options.

From Tiny Thursdays…at Home! for the little ones to ARTventures…at Home, a multigenerational program, to virtual drawing classes for adults, creating art can be done from the comfort of home.

“Our programs were definitely in-person, so we had to pivot, rather quickly, to be able to provide lots of digital resources,” said Casey Goldman, Dayton Art Institute lead museum educator.

The DAI website is now packed with projects for young art aficionados as well as engaging opportunities and information for artists of all ages but that doesn’t mean there aren’t in-person art options. The museum has re-opened with reduced hours and capacity but an abundance of amazing artwork to enjoy.

The Dayton Art Institute recently introduced the What is a Masterpiece? interactive self-guided tour of the permanent collection. Using a cell phone, visitors scan QR codes to learn about the 50 stunning works of art in the museum’s permanent collection.

“What is really neat is that there is a ton of information, but it’s broken down into bite-size pieces so guests can self-direct their experience,” Goldman said.

There is Behind the Scenes, Tools & Techniques and Kids Content as well as a Talk Back section to inspire conversation about the various pieces.

Admission is $15 for adults and $5 for youth ages 7-17 and college students with a school ID. Children under 6 and museum members are free. For information, visit www.daytonartinstitute.org/ .

Credit: CONTRIBUTED

Art and exercise blend seamlessly on the New Discoveries Walking Mural Tour in Middletown. The new self-guided, self-paced family-friendly walking tour includes 14 unique pieces of public art all located in the heart of historic downtown Middletown.

“Art is one of the attractions that is really a pillar of the city,” said Mary Huttlinger, executive director of the Middletown Visitors Bureau. “All of the murals have a story to tell.”

The Shetter Carnival Mural depicts a photo taken in 1914 of the A.B. Shetter Carnival Sale on North Broad Street and the Miami-Erie Canal Mural depicts life along the canal which followed the path of what is now Verity Parkway.

Start your art adventure by visiting https://bit.ly/MiddletownMurals to access the interactive tour guide. Follow along on your smart device, in Google maps, and learn about the art and the artists at each of the mural stops.

While quality family time can make for a fun day, a trip to Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop will ensure the day ends with a smile.

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Activity ideas for kids during COVID-19

Published on: January 22, 2021 Last updated: November 11, 2022

Many children are spending more time at home than usual. Here’s a roundup of what parents and caregivers can do to keep kids occupied.

Link: https://health.choc.org/activity-ideas-for-kids-during-covid-19/

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many children are spending more time at home than usual. Here’s a roundup of what parents and caregivers can do to keep kids occupied during this time.

Online learning

• The Orange County Department of Education has created a roundup of free resources to help students supplement other materials that are being provided by their teachers.
• Many educational companies are offering free subscriptions in light of school closures. Here’s a guide .
• Scholastic offers day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing.
• PBS SoCal | KCET, in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District and in collaboration with California PBS stations, are offering broadcast programming and accompanying digital resources that adhere to California’s state curriculum. Learn more here.
• Budding scientists can access Nova Labs at PBS , for video, animation and games on scientific topics like predicting solar storms and constructing renewable energy systems.
• NASA’s Teachable Moments , offers a range of activities and lessons for grades K-12.
• NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex has educational and fun Facebook videos where kids can learn from astronauts and other educators. For activities, instructions are available as free downloads .
• Make any room a classroom with BrainPop , where curious learners can take units in science, social studies, math, engineering and tech, and more
• Tynker is offering free premium coding courses during school closures.
• Khan Academy offers free daily schedules for kids and teens ages 4-18 to keep stability and routine during this time. The online learning non-profit also offers a free downloadable app called Khan Academy Kids ,that contains thousands of activities and books for children ages 2-7.
• FunBrain.com offers hundreds of free games, books comics and videos for Pre-K through eighth grade.
• National Geographic Kids offers free online quizzes on topics ranging from animals to planets to sports and food.
• Cool Math 4 Kids offers games and lessons to make math fun for kids.
• Math Game Time offers a variety of games, videos and worksheets for Pre-K through seventh grade.
• Inspired by Dr. Seuss, Seussville has activities, crafts, printables and recipes to engage your child in playful learning.
• Online games that include K-12 curriculum.
• Skillshare is offering two-month free trials for online classes that include animation, creative writing, web design and more.
• Amazon is offering free computer science courses online for various grade levels.

YouTube channels

• Camp YouTube — a digital learning experience to help parents recreate the fun of summer camp at home.  Summer camp themes include arts, adventure, sports, STEM and more
• Crash Course Kids — bi-weekly shows on grade school science, including Earth, habitats, space and more.
• Science Channel – learn about outer space, new technology and more.
• SciShow Kids – the hosts explain fun, complex science concepts; do experiments and interview experts.
• National Geographic Kids – videos feature animals, science, pets and more.
• Free School – exposure to famous art, classical music, children’s literature and natural science in an age-appropriate and kid-accessible way.
• GEOgraphy Focus – explore geography, maps, flags, culture, languages and travel.
• TheBrainScoop – explore the work and research of natural history museums.
• Kids Learning Tube – educate kids through music and animation.
• Geek Gurl Diaries – videos on programming, computer science, logic, electronics and more.
• Mike Likes Science – science-inspired music videos.
• Science Max – large-scale science experiments.
• SoulPancake – in addition to the well-known Kid President shows, this channels offers content that explores and celebrates the ways humans seek connection.
• Course Hero – study guides and videos for various subject matters.
• Here’s a list of podcasts — featuring stories, meditation, music and more — for ages 2 through 6.
• Celebrities are taking to social media to read children’s books to little ones staying home during this time. The Los Angeles Times curated this roundup of these posts.
• Here’s a list of authors doing read-alouds of their famous books, as well as books by their  favorite authors.
• Storyline Online , the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning children’s literacy website, streams videos of celebrities reading aloud children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.

Music class

• Carnegie Hall’s Music Explorer program offers a way to learn new musical genres and cultural traditions. Courses conclude in an interactive concert experience.
• Chrome Music Lab lets kids learn music through a hands-on website.

Learn a new language

• Learn a new language with Duolingo .
• English52 allows users to strengthen English skills through video lessons and activities.
• Fabulingua is an interactive app that teaches Spanish.

Virtual field trips

• Google Arts & Culture has partnered with thousands of museums around the world to offer virtual tours from the comfort of your home. Here’s the complete list.
• The San Diego Zoo offers 10 different webcams so animal lovers can keep up with a variety of their favorite creatures.
• The Monterey Bay Aquarium also offers 10 different webcams for families to experience underwater life from anywhere.

Cook with your kids

• CHOC nutrition experts have curated some of their favorite recipes and offer tips for how to get kids involved in the kitchen. “Children as young as 2 years old can help out in the kitchen. You can have your child wash fruits and vegetables or stir ingredients,” Shonda Brown, CHOC clinical dietitian, says. “Children are more open to trying new foods if they have opportunities to explore and learn about the food before they eat it.”

Opt outside

Kids can still benefit from nature while practicing proper social distancing. Even babies and toddlers can join a family nature walk. if you’re in a public space, keep them in a carrier or a stroller. If you’re in your backyard, they can explore more freely.

Children who spend more time outdoors have improved motor development and lower obesity rates. Playing outside promotes more curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking — especially essential with schools closed and extra-curricular activities canceled.

• On a nature walk, collect twigs, leaves or rocks. Then, build a nature sculpture by sticking these items in play dough. Help your child notice the patterns created by different items.
• Go on a family bike ride, while keeping a safe distance from others.
• Nature scavenger hunts can be fun for the whole family. How many different kinds of plants, flowers, animals or birds can you see?
• Playing soccer or catch is fine, but don’t share equipment with people outside your household.

Highlights@Home

The beloved classic kids’ magazine, Highlights, is posting frequent roundups of stories, puzzles, craft ideas and more to help children cope with being cooped up and help parents make the most of this time with their kids. Each installment has a different theme:

• Celebrate reading — Reading can transport us somewhere else for a while, even when we’re stuck at home.
• Pajama day — Showing your children affection with a hug, snuggling on the couch to watch a movie, or reading together in a cozy blanket tent are all ways you can be fully present with your child.
• A never-ending pile of fun — Sequestering at home may actually provide you with the time to teach kids tasks like matching socks, folding clothes, and putting away clean laundry. Kids usually like to help, and when we make the chores fun, they’re often eager to pitch in.
• We are (all) family — Whatever your family configuration, this week’s issue has ideas for strengthening your family bond.
• Staying connected — Children are likely feeling the loss of connection with friends and extended family. This guide is full of ways you can help your kids feel more connected to people they love but can’t safely see right now.
• Just keep dancing — What raises our spirits more or gives us a burst of energy like music and dance? These activities will help  your kids move their bodies, use their creativity, and improve their mood.
• Shoot for the stars — Young or old, we’re all fascinated by space. What’s known is often mind-boggling, and what’s unknown leaves so much to the imagination.
• Thank you teachers — Thanking teachers is not only a nice thing to do, but showing appreciation is a simple but important practice of gratitude.
• Hooray for helpers — National Nurses Week presents an opportunity to expand your kids’ understanding of what it means to be heroic.
• Let’s talk family — Someday, this quarantine will be a memory, and we hope your children will remember some of the family fun you’ve been enabling, and also the ways you are helping them focus on the things that really matter.
• Cleaning up — A bundle of resources for making cleanup fun.
• Celebrate the sun — Puzzles, stories, and activities related to growing gardens, having picnics, and taking nature hikes will remind your kids of some of the fun to be had in the sun. Sunny days together provide an opportunity to talk to your kids about optimism.
• Alone together — Games, played alone or together, are great for practicing reading, math, and strategic thinking. They also help build memory, focus and interpersonal skills.
• Soar into summer — Activity ideas to help imaginations take flight.
• We’re going on a scavenger hunt — Encourage children to sharpen their powers of discovery and plan their own hunt.
• Be nice, be kind, be you — Reinforce the messages of being sensitive to others’ feelings and that kindness is never wasted.
• Blaze a trail — Ideas on connecting with nature, sparking creativity and thinking of others.
• Be the best BFF — Cultivating friendships helps foster kids’ social-emotional development. The qualities we seek in friends—kindness, positivity and shared interests—are found in friends who  may look like us, or in those who may look different.
• Celebrate your superpower — This bundle will help your children see themselves as having the ideas and abilities —superpowers, if you will — to do good in the world.
• Pack a picnic — Menu and game ideas that will let kids show off their creativity.
• Camp out or camp in — Ideas for making a backyard or living room campground memorable.
• Welcome to summer — Activity and bonding ideas to promote relaxation, enjoyment and memory making.

Programming to help explain COVID-19 to kids

• This CNN/Sesame Street town hall offers reminders on how children can help protect themselves against COVID-19.
• PBS KIDS aired a special episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood that addressed challenges and disappointments children and their families may be facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more here.

Other activities

• iReady offers printable at-home math and reading activity packets for grades K-8.
• Printable nature-themed coloring pages for kids and adults.
• Guinness World Records at Home – offers a podcast and ideas for fun records you can try inside your house.
• Create a blob opera – Through Google Arts & Culture, you can create your own opera inspired song with Blob Opera – no music skills required

This article was last updated on Jan. 22, 2021.

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How COVID-19 has affected overnight school trips, and why this matters

Lecturer in Business Management, University of Winchester

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Karen Cripps does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Winchester provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

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For over 45 years, children from across the UK have headed to the family-run Rhos-Y-Gwaliau Outdoor Education Centre in Snowdonia, north Wales on school trips. They’ve gone gorge walking and abseiling. They’ve explored mines.

Rhos-Y-Gwaliau has been seen as a haven of outdoor learning for children who otherwise might not have access to the countryside – not to mention the awe and wonder of the Welsh peaks. That is, until the pandemic hit.

For the first time in over a year, schools may once again (from May 17) organise overnight educational visits. But the damage is done. The Save Outdoor Education Campaign estimates that 2 million children nationwide have missed out on trips since residential centres were forced to close.

If the economic loss for the industry has been catastrophic ( permanent closures , 15,000 jobs cut and £500m in lost revenue ), the losses for the children are even greater.

Outdoor adventures

Sleeping, eating and sharing challenges collectively, in nature, is a valuable experience. In the context of the rise in indoor culture , there is clear support at government level for outdoor education.

Ofsted has supported the idea since 2008. The new GCSE qualification in Natural History emphasises its importance. And Natural England , the government’s advisory body for the natural environment, advocates for support to enable it.

In primary school, trips are designed as adventures, with environmental discovery at the heart of the experience. Across the UK there are large activity centres equipped with abseiling towers and assault courses. In Berkshire children might go camping at the local Gordon Brown Centre , where they’ll do wall-climbing, archery and pond dipping. For schools near a river, or the coast, teachers might opt for water-based activities, such as kayaking.

In year six, trips are seen as a means to help children transition from primary to secondary school . Staying away from home – possibly the first time – and facing emotional and physical challenges through team-building activities, they are said to gain a great deal in terms of personal development.

At secondary school level, adventure programmes on trips are often enriched by discrete environmental education sessions, designed to complement the geography and science curriculum.

Personal development

Quite how outdoor education affects children’s development needs more research, but a paper looking at UK primary school children’s residential learning suggests that there are cognitive (academic) and affective (emotional and behavioural) benefits.

While the evidence for affective learning is strongest , it is clear that any emotional and behavioural benefits gained from school trips can help to lay a good foundation for academic achievement too.

Research has found that school trips give children tools to face unanticipated challenges. They help pupils to mature, to form stronger bonds with peers and teachers, and become better students – all of which is vital for making the transition to secondary school .

Social effect

Beyond a child’s development, school trips bring social benefits too. A few days away together in a natural setting can be a great leveller. Classroom cliques and pressures dissipate when children – regardless of background or ability – have to work together to climb a mountain without a path or navigate the way through a gorge.

However, state funding to make this happen is crucial. The Institute for Outdoor Learning (a professional membership institute which champions learning in the outdoors) estimates that for the 1.4 million children who receive free school meals , going on a school trip might be the only opportunity they have to experience time away from home.

In its 2019 review on Natural Landscapes, the UK government highlighted how important it is that the British countryside remain accessible to everyone, including children from disadvantaged ethnic groups and low socio-economic backgrounds. This is all the more pressing during a pandemic which has heightened concerns around inequality of access to natural, green spaces .

Despite the many demands on how school funds should be allocated and the commitment from staff that organising school trips requires, not to mention the decline in council-funded outdoor residential centres, demand for trips from schools continues to rise . Teacher support for such trips at a time of immense pressure on education speaks volumes.

Finally, outdoor experiences can also help to foster an emotional bond with nature and shape pro-environmental attitudes. Through residential school trips, UK pupils can discover areas they might not otherwise visit, and might perhaps, come to love and thereby wish to conserve and protect.

In 1978, American lepidopterist and ecologist Robert Pyle coined the term extinction of experience to capture the global phenomenon of a progressive loss of interactions with nature. It is a concept that applies to the closure of Rhos-Y-Gwaliau and other centres, and the resulting lack of opportunity for children to spend time there.

When leading British naturalist David Attenborough said , “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced,” he voiced the concerns of many conservationists. Children are the future custodians of our planet and society. Ensuring that they have the chance to access to nature – and enabling that through school trips – is something we must prioritise.

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Seven energizing SoCal day trips you can take, even during coronavirus

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One day you will be ready to roam again — really roam across borders, oceans and continents. But for now, let’s start small.

Here, as a mostly homebound school year resumes and we enter our seventh month of pandemic-altered existence, are seven day-trip ideas within a several-hour drive of Los Angeles, some with overnight options, a few with beaches.

Just because they’re open now doesn’t mean you have to visit today. In fact, state officials still urge Californians to avoid nonessential trips. But when you’re ready, these places are too.

No matter where you go, health experts urge you to wear a mask unless you’re eating or in the water. And keep a distance from strangers.

At Torrey Pines State Beach, swim, fish, walk the sand or sunbathe. The beach is 4½ miles long, between northern La Jolla and southern Del Mar, and lined by red-dirt cliffs and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve (still closed). For a memorable overview of nearby beach, cliffs and sea, park at the Torrey Pines Gliderport, watch paragliders take off, get a sandwich at the Cliffhanger Cafe and sit at one of the outdoor picnic tables.

Plenty of art and architecture await just east of the glider port on the 1,200-acre UC San Diego campus. You can take a self-guided tour among the works of art at the Stuart Collection and and check out the striking academic architecture, including the otherworldly Geisel Library (interior closed) and the crooked little house atop the engineering building.

In La Jolla, you can stroll past the shops, galleries and restaurants on Prospect Street and Girard Avenue. Or go tide-pooling or picnicking along Coast Boulevard near Children’s Pool Beach. There’s also pleasant strolling along the Coast Walk Trail near Cave Street.

Or you could kayak around La Jolla Shores or the cliffs and caves near La Jolla Cove. Co-owner Michael Luscomb said La Jolla Kayak ([858] 459-1114, lajollakayak.com ) resumed rentals in late May, tours in early June. “We’re very strong on weekends,” he said.

For coffee or a snack, head to Pannikin (outdoor seating) at 7467 Girard Avenue. For a fancy dinner, you might try George’s at the Cove, a longtime Prospect Street mainstay whose Level 2 and Ocean Terrace dining areas are open.

Info: sandiego.org

Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach, with its gorgeous stretch of sand, cliffs and rockscapes, once was an artists colony. Now it’s more of a gallerists colony but undeniably pleasant to visit.

Beyond Main Beach (and its landmark blue-and-white lifeguard tower) in downtown Laguna, a path leads from Treasure Island Park (just south of the Montage Laguna Beach resort) to Treasure Island Beach (good for families, tide-pooling and snorkeling). You might not be ready to spend $1,000 for a night at the Montage, but you might consider breakfast, lunch or dinner on the patio at the resort’s Mosaic Bar & Grill . Downtown, there’s plenty of window-shopping among the galleries and shops. And there are three state parks in the area.

Crystal Cove State Park, which stretches from Laguna Beach to Newport Beach, has 3.2 miles of beach, a campground, the Beachcomber Cafe (where you’re invited to order by phone rather than touching a menu) and the Crystal Cove Shake Shack at 7703 East Coast Highway (which, believe it or not, has no website). Before visiting, check the beach website at crystalcovestatepark.org for updates.

Info: VisitLagunaBeach.com

South Bay beaches

Wake up early, bring your bike or rent one and ride the Strand, a paved 22-mile beachfront route that spans Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Redondo Beach.

Officially, it’s the Marvin Braude Bike Trail, 14 feet wide and shared by cyclists, skaters, pedestrians and wheelchair users. It can take you far north of the South Bay, through Venice Beach and Santa Monica to Will Rogers State Beach in Pacific Palisades. The southern endpoint is Torrance County Beach. It’s always busy, so it’s best to try this early in the day, preferably a weekday.

Bike-rental options include Hermosa Cyclery ([310] 374-7816, hermosacyclery.com ) in Hermosa Beach and Marina Bike Rentals ([310] 318-2453, marinabikerentals.com ) in Redondo Beach.

An alternative is to pick one or two piers — Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo each have one — and build a walk. If you’re new to the South Bay, Manhattan Beach is the priciest of these places, Hermosa is more casual and rowdy, and the Redondo Pier and King Harbor Marina are often more diverse.

Need a cool snack? The Manhattan Beach Creamery at 1120 Manhattan Beach Avenue has been a favorite for years.

Info: DowntownManhattanBeach.com , HermosaBeach.gov , Redondo.org

Palos Verdes Peninsula

Start in Redondo Beach and follow Palos Verdes Drive as it loops around the dramatic peninsula to San Pedro. Stop at the Point Vicente Interpretive Center. Its interior was closed as of Sept. 15, but the grounds are accessible and you can walk along the bluffs. About 2½ miles east, past Terranea Resort (which reopened in June) and across the street from Wayfarers Chapel (visitor center closed), you can walk the pebbly shores and bluffs of Abalone Cove Park in Rancho Palos Verdes (parts of the beach are closed).

End in San Pedro, where you can walk to the Korean Friendship Bell in Angels Gate Park, with wraparound views on a clear day. Or walk the coastal side of the road ( Point Fermin Park ) to see the vintage lighthouse and rocky cliffs. Keep a lookout for brown pelicans, which often fly at eye level. There are pullouts throughout the drive where you can pause to enjoy the view.

For a bite, try Nelson’s, the scenic patio restaurant, at Terranea (walk-in customers are OK).

Info: rpvca.gov , pvestates.org , spcvb.com

Malibu and Topanga

Head up Pacific Coast Highway, enjoy some beach time, then head back through Topanga Canyon. Or vice versa. On this itinerary, you’ll see all sorts of beach scenery and canyon greenery. You might want to linger on the Malibu Pier, where the Malibu Farm restaurant and cafe serve breakfast, lunch and dinner alfresco. The restaurant takes reservations and also serves early dinner; the cafe is first come, first served. You might hike in Malibu Creek State Park (parking is limited; Rock Pool and Century Lake are closed). Or you could enjoy a lazy lunch and swim at Paradise Cove, a selfie-ready nook on the sand that humbly calls itself “the best beach in the world.”

In Topanga Canyon, follow winding two-lane Topanga Canyon Boulevard through country scenes, passing quirky homes, businesses and landmarks with hippie overtones. About 4 miles up Old Topanga Road from the boulevard you’ll find the Los Angeles Horseback Riding ranch ( losangeleshorsebackriding.com ; $100 for an hour).

Info: visitcalifornia.com/experience/malibu

Santa Barbara and Carpinteria

Start at Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf and get some sea breeze in your hair. Then peruse lower State Street’s shops and restaurants, especially the stretch from Haley to Sola streets, where local leaders recently banned cars to create an eight-block promenade.

Old Mission Santa Barbara tours and museum are still closed, but the nearby Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The Santa Barbara Zoo is open; advance reservations are required.

South of town, take lovely, two-lane Foothill Road (California 192) between Santa Barbara and Carpinteria. There you can stop and meander Linden Avenue, which ends at a beach with lots of sand and gentle waves. Get breakfast or lunch on the patio at Esau’s Café (507 Linden Ave.; [805] 684-1070, esauscafe.com ; call to check days and hours), where the surfer vibes are thick. Or grab a burger at the Spot (389 Linden Ave.; [805] 684-6311), which has a rustic patio and food to go.

Info: santabarbaraca.com

Coachella Valley

It will be about a thousand degrees here, which explains why you’ll find lots of room. At dawn or dusk, hike in one of the Indian Canyons — Palm Canyon is the most popular — or dawdle in the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert, with admission by timed ticket. Prowl Palm Canyon Drive, the main drag through Palm Springs, and consider a meal at festive Las Casuelas Terraza (222 S. Palm Canyon Drive; [760] 325-2794), which dates to 1958.

To get the flavor of the valley, you might need a date shake. If so, consider Hadley Fruit Orchards in Cabazon or Shields Date Garden in Indio, which is surrounded by date palms. The Shields shop and restaurant are open (patio dining only). The bad news is that its theater, which has been screening “The Romance & Sex Life of the Date” since 1953, is now closed. The good news is that the film, all 17 minutes of it, is now viewable on the Shields website and YouTube .

Info: visitgreaterpalmsprings.com

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40 Ways to Take a Socially Distanced Trip

Even though the pandemic that shall not be named has prompted the cancellation of many (every) trip, it’s still possible to reconnect with the world. here are 40-plus ideas for u.s. trips, vetted and tested by afar editors, for when the time is right..

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Photo by C Rolan / Shutterstock

Know Before You Go

Seven rules to live by if you plan to travel responsibly.

1. Do your research ahead of time. Check the COVID regulations in the destination you plan to visit. Do they encourage masking and social distancing? Are they ready to welcome visitors? If so, book lodging and restaurant reservations in advance as best you can.

2. Protect the public. When you go, practice social distancing (stay six feet from people outside your inner circle) and mask up . A new CDC study found that exposure to potentially infectious aerosols decreased by 95 percent when tightly fitted or double masks were worn.

3. Get tested. Good rule of thumb nowadays is to get a COVID-19 PCR or rapid test before you go and when you return home. Review testing and quarantine rules in your home state and destination.

4. Prepare for the unexpected—and pack for it, too. Flexible cancellation policies are more common now, thankfully, though be sure to read all the fine print. Bring extra masks, hand sanitizer, and wipes. It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared.

5. Support local businesses every step of the way. Many prefer payment with credit or debit cards right now, to avoid handling cash. In NYC, you may be charged a COVID surcharge of up to 10 percent of your pre-tax bill at restaurants, to help cover costs incurred during the pandemic.

6. Be patient and tip well. Have respect and empathy for hospitality professionals trying to offer you a memorable experience in these difficult times. You owe it to them to do your best to keep them safe. For example, if a restaurant server is taking care of you while you’re eating and unmasked, make sure you don’t talk directly at the server. (It’s awkward, we know, but err on the side of caution as much as possible.)

7. Follow the rules of the communities you visit. Check for any local or regional updates while you’re on the road and once you return home: Tourism boards and municipalities are constantly updating their information online.

READ MORE What All Travelers Should Be Doing During Coronavirus

Our Picks for Face Masks to Buy—and the Latest Rules for Wearing Them

When Will We Travel Abroad Again?

RV and Camping

Photo courtesy Outdoorsy RV Rental

Living that #RVlife...

Following years of #vanlife fantasies, romanticized by vintage camper vans and shining silver Airstreams , the bring-your-accommodation-with-you road trip suddenly found itself back in the spotlight thanks to COVID.

RV rentals increased a staggering 1,000 percent from April to June nationwide last year, according to RVShare.com , the largest peer-to-peer RV rental marketplace. As work from home and homeschooling became a reality and travelers sought ways to safely hit the road, RVs offered the kind of seclusion and social distancing many of us craved. But it feels like every RV should come with a first-timer’s manual—which is why we compiled this step-by-step guide to traveling in a RV during a pandemic , including how to rent (check out Outdoorsy RV , pictured), where to park, and how to stay hygienic while traveling. (The main takeaway: Get one with a bathroom.)

If it’s your debut RV trip with your family, this beginner’s guide to taking an RV trip with kids will help you create a journey that’s just right for your crew. Who knows, you may love it so much you’ll decide to join the ranks of the growing number of families who are on the road full time .

Now, where to go? Start by looking to see if there are any coronavirus-related travel restrictions such as COVID tests required or quarantines in the states you will be traveling to or through.

Big campgrounds in Yosemite, the Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, and Yellowstone national parks , among others, may have limited availability or amenities. Use apps such as Hipcamp and the Dyrt to find off-the-beaten-path RV and glamping sites instead. Numerous Kampgrounds of America (KOA) sites are also open and taking bookings. Make a week of it and wander your way around California or New England , or up and down the Blue Ridge Parkway on one of these classic road trips .

Want to live the RV life without dealing with the parking?

Check into an Airstream (or tiny house!) at Caravan Outpost , a glamping garden oasis in downtown Ojai. Staying there is like trying on the SoCal life for a weekend: You’re within easy access of vegan restaurants and cool little shops, and Airstreams themselves are spacious (and kid and pet friendly). Get one with a firepit, and don’t miss the very tempting gift shop.

READ MORE How an Unplanned Road Trip Helped a California Family Reclaim the Van

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Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

If you had to postpone a trip to Europe

Consider these U.S. alternatives for classic European summer holiday destinations.

VIRGINIA WINE COUNTRY

If you love : Off-the-radar Italian villages and rustic vineyards Where to stay : The Goodstone Inn & Restaurant Before you go : Note that masks must be worn inside public places.

CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS

If you love: The artsy and craft-centric coastal region of Cornwall, England Where to stay: Chatham Bars Inn Before you go: You’ll need a negative COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of arriving.

SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

If you love: The lavender fields and rolling vineyards of Provence, France Where to stay: Farmhouse Inn Before you go: Pledge to “travel kindly” in Sonoma and beyond.

ASPEN, COLORADO

If you love: Fresh mountain air and hiking in the Swiss Alps Where to stay: The Little Nell Before you go: Read and follow the five steps to care for Coloradans .

GRAND MARAIS, MINNESOTA

If you love: Attractive lakeside villages in Sweden Where to stay: Mayhew Inn Before you go: People are required to wear masks inside businesses and public places (unless they are completely alone).

Note: All of the properties mentioned in this story are open as of publishing, and we’ve noted states with quarantine and testing restrictions in place. To be sure you’re traveling safely and responsibly across the United States , check local travel restrictions before you go.

READ MORE 11 Places in the United States That Feel Like Europe

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Pretend You’re in Paris With This Itinerary

Photo by Ben Fitchett

Remote cabins and soaking tubs are calling...

Among the many hotels in New York’s Catskill mountain region, Urban Cowboy Lodge (pictured) makes social distancing easy with guest rooms spread across five separate buildings, bonfires and guided hikes, and a focus on outdoor and in-room dining (there’s even a Roberta’s pizza truck parked outside). We also love pairing a hike on Bear Mountain with some quiet time at the Abbey Inn and Spa in artsy Peekskill, way up on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. (Its spa is open now.) The Floating Farmhouse in Eldred, NY, sits right on a swimming creek (hence “floating”); the beautifully renovated 1820s manor house comes with a wood-fire pizza oven, a barn fit for dinner parties, and sleeps 10 (from $1,550 a night).

A little farther north in the Berkshires in Massachusetts, seek refuge at Tourists , a former midcentury motor lodge turned 48-room resort, which reopened for Thursday-Sunday stays with new COVID safety measures . In Vermont near Mount Snow, look to Treehouse Village Inn where you can book a luxury A-frame treehouse on sweeping grounds and enjoy the perks of a B&B and the region (lakes, waterfalls, hikes, and IPA for days).

The Resort at Paws Up sits on a 37,000-acre ranch in Greenough, Montana, with 100 miles of trails and 10 miles of Blackfoot River; the 1.5-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Area is also nearby. In addition to private homes and safari-style glamping tents, guests can still go horseback riding, fly fishing, and mountain biking. As of June 1, 2021, adults can check into one of 12 free-standing homes on property, the new Green O .

In Wyoming, Amangani —a hilltop oasis on the edge of Grand Teton National Park—has large suites with oversized terraces and fireplaces, outdoor dining on the sundeck, and private tours of Yellowstone National Park. We also love the family-friendly Snowcreek Resort in California’s Mammoth Lakes . Its vacation rentals are made for social distancing: no need to visit reception or deal with any humans at check-in; a keycode for entry; and miles of nearby hiking and biking trails that wind their way into Mammoth itself.

Within the larger Appalachian mountain range, which runs from Maine all the way down to northern Alabama, the Blue Ridge Mountains are a quintessential American destination, home to bluegrass music , two national parks, and scenic road trip opportunities . For those who prefer the indoor luxuries of a hotel mixed with the privacy of camping in the woods, look no further than this curated list of Blue Ridge Mountain cabins you can rent on Airbnb or Vrbo .

That desert sky and Camelback mountain hikes are calling: We’ve already booked a long weekend in Scottsdale, Arizona, in the fall at this Marriott home near Old Town. We were also eyeing socially distanced stays with our friends at the cottages at L’Auberge de Sedona ; suites or casitas at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa and JW Marriott Camelback Inn Scottsdale Resort and Spa ; and the studio suites at Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale .

READ MORE A Family-Friendly Road Trip to California’s Mammoth Lakes

19 Cozy Airbnb Cabins Where You Can Escape From the World

The Best New Hotels in the Catskills and Hudson Valley, New York in 2020

On the Water

Photo courtesy Read McKendree

In the water, by the water...

One of the best ways to beat the heat in the summer is heading to the water—whether that means an ocean, lake, river, or canal. But why rent a house near the water when you can actually stay on the water? There are all sorts of floating accommodations across the United States. Some are permanently docked in marina neighborhoods, like those in Seattle and Sausalito. Others cruise freely in popular houseboating destinations like Lake Powell, Lake Mead, and Lake Havasu. You’ll find houseboats floating in places you may not expect, such as a private lake in Virginia or a glampsite on the Mississippi River. For your browsing pleasure, here are 11 AFAR-approved houseboats you can rent across the U.S.

Overlooking Kenoza Lake in the western Catskills in New York , Kenoza Hall is a squeaky-clean, upscale hotel by Foster Supply Hospitality (best known for its stellar restaurants, which have also reopened ). You can opt to go for an on-site hike with a prepared picnic lunch, followed by a dip in the lake—or a long bath in your own deep-soaking tub.

At the Ritz-Carlton Reynolds on Lake Oconee , about 90 minutes south of Atlanta , masks are mandated for indoor public spaces, which makes us more inclined to discuss its three-floor Lake House with a private pool, perfect for a family escape.

Suttle Lodge in Central Oregon —designed by the folks behind Portland’s Ace Hotel—is a lakeside lodge that’s smack in the middle of Deschutes National Forest. Bring your to-go meal from the Boathouse to the dock or down by the lake and finally . . . relax.

Wisconsin’s Camp Wandawega looks like it was plucked straight from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom . Originally opened in 1925 as a place for Chicagoans to escape Prohibition laws, the lakefront getaway reinvented itself in the 1970s as a church camp for Latvian Catholics. These days, when it’s not booked for a wedding or private retreatm, its vintage cabins , rustic camping cluster , and fully renovated Camp Wandawega Hillhouse are listed on Airbnb.

EAST COAST: Beach season continues well into September across much of the country, which means you could grab a towel and some sustainable sunscreen and make a day trip to one of these beloved small beach towns . (Shout-out to Asbury Park, NJ ! Just remember to check local restrictions before you go.)

Over at Sound View Greenport (pictured) on Long Island’s North Fork , guests can book one- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens and private outdoor decks overlooking the ocean. (Bonus: It’s bordered by a private beach and bird sanctuary.)

Farther out on Nantucket , a former retreat for whaling captain Robert Calder in a 19th-century federal-style mansion has been reborn as a 14-room Life House . The goal of this boutique hotel is to honor the building’s history as “a nonchalant innkeeper’s humble abode,” which sounds like the ideal spot to ride out this pandemic. You’ll find us in the garden lounge by the fire pit.

GULF COAST: Alabama beaches? Hear us out: Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have long been a regional getaway, but we have our eye on Gulf State Park —6,000 protected acres paid for by the reparations of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill—and its accompanying lodge . Bring your bike: There are 28 miles of trails.

WEST COAST: You can hear the Pacific lap the shore below your balcony room at Malibu Beach Inn —take them up on a picnic basket for two customized by the Picnic Collective . Another AFAR favorite in Los Angeles , the Santa Monica Proper Hotel , is blocks from the beach and has impeccable Kelly Wearstler–designed rooms that are vacated 24 hours before you arrive.

Find relaxation and natural beauty at Nick’s Cove , set on Tomales Bay , across from Point Reyes National Seashore in northern California. Local outfitter Blue Waters Kayaking will literally meet you on the deck of your cottage (if you’re lucky enough to secure one of the rooms on the water) and show you the magic of the area, the true way it needs to be seen—from the water.

Timber Cove Resort , a 1963 stone, timber, and glass A-frame on the Sonoma County coast , delivers fresh sea air and “hippie, rustic modern” vibes. The 46 guest rooms are filled with midcentury modern furnishings, pendant lamps, and Crosley record players. Guests can sample local wines and cheeses by an ocean-facing firepit.

Looking to splurge and feel good about it? Big Sur’s epic Post Ranch Inn has carefully considered its reopening plan, and after a global (!) search developed and trademarked an odorless, nontoxic cleaning solution called Premium Purity.

One of AFAR’s top new hotels , Captain Whidbey Inn on Washington’s Whidbey Island , has long felt like a local’s secret. A two-hour car and ferry ride from Seattle, the restored century-old lodge now has four stand-alone cabins, so you can spread out on the lawn, grab a hammock or a canoe, and dig into some fresh local seafood while staying far, far away from the rest of the continental U.S.

Get away from it all in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , a 100-mile Minnesota preserve along the U.S.-Canadian border that does not have streetlights, electricity, or buildings. What it does have, in spades? Lots of water (more than 1,000 lakes and rivers!), scenic campgrounds (more than 2,200!), and hiking trails. Epic wilderness, here we come.

READ MORE My Family Vacation to the Chesapeake Bay—During COVID

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Food and Wine

Photos courtesy of Balantyre

If you prefer wine over wilderness...

...try the Calistoga Motor Lodge in Napa Valley, where the motel-style rooms open to the outdoors for plenty of fresh air and guests have access to complimentary bikes for solo rides through the vineyards.

If you have kids with you in wine country, Marriott now rents out homes and villas , like this “farmhouse chic” (aka beautiful ) four-bedroom in Sonoma complete with a hot tub and basketball court.

If you like olive oil tasting more than winetasting, visit one of these nine amazing olive orchards across the U.S.

If you’d rather let someone else do the produce picking, follow chef Daniel Boulud (pictured) to Lenox, Massachusetts, where he’s using hyper local ingredients to reimagine his French dishes at Cafe Boulud New York at Blantyre . Book dinner Wednesday through Saturday or weekend brunch.

If you like Franco-California cuisine instead, Auberge du Soleil is home to Napa’s first fine-dining restaurant, led by French restaurateur Claude Rouas. It continues to shine, especially now with its exquisite outdoor dining (and flexible booking).

If you just want a view and some sunshine with your meal, claim a table at Ventana Big Sur. All of those impossibly fresh local meals are now included in an overnight stay, and only resort guests have access to the Sur House with its elevated patio dining (literally—it seems to soar over the Pacific).

Reporting by Michelle Baran, Natalie Beauregard, Tim Chester, Maggie Fuller, Aislyn Greene, Katherine LaGrave, Devorah Lev-Tov, Lyndsey Matthews, and Laura Dannen Redman. This article was originally published August 21, 2020; it was updated March 2, 2021 with new information. As the U.S. continues to face COVID, please check local regulations before making travel plans.

Hotels we write about are independently vetted and recommended by our editors. AFAR may earn a commission if you book through our links, which helps support our independent publication.

READ MORE The Future of Dining Is Alfresco

Swim for Supper on Your Next Florida Trip

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Research Shows Students Benefiting From Arts Field Trips, But Will They Recede After COVID?

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Kids, screen time & despair: an expert in economics & happiness sounds the alarm, interactive: in many schools, declines in student enrollment are here to stay , what’s the right goal for student achievement is 50% proficiency enough 63%, survey finds many gen zers say school lacks a ‘sense of purpose’, teacher prep programs see ‘encouraging’ growth, new federal data reveal.

Parents have worried all year that arts education will be among the casualties claimed by the COVID-19 pandemic and its resulting pressures on local school budgets. Depending on how long districts are forced to cut programs, fire or reassign staff, and cope with remote learning, some advocates warn, little money or instructional time could be left over for activities outside of core academic subjects.

Those concerns may grow louder following the release of research this fall that shows young students receiving measurable academic and social-emotional benefits from exposure to the arts. Even a few brief trips to cultural institutions can lift engagement, tolerance, course grades, and standardized test scores for participating students, the authors find.

The study, circulated as a working paper by Brown University’s Annenberg Institute, offers the latest round of findings from the first-ever multi-visit experiment measuring the long-term effects of field trips. Lead author Heidi H. Erickson, a visiting assistant professor of economics at Kennesaw State University, said that she and her collaborators were surprised to see the size of the effects generated by a handful of outings during the school year. Previous research had focused on “much more comprehensive” arts enrichment and integration programs that were administered over a longer span of time, she noted.

“Here, we are able to demonstrate that a relatively simple intervention — and we consider it pretty low-touch; three field trips in a year, maybe six field trips in two years — can actually have some substantial impacts,” Erikson said. “They’re not just limited to social benefits, but it shows that smaller interventions can actually have some significant effects on academics as well.”

To test those effects, the researchers randomly assigned fourth and fifth graders from 15 Atlanta elementary schools to receive three field trips to an art museum, a symphony orchestra, and a theater production. Those students were compared with a control group that was sent on one field trip, either to one of the arts organizations or another destination in Atlanta.

Students were asked to complete surveys at the beginning and end of their school year to gauge their interest in the arts, tolerance for others, political tolerance, empathy, and school engagement. The research team also examined administrative data detailing the students’ performance on the Georgia Milestones standardized tests, course grades, and attendance and disciplinary records.

Survey responses indicated that students who received the arts field trips were more likely to express a desire to consume or participate in arts in the future. They were also more likely to demonstrate tolerance, as demonstrated by their higher levels of agreement with the survey prompt that “different people can have different opinions about the same thing.”

Those results are somewhat in keeping with prior research, which found that one-off visits to art museums boosted children’s critical and creative thinking. But the effects of the repeated field trips on academic outcomes were more noteworthy still: Two years after going on the trips, participants earned significantly higher combined scores on their math and ELA standardized tests. They enjoyed higher course grades as well.

Erikson noted that, while it was unclear just how the field trips had improved academic performance, students who had received more exposure to the arts subsequently did better in several measures of school engagement. One year after the trips, participating students had .19 fewer behavioral incidents than those in the control group (an 83 percent decline) and were less likely to be absent from school.

“As we started to look at measures like disciplinary infractions, attendance, measures of conscientiousness, we started to wonder if maybe there was a school engagement effect happening,” she said. “School is now a little more exciting to students, they’ve had these great experiences with their classes, they feel a little more connected, and they’re just trying more.”

The authors note that arts field trips like those tracked in the study are sometimes viewed as a liability by teachers and school leaders, who meticulously budget their instructional time. Three days out of a year devoted to art, theater, and music — even if, as in the case of the study, the costs of the visits were covered — can represent a large resource expended, especially given the pressure for schools to perform well on their states’ educational accountability systems.

During the aftermath of the Great Recession, education observers noted that field trips waned as districts dealt with massive budget cutbacks. Survey data from school administrators indicated that nearly one-third reported eliminating such trips in the years following the 2007-09 financial meltdown.

While hesitant to point to specific risks from continued school closures and financial retrenchment, Erikson said she worried that perceived “extras” like class trips and arts education would recede in the wake of the pandemic. Given the countless new responsibilities piled on schools during times of crisis, from providing free meals to connecting kids with the internet, enrichment activities may be in danger of being lost in the shuffle.

“The longer the current education conditions go on, there’s a concern that we short-change students from having a holistic and broader educational experience. Exposing kids to a broader world, connecting kids to their teachers and classmates, connecting them with a world outside their school — that’s where field trips fit in. With the pandemic and so many schools [still] online, I do think there’s a risk of serious negative consequences from being isolated from each other and disconnected.”

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Politics latest: Cameron warns Israel against Rafah invasion - and blasts Labour over defection

The foreign secretary spoke to Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips about the war in Gaza, Russia's advance in Ukraine and Natalie Elphicke's defection from the Tory party.

Sunday 12 May 2024 16:00, UK

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Join us from 6am for all the latest political news.

If you missed today's episode of Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips - don't fret!

You can watch the show in full - including interviews with Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Labour's Jonathan Ashworth - in the clip below...

In January 2023, Rishi Sunak made five promises.

Since then, he and his ministers have rarely missed an opportunity to list them. In case you haven't heard, he promised to:

• Halve inflation • Grow the economy • Reduce debt • Cut NHS waiting lists and times • Stop the boats

See below how he is doing on these goals:

An Israeli arms embargo is "not a wise path" and the UK and America are "in a totally different situation", the foreign secretary has said.

Lord Cameron told the Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips Show that it would be "extremely dangerous" for Israel to attempt a major offensive in Rafah.

But asked if the UK would follow in the US's footsteps and halt the supply of weapons to Israel if launches an attack on the southernmost city of Gaza - a crucial route for aid - he said the UK and American "are in a totally different situation".

"The United States is a massive bulk state supplier of weapons to Israel, including, you know, 1,000lb pound bombs and all the rest of it," he said.

"The UK provides less than 1% of Israel's weapons and is not a state supplier. We have a licensing system and those licences can be closed if it's judged there's a serious risk of a serious international human rights violation."

You can read more from Sky News below:

A total of 120 people crossed the Channel on three small boats yesterday, on what was the hottest day of the year so far.

This is a significant drop on 221 on Friday and 211 on Thursday.

Arrivals typically soar with the warmer weather, which is set to end at 1pm today when thunderstorms will sweep in across parts of Wales and western and central England.

The Met Office has warned: "Flooding of homes and businesses could happen quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

"Fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a danger to life."

More than 9,000 people have arrived in the UK on small boats this year.

Following the defection of the Dover and Deal MP Natalie Elphicke to Labour, Beth, Ruth and Jess discuss the surprise move and whether it could have been handled differently by Sir Keir Starmer.

They also talk about Beth's interview with the former immigration minister Robert Jenrick and his warnings about Reform UK.

Plus, how significant was the defeat of former Conservative mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street? Beth and Jess were both there to tell the story.

And they answer a question on Labour and the Muslim vote, and what the party can do to restore confidence and trust.

Email Beth, Jess, and Ruth at [email protected] , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.     

👉 Listen above then tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

The Sky News live poll tracker - collated and updated by our Data and Forensics team - aggregates various surveys to indicate how voters feel about the different political parties.

With the local elections complete, Labour is still sitting comfortably ahead, with the Tories trailing behind.

See the latest update below - and you can read more about the methodology behind the tracker  here .

Former chancellor and education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said he did not regret accusing journalists of smearing him when reports first emerged of HMRC's investigation into his tax affairs.

Asked by the BBC whether he regretted the comments, Mr Zahawi said: "No, because the smears were so wide - things like the National Crime Agency, which I've never ever had any dealings with or any investigations from."

The outgoing MP for Stratford-on-Avon said it was a "really tough choice" to stand down from parliament at the next election.

Mr Zahawi added: "The heart said keep going and the head said it's time to let a younger, more energetic person fight a pretty vital election for my party.

"It's a wonderful seat - best seat in parliament - and I think it's deserving of a young, energetic Conservative - the list will be as long as my arm."

By Darren McCaffrey, political correspondent

"If you don't stand for anything, then you fall for stuff like this."

That was Lord Cameron taking the opportunity on Sky News this morning to attack what he branded was Labour's "opportunism" over right-wing Dover MP Natalie Elphicke's defection this week.

Her defection has now become a real headache not for the Tories but for the Labour leadership and specifically the judgement of Sir Keir Starmer.

New allegations have emerged on Sunday, from the former justice secretary Robert Buckland, that Natalie Elphicke tried to influence a court case involving her ex-husband and predecessor in Dover, Charlie Elphicke.

Ms Elphicke has branded this as all nonsense and we have now ended up in a situation without a lack of substantial evidence of he said, she said.

And while Labour has a point in asking why Mr Buckland didn't raise this earlier, the bigger question remains: did the Labour leadership make the right call in allowing Ms Elphicke to defect?

While this specific allegation is new, Ms Elphicke was previously temporarily suspended from the Commons and told to apologise after using official Commons stationery to write to senior judges in pre-sentencing.

She was also forced to apologise for comments she made supporting her ex-husband in relation to some of the victims.

And all this aside, Ms Elphicke has spent years attacking Labour and Labour policies from the right - it is therefore not a surprise that many MPs are not best pleased.

Far from it, those on the left of Labour are increasingly vocal about their disdain for her and her inclusion in the parliamentary party.

Many point out that the Labour's broad church doesn't at the moment include Diane Abbott.

Criticism like this might only grow louder.

And so it all becomes very difficult for the Labour leader. Ultimately it was his call. Maybe it seemed too good a political win to ignore past concerns about Ms Elphicke.

But did Sir Keir properly weigh up the possible reaction inside his party, the damage it might do to the party's reputation and more importantly the questions he would raise about his judgement?

The UK economy is no longer in recession, according to official figures.

Gross domestic product (GDP) grew by a better-than-expected 0.6% between January and March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

Economists had predicted the figure would be 0.4%.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it showed the economy had "turned a corner".

He told Sky News's Ed Conway: "I am pleased that while there's more work to do, today's figures show that the economy now has real momentum, and I'm confident that with time, people will start to feel the benefits of that.

"We've had multiple months now where wages are rising, energy bills have fallen, mortgage rates are down and taxes are being cut... I'm pleased with the progress that we're making."

Mr Sunak added: "I am confident the economy is getting healthier every week."

You can read more here:

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Intellectual Property and the Politics of Public Good during COVID-19: Framing Law, Institutions, and Ideas during TRIPS Waiver Negotiations at the WTO

Sara E. Fischer is an assistant professor with the master of public health program at the University of Puget Sound. Her research focuses on global health policy and systems, the politics of global governance, international development, and the power dynamics of foreign aid relationships.

[email protected]

Lucia Vitale is an interdisciplinary global health scholar who uses comparative methods to study the politics of primary health care access in border areas. She is a PhD candidate at the University of California, Santa Cruz's Department of Politics and a visiting research fellow through Fulbright at the Center for Migratory Observation and Social Development in the Caribbean.

Akinyi Lisa Agutu is an international trade lawyer based in Washington, DC. She is currently an independent consultant working on a wide range of issues related to international trade law and is secretary of the Washington Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division.

Matthew M. Kavanagh directs the Global Health Policy and Politics Initiative at Georgetown University, which is officially designated as a United Nations Collaborating Center by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. He is also an assistant professor of global health and a visiting professor of law.

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Sara E. Fischer , Lucia Vitale , Akinyi Lisa Agutu , Matthew M. Kavanagh; Intellectual Property and the Politics of Public Good during COVID-19: Framing Law, Institutions, and Ideas during TRIPS Waiver Negotiations at the WTO. J Health Polit Policy Law 1 February 2024; 49 (1): 9–42. doi: https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-10910269

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Context: To facilitate the manufacturing of COVID-19 medical products, in October 2020 India and South Africa proposed a waiver of certain intellectual property (IP) provisions of a World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement. After nearly two years, a narrow waiver agreement that did little for vaccine access passed the ministerial despite the pandemic's impact on global trade, which the WTO is mandated to safeguard.

Methods: The authors conducted a content analysis of WTO legal texts, key-actor statements, media reporting, and the WTO's procedural framework to explore legal, institutional, and ideational explanations for the delay.

Findings: IP waivers are neither legally complex nor unprecedented within WTO law, yet these waiver negotiations exceeded their mandated 90-day negotiation period by approximately 18 months. Waiver opponents and supporters engaged in escalating strategic framing that justified and eventually secured political attention at head-of-state level, sidelining other pandemic solutions. The frames deployed discouraged consensus on a meaningful waiver, which ultimately favored the status quo that opponents preferred. WTO institutional design encouraged drawn-out negotiation while limiting legitimate players in the debate to trade ministers, empowering narrow interest group politics.

Conclusions: Despite global political attention, the WTO process contributed little to emergency vaccine production, suggesting a pressing need for reforms aimed at more efficient and equitable multilateral processes.

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