The A to Z Guide to Home School Field Trips: A Review

The A to Z Guide to Home School Field Trips is a book that has been a staple on our shelf off and on since we started homeschooling 12 years ago. There were times that I’d trade it off or pass it on thinking we’d finally finished with it, only to regret my decision and purchase a copy once again. Since one of my favorite subjects is field trips, I decided to share some of the resources that I use that I really love and this book is high on that list.

Edited by Gregg Harris, pioneer in the homeschooling movement, The A to Z Guide to Home School Field Trips is a comprehensive resource with 70+ field trip ideas ranging from common post office, police department or grocery store outings to less common visits with plumbers, butchers or even to a funeral. This book is designed to literally turn any outing into an educational adventure.

Each topic or field trip idea is broken down in five categories.

• Background Information
• Questions that you might ask
• Activities for follow-up
• Vocabulary Words that are helpful to know
• Tips from Barnabas, or Biblical application

There is also a small box at the top of each topic page that allows you to record contact information, hours of operation, the address and best time to visit for each possible field trip which you may choose to use. In addition to this small box, there is also a Field Trip Planner page in the back of the book that can be reproduced for your own families use that is more detailed.

At times I’ve thought my children may have outgrown this valuable resource and yet each time I pick it up I continue to learn something new which leads me to believe that though it would be better geared towards families with children in Jr. High down, it is appropriate for all ages.

What resource have you found valuable when it comes to planning your own homeschool field trips?