The Best Winter Field Trips for Homeschoolers to Take

Are you gearing up for some fun winter field trips? We’ve got you covered! There are so many ways to have a great time learning even in the winter season.

Winter Field Trips

If you’re thinking of winter field trips but have run out of fun ideas, here’s a massive list for you! Even if the weather gets blustery where you live, there are still lots of great ways to have learning experiences in the winter. Say goodbye to cabin fever and check out these ideas.

Indoor Places to Visit

When the weather is just too brisk to be outside, consider some indoor places to visit. Here are some great winter field trip ideas that you can experience no matter the temperature.

Roller Skating Rink

Homeschool groups could get together and rent out a local roller skating rink for an afternoon of fun. In addition to getting some great exercise, you’ll be able to hang out with your favorite local homeschool friends.

Indoor Trampoline Park

An indoor playground or trampoline park is another great winter field trip idea. In the winter we tend to be more sedentary, and this isn’t great for our kids! So make a regular time to spend at a local indoor trampoline park for a fun way to let out all that pent up energy.

Local Aquariums

Local aquariums make a fun field trip. You can pair a trip like this with your science studies. Before going to the aquarium, spend time learning more about the aquatic animals you’ll see there. Then enjoy the up-close experience! If you enjoy learning about ocean anatomy, your kids will love the aquarium!

Go to the Movies

Why not just go to the movies? We love family movie night! You can even do movie night themes and plan them out in advance. 

Public school teachers play movies in school all the time, so who says homeschooled kids can’t head to a movie theater for a fun field trip? Make it a family event or invite your homeschooled friends. And of course, go during the school day if you can because you just might have the whole movie theater to yourselves!

Tour a Factory

You can tour a factory during the winter months. A local factory tour is a great way to learn more about your local history, businesses, and economy.

Visit a Planetarium

One of the best educational field trips is to visit a local planetarium. These science museums are able to make your astronomy studies come alive as you sit and enjoy learning about space. So, if you study astronomy, a planetarium is a great idea. 

Tour the Post Office

Sometimes the simplest and closest idea is furthest from our minds. But one of the great field trip ideas for kids of all ages is to tour the post office. See if your local postmaster will let your kids see the inner workings of the post office. You just may inspire one of your kids to want to collect stamps and learn more about the countries they represent.

Tour a Museum

There are so many museums your could tour for your winter field trips. Many of them offer a tour guide and educational programs. A children’s museum will focus on hands-on exhibits that really let your kids look, touch, and learn. Consider visiting a history museum or maybe art museums are more up your alley? You can easily pair a museum tour with something you’re learning about in your homeschool.

Visit an Animal Shelter

For your kids that love animals, consider visiting animal shelters as a field trip. They can spend some time playing with the animals and learn about the needs in your community for homes.

Visit the Police Station or Fire Department

Visiting a police station or fire department is a great educational experience. It’s great to learn about community safety, community helpers, and how they all play a role in the neighborhood.

Take a Field Trip to the Airport

Students of all ages will love a winter field trip to the airport. Maybe you just have a small local airport to visit. See if someone there will tell your kids all about aviation and the science behind how a plane flies. Before you get there, do some research and learning about the history of aviation.

Maybe you live near a larger airport and you can see some big planes! It makes a great excuse to get out of the house in the winter.

Visit a Pet Store

When the winter weather is keeping you inside, plan to visit a pet store. You’ll be able to see so many different animals just by walking around the different parts of the store. Talk to your kids about each section and what they already know about each type of animal.

When you get home, you could extend the learning with some creative writing from the perspective of one of the animals you saw.

Tour a News Station

Group tours of a news station are a fun idea! Gather with your homeschool friends and see if your local TV station would give you an inside peek into how the station runs, what it’s like to be on camera, and what it’s like to report the news. You could also look into a local radio station too.

Attend a Local Performance

Is there a local performance of a play or musical? This can be a great winter field trip idea. If the play is based on a book, consider reading it first then seeing how closely the play follows the book. It’s fun to support local theaters and performance groups.

Sometimes you can even find lesson plans to go along with the performance.

Vist an Indoor Play Center

A fun way to expend extra energy this time of year is to go to an indoor play center. While your backyard might be full of snow, the indoor play center will still give your kids some physical exercise and needed playtime.

Plan a Scavenger Hunt

If you have adventurous children, a group scavenger hunt is a alot of fun. Check out these scavenger hunt ideas that you can do both inside and outside.

Go Bowling

Bowling is a fun winter field trip! Head out with some homeschool friends and enjoy an afternoon or evening of bowling.

Check out a Pottery Studio

Pottery studios can be an inspiring place to take your creative kids. It will give them insight into the different art forms they can try. Some pottery studios even offer classes.

Visit the Library

A homeschool winter field trip list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the local library, now would it?

But homeschool field trips can be fun too. In order to spruce up a normal visit to the library, consider finding or making a scavenger hunt to help your kids learn about the different sections and parts of the library?

Outdoor Places to Visit

When you just need some fresh air during the winter months, here are some great outdoor places to visit for a winter field trip.

Ice Skating Rink

An ice rink makes a great field trip for all ages. Younger kids can learn to skate for the first time and older kids can brush up on their skills. Home school groups may be able to reserve a time to use the rink during the school day.

That’s just another perk of being a homeschooler – enjoying quieter locations while most of the kids in town are in school.

Go Sledding

Another fun field trip idea is simply to go sledding! You really don’t need to plan much for this experience and it’s another excellent way to let some steam out when you’ve been cooped up inside too long this winter.

Enjoy Snowboarding or Snowskiing

Why not try some winter sports like snowboarding or snow skiing? While it can cost a bit of money to participate in these activities, it can continue to be a wintertime activity for the whole family year after year.

Final Thoughts About Winter Field Trips

Whether you visit an indoor pool or a children’s museum, winter field trips are important so that you get a much needed break during the hardest parts of the year. Don’t let burnout creep into your homeschool routine.

Go ahead and plan a few fun field trips even if the weather isn’t great. There are still so many places in your own town that you can experience with your kids. And lastly, don’t forget about virtual programs and themed virtual field trips. Even if you’re snowed in, you can enjoy some of the best virtual field trips for kids.