Tag Archives: Field Trip Ideas

Fun Ways To Learn At A Public Garden

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There are a great many benefits to walking through a public garden, and if you ever taken the time to visit one in your community or area, you know it can be a peaceful and relaxing place that leaves you refreshed from the experience. It is also a great place to give your observation skills a workout because of all the sites, smells, and sounds that naturally occur everywhere.


Here are some fun learning activities you can do while you are there that can enhance the experience!

  • Identify the flowers, plants, and trees you see around you.
  • Observe the wildlife that comes to visit the plants. 

Use the Shazam for Nature app to help you identify plants and animals you don’t know.

  • Join a garden association or society or volunteer your time to a community or public garden. Compare different gardens if you can visit a few of them. Volunteer to learn how they work and the amount of work it takes to keep them going as a valuable part of the community.
  • Look around to see who’s pollinating the plants and how it’s being done.
  • If you can, find dead plants/insects to observe. Take a pocket microscope or magnifying glass with you so you can get a closer look.
  • Read the map of the area, if one is offered.

  • Make a map of the areas you visited/enjoyed the most. How did you get to your favorite spot?

  • As you walk around, identify the scents and sounds around you. Take a deep breath and do your best to identify specific scents.

  • Put a name to the colors you see. A general color my be yellow, blue, red, green, etc., but then there are more sophisticated names for shades of colors such as buttercup yellow, fuchsia pink, azure, avocado, etc..

  • Find a quiet place to draw or paint what you see. If you enjoy drawing or painting, bring your supplies with you and enjoy being outside doing what you love.

  • Talk to the botanist, horticulturist, or the garden’s caretaker(s) and ask them questions about the things you find most interesting. A public garden near me allows us to take native plants to grow in our own yard and the caretaker is always eager to share her knowledge with us.

  • Find patterns within the flowers/plants and animals around you. Natural patterns are everywhere in nature. If you look around you’ll find them.

  • Sit down and observe the day and area around you. Find a comfortable spot to sit and be for a while and observe the sites, sounds, and smells all around you. Close your eyes and take it all in. It’s a great way to release stress.

  • Take pictures and videos. Take pictures and videos of the things you see and do. Use them to create a nature scrapbook, to help identify the things you saw, or to remember the great time you had! Post them to your blog or social media page.

  • Participate in a public vegetable garden. Many communities have areas were you can grow a garden to share with others.

Don’t forget to pack a lunch with you so you can spend the day exploring and discovering the gardens you visit!

    What are some of the fun and interesting things you like to do when you visit a public garden? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

    Thank you for stopping by!
    Connect with Funschooling and Recreational Learning!
    Note: If this, or any other post on Funschooling and Recreational Learning, has inspired you in a positive way, or you have featured it in a blog post, please comment and link back to where it can be found! Thank you!

    12 Fun Ways To Learn In The Park

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    Explore the trails. As you walk through the trails, look around at the wildlife and plants, and try to identify as many as you can. You may find the free app Shazam for Nature helpful for identifying local plant life. Bring a pocket microscope or a magnifying glass along with you to get a better look at things!

    Count how many times it takes to swing really high. Pump your legs at various speeds and count how many times it takes to swing as high as you like to go. How much force does it take to get to a comfortable speed?

    See who’s hanging out at the pond. If your park has a pond, or a body of water within it, identify who’s hanging out in it or visiting at the time. Observe, take pictures, or draw what you see. Supervision suggested.

    Draw or take pictures/videos of the things you see and do. Bring your sketchbook and colored pencils or painting supplies along with you, or a camera to record what you see.

     Start a game of tag with some of the other people in the park.

    Take sporting equipment with you. Bring a Frisbee, tennis equipment, a playground ball, basket ball, baseball equipment, or a kite, with you to play with and invite some other people to join you.

    Find a couple of sticks and have a race with someone else. Bring a friend and a stopwatch and see how fast you can run from one stick to another. Think of some other fun games you can play with a stick or two.

    Bring chalk to draw with. Make a hopscotch board and invite someone to play with you.

    Bring your skates, bike, or a skate board. Ride the bike trails if the park has one or skate in the skate park. Don’t forget your safety gear!

    Bring a friend or a pet to play with.

    Bring some toys to play with. Consider bringing sand toys, dump trucks, dolls, action figures, etc..

    Play on the playground equipment available.

    People watch. Sit on a bench and observe what other people are doing.

    Don’t forget to pack water and a snack or lunch to enjoy when you take a break from having fun!

    What are some of the fun and interesting things you like to do when you visit the park? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!

    Thank you for stopping by!
    Connect with Funschooling and Recreational Learning!
    Note: If this, or any other post on Funschooling and Recreational Learning, has inspired you in a positive way, or you have featured it in a blog post, please comment and link back to where it can be found! Thank you!


    12 Fun Ways To Learn At The Beach

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    If you are looking for a good excuse to enjoy a beautiful day at the beach, here are some fun learning ideas you can incorporate into your visit.

    • Observe the wind and the waves.
    • Talk to a fisherman or go fishing. Make sure you know your local regulations and have a license.
    • Observe the clouds. Identify the types of clouds you see and talk about the shapes they look like. (Pictures in the clouds.)
    • Look for sand fleas. Sand fleas can usually be found in wet sand.
    • Ride the waves. Grab a surf or body board, or use your body.
    • Swim or float in the water. It’s a good idea to have someone near by while you do this in case a wave comes along.
    • Watch the little crabs on the beach. There are all sorts of small and large crabs that can be found on the beach, see how many you can find and identify.

    • Collect/identify shells. Collect shells and make something fun with them: A candle, art, paint them, etc..
    • Take pictures and videos. Take pictures and videos of the things you see and do. Use them to create a scrapbook, to help identify the things you saw, or to remember the great time you had!
      What are some of the fun and interesting things you like to do when you visit the beach? Leave your suggestions in the comments below!
      Thank you for stopping by!
      Connect with Funschooling and Recreational Learning!
      Note: If this, or any other post on Funschooling and Recreational Learning, has inspired you in a positive way, or you have featured it in a blog post, please comment and link back to where it can be found! Thank you!