Thursday, October 19, 2006
Annual MEA field trip….
Tomorrow my child care will be taking our annual MEA field trip. Schools in Minnesota are closed every year for the two-day Education Minnesota Professional Conference, which always begins on the third Thursday of October.
Every year on the Friday of MEA, I take my child care on a large trip. I originally started on this date because I cared for some children of school teachers and they would be available to help with the trip. As the years passed, it became a good time to take a trip because my older children would be out of school and could help. Now it has simply become an annual Kidsville tradition. This is not the only field trip activity that we do during the year, but it is usually anticipated with great excitement and more popular than any other event except perhaps the annual Christmas party.
Field trips are a great experience for young children. Not only is it an exciting change of pace, but it provides educational opportunities outside of the child care facility.
In the past, we have visited apple orchards, pumpkin farms, petting zoos, parks, and other various local attractions.
This year I am taking them someplace new and going to the Amaze’n Farmyard, which is about a half hour trip from home. It is a new, unique, fun and educational adventure! Where we will meet many barnyard animals and learn about them hands on. The facility is set up so that every child has the opportunity to not only pet, feed, and see the animals but also the ability to go in among the baby animals and hold them; while maintaining a level of safety for both the animals and the children. It sounds like fun!! There is a playground area, a mini maze and a challenge maze-which is Minnesota’s largest permanent maze. (19,000 square feet of twisting, turning trails.)
I’m looking forward to having fun… Hope we don’t loose any kids in the maze ;-)
Tomorrow my child care will be taking our annual MEA field trip. Schools in Minnesota are closed every year for the two-day Education Minnesota Professional Conference, which always begins on the third Thursday of October.
Every year on the Friday of MEA, I take my child care on a large trip. I originally started on this date because I cared for some children of school teachers and they would be available to help with the trip. As the years passed, it became a good time to take a trip because my older children would be out of school and could help. Now it has simply become an annual Kidsville tradition. This is not the only field trip activity that we do during the year, but it is usually anticipated with great excitement and more popular than any other event except perhaps the annual Christmas party.
Field trips are a great experience for young children. Not only is it an exciting change of pace, but it provides educational opportunities outside of the child care facility.
In the past, we have visited apple orchards, pumpkin farms, petting zoos, parks, and other various local attractions.
This year I am taking them someplace new and going to the Amaze’n Farmyard, which is about a half hour trip from home. It is a new, unique, fun and educational adventure! Where we will meet many barnyard animals and learn about them hands on. The facility is set up so that every child has the opportunity to not only pet, feed, and see the animals but also the ability to go in among the baby animals and hold them; while maintaining a level of safety for both the animals and the children. It sounds like fun!! There is a playground area, a mini maze and a challenge maze-which is Minnesota’s largest permanent maze. (19,000 square feet of twisting, turning trails.)
I’m looking forward to having fun… Hope we don’t loose any kids in the maze ;-)
// posted by Tammy Wachter @ 3:35 PM 
