10 Field Trips for Self-Contained Classrooms

Choosing the best field trips for your self-contained classroom can seem daunting. For your convenience, I have compiled a list of 10 field trips that work for self-contained classrooms! Please keep in mind your students’ goals, the needed support, and, most importantly, their safety during the trip.

1. Local Park

Each fall, my classroom takes a field trip to one of the local parks nearby. It’s a quick 10-minute bus ride to the park. Our park has handmade gnome homes hidden throughout the park. We work with an outside agency to target literacy-based goals with the students. They each choose a book or two on their reading level, search for the gnome homes, and read to the gnomes! We also make pinecone bird feeders, have a picnic lunch, learn about our Free Little Library, make s’mores, and have a dance party! You can really get creative with activities to do at a park!

2. Grocery Store

A great community-based field trip for your self-contained class is visiting a grocery store. Grocery store field trips can work on a myriad of goals for your students. Is your class working on cooking, recipes, or creating shopping lists? Maybe your student is working on money exchange and needs real-life practice. You might have students who need more practice with communication or social skills with new people in a novel environment. Whatever the case, a grocery store field trip is a win!

Check out a pharmacy field trip companion here.

Check out a Grocery store field trip companion here.

3. Restaurant

Restaurants are an amazing place to promote independence in your students. From making a meal choice, communicating that choice to restaurant staff, table manners, and exchanging money, your students will be able to generalize skills they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world experiences.

4. Fire Station

Your students would be sure to love a trip to the local fire station! They will learn about fire safety, see a firefighter in all of their gear so they won’t be scared to see them in an emergency, try on the gear themselves, and maybe get to sit in the trucks!

5. Children’s Museum

Looking for a place for your students to explore interests and facilitate independent and creative play? Look no further than a children’s museum! These field trips are great for collaborative play and practicing skills prior to generalizing them to real-world experiences!

6. Sensory-Friendly Movie

Do your students enjoy movies but aren’t quite ready for the stimulating atmosphere of a typical movie night? Try taking them to a sensory-friendly showing of a movie at a local theater. Most theaters offer this experience; you may just need to reach out to the box office or sales team. You can also find information for these movies on the AMC Theater Website or even on the Regal Website.

7. Zoo or Aquarium

Are your students obsessed with animals or ocean life? Then you may be looking to take them on a trip to a zoo or aquarium! Many of these places offer hands-on experiences, as well as staff to teach students about the animals and their habitats. This field trip is sure to be a hit!

Check out a zoo field trip companion here!

8. Bowling

Many bowling alleys offer sensory-friendly experiences for our students. The lights dim, and the music is off. Bowling is a great way for students to learn a new game, taking turns, counting, and rule-following.

Check out a bowling field trip companion here.

9. Trampoline Park

Do your students have a lot of energy to get out? Do your students like to jump, bounce, roll, and flip? You may be looking for a trip to a trampoline park! Trampoline parks are another field trip destination that offer sensory-friendly experiences.

10. Farm, Pumpkin Patch, Apple Orchard

Finally, a potentially seasonal yet fun field trip to round out our list. A pumpkin patch or apple orchard! There are so many fun activities to do at these places like petting zoos, pumpkin or fruit picking, tire slides, corn mazes, corn pits, and so much more! If a pumpkin patch or orchard is out of season, a trip to a local farm would be a great substitute! Your students can learn about planting and harvesting crops, why the animals on the farm are important, and why farmers themselves are important to our economy!

Here’s some materials to along with this lesson!

Now that you have ideas for field trips with your self-contained classroom, it’s time to plan! Check out the following blogs for tips:

4 Tips for a Special Needs Class Field Trip

Life Skills Field Trips & How to Plan Them

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