And while some of them are probably best reserved for tourists, there are tons of options that work really well for school field trips.
When it comes to a school field trip, you want to pick an activity that is interesting and entertaining enough that it’s going to hold the interest of your students – something that they come home from thinking ‘that was so much fun.’
But it also needs to be educational and enriching enough that it warrants being a school trip out.
Well, Atalanta has those by the bucketload! If you’re looking for some inspiration for your next trip to Atlanta, look no further – we’ve got you covered.
When it comes to English, there’s never a better option for a field trip than an expedition to the theatre.
And Alliance Theatre is one of the best options in Atlanta.
The theatre group offers both virtual and in-person field trips where the students can watch developmentally appropriate shows each and every season.
The company puts a really heavy emphasis on ensuring that students between the grades of K-12 can all experience theatre productions that are as powerful and impactful as the adult performances they also put on.
Each play is always chosen to adhere to the needs of the school curriculum and is designed to appeal to the specific age group viewing and beyond.
For both educational and entertainment purposes, you won’t find a better field trip option for your English or Performing Arts subjects.
As you’ve probably gathered from the name, this is the perfect option for history students.
There is so much to see and do here that you can ensure that your students will never bore or tire of the trip – plus it’s appropriate for all age ranges, so no matter what grade you’re taking, it’ll be a great experience.
There are multi-disciplinary and interactive guided tours for the students which are not only very informative but totally engaging too.
And if you’d prefer there are also options for self-guided tour options for teachers.
The best thing about this center is that not only is it allowed, but it’s encouraged that students interact with all the historical objects while touring.
So no shouting to put things down or not to touch – we’ve all been there.
Instead, your students can enjoy some hands-on learning as they scour the tons of exhibitions, historic houses, and stunning gardens.
This is such a fun, exciting, and interesting place for younger children to learn the skills of creative writing, storytelling, communication skills, performing, and much more.
Here your students will get the opportunity to see, create, and explore.
They’ll get to watch a really engaging puppet show before going off to a Create-A-Puppet workshop where they will create their very own puppet and they can then even try and create their own story or performance.
And the fun doesn’t stop there!
Once all that is done, there is still the Center’s Museum to explore where they’ll find exhibitions from all over the world – a great way for them to learn all about other cultures!
Teachers will adore this museum just as much as the students.
This amazing and immersive experience will challenge students to discover new ideas and careers related to computing and technology and works amazingly well as a scientific, design and technology, or an IT field trip.
There are more than 34,000 square feet and 500 artifacts to explore, all of which are aligned with the Georgia Standards of Excellence to ensure that students connect their classroom lessons to real-world innovations and inventions.
Some of the great things your kids will get to witness include the STEAM Timeline, a Tribute to Apollo, and an Enigma machine!
This is sure to be a super fun day for your class but they’ll also learn a lot along the way – and it might even inspire a new career path for several students.
Curious minds will become even more curious when they enter the doors of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
This Museum is honestly so interactive and engaging that you could spend days there let alone hours.
There’s a real emphasis on the science side of things here, but it’s also great for human culture too so it works well for a science trip, history trip, or a social studies option.
While here, you’ll have three floors of amazing exhibits to behold as well as a four-story Giant Screen Theatre, and 75 acres of outdoor nature in the Wildwoods and Fernbank Forest.
You’ll even get a Field Trip Program specifically made by educators to help cover the variety of educational topics worth discussing while you’re there!
You can be sure that there will not be a disappointed face in sight when you tell your students that they’re taking a trip to a chocolate factory. Let’s face it, that’s any young child’s dream.
Now, you may be thinking that there isn’t much to learn at a chocolate factory, other than how delicious it is. But that’s where you’d be wrong.
While here, lower-grade students can learn all of the history and culture of chocolate in South America from the beginning right to the present day.
Then higher-grade students have a more specific focus on the science behind chocolate, its molecules, and how they are manipulated by skilled chocolatiers.
And all of this is taught while the students get to sample and create their very own sweet treats such as candy bars, smores, and lollipops!
For a physical education field trip, there isn’t a better place to visit than the College Football Hall of Fame.
Here, the foundation understands that football is more than just a game, and this is more than simply just a museum.
There is so much to explore here. The newest exhibit College Football Once Upon A Time explores so many different aspects of storytelling such as characters, setting, plot, conflict, and theme.
The immersive experience allows visitors to look through several historic artifacts and promotes the importance and value that can be found in college football. It’s very inspirational for any aspiring sports athletes in your class.
There’s also a game-time gallery, a game-day theater, and even an indoor playing field!
Of course, you can never go wrong with a trip to the zoo.
This is a great way to get children engaged with animals, different species, animal behavior, and conservation status.
It’s something that students of any age can benefit from and enjoy too.
The zoo even has a printable PDF guide that you can use for school visits to ensure that you make the most of your trip.
They also offer plenty of really cool educational opportunities such as a safari camp, an after-hours sleepover, adventure clubs, and wild encounters with your favorite animals.
Piedmont Park Conservancy specifically crafts super engaging, interactive, and super fun activities for students of all age groups that are also informative and educational.
Each field trip option is STEM-based and aligns with the Georgia Standards of Excellence so kids will be able to relate their classroom work to real-life practices or situations.
And there’s so much to do here – educational hikes, outdoor games, and hands-on experiments.
So regardless of what subject you’re teaching, there will always be something that applies to you and your students.
If you can’t make it here – don’t despair because they also have outreach programs and curriculums that can come to your classroom too.
This is a great option for any history field trip. At the Funk Heritage Center students can learn all about the life and history of the Native Americans during the Trail of Tears.
This visually engaging and immersive experience is sure to both supplement and enhance the understanding of the student’s classroom curriculum.
And not only is it perfect for history but there is also much to learn in terms of science and social studies and the guides are sure to incorporate this information throughout the tour.
Plus once the tour is over students can then also enjoy the museum store where they can purchase souvenirs for as little as 50 cents or enjoy a bite to eat using the outdoor uncovered picnic facilities available.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from this article, the possibilities for field trips in Atlanta are endless.
There are so many different engaging and fun activities that are set to the standards of the Georgia Standards of Excellence to be sure that they will enrich their classroom learning.
So regardless of what subject you teach, or which grade level you teach to, there is sure to be a fantastic field-trip destination for you.
The hard part now is choosing which of these amazing activities to try first!
Hi, my name is Helena Waters and I was a teacher for 40 years before retiring last year.
During my time as a teacher I dedicated the majority of it to making classrooms as fun as possible, with educational parties, fun activities, and low cost entertainment that made the children excited about learning.
I taught children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school students. Now, with the pandemic having uprooted everything that children once knew about school and learning, I think that the need for my ideas is bigger than ever.
That is why I created School Sparks, a place in which I can write down and share all of my ideas on how to get students excited about going to school again. I hope that you’ll find some useful within a school setting, even at home too!
