Daycare field trip of 20 three year olds to the National Zoo?

[Anonymous]

My kid's daycare did this (they were either 3 or 4, can't quite remember). Took the metro to Cleveland Park and walked from there to the Zoo. It was fine, but we had enough parents attending that it was probably just over a 1:1 adult/child ratio. Also, we maybe had 6-8 vs 30 kids. I

[Anonymous]

I have always volunteered and chaperoned my kids in field trips since they were 3 years ikd, I would never let a ES and below kid go with the teachers because most of the times these teachers are clueless. The sheer logistics is going to be a nightmare. Potty breaks, exhaustion, hunger, thirst, allergies, being overwhelmed, being hot...all of these have to be factored in for the kids. Furthermore, find out about the transportation also. Usually a nice airconditioned tour bus will cost $$$.

At this age, the outing should be close by, short, with very few logistical details to keep in mind. In fact, an "in-school" fieldtrip is usually the best, where some person comes from outside to entertain/educate the kids. It can be the reptile man, a puppet show or a small carnival in the school. My kids loved "slime day" at their day care, followed by some icecream.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have always volunteered and chaperoned my kids in field trips since they were 3 years ikd, I would never let a ES and below kid go with the teachers because most of the times these teachers are clueless. The sheer logistics is going to be a nightmare. Potty breaks, exhaustion, hunger, thirst, allergies, being overwhelmed, being hot...all of these have to be factored in for the kids. Furthermore, find out about the transportation also. Usually a nice airconditioned tour bus will cost $$$.

At this age, the outing should be close by, short, with very few logistical details to keep in mind. In fact, an "in-school" fieldtrip is usually the best, where some person comes from outside to entertain/educate the kids. It can be the reptile man, a puppet show or a small carnival in the school. My kids loved "slime day" at their day care, followed by some icecream.

This is OP. The center has 2 buses that they will use for the field trip.

[Anonymous]

We went to Great Country Farms in pre-k. It works with one adult for every two kids. Tiring though! lol!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare center announced a field trip for the preschool room to the National Zoo for late June. Our child has been in the room since January; this is the first field trip they will be going on since we started there in the infant room. This will be a trip of up to twenty kids who are mainly 3 years old - they typically range from old 2s to young 4s in the room - who span from being not potty trained to nearly self sufficient on the potty, with most somewhere in between (the teachers send them to the toilet on a 30 min timer in the room on a daily basis). The center has two buses, and my guess is that none of these kids has ever been on the center's buses. The zoo is a 40 min ride one way, and the trip is planned for 9:30am-1:30pm, eating lunches brought from home while there.

I asked the room's lead teacher today how logistics work to take twenty kids in that age group on such a trip. Her answer was "lots of volunteers", that they will take everything with them regarding dealing with potty accidents, and that she would prefer kids to be in pull ups in case of accidents. She also admitted that she has never done a field trip like this before and that it was the center director's idea. The lead teacher has been in charge of that room since we started there in 2019.

Is it just me, or does this sound like a really bad idea?

There's a room of 20 kids who range from 2 to 4? Is this is a church preschool?

OP here. This is a center, not a church preschool. This is the preschool room at the center. Mainly the 3 year olds, but the director will sometimes move the older 2 year olds early (my daughter moved up at 2 yrs 10 months), and the kids don't always go to the PreK room right when they turn 4. Thus, room of 20 kids who are 'old 2s to young 4s'. My daughter will probably stay in the room till she's 4 yrs 3 mo in order to split her time remaining at the center since she moved into the 3s room early; otherwise she would be in the PreK room for 1.5 years till she goes to K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our daycare center announced a field trip for the preschool room to the National Zoo for late June. Our child has been in the room since January; this is the first field trip they will be going on since we started there in the infant room. This will be a trip of up to twenty kids who are mainly 3 years old - they typically range from old 2s to young 4s in the room - who span from being not potty trained to nearly self sufficient on the potty, with most somewhere in between (the teachers send them to the toilet on a 30 min timer in the room on a daily basis). The center has two buses, and my guess is that none of these kids has ever been on the center's buses. The zoo is a 40 min ride one way, and the trip is planned for 9:30am-1:30pm, eating lunches brought from home while there.

I asked the room's lead teacher today how logistics work to take twenty kids in that age group on such a trip. Her answer was "lots of volunteers", that they will take everything with them regarding dealing with potty accidents, and that she would prefer kids to be in pull ups in case of accidents. She also admitted that she has never done a field trip like this before and that it was the center director's idea. The lead teacher has been in charge of that room since we started there in 2019.

Is it just me, or does this sound like a really bad idea?

There's a room of 20 kids who range from 2 to 4? Is this is a church preschool?

OP here. This is a center, not a church preschool. This is the preschool room at the center. Mainly the 3 year olds, but the director will sometimes move the older 2 year olds early (my daughter moved up at 2 yrs 10 months), and the kids don't always go to the PreK room right when they turn 4. Thus, room of 20 kids who are 'old 2s to young 4s'. My daughter will probably stay in the room till she's 4 yrs 3 mo in order to split her time remaining at the center since she moved into the 3s room early; otherwise she would be in the PreK room for 1.5 years till she goes to K.

That's a huge class and especially large for a trip like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have always volunteered and chaperoned my kids in field trips since they were 3 years ikd, I would never let a ES and below kid go with the teachers because most of the times these teachers are clueless. The sheer logistics is going to be a nightmare. Potty breaks, exhaustion, hunger, thirst, allergies, being overwhelmed, being hot...all of these have to be factored in for the kids. Furthermore, find out about the transportation also. Usually a nice airconditioned tour bus will cost $$$.

At this age, the outing should be close by, short, with very few logistical details to keep in mind. In fact, an "in-school" fieldtrip is usually the best, where some person comes from outside to entertain/educate the kids. It can be the reptile man, a puppet show or a small carnival in the school. My kids loved "slime day" at their day care, followed by some icecream.

Yeah the favorite "outings" at pre school are things like going out to the parking lot to see a fire truck from the local fire station.

[Anonymous]

op i understand your concern but you should either allow your child go, offer to volunteer to keep an eye on your child or keep your child home for the day