field trips for 5th graders nyc

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New York City Field Trips

The FieldTripDirectory.com is a resource for field trips for students, camp groups, homeschool groups and scout troops for day field trips, overnight field trips and youth retreats. Learn about NY’s museums, zoos and aquariums, botanic gardens, nature centers, historic sites, amusement parks, recreation, performing arts and more in New York City. CLICK on the ACTIVITY FILTER below to learn about these types of field trips.

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A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours

A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours, the leader in guided bus tours of Brooklyn since 2005, offers behind-the-scenes bus tours of Brooklyn’s favorite foods, neighborhoods, landmarks, and famous movie locations!

Adventurers Family Amusement Park

Open since 1966, Adventurers Amusement Park, formerly Nellie Bly, is the perfect place to enjoy a fun day for your group field trip or family outing in Brooklyn.

Area 53 NYC

Area 53 NYC- 3 locations – triple the fun. Choose between Adventure Park, Indoor Paintball and Laser Tag. Field Trips and Parties for school, scout, camp0, homeschool groups and family celebrations.

CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR

A one-of-a-kind NYC tradition, the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes® brings the joy of Christmas to life in a show for all ages.

Dave & Buster’s Brooklyn Atlantic

Groups will have a blast at Dave & Buster’s Brooklyn Atlantic! Start out with a delicious meal in the group-friendly restaurant and then move on to a large selection of games—in Dave’s Arcade.

Dave & Buster’s Brooklyn Gateway

Groups will have a blast at Dave & Buster’s Brooklyn Gateway! Start out with a delicious meal in the group-friendly restaurant and then move on to some games—12-lane bowling, shuffleboard, air hockey, and more—in Dave’s Arcade.

Dave & Buster’s Staten Island

At Dave & Buster’s Staten Island, your group will have a blast! Start out with a delicious meal in our group-friendly restaurant and then move on to some fun games for team building followed by a visit to arcade with the latest games.

Dave and Buster’s Times Square

Dave & Buster’s Time Square is your go-to place for FUN! For your next school event come eat, party, and play at Dave & Buster’s—your school group will thank you!

Disney On Broadway – The Lion King

More than 90 million people around the world have come to discover the thrill, the majesty, the one-of-a-kind Broadway musical that is “The Lion King.” Enjoy this landmark entertainment experience!

DISNEY ON BROADWAY – ALADDIN

Aladdin is an unforgettable experience that blends all the cherished songs from the film’s Academy Award®- winning score with new music written especially for this Broadway production.

Ferox Ninja Park

KingsFerox, the Biggest  ninja park with obstacles plus a whole floor of entertainment with massive trampolines, rock climbing and more.  Join the fun today!

Greenbelt Conservancy

Explore 2,800 acres dedicated to discovering the sounds, sights, and scents of nature. Programs include bird watching, learning about insects, spiders, and reptiles.

FieldTripDirectory.com (formerly ClassTrips.com and CampDirectorsResources.com) offers field trip ideas for class trips, scout group trips, camp group field trips, and homeschool group field trips in New York City—early childhood through college. Search for class trips in New York City by by group type, cost, activity/curriculum type, grade level, distance, and venue name or keyword. Day class trips are divided by curriculum and subject area:

• ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Find New York City art museums, theater, dance, and music concert field trips.
• EARLY CHILDHOOD Find New York City class trips to children’s museums, petting zoos, and kids’ shows.
• HISTORY/SOCIAL STUDIES View New York City history museums, government & civics, historic sites, living history museums, and multicultural field trip ideas.
• LIFE SKILLS Find New York City team building field trips, health & safety exhibits, and character education experiences.
• SCIENCE & NATURE Find New York City aquariums, botanical gardens, environmental studies & nature centers, farms & mazes, planetariums, science museums, STEAM & STEM field trips, dinosaur exhibits, and zoos.
• RECREATION Find New York City field trip ideas for adventure parks, ropes courses, ziplines, boat excursions, amusement parks, waterparks, kayaking, rafting, tubing, laser tag paintball, roller skating rinks, ice-skating rinks, mini-golf attractions, indoor amusement & recreation centers, and outdoor amusement & recreation centers.

Overnight field trips include trips to NYC, trips to Boston, trips to Philadelphia, trips to Washington, DC, trips to Chicago, trips to Atlanta, trips to Austin, and other historic cities throughout the US. Retreats are available for environmental education, team building, and recreation. We created field trip lesson plans to help teachers, scout leaders, camp counselors, and homeschool parents provide an enriching experience for their groups. We know funds for class trips are limited, so we’ve included grants for field trips that cover admission, transportation, and more. It’s important that students and youth explore new environments, learn about other cultures, and develop an understanding of inclusivity as part of the educational process. People learn in different ways—through hearing, seeing, touching, talking, or doing. Class trips can provide a multi-dimensional learning experience. FieldTripDirectory.com can help you find the right trip for your group. A world of experiences is just a click away at FieldTripDirectory.com.

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The Best Fifth Grade Field Trips (In Person and Virtual)

Head count!

Being the oldest student on campus affords some privileges, not the least of which is a minimum of one awesome field trip. No baby field trips here. Take advantage of having more mature learners, and try one of these engaging field trips that you can only really do in fifth grade.

Not all of these trips will be possible everywhere, but keep in mind any local treasures that are unique to your area. And when you can’t manage a trip—for whatever reason—try our virtual fifth grade field trips below.

In-Person Fifth Grade Field Trips

1. tv station.

Current events are important in fifth grade, so take your students to learn what it really takes to put on a newscast. They’ll get to see the sets up close, meet the anchors, and maybe even be featured on the evening news (and what fifth grader doesn’t want to see themselves on television?).

2. Art Museum

Fifth graders can perhaps appreciate fine art in a way that younger students cannot. I remember being captivated by the impressionists at that age. I’m not saying a 10-year-old won’t laugh at a nude statue or painting, but they just might learn to appreciate it. And they should.

3. College or University

As they approach middle school, now is an ideal time to get fifth graders thinking about higher education. Take a tour, observe a class, meet college students, and visit a sports complex, bookstore, or library to get a feel for college life.

4. Community Theater

Children’s theaters often have options for older students, but for fifth graders, a local community theater is also a possibility. Lots of musicals are fifth-grade friendly. They might also enjoy an adaptation of a classic like The Secret Garden or Peter Pan , which local theaters frequently put on.

5. History Museum

Fifth grade social studies focuses on all 50 states. If they already went to the state history museum in fourth grade, you might try something with more national relevance, like a manuscript museum (I saw Richard Nixon’s actual resignation letter in Tacoma, Washington!).

6. State Capitol

Bring your government and civics unit to life with a visit to your state capitol. Try to time your visit for when Congress is in session so kids can get a peek at representative democracy in action. If they can meet some elected officials, even better!

7. Local Creek, Pond, or Lake

Plan to spend some time outside with your fifth graders. This might include a clean-up event to get students involved in community service. It could also be an opportunity to observe plant and animal life or take water samples for testing.

8. National Historic Site

There are plenty of sites that are significant to your state, but what about those that played a role in U.S. history? For example, Pearl Harbor in Hawaii or the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama. Check out the full list of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state .

9. Botanical Garden

Most botanical gardens offer a self-guided tour option, which is a great way for students to take in the diversity of plant life. Bring notebooks and let them sketch! And consider adding on a hands-on plant science workshop (like a flower dissection!) if that’s available.

10. Ropes Course

You might consider this a “just for fun” field trip, but students will learn teamwork, cooperation, and strategy through the obstacles. Ropes courses are self-esteem boosters, and fifth graders moving on to middle school could use a good dose of confidence.

11. Planetarium

If you’re looking for an out-of-this-world experience for your STEM-loving fifth graders, take them on a trip to a planetarium. They’ll get a chance to stargaze while learning all about the wonders of space.

12. Concert Hall

If you’re within driving distance, consider a trip to a philharmonic or symphony concert hall. Some venues offer special programs to schools, and others allow schools to attend rehearsals for an upcoming show. Local concert halls are another great option to foster music appreciation through choral groups, jazz bands, and more musically talented community members.

13. National, State, or Local Park

Depending on the location, there may be options for a guided tour by a park ranger or a self-guided tour. Either way, your students will enjoy learning about wildlife and plants while getting some exercise and fresh air. Many parks even waive admission fees for educational groups.

Virtual Fifth Grade Field Trips

1. amazon robotics fulfillment center tour.

Ever wonder how Amazon delivers packages at lightning speed? Take your fifth graders on a 45-minute behind-the-scenes tour of an Amazon fulfillment center  to see how computer science, engineering, and real people work together to make the magic happen. During this interactive virtual field trip, students meet Amazon engineers who explain concepts like algorithms and machine learning. It’s aligned to NGSS, CSTA, and ISTE standards, and there’s also a Teacher Toolkit that includes a facilitation guide plus student worksheets, certificates, and extension learning opportunities. (Hint: If you like this virtual field trip, look for the release of more Amazon Future Engineer Tech Tours. The next one, Space Tour, will be available in October 2022.)

2. Slime in Space

Nickelodeon teamed up with two astronauts on the International Space Station to demonstrate how slime reacts to microgravity and had kids reproduce those same demonstrations back here on Earth. It makes for an amazing 15-minute virtual field trip!

3. U.S. Census Bureau

Kids can learn about the 2020 Census and how census data is collected and used. This virtual field trip also features interviews with subject matter experts and an interactive challenge.

4. Ellis Island

Want to enhance a unit on immigration at the turn of the century? Look no further than this virtual field trip to Ellis Island , the former immigration inspection station in New York Harbor that is also home to the Statue of Liberty.

5. Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bring the iconic New York museum into your classroom or home! Experience the Met online with any of the 26 online galleries , including Christian Dior: Ball Gowns and The Art of Music Through Time.

6. Google Arts & Culture

A collaboration with more than 1,200 leading museums and archives, Google Arts & Culture is an incredible source for learning about monumental works of art. We recommend the Street View virtual tours as well as Art Zoom guided tours.

7. National Constitution Center

The National Constitution Center serves as a “headquarters for civic education.” Their main exhibit, Story of We The People, guides visitors through milestones in America’s history while revealing how the U.S. Constitution is as important today as it was in 1787. Check out the Interactive Constitution section , and be sure to watch the virtual tour .

8. Colonial Williamsburg

This living-history museum provides a look into life in an early American community. The website offers eight different webcams , featuring areas such as the tavern, the armory, and the market house.

9. National Park

If you can’t take an in-person trip to a national park, there are plenty of virtual field trip options for fifth graders. For example, you can learn about glaciers, fjords, and volcanoes during this virtual field trip to Alaska and Hawaii national parks . There are also virtual field trips available to Wyoming and Utah national parks , California and Nevada national parks , as well as Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado national parks .

What are your favorite fifth grade field trips? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out best field trip ideas for every age and interest (virtual options too).

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Here are some citywide opportunities for teachers to supplement traditional classroom instruction with hands on, experiential learning for their students. See a list of current offerings below, organized by borough. 

• Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum Through touch-tours, open-ended inquiry challenges, craft projects, and interactive games, Bartow Pell’s curriculum-rich sessions build critical thinking and evidential reasoning skills that benefit students across disciplines.
• Bronx River Alliance The Bronx River Alliance's Education Program helps schools and community organizations use the river as a classroom, engaging youth and adults in a variety of enjoyable and educational activities. The Alliance provides teachers with training, curriculum consulting, lesson plans, equipment and supplies to support students in becoming river doctors, scientists and more.
• Bronx Zoo The WCS Education Department offers a variety of standards-based learning experiences at our parks and at schools.
• Rocking the Boat Rocking the Boat's On-Water Classroom exposes students to the joy of rowing and the ecological diversity of the Bronx River.
• Wave Hill Immerse your class in nature as you explore Wave Hill’s glorious gardens and woodlands. An experienced educator leads your class in outdoor exploration and hands-on activities that help students at all levels make meaningful connections to the environment.
• 826 NYC storytelling and bookmaking 826NYC hosts classes across New York City for Write Together: an interactive writing experience that encourages creative expression, explore the elements of storytelling and strengthens writing skills. Elementary and middle school classes collaborate on illustrated children’s books, middle schoolers can choose their own adventure with multi-ending stories, and high schoolers learn the art of memoir writing during a fast-paced and whimsical 90-minute narrative program. The Write Together program is now available as either a virtual workshop or an in-person field trip to a "secret library." Read about a 2nd-grade class trip to the Secret Library »
• Aviator Sports and Events Center This 175,000-square-foot facility has two regulation NHL ice rinks, a 20,000-square-foot field house, a gymnastics center, a rock wall and two outdoor fields. Groups can participate in basketball, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, ice skating, flag football, rock climbing, team-building activities, swimming and bubble soccer.
• Brooklyn Botanic Garden Registered school groups can visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden for free. The Garden also offers 90-minute guided workshop programs for students in pre-K through 8th grade ($150 per class; a discount is available for Title I schools) to help students explore trees, plants and flowers.
• Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy The Conservancy offers a variety of programs for children in grades K-12, with topics including the ecology of Brooklyn Bridge Park, engineering, geological formations, sustainability and more.
• Brooklyn Children's Museum The Brooklyn Children's Museum offers on-site school programs as well as "Museum on the Go" art, culture, math and science curriculum kits that can be used in your classroom. A limited number of free school programs for Title I schools are available.
• Brooklyn Navy Yard BLDG 92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard partners with the Brooklyn Historical Society to offer free education programs. Students visiting the Brooklyn Navy Yard will learn to think like historians and engineers through hands-on investigation of Brooklyn’s material culture, art and written documents. Read about a 3rd-grade class trip to the Brooklyn Navy Yard »
• Brooklyn Robot Foundry Show your students the wonder of building robots with workshops on simple circuits, vibration, switches, LEDs and more.
• Environmental Study Center This 7,000-square-foot learning center in Bergen Beach, Brooklyn, is home to over 200 living organisms, four learning labs, an outdoor learning space with a pond habitat and urban garden, and a greenhouse laboratory.
• New York Aquarium Classes, group tours and self-guided tours are available for all grades.
• New York Transit Museum Led by a staff of skilled educators, school programs complement curricular exploration of the New York City history, the engineering sciences, the mathematics and art of subway and station design, and the urban landscape.
• Newtown Creek Alliance The Newtown Creek Alliance offers guided tours through the Newtown Creek watershed focusing on the history, industrial use and environment challenges in the area.
• Prospect Park Zoo Guided tours on themes including animal adaptations, animal families, animal defenses, diets and habits are available. Self-guided tours and classes are also offered.
• Waterfront Museum Docked in Red Hook, Brooklyn, this floating classroom helps students learn about geography, history, social studies and science aboard the last remaining covered wooden barge.
• Weeksville Heritage Center Weeksville Heritage Center, Brooklyn’s largest African-American cultural institution, is a multidisciplinary museum dedicated to preserving the history of the 19th-century African American community of Weeksville, Brooklyn — one of America’s first free black communities.
• Wyckoff House Museum The Wyckoff House Museum preserves, interprets, and operates New York City’s oldest building and the surrounding one-and-a-half acres of park. Through innovative educational and farm-based programs it builds cultural and agricultural connections within our community, emphasizing immigration, family, food, and community through history.
• American Museum of Natural History The Museum of Natural History is a top field trip destination in New York City: amazing new exhibits, over 32 million objects in their permanent collections, and exceptional programs, resources and classes for students and teachers. 
• Asia Society and Museum Building on the idea of the Museum as an extension of the classroom, Asia Society offers interactive guided tours for school groups in grades 3–12. In the galleries, teachers and students can learn about the works of art on view, discuss how art relates to their own experiences, and discover what’s new and compelling about art today.
• Battery Urban Farm Explore The Battery with lesson materials covering agriculture, urban ecosystems, nutrition and history.
• Cathedral of St. John the Divine This landmark building offers numerous field trips aligned with state standards, some free, for NYC schools. Programs are available in architecture and geometry, medieval journeys, immigration, shapes and patterns, world religions, civic engagement and more.
• Center for Architecture The Center for Architecture offers hands-on workshops at its SoHo location and school-based residency programs for K-12 students.
• Central Park Zoo Self-guided tours, guided tours and classes are available.
• Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Center This 80,000-square-foot center offers a variety of sports activities, including soccer, rock climbing, gymnastics, basketball and more.
• Children's Museum of Manhattan The museum’s theme-based, 90-minute guided group visits for grades K-8 are led by a museum educator and include a tour of a thematic exhibition and a hands-on arts workshop. In-school residency programs are also available.
• Cooper Hewitt Design Cooper Hewitt offers two free design programs for K-12 students. 
• Democracy Now! Give students an opportunity to visit a news studio control room to view a live taping of Democracy Now!, followed by a discussion about independent news and investigative journalism. Trips are free.
• Drawing Center This SoHo center offers two free programs for K-12 students, comprised of on-site and in-school activities. The experience includes a guided tour and hands-on projects.
• El Museo del Barrio El Museo del Barrio offers guided tours of the museum as well as walking tours of the surrounding neighborhood, both of which allow students to participate in sketching, movement and writing activities.
• Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration On ranger-led programs, students in grades 3-12 can play the role of newly arrived immigrants. Self-guided activities for grades 2-12 are also available.
• Empire State Building The Empire State Building offers lesson plans connecting to social studies, science and technology, history and geography, as well as a virtual tour.
• Governors Island Teaching Garden In April through October, students will rotate through hands-on stations that typically include a farm tour, planting or farm work activity, cooking or harvesting and tasting activity, and possible fourth mini-lesson. 
• Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum The Intrepid offers social, studies, history and science programs for students in pre-K through 12th grade.
• Merchant's House Museum The landmark Merchant's House, preserved intact, offers an authentic glimpse into life in the mid-19th century. Students explore four floors of period rooms.
• Metropolitan Museum of Art Guided tours and self-guided group admission are available. Guided tour topics include exploring art across cultures, stories and legends, faces and masks and art explorations of particular locations and time periods.
• Metropolitan Opera Access Opera engages students with the unforgettable experience of watching a performance live on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House and provides teachers with resources for drawing connections across literature, social studies, foreign language, and the arts
• Morgan Library and Museum Explore curriculum in the sciences and humanities through direct observation of primary sources, such as Mesopotamian seals and tablets, medieval and Renaissance manuscripts, rare printed books, master drawings and period architecture. Read a New York Teacher article about a 5th-grade class trip to the Morgan »
• Morris-Jumel Mansion Tour "Manhattan's oldest house" and learn about the Revolutionary War, life in the 18th and 19th centuries, slavery, archaeology and more.
• Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust The Museum of Jewish Heritage is New York’s home for Holocaust education. Tours focus on various topics including issues of cultural identity and heritage, the Jewish immigrant experience, Israel and more.
• National Archives The National Archives offers free trips that explore rich primary sources.
• National Jazz Museum Educational tours and in-gallery workshops at this museum in Harlem allow participants to engage deeply with jazz history and discover timeless lessons of creativity, vision and collaboration.
• National Museum of Mathematics Experience the joys, wonders, and beauty of math at the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath), the only museum dedicated to math in North America. At MoMath, teachers and students from pre-K through high school and beyond are able to explore more than 30 memorable, interactive exhibits designed to make math accessible and fun. Classes are also able to participate in MoMath’s many activities and workshops that bring math to life in exciting and innovative ways. Read a New York Teacher article about a class trip to the Museum of Math »
• New York City Center for Aerospace and Applied Mathematics The New York City Center for Aerospace and Applied Mathematics increases students’ interest and excitement about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) through space and aviation science. Through hands-on activities that simulate real world experiences, students in grades K–12 apply math and science concepts learned in the classroom while working together to solve authentic problems. 
• New York City Fire Museum The museum, in conjunction with the New York City Fire Department, operates a world-class fire safety education program designed to teach participants how to prevent fires within the home and how to protect themselves and escape should a fire occur. The program consists of two components— classroom training and a simulated fire event in a mock home environment.
• New-York Historical Society Bring your students on a trip to the oldest museum in New York! Whether they are visiting a special exhibition or our beautifully redesigned permanent collection galleries, students will be actively engaged with the stuff of history — the artifacts, works of art, and documents that provide a window onto our collective past.
• New York Improv Theatre Interactive shows and workshops entertain audiences with creative comedy arts.
• Paley Center for Media Using programs from the collection of television and radio recordings as a means of illustration and investigation, Paley Center educators lead sessions on a wide range of subjects such as advertising, the documentary form, and the civil rights movement. Inquiry-based classes seek to build analytical thinking, viewing, and listening skills and attempt to provide insight into the roles television and radio play in our culture.
• Rubin Museum of Art Explore Himalayan Asia here in New York! Guided tours at the Rubin help K–12 students develop visual literacy and critical-thinking skills through engaging, inquiry-based discussions. Read a New York Teacher article about a 1st-grade trip to the Rubin »
• South Street Seaport Museum South Street Seaport Museum tells the story of how New York’s great natural harbor gave rise to the metropolis we know today. Dockside programs combine indoor and outdoor hands-on activities to show how the science of the harbor affects how we live today.
• Tenement Museum Through interactive tours of the tenement building and Lower East Side neighborhood, students investigate universal themes of cultural identity, discrimination, and human rights.
• Whitney Museum of American Art In free guided visits, students will learn to think critically, look closely and consider how art can be a voice for expressing different ideas. 
• Alley Pond Environmental Center Alley Pond's class workshops are available on a variety of topics, from invertebrate animals to ecosystems to seasonal species to ecology.
• Bayside Historical Society At its historic "Castle" building at Fort Totten, Bayside History Society offers a variety of hands-on programs for students in grades K through 12 that teach what life was like in Queens more than a century ago.
• King Manor Museum Programs focus on life and work at King Manor in Jamaica, Queens, in the 19th century and the history of the King family in early America and the anti-slavery movement.
• Louis Armstrong House Museum The Louis Armstrong House Museum sustains and promotes the cultural, historical, and humanitarian legacy of Louis Armstrong by preserving and interpreting Armstrong’s house and grounds and collecting and sharing archival materials that document Armstrong’s life and legacy. Read a New York Teacher article about a middle school class trip to the Louis Armstrong House »
• Materials for the Arts The Education Center at Materials for the Arts in Long Island City, Queens, offers programming focused on creative reuse: making art with readily available materials and the ever-changing MFTA warehouse inventory. The Center hosts field trips programs for students and P-Credit courses for teachers in two classroom studios, organizes exhibitions of artwork at MFTA Gallery, and sends teaching artists into schools to share reuse techniques.
• Museum of the Moving Image Exhibition tours, film and television screenings, and hands-on workshops help you teach the core curriculum with the support of a dynamic and interactive environment.
• New York Hall of Science The Hall of Science offers school workshops and programs for all ages, as well as an on-the-go option. Students can learn about design, ecosystems, STEM and more. 
• Queens County Farm Museum This 47-acre farm, the oldest continuously farmed site in New York State, includes historic farm buildings, a greenhouse complex, livestock, farm vehicles and implements, planting fields, an orchard and herb garden. Read a New York Teacher article about a kindergarten field trip to the farm »
• Queens Historical Society The Queens Historical Society offers walking tours of historic sites in Flushing, archaeology workshops, workshops about the Underground Railroad and more.
• Queens Museum The Queens Museum provides pre-K–12 students with fun learning experiences that integrate in-depth observation and interpretation of art and historical exhibits, and hands-on art-making activities.
• Queens Public Library Visit one of their 63 community libraries for student library cards, summer meals, activities for all ages, clubs for teens, as well as books, magazines, ebooks and other media in many languages and formats -- all for free.
• Queens Zoo The Queens Zoo offers guided tours on themes including adaptations, habitats and diets, birds, mammals and domestic animals. Classes and self-guided tours are also available.
• Vander Ende Onderdonk House At the oldest Dutch Colonial stone house in New York City, students can tour the house and grounds, see a slide presentation on early New York history and participate in a colonial craft activity.
• Voelker Orth Museum The Voelker Orth Museum occupies an 1890s immigrant family's house in Flushing, Queens and offers a variety of history, science and art programs. Read a New York Teacher article about a 1st-grade class trip to the Voelker Orth Museum »

Staten Island

• Historic Richmond Town Using history and culture as a foundation, the museum explores the roles and lives of men, women, and children throughout the centuries. School tours and workshops are available.
• Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanic Garden Snug Harbor on Staten Island offers four 90-minute outdoor tour varieties: New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden, Wetlands, Snug Harbor Pastoral Grounds and Gardens, and Snug Harbor Heritage Farm. Each tour may be paired with a class; topics include Chinese calligraphy, wetlands, the water cycle and more.
• Staten Island Children's Museum Guided by a museum educator, students will learn through hands-on experience. 
• Staten Island Museum School and educator programs use the Staten Island Museum’s collection and exhibitions to create a forum for ideas, debate, and exchange. Programs at the Museum and in the classroom offer students and teachers an interdisciplinary and hands-on learning experience.
• Staten Island Zoo The Staten Island Zoo offers animal presentations with topics including animals and folklore, ecosystems, rainforest, safaris and more. Traveling zoo programs are also available.

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Virtual Field Trips

Experience the Museum of the City of New York virtually with your students through visual and interactive remote-learning sessions led by museum educators. Groups or individuals are welcome to participate.

For over a decade, the Frederick A.O Schwarz Education Center has facilitated programs for hundreds of thousands of children and adults. Each of the virtual programs below is a unique interactive experience driven by student inquiry.

We are excited to offer both virtual and in-person field trips for the 2022-2023 school year!  

We will begin taking field trip booking requests soon. Sign up below to be the first to know when we release our fall field trip schedule and booking request form! 

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New York Field Trip Guide

Field Trip Ideas , Mid-Atlantic

There should be no shortage of field trip ideas for New York, which has plenty of educational experiences and museums to offer student groups of all ages

New York is celebrated for its diverse art and culture, skyscrapers, and rich history. The Empire State is the home of Central Park, the George Eastman Museum, several institutions of the future, and plenty of great field trip ideas. The great state of New York welcomes learners of all types and backgrounds and your next student adventure awaits you here.

Field Trip Ideas In New York:

• Statue of Liberty
• Jackie Robinson Museum
• The Apollo Theatre
• Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Guggenheim Museum
• Niagara Falls State Park
• Brooklyn Robot Foundry

New York History & Heritage Field Trip Ideas

New York is home to some of the most important historic landmarks and historic events, making it a great place for student field trip ideas. Visit the Statue of Liberty located on Liberty Island and the nearby Ellis Island , for an inspiring history lesson. Take the Statue of Liberty out of the textbook and place it in front of their eyes. Explore the Statue of Liberty Museum here to get the full story behind this incredible monument. Make sure to have your camera ready to catch awe-inspiring views.

Hop over to Ellis Island to tour the National Immigration Museum, which was one of the halls immigrants walked themselves upon their arrival. Also on site is the American Immigrant Wall of Honor . Here, visitors can truly get to know about the first wave of immigration and how our immigrants actually embodied our nation’s ideals. These destinations are only accessible by ferries provided by State City Cruises. Additional tickets are not needed to enter the Statue of Liberty Museum or Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration.

Performing Arts Field Trips in New York

Frank Sinatra’s single New York, New York isn’t just a fun song to sing along to, if you listen closely, it’s advice to American talent, starting out or experience, to bring their art to New York if they wish to make it big. The Big Apple is the home of the world’s most prominent artists and holds the most spectacular plays, musicals, and contemporary art exhibitions, making it an ideal place for field trips focusing on the arts.

Student groups have many venues in the state of New York to fuel their inspiration or put their talent on display. An always popular field trip idea for New York is to catch a popular Broadway show. Hamilton, The Lion King  and Into the Woods are a few student-favorite shows you can expect to see.

Also, in the historic Theatre District is The Apollo Theatre . James Brown, The Jackson 5, Mary J Blidge, and many great stars have performed here. What’s cool about The Apollo has several student group activities like music, dance, and theater workshops led by Apollo Teaching Artists. Field trips wanting to learn more can also join the Apollo School Tours. These tours highlight the theatre’s legendary history and performers in an interactive fashion.

Arts & Culture for Students in New York

New York City is the home of the world’s most prominent artists and holds the most spectacular plays, musicals and contemporary art exhibitions. Using the latest technology, the Museum of Broadway in Times Square offers a behind-the-curtain look at how a show is made and a timeline of Broadway history. Workshop groups have access to their Educational Guide, which includes pre-visit lessons, what to expect from the workshop, and post-visit activities and resources.

Through its theatrical group sales division, Disney on Broadway can customize a program designed to satisfy your group’s needs for productions ranging from The Lion King to Frozen . Additionally, educators can bring the magic into their classrooms before their trips with special study guides and classroom materials.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art , popularly known as The Met, features 5,000 years of art from around the globe. Student groups can reserve a guide. The  Guggenheim Museum is just as famous for its Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building as its modern and contemporary artworks. On-site school tours are available and are facilitated by their team of professional youth educators. They are designed to foster active learning and making, engage students in careful observation, and develop language and critical-thinking skills.

STEM New York Field Trip Ideas

Not too far away from the New York museums and avenues of men in business suits is the abundant world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Let’s not forget that the scientist was first stationed in Manhattan to begin developing the atomic bomb. This is why the operation is referred to as the “Manhattan Project.” Come to the Brooklyn Robot Foundry for the fun, educational, hands-on, robot-building project. Students experiencing a field trip here light up while learning components and engineering concepts during Brooklyn Robot lab. You also have the National Museum of Mathematics , which has galleries, exhibits, and programs designed to further illuminate students who are curious about a world made of numbers.

Marine & Aquatic Field trips in NY

Niagara Falls State Park  provides spellbinding viewpoints and iconic attractions at the Cave of the Winds & The World Changed Here Pavilion. Here, descend into Niagara Gorge to learn the history of the falls. Then get outfitted for a wet experience on the “Hurricane Deck” a few feet away from Bridal Veil Falls with year-round tropical storm-type weather conditions. Or hop aboard the Maid of the Mist and travel through thundering falls and over rolling rapids surrounded by dramatic rock formations.

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Genius Gems NYC Field Trips: See More Details for the Cost and Experience

Description

• Genius Gems hosts field trips throughout the year, primarily for students in kindergarten through 6th grade. Designed by an experienced educator, our field trips focus on engineering, coding & robots, product design, and more. We would love to work with you to tailor your trip to your specific needs! 
• Please see our COST section to understand the cost of the trip. While there is no cost to request a time slot, the trip is NOT free. Please read the cost section PRIOR to booking to determine if the cost of the field trip will work for your school. 

• Constructing strong bridges using magnetic tiles
• Learn the engineering principles behind building structures like bridges and skyscrapers
• Design your own customized Glitter Tile at our Design Bar
• Learn about our 3D printers and how our engineers at Genius Gems are working behind the scenes to create 3D printed parts, projects and our own STEM products!
• For grades 3-6, we'll create a course for robots, learn about Ozobot, the toy design and production process, and more! We'll show you how an engineer takes a product from an idea to a prototype, to eventually a working product.

• Please note that while there is no cost to reserve a date and time for the program, we will send you an invoice after you create your reservation based upon the information you use to fill in the form.
• $22 per student for a 1.5 hour program, for a minimum of 15 students, as discussed below. No charge for chaperones. If your school is a designated Title 1 school, we offer a Title 1 discount of $18 per student.
• Pack your own lunch and eat at Genius Gems NYC for an additional 30 minutes, for a total cost of $25 per student ($20 per student for Title 1 Schools). No charge for chaperones.

We allow a maximum of 64 students per field trip at our Genius Gems NYC location. This ensures we can provide an optimal experience for every guest. If you would like to bring more students, please email us at [email protected].

At least 15 students in a school group are required for a field trip to Genius Gems. To qualify as a school group, you must belong to an educational organization (K – 12) and make advance reservations. If you have fewer than 15 students, please contact us at [email protected] to discuss your specific needs.

One adult chaperone for every 5 students is required, and additional chaperones are welcome! There is no charge for adult chaperones.

Field trips may be paid for in advance by mailing a check (see instructions below), or on the day of the trip. If you choose to pay on the day of the trip, Genius Gems will accept school district checks, credit cards, or cash. A purchase order (PO) can be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Once your reservation is confirmed, please make checks out to Genius Gems Chelsea LLC, and mail or submit checks to: Genius Gems Chelsea, Attn: Jennifer Romanoff, 555 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10011. Thank you!

If you need to reschedule your trip, you must email us at least 2 weeks in advance. We can do a one time reschedule, subject to availability, for no additional cost if we have at least 2 weeks advance notice. If you cancel less than 2 weeks before your scheduled trip, you will lose any payment that was made towards the trip. In addition, if you or your school would like to book another trip in the future, payment will be required in full at least 2 weeks prior to your visit, otherwise we may not be able to accommodate your group.

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Bring Our Education Programs to Your School

We now offer in person and virtual versions of our programs, depending on the needs of your school. Virtual programs can be synchronized or asynchronous.

For more information and prices, please email the New York City Children’s Theater Education Director or just click and use the form below:

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Our Trauma-Informed Toolkit (TITK) is designed for educators, staff, and volunteers who work with young people. The TITK modules features 9 key topics and explore the 6 key elements of a trauma-informed approach

For more information and prices, please visit the Trauma-Informed Toolkit website.

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Field Trips

While the in-school Nysmith curriculum is rich in experiential projects, field trips provide first-hand experiences that cannot be duplicated anywhere else. The field trips are carefully and closely tied to the topics that the students are currently studying.

The schedule for field trips varies from year to year. The information below will give you a taste of the day and overnight trips that students have attended in the recent past.

Day trips are part of the formal curriculum and are covered by tuition costs; overnight trips are optional and are paid for by parents.

Overnight trips include:

• Second-grade trip to Williamsburg and Jamestown, coordinated with their study of Colonial America.
• Third-grade trip to Philadelphia, related to their study of the Continental Congress and the Founding Fathers.
• Fourth-grade trip to Gettysburg and Antietam to learn additional lessons about the Civil War.
• Fifth-grade trip to New York City to gain new insights about American immigration in the early 1900s.
• Sixth-grade trip to Sandy Hill Camp for teambuilding activities.
• Seventh-grade trip to the Chesapeake Bay Conservatory with tie-ins to science and ecology.
• Eighth-grade trip to New York City to explore performing arts and cultural center activities.

Day trips include:

• Arlington Planetarium
• Bull Run Native Lands
• EC Lawrence Park
• Great Country Farms
• Gum Spring Library
• Heritage Farm Museum
• Hidden Pond
• Kings Dominion Physics Day
• Krops Crops
• Luray Caverns
• Mount Vernon C&O Canal
• National Air & Space Museum /Udvar-Hazy Center
• National Aquarium
• National Archives
• National Building Museum
• National Museum of American History
• National Museum of the American Indian
• National Portrait Gallery
• National Zoo
• Potomac Overlook Park
• State Arboretum of VA
• WWII Memorial

13625 EDS Drive Herndon, VA 20171 703-713-3332

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• 10 Exciting Field Trip Ideas for 5th Graders

To all those 5th grade teachers and parents interested in student travel, listen up (or read up)! We know you're looking for that perfect field trip idea, something fun and exciting, educational and hands-on, but also not too far away or too expensive. We understand, and we also understand how hard it is to plan these things, especially with a large group of young students. That's why we've compiled a comprehensive list of all of our favorite go-to options for fun 5th-grade field trips. Each option is, in our opinion, an excellent mix of information and entertainment, perfectly suited yet customizable to your particular student group!

• Botanical Garden - We believe it is always important for students of this age to be able to get outside and get active, especially when there is a learning opportunity involved, which is why our number one choice for a 5th-grade field trip is a visit to your local botanical garden. Botanical gardens are places where plants are grown for a display to the public and often used for scientific study. These gorgeous expanses of outdoor land are great ways for your students to learn all about local ecology and diversity, as well as conservation, native plants, gardening, and even cooking! During your visit, you will likely encounter such additional, and really helpful, field trip tools as onsite scavenger hunt worksheets, lesson plans and/or lectures, and onsite eating options from a concession or cafe. Our Choice? Atlanta Botanical Garden - Georgia

Thousand Hills State Park Credit Danielle Bopp

•  Art Museum -  An art museum is never a bad choice for a 5th-grade field trip. Every American art museum provides a unique, diverse, and educational glance at the art of, well, the art inside its walls. At most art museums you and your student group will be able to plan a full day of fun, with several different workshops, tours, lectures, and curriculum-based activities available for your use. There is also typically an on-site dining option for your convenience. Your students will enjoy being out of the classroom and into a completely new environment, surrounded by color and creation that may even end up sparking their own imagination in a lucrative way. This opportunity is great to show 5th graders the importance of the arts, as well as give them vital information on the history of art, the presence of art in the local culture, and the possibility of personal artful contributions to society.   Our Choice? Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York

6. Water Excursion - This is another field trip idea that may seem a little vague, but there are so many different avenues you can take with this option depending on where you are, how much time you have, and what kind of learning/celebrating you want to do. We have seen student groups do everything water-related from a local woodsy Stream Team conservation and ecology lesson in a small creek to a day at the beach collecting sand dollars, learning about sharks, and soaking up the sun. You could even take your 5th-grade class out on a boat excursion, with several educationally themed cruises, sightseeing cruises, and fun cruises available in most major port cities. The sky's really the limit with a water field trip (or maybe the ocean is the limit). You could even head to your local lake and teach your students about the importance of local fish diversity while fishing! The bottom line with this option is this: students love getting outside and getting active for field trips, especially when it involves swimming! Our Choice? Captain Jack’s Pirate Ship Adventures - Virginia

7. Farm or Orchard - Just like a trip to your local botanical garden, a trip to a local farm or orchard will be an excellent way to get your students outside, into nature, active, and learning, all while having a really great time. Agriculture and food production are very important aspects of physical science and life in general that seem to be slipping away from importance in the school systems, which is another great reason to consider this for your fun field trip. Students will be immersed in the hard-working and hands-on world of food and livestock production, both providing excellent ways to teach your students about local ecology, agriculture, conservation, and animal agriculture, as well as biology and life sciences. Your students will be able to interact with farmers and animals, and probably even eat some fresh fruits or veggies. This is one you’ll definitely want to pack a picnic for! Our Choice? Peter Wentz Farmstead - Philadelphia

8. Aquarium or Zoo - Another classic class field trip option is your local zoo or aquarium! This is always a hit with students, a highly interactive chance for them to get up close and personal with creatures and ecosystems they normally don’t encounter! At your local zoo, your 5th-grade class can explore various habitats and learn all about the species, a great chance to teach them all about animal science, biology, geography, and ecology. The same goes for the aquarium, though typically with much more ocean-oriented geography to be explored. Both options typically provide hands-on learning activity options, as well as live animal demonstrations, workshops, and special events and/or student field trip days. Not only will your students be pretty busy running around and learning all they can about all they see, but they will also be gaining important social interaction skills with the busy crowds all around and you’ll be enjoying all the great side educational and eating options throughout. Our Choice? Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Colorado

Zip Line Pixabay Public Domain

9. Zipline and Ropes Course - Zipline and aerial ropes course adventure parks are new trends popping up around the nation, really fun, challenging, and thrilling activities for any adventure seeker, perfect for young energetic students! At your typical zipline and ropes park your students will be able to zip through the trees in the safest manner possible, take part in challenging aerial obstacle courses, and learn essential team-building skills in the most immersive and hands-on way. Many companies rent these places out to work on team building as well as fitness. Your student group can do these two things and learn lessons about the science of motion, energy, and physics! Most of these parks are located in really scenic areas, so this is also a great opportunity to sight-see and learns about your physical surroundings. Impromptu geography and ecology lessons can be used here, with native flora and fauna to learn about everywhere you look! Our Choice? Adventureworks Zip Line Tours - Arkansas

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Escanaba fifth graders take field trip to sugar bush at MSU UP Forestry Innovation Center

E SCANABA, Mich. (WLUC) - Fifth graders from Escanaba Upper Elementary (EUE) School took a field trip to the woods Friday where they visited the main sugar bush at the Michigan State University Upper Peninsula Forestry Innovation Center.

“I think it was really cool that we actually got to be out in nature with a lot of kids nowadays not being out in nature and just sitting on their couch,” 5th grader Cole Gylock said.

Gylock and his classmates got an ideal spring day to enjoy the woods and learn about maple syrup production. He said his favorite part was the hands-on learning.

“I like that we actually got to tap a tree and try the sap,” Gylock said.

Around 150 fifth graders from the EUE visited the center.

“It has been really good for the kids to see what we learn in the classroom put into action,” fifth grade teacher and event organizer Amy Chartier said. “To see it in real life, to get out of the building and see this is what it actually was either right now or even in the past.”

Chartier said a grant made the day possible. The Wheels to Woods grants are Michigan School to Forest Transportation grants that provide transportation funding of up to $350 per bus and up to $1,000 per school at an average of $5 per student. The Michigan Tree Farm Committee, Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Huron Pines AmeriCorps and Michigan Forest Products Council sponsor the grants.

The bus dropped the students off out near the sugar bush. The students then trekked through the woods, watched a guide tap a tree and sampled sap from the stile before heading to the sugar building where the processing happens. There, they got to sample fresh maple syrup.

The fifth graders had mixed reactions. Some students said they liked it. One student thought it tasted like caramel. Another said the syrup started out good, but he didn’t like the aftertaste.

Friday was the first day of a busy three-day weekend for the research center.

“This weekend, we are opening the facility to the public,” Innovation Center Director Jesse Randall said. “It’s our first ever Maple Weekend.”

Visitors will learn how maple syrup is made.

“It’s really a way that we can talk to them about how they can do it on a smaller scale at home,” Randall said. “And if they’re already making syrup, how they could scale up and be more energy efficient.”

The center is open Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6005 J Road, Escanaba.