virtual zoo field trip for kindergarten

15 Fun Virtual Zoo Field Trip Options

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Fun field trips to the zoo are awesome, but sometimes it just isn’t possible to go. That is okay though!  As long as you have access to the internet, you can take your kids on a virtual zoo field trip at any time. 

Maybe the zoo you want to visit is too far away. Or maybe one of your kids is sick.  Sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate. Perhaps zoo admission tickets are just not in your budget right now. 

Whatever the reason, a virtual zoo tour for kids can be a great alternative to a traditional field trip.

A virtual field trip has lots of advantages:

• It is free – some zoos offer a virtual field trip rate, but every zoo listed here offers free online options
• You can visit multiple zoos in one day, regardless of location
• See just the animals you are interested in
• No need to pack a bag full of snacks, bottled water, and sunscreen
• You can ‘visit’ every day
• You are not limited to zoos just in your area
• It is quicker – there is no traveling, walking around, or time spent dealing with crowds
• See wild animals from the comfort of your own home

Taking a virtual zoo field trip can be a great motivator for kids.  I admit that sometimes I offer this ‘reward’ for finishing schoolwork. They finish their lesson and then go on a virtual zoo field trip to visit their favorite animals.

Virtual zoo field trips can include webcams, live cameras, and live streams on their Facebook page.

Take a Virtual Zoo Field Trip

I listed the animals that are featured on webcams at each zoo because, if your kids are anything like mine, they want to see a specific animal. It is also handy for times when kids love different zoo animals.

Updated 9/23

1. Smithsonian National Zoo

(Planning an in-person visit to the National Zoo?  We went all the time when we lived in Northern VA!  Check out my post full of tips to make the most of the National Zoo .)

Check out these animals on the National Zoo webcam:

• Naked Mole Rats
• Cheetah cub
• Giant Pandas

The zoo offers printable zoo webcam bingo cards to encourage kids to watch the wild animals for a while.

2. Greenville Zoo

3. milwaukee county zoo.

• Humbolt Penguins
• Lake Wisconsin

4. Chattanooga Zoo

• Snow leopard

5. Houston Zoo

• Giraffe (This is my favorite live zoom cam for giraffes!)
• Elephant (most visible between 10:30am and 3:00pm CDT)
• Leafcutter Ant
• Giant River Otter

6. San Diego Zoo

• Panda (the pandas have recently returned to China, however, there is a prerecorded video available)
• African Penguins
• Burrowing Owl

Related Post: Great And Tango Makes Three Penguin Book Activities

7. Oakland Zoo

• Grizzly Bear
• Mountain Lion

The Oakland Zoo offers a variety of free lesson plans for multiple grade levels.

8. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

9. kansas city zoo.

• Bornean Orangutan (currently on the critically endangered species list )

10. Woodland Park Zoo

(We visited the Woodland Park Zoo when we lived in Washington.  Don’t let the small number of webcams fool you.  It is a huge zoo!  Check out my tips for a successful visit to the Woodland Park Zoo if you live in the Seattle area.)

• Grizzly Bears

Woodland Park Zoo offers downloadable educator resources to help students of all ages learn about these amazing animals.

11. Alaska Zoo

An educational polar bear activity packet is available to download.

12. Detroit Zoo

• Snow Monkeys

13. Zoo Atlanta

14. bronx zoo.

The Bronx Zoo offers a few great digital resources. My favorite are the Quests. Kids click an interactive map to learn about a region of the world and the animals who live there.

15. Edinburgh Zoo

Many zoos also offer virtual programs for small groups hosted by zoo educators, but they can come with a steep price. I suggest taking advantage of all the free educational resources first. Find all of the activity ideas by visiting the education department section of the web page.

If you decide to book an official program, get together with a few other families to make the expense more reasonable.

Do you know of any other zoos with webcams?  Leave it in the comments and I will add it to the list so more families can enjoy the animals.

Visit a zoo today!

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Welcome! My name is Jennifer. I am a teacher at heart. Before my children were born I was a public school teacher. Now, I am a homeschooling mom of two.

As i was looking though the zoos i was thinking i have never heard or seen them and i thought ” those are so cool” and i just really was paying attention to the animals and i saw a few that i new,And i thought is was cool and interesting to find more zoos to go and explore.

I like the San Diego because they have some animals I like!Like: Panda, Kola Bear, Penguins & Tigers! Maybe in Woodland Park Zoo should have more animals because it only has 3 types of animals and you could put more like the San Diego Zoo!But I really like this site.

Thank you. This is an excellent resource. I can have my students visit the zoo as part of their remote learning experience.

I am glad it helped 🙂

the cats are so cute

but of corse they can be deadly

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Virtual Field Trips: Zoos, Aquariums, Farms and Safaris

Take a virtual field trip to see all sorts of animals without leaving home. You can visit zoos, aquariums, farms, and even go on a virtual safari all in the same day!

We’ve rounded up an amazing list of zoos, aquariums, farms and nature preserves that have webcams, live streams, and youtube videos you can watch to learn more about animals. We’ve also included links to online lesson plans and activities for those families wanting to create a richer learning experience from their virtual field trips.

What is a Virtual Field Trip?

Field trips are awesome learning experiences because they get you out of the classroom and take you into an immersive environment. On a virtual field trip , you open a window to explore outside your home or classroom. You can simply observe, or you can add to the experience with some educational information or activities to go along with it.

The list we’ve compiled below is pretty extensive, so be sure to bookmark this page so you can come back to it.

Zoo Virtual Field Trips

Modern zoos are an amazing blend of entertainment and education, coupled with research and conservation. When you visit a zoo, you not only get to see and learn about animals you are unlikely to encounter, but you are also supporting efforts to protect wildlife and the planet.

Wildlife Curriculum

Try one of these resources to add to your virtual field trip experience.

• Virtual Field Trip Guide
• Free Zoo Field Trip Questions
• World Wildlife Federation’s “ Wild Classroom ” – They have 5 “days” of activites set up. There are also 9 educational toolkits currently available.
• National Wildlife Federation Lesson Plans and Webinars – broken up by topic and specifies appropriate grade level.
• Free Digital Versions of Ranger Rick Magazines – Through June 2020.
• Animal Books you can read or have read to you online
• Teacher Guides and Saving a Species Video Series + teacher toolkit from SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

San Diego Zoo (USA)

One of the most famous zoos in the world offers live webcams of baboons, penguins, apes, tigers, koalas, burrowing owls, elephants, polar bears, giraffes, and condors.

There is also archived webcam footage of pandas.

Houston Zoo (USA)

The Houston Zoo has webcams that let you look in on the giraffe feeding platform, the gorilla habitat, the elephant yard, the rhino yard, the chimp window, and even leafcutter ants!

The folks at the Houston Zoo have also been bringing the Zoo to You on their facebook page every weekday at 11am Central Time.

Kansas City Zoo (USA)

The Kansas City Zoo has live webcams showing two types of penguins, giraffes, and polar bears. The penguin cams are listed as separate cameras, but both show the same view. At the time of this post, the polar bear cam was not working.

Zoo Atlanta (USA)

We were fortunate to get to visit Zoo Atlanta a few years ago and we loved seeing the pandas! It’s so nice to know we can drop in and see Ya Lun and Xi Lun from home.

In addition to the webcam, Zoo Atlanta has three at-home learning guides for pre-k to 4th grade, as well as some animal games and crafts .

Philadelphia Zoo (USA)

Visiting the Philadelphia Zoo is unique because the animals are literally all around you as they have paths they can use to go over the walkways. When you can’t visit in person, you can view the penguin point webcam.

In addition, the Philadelphia Zoo has started doing Facebook Live sessions called “Philly Zoo at 2” at 2pm EDT daily.

Milwaukee County Zoo (USA)

On Zoo View TV, you can drop in on the Milwaukee County Zoo’s residents such as Polar Bear, Jaguar, Lions, Hyenas, Tigers, and Penguins… and even fish.

Elmwood Park Zoo (USA)

The Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania has a giraffe live camera from 10am-5pm EDT. They have also been going live on their facebook page with Zoo School from 11am-11:30am on weekdays.

Reid Park Zoo (USA)

The Reid Park Zoo in Arizona lists zoo cams for grizzly bears, lemurs, lions, elephants, and giraffes. Their zoo site also has a few zoo activity packets that were designed to be completed after a visit to the zoo, but could be done from home, as well.

Detroit Zoo (USA)

The Detroit Zoo in Michigan has live cams and videos they call “Virtual Vitamin Z” to help you get your daily supplement of zoo fun at home. Their live cams show you penguins, snow monkeys, falcons, and otters.

They also have past videos available on their site here.

National Zoo (USA)

The National Zoo has live webcams for you to virtually visit their giant pandas, lions, elephants, and naked mole-rats! And you can get updates on what’s going on at the zoo on the National Zoo Facebook page .

The site also has resources such as educational activities you can do at home and downloadable zoo activities .

Chattanooga Zoo (USA)

The Chattanooga Zoo in Tennessee has four live webcams on their zoo’s site. You can drop by and check out meerkats, snow leopards, tamarin, and the spotted genet.

Greenville Zoo (USA)

The Greenville Zoo has two cams set up to watch their giraffes. One gives you a look inside the barn. The other is a view of the paddock.

Alaska Zoo (USA)

As you might expect, the Alaska Zoo has a polar bear, and you can virtually visit it through its webcam. In addition, the zoo has started doing free live sessions via the Zoom app. Spots are limited and the schedule and links are being posted on the Alaska Zoo Facebook page .

Edinburgh Zoo (Scotland)

Did you know that the Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins? In addition to penguin cams, they also have live streams of pandas, tigers, and koalas.

In addition, the Wildlife Conservation Charity has some interactive learning from home courses for all ages.

Dublin Zoo (Ireland)

The zoo is also home to a scimitar-horned oryx, which is a species of antelope you can no longer find in the wild.

Ireland’s Dublin Zoo offers webcams of penguins and elephants, as well as their African Savanna where you might see giraffes, ostriches, zebras, or rhinos.

Marwell Zoo (UK)

The Marwell Zoo has a live video stream of their flamingos. They also have a photo streams (photos update every 30 seconds or so) of penguins, giraffes and lemurs.

Paignton Zoo (UK)

The Paignton Zoo has webcams set up looking at meerkats and sulawesi crested macaque. Their Flamingo webcam is currently unavailable. They also have a series of YouTube Videos about animals and working with them .

Starting Monday, March 23rd, the Paignton Zoo will be adding downloadable resources to their “ Wild at Home ” program for parents and teachers.

Zoos Victoria (Australia)

Zoos Victoria is an association of three zoos in Australia: Healesville Sanctuary, Melbourne Zoo, and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Their site features webcams where you can see snow leopards (indoor and outdoor), penguins, giraffes, lions, and zebras.

More Zoos for Virtual Field Trips

• Live Tiger Cam
• Virtual Adventures on Facebook @brecsbrzoo
• Live Webcams : Aquatic Bird Cam, Sea lion Pups (not working)
• Videos on Social Media @BronxZoo
• Remote Learning Resources
• Virtual tour (Series of Short Videos)
• Online Learning Resources
• Live Giraffe Cam (9:30am – 4:45pm MT)
• “Abnormally Normal” Video Series (Facebook)
• Home Safaris daily at 3pm ET on Facebook
• Daily Virtual Classrooms on Facebook at 11am ET @ClevelandMetroparksZoo.
• Live Webcams – Discovery Reef, Bonobos
• YouTube Videos
• Live Webcams – Meerkats, Penguins
• Animal Update Videos (Facebook)
• “Zoo to You” Facebook Lives weekdays at 3pm ET @DenverZoo
• More Videos on Denver Zoo Youtube channel
• Live Webcams : Giraffes, Sea Lions, Meerkats, Siamangs, and Orangutans
• Animal Videos on Facebook @ElPasoZoo
• “Keeper Chats” on Facebook Live @FortWorthZoo
• “ School of Croc ” lives at 10am ET on Facebook
• Live Webcams : Macaque, Macaw, Penguin, Tiger, Walrus
• Videos on the Indianapolis Zoo Facebook page
• Live Webcams : Penguin, Lion, Giraffe, Flamingo, Goat
• Behind the Scenes on Your Screen – learn about Zoo Jobs
• “Zoo to You” Facebook Lives Weekdays 11am ET
• Updates on Facebook @MNZoo
• Learning Corner – Activities and downloadable curriculum for grades 1-12.
• Live Cams with Chat
• Bear Lesson Plans
• “ Do the Zoo at Home “
• Facebook updates and videos @OmahaZoo
• Live Penguin Cam (9am – 5pm daily)
• #BringtheStlZootoYou Videos on Facebook
• Live Webcams : Snow Leopards, Elephants, Amur Leopards (must have Flash Player enabled)
• #ZooOpenOnline with Facebook Lives and YouTube Videos .
• “Zoo School” Facebook Lives (Mondays 11am ET) + random story times and craft videos.
• Archived Live Videos + themed activities for kids that go with each video.
• “ Virtual Voyage ” daily at 2pm on Facebook
• Videos bringing the Zoo to you on YouTube
• Downloadable Activities
• Augmented Reality Zoo Tour (via Zappar App)
• Live Webcams: Bears, Bats, and Tigers
• Updates on the Woodland Park Facebook page
• Live Grizzly Bear Cam
• Updates on Facebook @ZooMontana
• Learning Resources : Activities and Printables
• Facebook Live Q&As – Weekdays 11am ET @ZooAmerica

If you know a zoo with great virtual field trip content like live cams, videos, or activities that isn’t on this list, let us know to add it!

Aquarium Virtual Field Trips

Aquariums focus mainly on ocean life, though many have animals that live out of the water, but live in or near the water.

One Big Ocean Online Curriculum

“One Big Ocean” is an online curriculum from Ocean.org. They have three different programs customized for the level of school. These can be used by themselves, or paired with a real or virtual visit to any aquarium.

• One Big Ocean Elementary
• One Big Ocean Middle
• One Big Ocean Secondary

Online Ocean School

You can also learn about the various creatures and habitats of the Gulf of St. Lawrence at “ Ocean School “, with three weeks of lessons online and more being added.

National Aquarium (USA)

The National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland has cameras placed in three exhibits: Blacktip Reef featuring blacktip sharks, rays, and colorful fish; “Jellies Invasion” which you can guess features jellyfish; and “Pacific Coral Reef”. You can also take a virtual tour of the National A quarium with 360 degree images.

Georgia Aquarium (USA)

The Georgia Aquarium is ranked as the best aquarium for families in the United States. We’ve been there, and it is AMAZING! And they have some great, high quality live feeds from their exhibits, too!

You can watch the Ocean Voyager cam where you can see sharks, rays, fish, sea turtles and even huge whale sharks! There’s also the Indo-Pacific Barrier Reef, Southern Sea Otters, Jelly Cam, California Sea Lions, African Penguins, Piranhas, and Beluga Whales.

And while they haven’t been going live, they have been posting videos to the Georgia Aquarium Facebook page .

Shedd Aquarium (USA)

You might have seen the video going around of the Shedd Aquarium’s penguins taking their very own personal tour of the aquarium’s exhibits. If you haven’t, you should check it out.

In addition to the one live stream we found on their site so far, the Shedd Aquarium also has a great series of videos just for kids called “Sea Curious”. They also have some really cool 360 degree videos of sharks!

The Aquarium of the Pacific (USA)

The Aquarium of the Pacific is located in Long Beach, California. They have several webcams that allow you to visit virtually. You can see penguins both above and below the water, a shark lagoon, sea jellies, a tropical reef, blue cavern, and colorful anthias and wrasse exhibit.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium (USA)

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium located on the Gulf Coast in Clearwater, Florida is home to Winter and Hope, the rescued dolphins whose stories were the basis for the movies “Dolphin Tale” and “Dolphin Tale 2”.

You can virtually visit Winter and Hope, along with Nicholas and PJ. The aquarium also has views of its otters, pelicans, and sea turtles.

The Clearwater Aquarium even has downloadable lessons in language, math, and science to go along with a real or even virtual visit to the aquarium. There is also an online Kid Zone with games, activities, and experiments.

California Academy of Sciences (USA)

As the name suggests, the California Academy of Sciences is not just an aquarium. The San Francisco facility is also a natural history museum with a rainforest exhibit and planetarium.

There are a few webcams that allow you to visit right from home. You can look in on penguins, stingrays, a coral reef, and even take control of a camera at the top of a lighthouse on the nearby Farallon Islands.

The site also has lesson plans and materials for kids from preschool through high school.

Tennessee Aquarium (USA)

Live webcams of the secret reef, penguin, and sea otter exhibits. And on their facebook page, they are live streaming Aquarium at Home sessions.

Vancouver Aquarium (Canada)

Canada’s Vancouver Aquarium is home to more than 50,000 animals and features 30 exhibits to explore. When you can’t visit in person, you can still drop in on the sea otters, jellyfish, and penguins via the webcams on their homepage.

Atlantic White Shark Conservancy

Facebook Lives weekdays at 10am @AtlanticWhiteShark . Resources on the website.

Farm Virtual Field Trips

While farms are different than zoos, they can be just as educational and rewarding in connecting us to nature, whether we visit in person or virtually.

Hen Cam (USA)

The Hen Cam comes from a backyard outside Boston, Massachussetts. The feed switches automatically between 3 cameras showing the hens outside and inside. You might also see goats and a bunny named Phoebe.

Peter’s Farm (Holland)

You can see a live stream of the cows, and maybe even some baby calves, at Peter’s Farm in Holland. The stream is only during operating hours, but there is also some YouTube footage for when it isn’t live.

Folly Farm (UK)

Folly Farm has a cute webcam that gives you a peek at its farm animals like sheep, goats and donkeys. The website also lists penguin, giraffe, and lion webcams from the zoo, but they were not working when we visited.

Farm Sanctuary (USA)

This sheep barn camera is at the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen , New York. They also have a recorded virtual tour of the farm showing you some of their other animals.

Goats Live (??)

Not sure where it is coming from, but this camera is pointed at some goats and streams 24 hours a day.

Farm Food 360 (Canada)

Farm Food 360 has virtual tours of all different kinds of farms. There are milk & cheese, dairy cow, sheep, pig, mink, grain, egg, and oat farms, feed mills, and an apple orchard.

Chatsworth Farm (Canada)

Chatsworth Farm is an over 2,000 acre family-run farm in Canada where they grow grain and legume crops, alfalfa, and raise beef cattle, sheep, turkeys, ducks, and chickens for eggs and meat. They have a few video tours on their webpage and they’ve also been live streaming recently on the Chatsworth Farm Facebook page .

Horse Shoe Farm (USA)

This camera pans back and forth showing the outdoor pens of the Horse Shoe farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The horses are not always outside, though.

Virtual Farm Field Trips on YouTube

We found a whole bunch of Farm tours and Q&As on YouTube. Here are links to those. Some are individual, but others are whole playlists with multiple videos.

• American Dairy Association Indiana (4 videos)
• Ohio Pig Farms (50+ videos, several very recent)
• Grow Next Gen (discusses various topics)
• Ohio Beef Council (18 videos)
• New York Beef Council (4 videos)
• American Dairy Association Northeast (12 videos)
• Pennsylvania Beef (no playlist, but at least 3 tours among their many videos)
• Milk Means More (4 tours to a Michigan Dairy farm)

Safari Virtual Field Trips

SafariLive (Africa)

Live Streamed safaris from the African wilderness. You never know what you are going to see, and your tours are guided by knowledgeable guides who sometimes answer questions from viewers.

SUNRISE SAFARI (Monday to Sunday)

• Central African Time (CAT): 06:00am – 09:00am
• East African Time (EAT): 07:00am – 10:00am
• Eastern Standard Time (EDT): 00:00pm – 03:00am

SUNSET SAFARI (Monday to Sunday)

• Central African Time (CAT): 15:30pm – 18:30pm
• East African Time (EAT): 16:30pm – 19:30pm
• Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT): 09:30am – 12:30pm

Cumbria Wildlife Trust (UK)

Over on the Cumbria Wildlife Trust webpage, you can drop in on webcams of a few different animals from across the United Kingdom. There is a camera pointed at the bird feeders at Plumgarths Wildlife Garden, Grey Seals at the South Walney Nature Preserve (archive footage when cam is not working), a Badger cam from Rydel, Ambleside, and an Osprey cam from Foulshaw Moss Nature Preserve (says cam will be available late March 2020).

Explore.org Webcams (Worldwide)

Explore.org has countless live streams from all over the world that you can choose from, including several locations already mentioned in this post. But our favorites are the ones you can view outside of a zoo, aquarium, or farm setting.

Some of these also have great audio, so you can make it full screen, turn up the volume, and have a window to the world. Great for background or meditation.

• Tembe Elephant Park (Africa)
• Honeybees going in and out of a hive
• Flying Foxes (bats)
• Hear Orcas (and occasionally see them) underwater
• Sea Lions hauled out onto rocks
• Polar Bear Cubs

Wolf Conservation Center

The Wolf Conservation Center in New York is dedicated to protecting and preserving wolves in North America. They have several live feeds of various species of wolves. And if you want to learn a little about wolves , you can do that, too.

Bald Eagle Cam (USA)

Despite being the national symbol of the United States, we don’t get to see Bald Eagles all that much. But with the camera set up at Duke Farms in New Jersey, we can look right into a Bald Eagle’s nest! They even have a scavenger hunt you can print out for the kids to watch the nest and see if they spot any of those things.

40+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

We are living in a strange time. Never did I think that I would be searching for virtual field trips to take with my daughter and daycare children! But here we are, trying to make the best of the situation we are living in. 

Now you can experience landmarks and museums around the world with your kids from home! Check out our list of 40+ virtual field trips below. These are all interactive virtual tours that I have done with my kids. All kid-approved! 

I’ve spent the last two weeks putting together this list of virtual field trips for kids. These are all links that I have personally checked out with my daughter and daycare kids. 

Animal Virtual Field Trips

-Watch over 10 different animals, from Elephants to Butterflies, in their habitats at the San Diego Zoo with these Live Animal Cams ! We love the tiger cams! Plus they have a whole kids area on their website for fun educational activities. 

-Observe gorillas, rhinos, and even ants on the live webcams from the Houston Zoo . I love the 6 different animal cams at this zoo. Tune in between 7 am and 7 pm CST to see them in action.

– The Georgia Aquarium has some really amazing webcams you can check out. They have beluga whale webcams plus live feeds of the puffins, piranhas, gators and much more! Watch for the whale shark (!) on the Ocean Voyager cam! It’s so cool to see! 

-Learn and explore the farm like never before! Take an inside virtual tour of how farms run and how food is processed from a farm. These are really interesting and well done. My daughter loved the 360 videos on egg processing and egg breaking, the way all the machinery works together blew her mind! You can also view sheep, grain, and mink farms plus milk processing plants.

-Have a shark lover in your house? The live shark cam at the Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of our favorite live cams to view. They also have a really great aviary and coral reef cam that you can view with your kids. We also like the Monterey bay cam, it’s fun to watch the waves! 

-Walk-through the halls of the National Aquarium with this fun and interactive virtual tour. 

-Another informative and fun virtual farm tour for kids. Learn about and tour behind the scenes of a dairy farm. 

-Check-in on some of your favorite animals and don’t miss the baby Cheetahs on the animal cams at the National Zoo. 

Landmarks & Castles

-If you haven’t explored Google Earth I highly recommend that you give it a try. You can explore all kinds of amazing places on Earth. Studying somewhere specific? Check it out on Google Earth. 

-Missing your connection to Mickey and friends? Check out this free virtual field trip to Walt Disney World . 

-Learning about the Empire State Building ? Check out the live webcams perched high above the streets of New York.

-Even wondered what the white house looks like from the inside? Step inside and take a tour of this presidential building from the comfort of your own home.

-Walk the grounds of Scotland’s Edinburgh Castle with this virtual field trip of this ancient castle. 

-Walk along walls of the Great Wall of China with this stunning virtual tour!

-Have you always wanted to see the Effiel Tower ? Well, now you can take your kids on a field trip there in your pajamas! 

-Visit the Palace of Versailles in France. Explore the King’s Chamber, the Hall of Mirrors, art and much more! My kids were in awe of this one! 

-Go onboard and view the inside of Air Force One (a retired model). Explore the cockpit and see where the president sat and slept! 

-Walk-through the halls of the Schönbrunn Palace in Austria . It’s one of the most visited sites in the country and the tour is full of stunning items! 

-Visit an ancient tomb in Egypt. We really enjoyed the virtual tour of The Tomb of Menna . This is one of the most visited and best-preserved of the small 18th Dynasty elite tombs in the Theban necropolis. You can also visit the pyramids while you are “in” Egypt! 

– Head to Mount Vernon and explore the grounds and building. This was the plantation of George Washington, the first President of the United States, and his wife, Martha. 

-Go through the process of arriving at Ellis Island with this interactive tour. 

-Tour inside the state rooms at Buckingham Palace and discover some of the most treasured objects in the Royal Collection

Science & Nature 

-Visit the National Parks in realtime with their NPS Webcams ! 

-View the stunning beauty of Yosemite National Park . This virtual tour is amazing! 

-Take a hike on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon from your living room! 

-Looking for something out of this world? Travel into space and visit Mars! That’s right, you can go on a virtual adventure on Mars ! 

-Take a tour of the international space station ! If you are learning about the stars and space this tour is a must! 

-Explore the Atlantic coast of Ireland and the Giants Causeway . This virtual field trip is one I want to take for myself! 

-Go inside Son Doong in Vietnam, it’s the largest cave in the world and even has its own ecosystem. The images are amazing! 

-Want to go on a safari? Check out these African Safari tours to view hyenas, lions, elephants and more! 

-Tour the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park . Lava tubes and volcanos make this one a favorite.

-Explore the wonder of the Carlsbad Caverns and learn about bats.  

-See the Northern Lights over Sweden with this fabulous virtual tour. 

-Follow explorers from beginning to end as they climb Mt. Everest . The 360° videos are amazing and we learned so much about what it takes to make it to the top.

-Walk around among planes from history with this free virtual field trip for kids from the Frontiers of Flight Museum .

-Get an inside look at the cockpit and interior of planes from history at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. From WWII bombers to helicopters and fighter jets! My daughter has literally spent hours exploring these. 

-Have a car fan? Learning about transportation? Take a tour of the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant , the first Ford plant and the location where the Model T was developed.

-View the largest collection of Van Gogh’s artwork, including letters and drawings, at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

-Learn about the Battle of the Alamo while you tour the historic Spanish mission and fortress founded in the 18th century.

-Head to the National Museum of Natural History to learn about the history of the planet and the humans. 

-View the incredible exhibits at the Louvre , the largest art museum in the world. 

-Explore The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s website for kids! The Met Kids lets kids explore an interactive cartoon map of the Met to learn more about the artwork and visitor spaces in the museum

-See all the fun to be had at the Boston Children’s Museum ! View three floors of fun children’s exhibits. 

-Virtually tour The British Museum and discover hundreds of artifacts in the museum.

–Step inside the Sistine Chapel and get an up-close and personal view of the amazing art that covers the space, including The Last Judgment  by Michelangelo.

Your turn! 

Have a favorite virtual field trip for kids that’s not listed above? Leave a link in the comments! I’m always looking for fun new options to explore with my kids. 

Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our  index for 100+ plus kids activities ! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!

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April 28, 2020 at 7:25 am

Thank you for sharing this list! It’s great that we can still have field trips even if we can’t leave our homes.

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KidVision Virtual Field Trip: A Trip to the Zoo

Virtual Field Trip Description

Early childhood educators use this program to deliver standards-based learning experiences that spark children’s imaginations and nurture their curiosity about their community and future careers. Join Penny and the KidVision Program on this educational adventure!

Through a blend of immersive, interactive videos, lessons, assessments, and take-home resources, early childhood educators deliver standards-based learning experiences that ignite children’s imaginations and foster their curiosity about community and careers.

Our KidVision Virtual Field Trips are designed to inspire and educate young minds about the world around them, exposing children to potential career paths and introducing and building essential vocabulary. Don’t let budgets or travel restrictions hold your child back – join us on our exciting virtual field trips today!

Each Field Trip Includes

Preschool-themed virtual field trip videos that provide a look into community-based organizations. Teachers will use these materials as a source for their own professional development as well as a supplemental curriculum for their students in the classroom.

Age-specific, standards-based lesson plans and assessments, which include alignment to state-specific early learning standards and the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. Lesson plans target the following age groups: 4YO, 3YO, 2YO, 1YO. Available in both English and Spanish. Field Trip

KidVision Program Benefits

KidVision Virtual Field Trips open a world of community, career, and unique learning experiences from the comfort and safety of the classroom. Our trips eliminate the need for expensive transportation, chaperones, and the liability associated with traditional field trips.

KidVision Virtual Field Trips align with early learning standards and include instructional resources that seamlessly integrate into your preschool curriculum so students can participate in multiple trips throughout the year.

Take Home Pages in both English and Spanish, which include structured reinforcement activities to be completed at home with family members in support of the language, communication, and emergent literacy skills addressed in class.

Each Virtual Field Trip Experience includes extension activities focusing on building vocabulary and/or additional theme-related “A Day With” videos which will enable children to shadow a day in the life of a professional as they describe the details of their job.

Structured teacher reflection activities and discussion forums with peers locally and nationally.

Teachers will earn 5 in-service hours .5 CEUs (e. Continuing Education Units) for each completed Virtual Field Trip Experience. In-service hours can be used toward the renewal of CDA (Child Development Associates) credential. Continuing Education Units are accredited through the International Accreditations for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).

Teachers will receive certificates of completion upon the successful completion of their KidVision Field Trip Experience and have the ability to download a transcript that includes all completed field trips.

Danielson Teacher Framework Course Alignment

Demonstrating Knowledge of Resources

Using questioning and discussion techniques, engaging students in learning, demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness.

Categories: KidVision Virtual Field Trip Program

The Educators' Spin On It

Learning Games and Activities

30+ Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Want to explore our world? Here are 30+ great Virtual Field Trips for early learners to explore from your home. From zoos and landmarks to famous museums, you can explore the world with your child with over a month of virtual field trips!

Animal Virtual Tours for Kid

Us history virtual tours, us landmarks virtual tours, us national parks virtual tours, museum virtual tours, virtual tours around the world, fall virtual field trips for kids, winter virtual field trips for kids, spring virtual field trips for kids, summer virtual field trips for kids, virtual tours of space, live webcams around the world.

One thing that the recent global quarantine has made us all realize very clearly is that we’re all part of one earth. We all have many commonalities and many things that are unique to where we live.

As we are at home, working from home and spending more time with the kids, I’d love to suggest we spend a little more time exploring this amazing planet that we’ve been gifted to during our lifetime.

Google Earth is such an amazing tool to use with your child to encourage them to explore the world. You can be at home on your sofa or at our desk and be transported to anywhere on the earth(virtually).

Where would you want to go?

With your child start with where you live. Then go to their school and where you shop near you and then find where family and friends live. Next, explore some of their favorite spots you’ve vacationed and now it’s time to explore where you’ve never been. But where do you start?

Let’s start by exploring some amazing popular travel destinations that also happen to have webcams for you to step inside and explore.

Google’s Art and Culture is a great resource to kick-start your global search too. Did you know that Google’s “World Wonders” project offers virtual tours of 132 famous sites? So many amazing virtual tours of museums for kids!!

30 Virtual Field Trips for Kids

I’ve put together a collection of locations for virtual field trips that I believe as a teacher and a mom that are appropriate for the kid to watch online. I’d encourage you though to talk about these locations as a family.

You can track your virtual tours with our Printable Virtual Field Trip Log !

Perhaps start working on a travel bucket list together and a virtual travel bucket list. That way your child can make their own itinerary too.

Where do you think your child wants to go to?

• Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Georgia Aquarium
• Houston Zoo
• Atlanta Zoo – Pandas
• San Diego Zoo
• Smithsonian National Zoo
• The Tundra with Discovery Education
• Virtual Farm Tours
• Penguin Virtual Field Trips
• Polar Bear Virtual Field Trips
• Rainforest Virtual Field Trips
• Everglades Virtual Field Trips

Here’s a list of all the zoos with webcams to explore.

For a little movement, try this zoo themed yoga

• Washington, D.C. Virtual Field Trip for Kids
• The White House
• A Virtual Tour by the Obamas
• Mount Vernon
• Colonial Williamsburg
• Mount Rushmore
• Liberty Bell

Grab our Washington DC Unit for Kids . Create your own Living History Museum at home after your virtual tour!

• Empire State Building
• Ellis Island
• Monument Valley

• Mighty 5 National Parks Virtual Field Trip
• Yellowstone National Park
• The Grand Canyon
• Hidden World of National Parks by Google Art and Culture
• National Parks Foundation: Electronic Field Trip
• NPS Webcams at the National Parks
• Virtual Hikes at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Virtual Hike from Rim to River at Grand Canyon
• Glacier National Park
• Yosemite Park
• Smoky Mountain National Park
• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Everglades National Park
• Carlsbad Caverns National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
• Kenai Fjords National Park
• Carlsbad Caverns

Take our Virtual Tour of Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks

Find Your Virtual Park – Connect with national parks from a distance through digital opportunities and activities to do in your own home or neighborhood.

• Smithsonian Museum
• Van Gogh Museum
• 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours 
• Google Art and Culture: Top 10 Museums you Can Explore

Coloring Pages From Over 100 Museums

• Great Wall of China
• Buckingham Palace
• Red Square in Russia
• Largest Flower Garden, Keukenhof 
• Ukraine Virtual Field Trip Guide

Recreate a famous landmark with math, art and sidewalk chalk

Get ready to explore these Fall Virtual Field Trips for Kids with these kid friendly fall virtual tours.

• Pumpkin patches
• Fall leaves
• Apple orchards
• Turkey farms

Try these Leaf Activities for hands-on fun in fall.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Explore 60+ Winter themed virtual field trips for kids .

• Winter Virtual Field Trips to National Parks
• Ice Castle Virtual Field Trips
• Natural Wonders of Winters : Snow, Frozen Lakes, Waterfalls & Glaciers
• Winter Sports: Ice Skating, Skiing, Sledding and Tubing
• Christmas Around the World Virtually: Lights, Tree Farms, Reindeers
• Christmas Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Once you take a few winter virtual tours, explore these Winter Activities for Kids .

Explore the best spring virtual field trips for kids . Explore moments in nature of spring flowers blooming and experience flower-covered trees, baby animals, and the animal life cycles of spring with this ultimate collection of spring virtual field trips for kids.

• Spring Flowers Virtual Field Trips
• Trees Blooming in Spring Virtual Field Trips
• Spring in National Parks Virtual Field Trips
• Baby Animals on Farms Virtual Field Trips
• Bird Nests and Eggs in Spring Virtual Field Trips
• Frog Themed Virtual Field Trips
• Butterfly Themed Virtual Field Trips

Ready for Spring? Try this hands-on Spring STEM Challenge !

Get ready to explore these Summer Virtual Field Trips for Kids ! Explore the ocean, amusement parks, outdoor adventures, watermelon farms, and more with these kid-friendly summer virtual tours.

• Coral Reefs
• Ocean Animals
• Boat Adventures
• Amusement Parks Rides
• Rock Slides
• Natural Springs
• Watermelon Farms
• International Space Station
• Space Shuttle Discovery
• Worldcam.eu: WebCams from Around the World
• Explore.org: Live webcams throughout the world

Virtual Field Trip Activities for Home

Looking for ways to expand the virtual tour?

Once you’ve viewed one of the Virtual tours, you can…

• Write up about what you learned
• Draw a picture of your favorite part
• Create a version with legos, building blocks or playdough
• Find a book online to learn more about the location
• Create a themed craft based on where you took a virtual tour
• Recreate it with sidewalk chalk
• Cook a dish from that region

DOWNLOAD OUR VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP LOG

There are so many amazing resources to explore virtually to learn about our amazing planet and the treasures and history within it.

One resource that I found to be the most amazing was Google Art and Culture resource. I high recommend exploring it as a family during this time.

Virtual Tours for Kids

Take this time to explore the world virtually and help us work together to protect and learn about these treasures around the world.

Want more ideas for home Parents! Check out our…

50+ STEM Activities for Kids

Ball Games Your Kids will LOVE

JOIN our free Virtual Book Club for Kids

Do you have a favorite virtual tour that you love? Please share with me in the comments.

Like this idea? Pin for later or share now with a friend!

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About Kim Vij

Early childhood teacher, author, speaker and mom of 3. Kim shares ways to make learning fun and parenting an adventure by sharing developmentally appropriate activities.

March 27, 2020 at 1:55 pm

Thank you this is cool not as cool as google earth

March 28, 2020 at 10:00 am

THANK YOU THIS IS AN AMAZING RESOURCE

April 20, 2020 at 2:06 pm

Thanks for letting me know about this! It sounds cool!

April 30, 2020 at 6:01 pm

that was very cool

May 6, 2020 at 11:20 am

You could do a virtual tour on Paris

May 7, 2020 at 4:18 pm

You definitely could, I’ll try to put one together for you and share very soon on the site!

June 13, 2020 at 6:21 am

September 2, 2020 at 8:54 am

Is there a cost associated with these virtual field trips?

September 3, 2020 at 7:03 pm

Most of these Virtual Field Trips are simply links to either the specific museums or locations offering a video of their facility or using Google Earth to explore a specific region such as our national parks. They are free to view at your convenience.

September 4, 2020 at 8:02 am

This is still fun! definitely helping their learning 🙂 easier to visit destinations from the comfort of their couch!

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Virtual Field Trips to the Zoo: A Chance to Explore

When you think of common field trip destinations, zoos are probably at the top of your list, right alongside local history museums and art galleries. After all, zoo field trips are a great way for students to learn about the animal kingdom, get outside, and have fun. But zoo field trips can be inaccessible. Many students don’t live within easy driving distance of a zoo. What’s more, field trips to the zoo can be very expensive. Average zoo tickets cost between $8 and $13, a total that can add up quickly — and that’s not to mention the cost of buses or meals, or the difficulty of finding chaperones. All of those challenges can make alternative field trips appealing. Virtual field trips to the zoo are a great way to get the benefits of zoo field trips (and more) without the time, difficulty, or expense. 

In this article, we’ll explore those benefits and more. Specifically, we’ll answer the following questions:

What are virtual zoo field trips? 

• What are the benefits of virtual field trips to the zoo? 
• How can you make use of animal virtual field trips? 

The definition of a virtual zoo field trip might sound self-evident. But each of these terms — virtual, zoo, and field trip — deserves further exploration. There are many different kinds of virtual field trips to the zoo, ranging from immersive tours of real-life zoos to animal virtual field trips that focus on interacting closely with a specific animal.

What are virtual field trips?

Perhaps the most unfamiliar element of the term “virtual zoo field trip” is virtual . After all, virtual field trips are a relatively new phenomenon, and the potential uses of virtual reality (VR) in the classroom are vast and ever-expanding. 

Broadly speaking, virtual field trips describe experiences that meet the following criteria:

• Virtual field trips involve immersive experiences with augmented or virtual reality that take place in the digital world of the metaverse .
• Virtual field trips include some sort of educational experience for students of any age. 

That’s it! Beyond those two descriptors, virtual field trips can encompass a broad set of immersive programs. They can support classrooms of various ages, from virtual field trips for kindergarten to educational VR for high school students, and can cover a variety of topics, from social studies to science. 

Just take a look at these examples of real virtual field trips offered by Kai XR to get a sense of the possibilities of virtual field trips: 

• Students go on a free virtual field trip using a VR headset to tour the White House with Michelle and Barack Obama, learning about the branches of government, the job responsibilities of the president, and how the building has evolved with different presidents. Afterwards, they answer questions about what they learned on the tour.
• Students explore the life and career of Tiera, an aerospace engineer with NASA . They learn about her work designing Mars space missions, building their understanding of STEM-related career paths and learning about equity in scientific workplaces. 
• Students take a virtual field trip to the Malaysian Rainforest, where they meet with elderly residents and learn about modern problems with deforestation and palm oil agriculture. The virtual field trip gives them exposure to other cultures and other countries that they would otherwise be unable to visit. 

Virtual field trips to the zoo are a subcategory of all virtual field trips. Virtual field trips to the zoo are just what they sound like: immersive virtual experiences that teach students about zoos, bring them face to face with exotic animals, or teach them about endangered species. 

What are the benefits of virtual zoo field trips?

Virtual zoo field trips have many benefits, ranging from the educational to the social. Here are just a few of the possible reasons why educators might want to bring educational VR to their classrooms and zoo field trips:

• Virtual zoo field trips can create closer relationships with animals and support pro-environmental attitudes. 
• Virtual zoo field trips allow students to see animals they wouldn’t see at most zoos.
• Virtual zoo field trips can incorporate additional educational content and enhance students’ learning experiences.
• Virtual zoo field trips can be more accessible and cost-effective than alternatives — in fact, there are many free virtual zoo field trips.
• Virtual zoo field trips can serve as a complement to or preparation for in-person field trips to the zoo. 

Some of these benefits of virtual zoo field trips are shared with real life, in-person zoo field trips. Other benefits, like accessibility, are unique to virtual field trips to the zoo.

Virtual zoo field trips promote environmentalism

Given the ongoing threats of climate change and global warming, it’s essential that students — the leaders of the future — develop an understanding of why saving the planet is so important. With that in mind, both in-person and virtual zoo field trips can help students develop pro-environmental attitudes. 

One University of Stirling study of over 130 middle school students found that both “in-nature” and “virtual-nature” field trips can give students’ comparable educational experiences and “nurture student pro-environmentalism.” Connecting with nature helps students develop environmental values, building care and concern for the planet. In fact, the study indicates that spending time engaging with nature is the most significant factor that influences people to advocate for the environment. 

Other research from the University of Stirling in Scotland focused even more specifically on virtual zoo field trips. The researchers found that virtual field trips were useful for both adolescent students (ages 13 to 18) and adults, all of whom felt that VR experiences gave them more personal connections to zoo animals. 

Some animal virtual field trips go even further, teaching kids specifically about environmentalism and what they can do to help endangered species. For example, Kai XR offers virtual field trips about ocean pollution and wildlife protection . In our “The Ocean is Broken” experience, students use virtual reality to explore the ocean and learn about overfishing and human impacts on the environment. In the “Helping Wildlife” experience, students meet with scientists who work to preserve local wildlife. Both of these virtual field trips can easily be paired with discussion questions and additional learning activities to help students further build their environmental consciousness.

Virtual zoo field trips are more realistic

It might sound like an oxymoron to say that virtual zoo field trips can be more realistic than in-person ones. But virtual field trips allow you to get up close and personal with animals, seeing them in their natural environment. Whereas in-person zoo field trips always maintain a separation between student and animal, virtual zoo field trips allow students to interact closely with the animals in question, without the barrier of a cage or enclosure. 

The 2021 University of Stirling study also found that this is one of the main benefits of using educational VR in zoo contexts. Being able to interact so closely with animals is both more entertaining and more educational. Just listen to what some study participants had to say about their free virtual zoo field trip experience:

• “I thought it was very informative. It was very good to be able to look around and actually see them close up. I guess it seems more personal.”
• “You get a lot more information about them, I think it can make the visit more interesting.”
• “They look more natural in the video.”
• “You see more because it is more true to life than an enclosed environment here.”

Imagine not just seeing a lion in a cage, but being able to travel with and stand among a pride of lions in the savannah. Imagine not just watching a zebra at the zoo, but running with them during their annual migration. Imagine safely getting face to face with a grizzly bear or an elephant. These are the kinds of experiences that a virtual zoo field trip makes possible.

Virtual zoo field trips can go even further, enabling students to meet with animals that they couldn’t see at a zoo at all. Some animals simply cannot be kept in zoos — for example, deep-sea creatures or extinct animals. Virtual zoo field trips, by contrast, let students interact with creatures that humans never get to see in person. Kai XR offers virtual field trips to explore the Great Barrier Reef and meet the Giraffatitan Dinosaur — experiences you wouldn’t have at any zoo, no matter how close you could get to the animals. 

Virtual zoo field trips can go beyond in-person experiences, providing students with valuable entertainment and knowledge.

Virtual zoo field trips enhance learning experiences

In-person zoo field trips are usually lots of fun, but they aren’t always the most educational experiences. Classrooms are constrained by the resources the zoo has to offer, and it can be difficult to provide a curated experience targeted to specific educational goals and standards. Chaperones are often more focused on keeping track of classrooms than they are on providing an enriching educational experience. By contrast, virtual zoo field trips can focus more specifically on certain learning standards, encouraging content knowledge in addition to student enjoyment. 

One study of 211 eighth grade students investigated how virtual and in-person field trips help students learn about biology and ecology. During both the in-person and virtual trips, students explored a local trial and conducted fieldwork. The researchers found that the in-person and virtual version had only “minute differences” in student knowledge acquisition, and that both experiences helped students develop skills for future assessments. They noted that virtual experiences allowed students to focus on developing specific skills relevant to the instructional content, with fewer distracting elements.

While virtual zoo field trips might have the most obvious relevance for science classes, they can also help students learn about other content areas. For example, a recent study investigated the use of a virtual zoo field trip to promote Chinese language learning. The researchers leveraged students’ love of animals to teach vocabulary and pronunciation, using the medium of a virtual zoo field trip to motivate language development. The results showed that the free zoo virtual field trip had a significant impact on the students’ language performance, highlighting the broad applicability of these virtual field trips. 

Virtual zoo field trips are more accessible

From both a physical and economic standpoint, virtual zoo field trips tend to be more accessible than in-person alternatives. One of the major benefits of virtual field trips is that they can be accessible to all kinds of students who might not be able to go on an in-person animal field trip, including:

• Students with mobility restrictions
• Students with severe allergies
• Immunocompromised students
• Students in remote learning settings
• Students with other special needs

This is especially true of virtual zoo field trips. Trips to the zoo, while fun, can be inaccessible for a variety of reasons: maybe your school isn’t located anywhere near a zoo, or maybe the local zoo is too expensive, or maybe the zoo is an overly stimulating or otherwise physically inaccessible environment. Zoo trips can also be very expensive, especially for whole classrooms: one researcher estimated that an in-person zoo field trip could cost upwards of $600 for a classroom of 25 students, not counting the lost instructional value due to long transit times and bus trips. By contrast, there are many free zoo virtual field trips. Even paid virtual field trips to the zoo tend to be much cheaper than the in-person alternative because of travel costs. 

Virtual zoo field trips are also much less of a logistical hassle: because they can occur in the classroom and during the course of a normal school day, educators don’t have to deal with the stress of finding a time that works for everyone, taking students out of other classes, obtaining transportation, finding chaperones, and all the other tasks that usually make in-person field trips so complicated.

Virtual field trips to the zoo can complement in-person zoo field trips

In-person and virtual options don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Rather, virtual zoo field trips can serve as preparation for or a complement to an in-person learning component. In fact, the existing literature explains that in order to maximize the benefits of in-person field trips, students should be adequately prepared beforehand and should receive relevant additional instruction that reinforces their knowledge after the field trip. 

Virtual zoo field trips can form part of the preparation and after-the-fact learning enhancement for field trips to in-person zoos. Students may appreciate their visit to a lion or zoo enclosure more if they’ve learned something about lions or flamingos beforehand. Understanding these animals’ natural habitats, eating habits, group structures, and more can keep students more invested in the learning experience, and can transform a field trip from a fun day at the zoo to a deeply enriching and rewarding visit.  

Virtual Zoo Field Trip Case Studies

Clearly, virtual field trips at the zoo can be enjoyable and educational experiences for students. So how do you get started with animal virtual field trips? 

Thankfully, there are already dozens of options to explore when it comes to virtual zoo field trips. Kai XR offers many animal-centric virtual field trips that are accessible from most kinds of wireless devices, like tablets, laptops, smartphones, and VR headsets. These virtual field trips are appropriate for kids of all ages, and can serve as a great way to bring VR into the classroom . 

To name just a few of the many options:

• Students can go on a virtual field trip with a professional biologist to learn about rhinos and how they are facing extinction. 
• Students can travel with African penguins to explore this endangered species in their native environment.
• Students can dive underwater and snorkel through the Great Barrier Reef , identifying underwater species. 
• Students can discover the disappearing oases of the Sahara desert and listen to people’s experiences with desertification and climate change.
• Students can relax with some pink flamingos at the San Diego Zoo while exploring the fields of health and science.
• Students can have a playful experience at the Puppy Bowl and get a sense of what the world looks like from a puppy’s perspective.
• Students can get a close look at a pack of wolves and how they interact with each other when they’re in their natural environment. 
• Students can tour Valeen’s Reef alongside a father and son who are working to protect the delicate ecosystem. 
• Students can safely spend time swimming with a hammerhead shark while wearing their VR headsets.

All of these virtual field trips with animals and more are easily accessible on Kai XR’s website. Many of them come with viewing guides and discussion questions to enhance the learning experience. 

So what are you waiting for? Start exploring virtual zoo field trips today! And if you want to learn more, consider checking out these other articles: 

• Breaking Educational Barriers with the VR Classroom
• Learn Through Exploration with Virtual Field Trips for Kindergarten
• VR In School : A Comprehensive Guide to a Safe School Curriculum
• The Educator-Friendly Guide to Metaverse Games ‍
• How to Find the Best VR Games for Kids

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Virtual Field Trip (English)

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Join us in observing some of our favorite animals in their home at the Zoo !

The L.A. Zoo is an amazing place to experience nature. This field trip can be used by anyone, including teachers, guardians, and students. Use our Virtual Field Trip Guide to help you find the things you need to make this the perfect experience for you. Have fun exploring!

Virtual Field Trip  Registration Information

Due to the high demand, we can only accommodate the schools in the Greater Los Angeles area. If our schedule allows, we will consider schools outside the area.

Our docent guides will join your virtual classroom to facilitate one of our existing programs.  A limited number of docent-led programs are available. There is no fee for a docent-guided program, but you must book your program at least two weeks in advance. Do not assume you have a guided program booked until you have received a confirmation email from the Los Angeles Zoo. You must provide your virtual login information and on the day of your program, docents will join your class. 

HOW TO REGISTER

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15 Habitats Virtual Field Trips for Kids

Since you can’t take your students to visit all the different habitats around the world, why not bring the habitats to them? Take one (or all!) of these habitats virtual field trips so that your students can explore a variety of  biomes, ecosystems, and habitats firsthand. No permission slips required!

How to take a science virtual field trip

Taking a virtual field trip is an exciting and engaging way for students to learn even more about a topic. It’s especially cool that there are so many amazing places we normally wouldn’t be able to see that we can visit through a virtual field trip!

With just a bit of preparation, you can take your class on a trip they won’t forget. Just choose a virtual field trip that fits your science curriculum and preview it yourself to get familiar. Many of the habitat virtual field trips in this list already have free teacher guides to use with the virtual trip.

I hope these habitat virtual field trips help you take your class on a fun adventure!

Habitats Virtual Field Trips

Temperate rainforest.

In this habitat virtual field trip, your students will learn more about the Emerald Edge. It’s the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest. This virtual field trip keeps things fun and interactive by including a little “Nature Spy” game where students have to spot certain animals during their trip. There’s also a helpful Teacher Guide to help you plan for your virtual field trip!

China’s Great Forests

Explore the majestic forests and beautiful landscapes of China with this habitat virtual field trip! It gives students a look into the importance of forests in the carbon cycle, and you’ll also get a look at the amazing animals that make these habitats their homes.

Symphony of the Rainforest

This habitat virtual field trip will take you to the rainforests of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. Your class will learn more about how scientists are using the sounds of the rainforest to determine how healthy it is and how many species are living there. This trip is great to reinforce the complexity of the amazing rainforest ecosystem.

Journey of Water in Colombia

This habitat virtual field trip allows students to visit beautiful Colombia and explore its fascinating water ecosystems. It takes a closer look at a lot of important plants and wildlife in the area. Students will get to learn more about how water, people, and nature are all connected and important to one another.

Coastal Peru Ecosystems

Take a virtual trip to Coastal Peru to learn about its diversity with this field trip from The National Conservancy. Peru is home to one of the most productive ocean ecosystems, so this habitat virtual field trip will complement science lessons about ocean ecosystems really well!

Yosemite National Park

Head to one of America’s great national parks with a virtual field trip to Yosemite. You can virtually explore all of the habitats in Yosemite National Park through the virtual tours online. It’s a great addition to science lessons about forest and mountainous habitats!

Yellowstone National Park

Another awesome national park to explore virtually is Yellowstone. There are a ton of virtual tour options on the National Park Service website. You can see the incredible geysers or check out the hot springs. Students will definitely be interested in the amazing nature that Yellowstone has to offer!!

Carlsbad Caverns

Check out the fascinating Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico through this Google Arts & Culture habitat virtual field trip. It’s truly an amazing sight to see! You’ll get a little tour and explanation of this National Park from a National Park Ranger. There’s some super interesting and helpful information about bats and other creatures that make the Caverns their home!

Galapagos Islands ($)

The Galapagos Islands in Ecuador is one of the most amazing and unique places in the world. It’s nearly impossible to take a real field trip there, but VirtualFieldTrips.org has a virtual field trip that will help students explore and learn more about this interesting habitat. There is a cost to purchase this virtual field trip, unless your school already has a membership!

America’s Rainforests & Deserts

Students will get to see two different American biomes in this virtual field trip. The trip starts with a closer look at the rain-soaked Olympic Peninsula, as well as some of the challenges that come with all that water. Then, you’ll travel to Arizona’s dry desert landscape to explore the ways that people and other living things have to adapt to a limited water supply. This habitat virtual field trip really emphasizes the importance of water in the world.

Secret Life of Corals

Coral reefs are such interesting habitats! With this habitat virtual field trip, you’ll be able to show your students this world under the sea. You’ll dive into the waters of the Caribbean as you explore the coral reefs of the Dominican Republic. This virtual field trip provides a lot of great information about what’s happening to coral reefs and how we can help keep this important habitat thriving.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium offers a ton of great live cams of their exhibits online. If you’re looking for a fun way to explore marine life while staying in the comfort of your classroom, it’s a great virtual field trip option to check out!

Underwater Cities

Your class will visit the amazing underwater cities created by the coral reefs of Palau in this habitat virtual field trip. Students will get a better, up-close look at the interconnectedness of this important ecosystem.

Man-Made Habitat: Bird Kingdom Aviary ($)

You can “take” your class to visit an awesome man-made habitat with a virtual trip to Bird Kingdom Aviary in Niagara Falls, Canada. It will feel like you’ve stepped foot into a magical rainforest paradise!

There is a ton to see at this aviary, from exotic, colorful birds to owls, bats, and other nocturnal creatures. Bird Kingdom Aviary even offers a live virtual field trip at an added cost.

This Discovery Education habitat virtual field trip to the Arctic focuses on polar bears and how they survive the harsh conditions there. It’s a good option if your students are learning about Arctic animal adaptations. Your class will definitely enjoy all the polar bear footage!

I hope these virtual science field trips help you plan an amazing learning experience for your class!

Be sure to Pin this post so you can refer back to it while you’re planning!

Looking for more ideas to teach habitats & ecosystems? Check out these posts:

Teacher Approved Habitats Videos for Kids

Hands-On Habitats Activities for Second Grade Scientists

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I’m Linda Kamp, a 20 year primary grade teacher with a passion for creating educational materials that excite students and make learning fun! I'm so glad you're here!

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18 Virtual Field Trip Ideas for Early Learners

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A list of 18 virtual field trip ideas for kindergarten and first-grade students. This collection of ideas consists of videos and interactive virtual tours.

Virtual Field Trip Ideas

Here are a few ideas for you to send home to students or show your own kiddos at home! Have fun with these virtual field trip ideas for early learners. 

#1 San Diego Zoo 

Check out live videos of animals. There are games, coloring sheets, and craft ideas, too! 

#2 Polar Bear Expedition

View a polar bear with her two cubs in Canada.

#3 Monterey Bay Aquarium 

View the live webcams of fish, sharks, jellyfish, and more!

#4 Smithsonian Natural History Museum

Take a virtual tour of this amazing museum.

Here is a video of the dinosaur exhibit:

#5 The Great Wall of China

#6 Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Google Arts and Culture has some great virtual field trips! 

#7 Carlsbad Caverns

#8 Dry Tortugas National Park 

Here is a great video of Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas:

#9 The Grand Canyon

#10 Farm Virtual Field Trip

Farm 360 has several different videos about life on the farm. 

#11 Nature Lab Field Trips

These may be a little advanced for kindergarten, but I like the topics and they could be fun for the kids!

#12 Son Doong Cave

The largest cave in the world, located in Vietnam.

#13 Mars 

Students can see the real surface of Mars.

#14 The Moon

Don’t stop with Mars. Check out the moon, too!

#15 The White House

Students explore various rooms of The White House. 

#16 Marineland Dolphin Adventure

A fun tour to see the animals at Marineland in Florida.

#17 Amazon Rainforest

Take a trip to the Amazon Rainforest with this video. 

#18 Recycling Center

Take a virtual tour of the recycling center. This is great for Earth Day!

Enjoy these virtual field trips! Here are a few more blog posts with some other videos for kids:

• The Best Science YouTube Channels for Kids
• 15 Phonological and Phonemic Awareness Videos for Kindergarten
• Kid-Friendly Fall Videos

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The Best PreK and Kindergarten Field Trips (Both Virtual and In-Person!)

From the pumpkin patch to the fire station.

Kinders are a wild bunch and taking them anywhere might seem daunting, but field trips provide kids with the kind of real-world learning that really sticks with them. These kindergarten field trips will keep your young students interested and (mostly) out of trouble.

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

In-Person Kindergarten Field Trips

1. the pumpkin patch.

Is it even kindergarten if you don’t go to the pumpkin patch? Many locations offer tours via hayride and the opportunity to learn how vegetables like pumpkins grow. And, of course, picking out your own pumpkin is the best part!

2. The Grocery Store

A behind-the-scenes trip to the supermarket can teach kindergarteners everything from how their food is sourced to the concept of paying for goods with money. They can explore different roles and departments and—everyone’s favorite—try food samples.

Going to the zoo provides students with the chance to observe animal behaviors and learn about wildlife conservation. Most of them, like the San Diego Zoo , have educational programs, including keeper talks and up-close animal encounters.

4. A Children’s Museum

At children’s museums, the rule is: Please touch! If you’re lucky enough to have a children’s museum close by, most have areas specifically designed for children ages 5-6. Look for role-play areas, climbing structures, and water play.

5. The Fire Station

Grades K–2 are big on learning about community helpers, so the fire station is a great choice! A visit can help ease young children’s anxiety (sometimes firefighters can look scary in all their gear). And they’re sure to be fascinated by the trucks and equipment.

6. An Apple Orchard

Who doesn’t love apple activities ? A visit to the orchard allows little ones to learn how apples are raised and harvested. This is a great opportunity for them to pick their own apples and taste different varieties.

7. The Public Library

It’s never too early to teach kids about the amazing place that is their local library. On a trip to the public library, you can show your kinders how a library works, introduce them to the librarians (ask in advance for a storytime), and maybe even sign them up for their own library cards!

8. The Aquarium

If you’re not lucky enough to have a zoo close by, an aquarium is another good choice. Students will get a window into life under the sea, and lots of aquariums have touch pools that are sure to delight littles.

9. A Bakery

On a bakery field trip, curious kindergarteners can learn about how bread, cakes, and pastries are made. Take a tour of the kitchen and watch the mixing of ingredients and the baking process. Some bakeries even offer kids’ activities, like cookie decorating!

A farm field trip is a great way to connect children to agriculture. Plus, there are all kinds: dairy farms, poultry farms, apiaries, and more. You might try a large commercial dairy farm or a smaller family-owned hobby farm.

Virtual Kindergarten Field Trips

1. an egg farm.

We love these virtual egg farm field trips from the American Egg Board. Make sure you catch the elementary-friendly versions of Hertzfeld Poultry and Creighton Brothers Farms.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6wbfVWVk8Q[/embedyt]

Most zoos have live webcams in some of their most popular exhibits, such as the Panda Cam at Zoo Atlanta . However, some zoos offer a more in-depth look. You’ll definitely want to check out the San Diego Zoo .

3. The Aquarium

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY8__n13tKM[/embedyt]

It’s a similar story with aquariums. You have your pick of live webcams, but our favorites are the Georgia Aquarium’s Ocean Voyager webcam (wait for the whale shark!) and the “jellycam” at Monterey Bay Aquarium (so soothing). And definitely check out  The Maritime Aquarium where you can register for their virtual programs (try Fish Tales, A House for a Hermit Crab, or Shark Safari).

4. Boston Children’s Museum

“Walk” through all three floors of the Boston Children’s Museum on this virtual tour . Direct your students to the Countdown to Kindergarten exhibit.

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

Plus, check out the  Best Field Trip Ideas for Every Age and Interest (Virtual Options Too!)

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Virtual Zoo Field Trip

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This Virtual Zoo Field Trip is a no-prep, editable online teaching resource! This lesson is anywhere from 15-30 minutes in length and includes five interactive animal habitats. Once you select an animal, the PP will take you to a live camera video feed of your animal of choice! Students will enjoy being able to find the animals hidden within the enclosures. Easy to use on a Smartboard, or with virtual learning. A short writing activity of the student’s favorite animal can be implemented at the end of the lesson. The activity can be altered as needed based on grade/age.

Live cameras Include the following animals and habitats:

• Bermuda Whale

*Please keep in mind depending on the time of day, some animals may not be in an enclosure while you are viewing

*Can be used for grades K-5

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