Richard Siegel
New Jersey Teacher

Field trips are great….right? Let’s face it. They can be a source of stress for overwhelmed teachers and unfortunately, sometimes all a teacher wants is to survive the day! Permission slips, parent signatures, bus schedules, packed lunches, chaperones, and matching T-shirts; it can be a lot to manage.

Having a survival kit packed with everything needed to keep relaxed and organized during the class field trip allows teachers to enjoy their day. They can grab this kit and bring it on the bus, it should have everything that they need to handle those field trip emergencies.

Here are some survival kit must-haves:

Bag or backpack 

• One that is comfortable to carry all day and big enough to hold essentials.
• Preferably also has multiple compartments to keep items organized.

Cell phone, iPad, or Android tablet

• Don’t forget extra Apple and Android chargers just in case someone needs to borrow one. 

Clipboard to hold all of the important papers

• Permission slips with a parent/guardian signature
• Sign-out sheet with a space for parent/guardian signatures, time signing out, and phone number to reach parents/guardians
• Printed schedule for the day
• List of chaperones and class list with which chaperone they are assigned to
• Address of destination and printed out directions
• Extra paper

Various writing utensils

•  Bring multiple because someone will always need to borrow one! 

First Aid Kit

• Extra bandaids; kids are always getting hurt on field trips, so teachers can never have too many bandaids. 

Lysol wipes and Wet Ones

• Wipes are essential for wiping dirty hands, outside picnic tables, and even playground equipment. 
• Wipes are especially important during this pandemic. Cleaning surfaces will be necessary to keep the germs away. 

Hand sanitizer

• This is a must-have! Who knows what the kids are touching. 
• Also vital for outdoor field trips where you may not have a sink close by. 

Refillable water bottle and extra bottled water

• A water fountain may not be available so having extra water bottles on hand for students and chaperones is always helpful. 

Garbage Bag

• Most field trips have students bring a sack lunch, and being able to collect the garbage will allow you to leave a place clean.

Snacks

• Make sure to be mindful of any allergies and dietary restrictions. 

Teachers can find peace of mind; this field trip survival kit has all you need for a fun-filled educational day for teachers and students! A teacher will have everything to organize the field trip, communicate with parents/guardians, keep track of students, and stay safe.