FIAR Field Trip Idea List 

Thanks to all who have contributed ideas for this list.  Some of the ideas are location specific, but hopefully you will be able to use them 
as a springboard for your own field trip planning.   Not every book has been added (yet!). 

Volume I:

The Story About Ping 
Duck Pond 
Visit an Asian Market (we drank bubble tea)

Lentil 
Harmonica Shop (or a Music Instrument Shop) where we received a harmonica lesson
Interurban Museum 
Ice Cream Picnic at the Park 

Madeline 
EMT/Ambulance Visit
Ask your local library to put on a Madeline program

A Pair of Red Clogs 
Museum of World Cultures for a program on Japan
Cherry Blossom Festival at Asian Gardens 

The Rag Coat 
Contact your local Quilter's Society and ask them to put on a program 

Who Owns the Sun? 
Visit an underground railroad house 

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel 
Visit a construction site
Go to a local playground and dig a canal in the sandbox 

The Glorious Flight 
Visit a local airport 
Southwest Airlines Museum (you can probably find an airplane museum in your area)
	
How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World  
Visit a local apple orchard 

Grandfather's Journey 
Dine at a Japanese Restaurant

Cranberry Thanksgiving 
Tour a cranberry bog (if available in your area)

Another Celebrated Dancing Bear 
Ballet Performance 
Ask a family in your co-op to host a tea party (or have your own for family/friends)

Papa Piccolo 
Rode a gondola at Mandalay Hotel (there may be gondola rides somewhere in your area)
Eat at an authentic Italian Restaurant 

Very Last First Time 
Ice Skating (and lesson)

The Clown of God 
Called local jugglers and asked them to put on a program (including juggling vegetables and the rainbow/sun in the heavens)

Katy and the Big Snow  
Fire Station Visit
Highway Department Visit 
We Made 55 gallons of snow in our backyard and had a play date for our co-op
Sledding (if available in your area)
Water Treatment Plant Visit 

Night of the Moonjellies 
Visited the Dallas Aquarium (to see moonjellies)
Going to visit the Ft. Wayne Zoo (to see moonjellies)

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening 
Visited a nature center and went in the woods looking for animal tracks
Sleigh Ride
	

Volume 2: 

Three Names 
Went to "one room schoolhouse" event at local farmstead museum 
Going to Conner Prairie to a program called "Churning Up Chores" which includes candle dipping, making cornbread over an open-fire, 
and churning butter

Wee Gillis 
Highland Games Festival (check for a Scottish Festival in your area)

Owl Moon 
We are going to a local nature center for a campfire and then we will go owling

A New Coat for Anna 
Visit a Sheep Farm 
Watch a Spinning (wheel) demonstration
Going t a Local Nature Center to make natural dyes out of flowers/berries
Sheep Sheering Demonstration

Mrs. Katz and Tush 
Visited a local veterinarian who talked to the children about cats and pet care
Visit the Humane Shelter 
Visit a Hebrew Cemetery -- one family found the last name "Katz" on a tombstone and placed a rock on it

Mirette on the High Wire 
Circus
Gymnastics Center

Babar, To Duet or Not to Duet 
Invite a musician to play for your group
Visit a music shop
Go to an orchestra or symphony 

The Story of Ferdinand 
Had a tapas party and went to see a play "Ferdinand the Bull" 
Going to a nature center to learn about different kinds of trees

Make Way for Ducklings 
Ride Swan Paddle Boats at the park, feed the ducks, make a map of the park
Invite an art professor from a local college/university to talk to the children about drawing/illustrations   
(we had a children's illustrator at our local university who was willing to do this)
	
The Tale of Peter Rabbit 
Composting Demonstration at local garden club
Peter Rabbit Storyteller at Mall (During Easter) 
Watercolor Workshop at local art/culture center

Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car 
Going to Anderson Fine Arts Center to the children's area where they will take the FRESH Tour which includes 
lots of hands-on art activities including learning about texture
Visit a car museum 

Miss Rumphius 
We did a service project for a Wildlife refuge (we planted flowers)
Going to a nature center to make miniature green houses 
Visit a conservatory 
If you live near the beach, go and collect shells 

The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Gray Bridge 
Science Engineering Exhibit (boats and bridges) 

Follow the Drinking Gourd 
Visit an underground railroad house
Go star-gazing 
Visit a planetarium 

Harold and the Purple Crayon 
Have a pie picnic at a local park

When I Was Young in the Mountains 
Pet Shop or local zoo to see/touch snakes

Volume 3: 

The Bee Tree 
Visit Bee Keepers

Andy and the Circus 
Circus
	
The Wild Horses of Sweetbriar 
Horseback Riding/Horseback Riding Lesson

Paul Revere's Ride 
Horseback Riding/Horseback Riding Lesson

Henry the Castaway 
Dallas World Aquarium Rainforest/Orinoco River exhibit 

The Finest Horse in Town 
Horseback Riding/Horseback Riding Lesson

Truman's Aunt Farm 
Stargazing 
Visit a planetarium

The Duchess Bakes a Cake 
Renaissance Festival 
Local Bakery (or Krispy Kreme) for a tour

Andy and the Lion 
Visit the local library

Daniel's Duck 
Visit the county fair 

Warm as Wool 
Sheep Sheering Demonstration 

The Salamander Room 
Visited Arboretum "Big Bugs" exhibit 

Climbing Kansas Mountains
Rock Climbing 

Little Nino's Pizzeria 
Made our own mini pizzas as a local pizza parlor (Pizza Hut and Papa John's both seem
field-trip friendly)


Ideas for any title
Call Home Depot or Lowe's and ask if the children can come and build something related to the
book (we are doing this for The Little Red Lighthouse-- building boats).  

Check your local children's theaters to see if any are putting on plays/musicals that would
make a good field trip for upcoming rowing titles.

Check out local museums and what children's exhibits they will have in the upcoming year. 

Make your own restaurant and invite the other families from your co-op to come, too.  This works
well for various titles; you could have a Chinese Restaurant (for Ping) or an Appalachian Mountain
Restaurant (for When I Was Young in the Mountains); the possibilities are endless.  You can ask
each family to bring one authentic food and the host family can create menus/decorations, etc.