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.