• Petting zoos are often a good choice for a Pre-K field trip.rabbit image by Mirek Hejnicki from Fotolia.com
  
  A field trip is a great way to make learning come to life by taking children out of their normal environment and allowing them to have hands-on experiences at different locations. Even children as young as pre-school can benefit from educational trips to zoos and parks where they can see things up close and learn more about the world around them.
  
  

Humane Society or Animal Shelter

• The local humane society or animal shelter is a great field trip destination for Pre-K children. There is usually no cost to visit these facilities, and the staff can help teach youngsters the importance of caring for animals properly, how to feed and water them, as well as the right way to play with their pets so they won't be scared or harmed. Sometimes groups are even allowed to walk a dog or play with some of the smaller dogs and young kittens.
  
  

The Zoo

• A zoo is always an exciting idea for a field trip, and most of these facilities have reduced prices for school groups and daycare facilities. Children can learn what the zoo keepers do and how they take care of the animals, feed them and clean the cages. Many zoos also have educational programs such as arts and crafts for children of all ages, and also feature behind-the-scenes tours. Sometimes the zoo also has a petting zoo, which allows youngsters to meet small farm animals such as goats, rabbits, ducks, sheep and ponies up close.
  
  

Nature Walks

• A nature walk is another good idea for a Pre-K field trip. Parks will often have marked walking and hiking trails where children can learn to listen, smell and observe nature as they collect items like leaves, pine cones, rocks and acorns or even ladybugs and butterflies. They can also learn the importance of staying on the trails and how to recognize harmful plants such as poison ivy or thorny bushes. Teachers can help the students make an art project after the walk from the items they collected, or use those items to demonstrate a science talk.