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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

overnight school trip for 6 and 7 year olds

13 replies

AFewGoodWomen · 15/10/2015 16:15

We're not in the UK but instead in a country where overnight school trips in primary are quite common.

My DD is in the equivalent of Year 2 and there will be an overnight school trip in the Spring.

She will just have turned 7 but she is a timid little thing, still has a transition object to sleep, has never slept away from home (not at friend but not even at family as we are abroad so no family local to us).

I know it's an opportunity for her to spread her wings...but she says she does not want to go.

WWYD?

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mumteacher · 15/10/2015 17:06

I would not be sending my 6 year old but then it's not really something that's part of the education system in the UK until much later.

Lurkedforever1 · 15/10/2015 17:29

My dd would be fine, she stayed out overnight from being tiny, but I think at that age it's also fine for your dd not to feel confident about it. I would leave the decision to her if you suspect it's not just a case of encouraging her a bit cos she'll love it when she's there.

For future reference though if transitional object is a cuddly toy they appeared in Dds residential in y6 in large numbers. And it wouldn't suprise me if a few hid them on the y7 one before 'coming clean'

LottieDoubtie · 15/10/2015 17:33

I'd let her go- and encourage her if she was reluctant.

Staying away occasionally in a safe environment is good for personal development imo. She will be 7- old enough for Brownie pack holiday so old enough in my book!

That said, if she genuinely didn't want to, I wouldn't force her to go either.

Original poster

AFewGoodWomen · 15/10/2015 17:37

Interesting responses.

Her transitional object is a pair of ski socks (don't ask), not sure if she would be happy to be seen with them!

She is one of the oldest in the class and will be 7 and whilst I don't think it is too young per se, I do have a feeling she will get very stressed in the run up and wonder if the payoff justifies that level of anxiety?

OP posts:

curvyredmug · 15/10/2015 17:44

If it's in the Spring then lots of time to prepare. Maybe invite a friend for a sleepover in the hope that it is reciprocated? My 6 year old went to Beavers camp earlier this year and had a whale of a time, it's a good time for them to do this sort of thing.

Hulababy · 15/10/2015 18:01

DD would have been happy to go on a school residential in y2, though may be only for a couple of nights.

DD's school started residentials in y3. They did a couple a year. DD had just turned 8y when she went - 3 nights. All the children in her class went and had a great time. She went abroad (France) in y5.

I know of a couple of local schools who do a one night residential trip in y2. A parent once asked my school to look into it but, for a number of reasons, we decided not to go ahead at that time.

Hulababy · 15/10/2015 18:03

FWIW - throughout juniors almost all of DD's friends took a cuddly toy or blanket with them. They are in y9 now and many still have a small soft toy on a trip!

Lurkedforever1 · 15/10/2015 18:31

Shouldn't worry about it being ski socks. When it comes to taking the one favourite one, few have the traditional nice cuddly bear. Most have bedraggled babyish characters they've had from being tiny and wouldn't be seen dead with in any other format. Eg Peppa pig.

Narp · 15/10/2015 18:53

Our kids are encouraged to take a cuddly toy to their residentials in Year 5 and 6, with no embarrassment at all, so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

7 is too young for some. My own did Beaver scout camping trips and had a whale of a time, so I think for many (most) it works out fine. But they'd had frequent over-night trips to grandparents, and wanted to go

I'd encourage but with absolutely no pressure or recriminations if she doesn't want to.

Narp · 15/10/2015 18:55

It is so hard to judge. Some of the 10 year olds on our recent residential were really nervous/crying in the run up but were really fine 5 minutes after leaving.

Dealing with difficult emotions alone but with the support of friends/trusted adults is a really important life skill. But I think 7 is too early for some

Lurkedforever1 · 15/10/2015 19:21

Just thought, would it be practical for her to go on the proviso you'll pick her up at bedtime if she doesn't want to stay? Obviously not if she's likely to wake at 3am and want to come home.

RamblingFar · 15/10/2015 20:20

I've led a year 1 residential in the UK before.

Children start going on Rainbow sleepovers at 5, Beaver sleepovers at 6 and Brownie sleepovers at 7.

When I worked in the Summer at US summer camp our youngest campers were 5 and hadn't started kindergarten yet. They were fine in tents in the woods.

If she wants to go and it's usual for the country you are in, then she's likely to be fine. The staff taking her have probably got years of experience taking that age group away.

MidniteScribbler · 16/10/2015 01:31

In our Grade 1 we have an overnight 'camping' in the school hall. It's a good transition for them.

All of our away camps include some sort of activity that requires students to bring a cuddly toy or item. So a teddybears/toys picnic in the younger years, up to various other activities for the older ones. That way everyone has a toy, regardless of whether they sleep with them or not.

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