Volunteered for reception school trip-help!

[mondler]

Hi, my kid's teacher asked me to accompany them on a school trip to a farm. Stupidly I didnt say no and I'm now wondering what I've let myself in for. Has anyone gone on one and have any tips or advice?

You may have a shock! I expressed concern to DS reception teacher as he gets travel sick- was really bad when he was 5 and needed meds (plus fresh air facing forwards, no food or drink on the coach) Teacher asked me to come along as a helper. I got given a little gang of 6 the most unruly 5 yrs olds to 'look after' all day- all boys
The other mum helper got her own daughter plus daughters best friend.
I was hoarse by the end of the day- had my best 'teacher' voice on and had them in a mini crocodile- needed eyes in the back of my head!
Turns out the teacher thought I was the manager of the nursery down the road and used to kids. I wasn't!
Ask how many kids you will be responsible for is my tip - DS is in his 20's now but I'll never forget that trip!

Aww I used to take our Youth Club kids on trips. Not reception age though🤣🤣
I was always in charge of the sick buckets. It's aged me by decades.

It will be fine. But NOISY.

All you do is make sure they don't kill the animals, kill themselves and you don't lose one.

(Evil laugh).

Hahahaha I helped out with a y4 trip to marwell zoo. Held the sick bucket on the coach on the way there (LUCKILY not the way back) and was given a group of about 10 of them to take around by myself, basically just a “meet back here at lunchtime in 3 hours”. I think I vaguely thought I’d be paired up with an actual teacher or something, v naive! Didn’t lose any and everyone survived (though we never found the red pandas…)

Get organised with sick bags wipes Tissues plasters etcGrab a pen and have your phone charged with school number
make sure you have drinks and spare snacks and headache tablets!
Learn to count to 6 every 5 mins so you don’t lose anyone!

How old are the children? I think that makes a big difference. One little boy on our trip started crying his eyes out the minute we left our town as his mummy wasn't nearby anymore😢( he lived about a minute away from school)
We went to a big museum that was partly outdoors/partly indoors - no live animals involved thankfully!

You’ll get a small group to supervise and activities to do.

Whenever I have done it the teacher has always checked with me the day before that I’m happy with who is in my group. I’ve always had, nice well behaved kids, with no medical issues in my group. Teachers tend to keep those with medical needs with them (rightly so!) and I wouldn’t have been comfortable with epipens/inhalers etc. Day is structured, everyone meets at lunchtime and it has been fine.

Tips - Keep track of your kids! Constantly check if anyone needs the toilet. Tissues, hand gel and wet wipes in your bag. Make sure you have a phone and the number of the teacher in charge and enjoy the trip.

I'v been on trips and I'v enjoyed them. The coach will be noisy!

Normally been assigned a group of six which has felt fine to me (not sure if it's because I have 4 of my own anyway). Though it's definitely a different type of pressure not to lose someone else's kid! Number the children if you think that will help you keep track.

Definitely take wipes and gel, and yes constantly check if they need the toilet.

I'm sure you'll have a great time.

You absolutely shouldn't do this.

At most tissues but you must not be using plasters on the kids. Anything like that you scream in the direction of the first aider.

As a parent help your responsibility goes as far as just making sure they come back, in one piece, alive.

Everything else is down to the teachers or you run the risk of breaking safeguarding. You should not be helping kids with the toilet - again that's for the paid staff, not parent help - because you aren't trained. Make sure they all go when required (many reminders needed) even if they say they don't want to and grab a staff member when one inevitably needs a wee at the wrong time. Do not put yourself in a vulnerable position alone with a child.

You will get a group of the better kids to keep an eye on - the teachers will generally take the evil ones or the ones with specialist needs (such as medical issues)

The art of distraction is your life saver. If they dick about remind them not to do it and then encourage interest in something else's it's better and easier than ending up with a meltdown.

I’ve done a few school trips, I actually loved them, loved being part of my child’s day like that. You’ll be given a small group (5?) of kids of manage and you’ll spend most of your time answering their questions, checking that they don’t lose their kit - you know normal parent stuff.

Have fun!

This has been my experience too. I've been on a few! I quite enjoy them... You often get to visit somewhere new, and even if it isn't, there are usually special exhibits or talks that are done for school groups that aren't offered to the general public.

I have yet to be dumped with the PP's experience of being sent off to fill several hours of unstructured time. It has always been a tight schedule, often has a planned craft in the middle, and I have been accompanied by a member of staff (with their own group of 4-6 DCs to keep track of) as well as often a member of staff from the museum/similar too. Some parts are all adults and DCs together, which can make it harder to keep an eye on your assigned group.

I take travel sickness pills myself plus a few boiled sweets to secretly stuff in my mouth if needed, as I get motion sick. I have never needed to deal with a sick DC - this is always the domain of the paid staff!

I've always been purposely given an easy bunch of DCs (engaged DCs, no behavioural issues, no medical needs), although that doesn't stop the anxiety of potentially losing someone else's DC! You will be constantly counting them! The teacher will regularly count the whole group throughout the day too, particularly before and after any transition points, so there is very little chance of losing one in reality.

You should be asked to read and sign a risk assessment, so you will know the who/where/whys from that.

I've done this for reception and year 1. With reception it was easy - just don't lose anyone. Year 1 was a unexpectedly long coach journey (something that should have been 15 mins took an hour) so stopping squabbles on the coach was important - singing funny songs was an option. Then I was just an extra pair of hands making sure noone fell into a pond (they didn't). Any trips to the loo or medical problems need to go to the teachers - you should not put yourself in a position where you are alone with any child. They should give you some rules before you do the trip.

It is good fun - take headache tablets for you and stock up with some nice treats at the end of the day as you will be tired. You will also get to know the class more and will have lots more little faces greeting you at drop off/pick up.

Forgot to add - if you haven't got "the voice" try to develop it. Drop your normal speaking tone a bit lower, look directly at the offending child and say firmly "that is not nice" or "we don't do that". Normally stops all bad behaviour at that age (and works well with older children if they are not expecting it).

Have your favorite alcohol available as soon as you get home.

I think I’m hormonal and my boys are too old to miss their mum anymore, but that made me 😢

I did this recently and really enjoyed it!

I was given a group with a few boisterous boys but having boisterous boys of my own it wasn't anything I couldn't handle 😎

The best part was most of them fell asleep on the coach home so it was so quiet. I didn't tell the parents that though 😂

Another good phrase to utter at misbehaving dc in a low slow voice is

that is unacceptable. With a nice pause after the that.

I always used to end up with a headache. Take lots of water, and paracetamol.

They will likely give you a group of the best behaved ones, and probably won’t expect you to go off on your own with them - safeguarding rules mean you’ll probably go around in a larger group including teachers.

You'll be counting more than The Count in Sesame Street.

Kids off the minibus 12345. Kids beside you 12345. Kids in front of you 12345. Kids to the toilet 12345. Kids to the bunny shed 1234....1234...1234...where is he?....12345. Kids back again 12345.

Oh it's lovely but tiring! Before you know it they'll be 18 and school trips a thing of the past!

Oh, I loved going on school trips with the children. For Early Years, it mostly involves keeping a group together, wiping sticky hands and faces, lots of toilet trips, making sure they cross the road safely (generally one or two adults stands in the road, one leads the group, one helps the stragglers at theback.and any others help the kids stay in their crocodile). And chatting with the children about what they are seeing and what interests them.

Reception trips are fun.
The children tend to want to stick with 'their' adult (unlike y3/4).

Chat to them at the start saying you want to be able to tell hhe teacher at the end how super well behaved they were.
Count, count, count.
When walking from A to B have one in each hand and the other 4 slightly in front if possible so you don't have to keep looking behind.
Lots of praise and reinforcement during the day.
Double check coats and bags whenever you have been sitting down.
Try to engage in the topic and help the learning, not just childminding.
Have fun, it's fab!

Do your best and make sure the teacher steps in if needed.
I loved being apart of the younger kids trips.
It is a good way to see your child in their own world and I found it quite entertaining.

Don’t be surprised if you get a group that doesn’t include your DC.

Trips are normally tiring but fun

It will be great, OP. I used to take time off work to go on school trips. Yes, someone will cry or wet themselves or fall over, but generally, they are great fun (if the teacher is nice)