During the year, we have optional family field trips on the weekend that occur once or twice a month. The reason these family-school-peer outings are so valuable is that they build a community for our families to support each other, develop bonds, and shows your child, by your participation and interaction, how you value community and education. Many studies have shown a consistent relationship between the joint effects of family and school over time and academic performance (Epstein and Sanders, 2002). This is significant because your family is the primary socializer and greatest impact on your child’s development (Grusec and Davidov, 2007).
Family field trips are considered outside of normal childcare hours, so entrance fees, meals, child supervision, and other field trip costs are not included in your tuition. We try, to the best of our ability, to keep the costs as low as possible so that all families can participate. Family Field Trip grants (financial assistance) may be available if you are already on a subsidized tuition program or receiving a student scholarship. This is also open to the community, so your relatives or friends are invited and welcome!
Below is the current schedule for our family field trips, but please keep in mind that these dates and locations may change or be cancelled due to weather, new opportunities, or availability. Details are sent out one to two months ahead of time. All logistics are researched and communicated to families, but it is the final responsibility of the family to RSVP and confirm additional details they may need.
The choice of locations and activities are made by using the monthly academic themes, which I notate next to each month in parenthesis.
2019 Family Field Trips
January (Jobs and Money)
Sunday, January 13th, 12pm-2pm : The Winchester Mystery House, San Jose
Saturday, January 19th, 12pm-2pm : Silver Creek Mining Museum, San Jose
February (Time and Travel)
Date / Time TBD : Chinese New Year’s Parade, San Francisco
Saturday, February 23, Times 11:30am-1:30pm: Egyptian Museum, San Jose
March (World Cultures)
Saturday, March 2nd, Times TBD : Muir Woods, Mill Valley (North of San Francisco)
Saturday, March 9th, Times TBD: Disney Museum, San Francisco
April (Life on the Farm)
Saturday, April 13th, 12:30pm-3:30pm: Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, San Jose
Saturday, April 27, 12:30pm-4:00pm: Hidden Villa Farm, Los Altos
May (Science and Maker Fair)
Saturday May 11th, 11am-1:30pm: San Jose Tech Museum, San Jose
Sunday, May 19th, 12:30pm: Bay Area Maker’s Fair, San Mateo
June (Performing and Fine Arts)
Saturday, June 15th, Time TBD : Nor Cal Pirate Festival, Vallejo
Saturday, June 22nd, Time TBD (evening): Free Shakespeare in the Park/Picnic, San Jose
July (Imagination Camp)
Group Day Camping Trip at Big Basin (Santa Cruz mountains)
Dates/Times TBD (Est. Friday, July 12th – Sunday, July 14th)
August (About Me!)
Saturday, August 17th, 2pm: Children’s Discovery Museum, San Jose
Saturday, August 24, 2pm: Exploratorium, San Francisco
September (Community)
Saturday, September 14th, 10am-3pm: Renaissance Faire, Hollister
October (Plants and Animals)
Saturday, October 12th, 1pm: Ardenwood Harvest Festival, Fremont
Saturday, October 26th, 11am: Monarch butterfly migration and tide pool creatures at Natural Bridges, Santa Cruz
November (About Earth!)
Saturday, November 9th, Time TBD: Cal Academy of Science, San Francisco
Saturday, November 23, Time TBD: Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey
December (Space Exploration and Holidays)
Saturday, December 14th, Time TBD : Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland
Saturday, December 21st, Time TBD: Dickens Victorian Christmas Fair, Daly City
