Field Trips

We offer field trips for kindergarten through sixth grade students at our Durham location at West Point on the Eno from early September through mid-December, and early March through mid-May, with some limited winter availability.

Top 5 Reasons to Book a Field Trip with Schoolhouse of Wonder

Schoolhouse of Wonder Field Trips are renowned for sparking curiosity and inspiring students to learn. Each day-long Field Trip experience allows elementary and middle school students to develop their sense of wonder through active outdoor learning including adventures in science, social studies, math, music, and folklore. Topics include: Ecosystems & Living Organisms – Forest and River; Eno Plan Walk; Insect Adventures; Early American Life; Native Ways; and Geology.

Inquiry Form

You deserve our A-game

1

We shape kind, curious, and confident kids through nature-based outdoor activities.

Bring classroom lessons to life

2

100% of teacher respondents said the Field Trip experience increased students’ understanding of what they were learning in the classroom.

Spark curiosity

3

99% of teacher respondents said the Field Trip experience increased or reinforced students’ curiosity related to the topic.

Aligned by design

4

Our Field Trips are directly linked to the NC Common Core and essential standards, and we’ll work closely with you so your field trip will be a great educational experience.

Simple to plan, affordable, and fun

5

Our dedicated staff will bend over backward to make booking your trip easy and quick. But don’t take our word for it.

Field Trip Details

Location

We’re currently running field trips at West Point on the Eno City Park (5101 N. Roxboro, Durham, NC). This is made possible by our partnership with Durham Parks & Rec!
A Typical Day

9:30am to 1:30pm (includes two classes, lunch break, and end of day celebration). Start and end times can be accommodated to fit your needs. We can also schedule a short “primer” visit to your classroom to prepare your students for their Field Trip. Primer visits are entirely optional but have proven valuable in connecting students with our staff and the material. The Primer lasts approximately 45 minutes.
Seasonal Availability
Prices

Discounts
We will gladly discount the cost of a Field Trip for Title I Schools (with 40% or more of the student population receiving free or reduced lunch). Here are links to Title I schools in Durham, Wake, Orange, and Chapel Hill/Carrboro school districts.
Full Day Field Trip for qualified schools: $6/student
Primer for qualified schools: $2/student
Minimums

Schoolhouse of Wonder requires either a minimum of 15 students or $180. Schoolhouse of Wonder makes staffing decisions for Field Trips based on the number of students reported to attend at the time the reservation is made. It is imperative that any changes in the number of students attending a Field Trip be adjusted (up or down) at least one full week prior to the scheduled Field Trip. With less than one week’s notice, Schoolhouse will accept underpayment of no more than 10 students. Payment of the full invoice amount, minus a maximum of 10 students, is expected prior to the beginning of the Field Trip.
Deposit
Cancellations

If a Field Trip is canceled less than two weeks before the scheduled date, the deposit is forfeited. Schoolhouse of Wonder Field Trips are designed to run under many weather conditions. If there is a serious weather condition that would make it unsafe to have students in the park (extreme heat or cold, rain storm, thunderstorms, tornado, hurricane), Schoolhouse of Wonder will cancel the Field Trip.

If a Field Trip is canceled by Schoolhouse of Wonder for safety reasons, we will work with the teachers to reschedule and the deposit will be applied to the new Field Trip date. If a new date cannot be accommodated, the deposit will be refunded. If a Field Trip is canceled by a school for any reason within the two weeks prior to the reservation, the deposit will be forfeited. We hope to reserve your first choice date and encourage you to submit your deposit as soon as possible. We look forward to seeing you and your students.

Next step? Fill our our Field Trip Inquiry Form!

Inquiry Form

We’re on a mission to shape kind, curious, & confident kids through nature-based outdoor adventures.

Camp Finder

Preparing for Camp

Find our camp handbook, details about what to bring, when to drop off and pick up, and more.

Guidebook

Field Trip FAQs

You might have some questions about planning a field trip with Schoolhouse of Wonder. Hopefully you can find an answer below. If you still have some wonderings, feel free to call us at 919-477-2116 or email us.

What happens if it rains on the day of our Field Trip?

Our Field Trips do take place completely outdoors, and we are happy to run Field Trips in a light rain if you and your students don’t mind. We ask that all teachers make sure their students come dressed appropriately for the weather. However, we are not able to run Field Trips in severe weather or thunderstorms. We will monitor the weather forecast closely leading up to the day of your Field Trip, and if the weather looks bad then we will contact you to discuss options, including rescheduling the Field Trip for the next available date.
How long will the Field Trip last? Is there any flexibility on this?
Do you offer in-school Field Trips?

Our Field Trip programs are designed specifically around the historical and natural features of West Point on the Eno City Park. Although all of our Field Trip programs take place here at the park, occasionally we are able to create a custom in-school program for your students. Offerings for in-school Field Trips may be limited, and price may vary depending on the program, staffing required, and distance traveled by staff. Please contact our office if you wish to discuss program options.
Should we bring lunches for the students or is lunch provided? Where can we eat lunch at the park?

Schoolhouse does not provide lunch for Field Trips, so teachers should make arrangements for students to bring their own lunches. We highly recommend students also bring a water bottle. During a typical Field Trip, there will be a 30 minute lunch break at the large picnic shelter.
What will the schedule of the day be for our Field Trip?
A typical Schoolhouse Field Trip day will break down as follows (although we are flexible on start and end times):
9:30am to 11am: Group welcome and first program (Native Ways, Early American Life, Forest Ecosystems, River Ecosystems, Insect Adventures, or Eno Plant Walk)
11am to 11:30am: Lunch break at the large picnic shelter
11:30am to 1pm: Second program
1pm to 1:30pm: End of day celebration and farewell (storytelling and songs)
Where do field trips take place?