School trips can be exciting for children, yet they can also be a source of worry too! A lot of children feel anxious about going on a school trip, even though they know they are going to have heaps of fun. Of course, for longer school trips, i.e. those that involve going abroad, it is understandable that your young one may be feeling a bit anxious. So, how can you help to make sure that your child is prepared for their school trip? Let’s take a look…

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Talk about the trip with them

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you talk with the child about the trip that they are going on. This could be your child’s very first school trip or it may be the first time that your child is going to be away overnight without you or your partner. It is a good idea to ensure your child knows about the routines and schedule for the trip, as this can help to keep any fears at bay and ensure they are only focused on the excitement. Focus on all of the good stuff associated with UK school trips. After all, there are plenty! This includes hanging out with their friends, doing cool stuff, learning new things, and going to somewhere they have never been before. 

Make a “to-know” list together

Get your child excited about the school trip by giving them hints about the things you will want to know. For example, “you will have to let me know how fun ‘XYZ” is.” By doing this, you help your child to imagine the trip beforehand while also helping them to look forward to all of the fun they are going to have.

Don’t “what if”

Try to avoid peppering your child with what-if scenarios. The staff and teachers are going to be there to help, so you do not need to worry about this. All your child needs to know is that there will be members of staff should they need assistance. 

Empower their decisions 

Last but not least, it is important to empower your child’s decisions ahead of their school trip. Of course, for teenagers, it is likely that you will do this anyway. However, for young children, this is beneficial. You can let them participate in determining what to pack. For example, if it is an overnight trip, you can let them determine what sleeping bag to bring with them or what pyjamas they are going to wear. For day trips, let them have some influence over their packed lunch. This helps them to “own” the process.

So there you have it: some of the different steps that you can take to make sure that your child is prepared for their school trip. If you follow the advice that has been mentioned above, you can make sure that your child does not feel as nervous about their school trip and instead they focus on all of the good things instead!