Find out why, below:

1. Immersion in the real world – The value of real-world learning cannot be understated. Students learn best through active participation, where they can connect with the world hands-on; research has shown this. When a child travels with their school to Singapore, Greece, or New York, they can experience vastly different cultures for themselves, enriching their understanding of the world around them. They can even practise budgeting (for purchasing souvenirs!) and other important real-world skills, like communication and critical thinking. Plus, as educational school trips to Italy, France, China, and other popular destinations can last for a week or more, students can even immerse themselves in a new language! The opportunities for learning are limitless.
2. Cultural exposure – Expanding on the cultural exchange that visiting other countries can bring, school trips overseas are an effective way to facilitate cultural exposure. Children can visit museums, historical sites, local stores, festivals and much more; unique locations that might be very unlike those they have ever experienced at home. Not only does this encourage a sense of cultural appreciation, but it also helps to provide students with new interests and more diverse points of view. From admiring and recreating Grecian pottery to living in the bustling world of South Korea and embracing K-Pop, children will learn that the world is beautifully diverse and take the lessons learned abroad with them for a lifetime.
3. Independence and responsibility – By leaving the comforts of home behind, students on school trips abroad often need to learn greater independence and take on greater responsibility for themselves. Navigating streets abroad, working as a team to complete activities, being sure to listen to their guide or teacher; these requirements foster independence, decision-making, and adaptability. Ultimately, children must learn independence to grow and develop into adulthood, and these school trips facilitate this.
4. Confidence – With independence comes greater confidence. Confident children are freer to emphasise with others and to engage with their studies, identifying with stronger moral and emotional values. Stepping out of a comfort zone is intimidating even for adults, so learning how to do so in youth is an absolute must for development. Facing new experiences does more than just open your mind to better studying upon returning home – students can begin to find out who they really are!
5. Memory and retention – School trips at home can be memorable and fun, but the entire experience of a school trip abroad is undoubtedly unforgettable. From the thrill of boarding a plane to travelling with their best friends, and then visiting meaningful locations – like a cultural landmark, such as the Chiang Kai-Sek Memorial Hall in Taiwan or the Taj Mahal in India – students on school trips abroad will take their memory and retention to the maximum extent possible. The potential for immersive and real-world learning furthers this. In many cases, a hands-on experience is far more likely to be remembered than information gleaned from a PowerPoint in a classroom.
6. Stress relief and happiness – Happy children can expect greater cognitive development, communication skills, creativity, and much more. Therefore, the stress relief and happiness provided by a school trip abroad can work wonders in encouraging a child’s growth. While great attendance and homework are a must, learning doesn’t have to be restricted to the classroom, and for some children, too much classroom learning can be quite stressful indeed. Taking children out of this structured environment and into the wider world can have a magical effect – such educational and enjoyable experiences can contribute to overall wellbeing, both mentally and physically.

Ultimately, the best school trips abroad can have all these benefits, and so many more.

Of course, if you are a key decision-maker for a school, much will also depend on how you organise and put together the trips you intend to take with your pupils. Fortunately, there are many reputable companies out there that can do this work for you, drawing upon wide-ranging and in-depth experience in the specialised field of planning school trips.

Often, these educational journeys can be carefully curated to the curriculum at your school. This means that, even in light of all the fun-filled activities, your students can also continue to learn what they need to learn – they will simply be doing so in an even more enjoyable and kinetic way. 

Photo by Asia Culture Center: https://www.pexels.com/photo/school-trip-in-town-18717968/