Should I Let My 2 Year Old Go on a Field Trip?

I would never let my two year old go with a daycare - you have to watch little ones like that at those places constantly - there is no way the daycare would be able to watch your little one with undivided attention - and at two it would be really hard for him to communicate to you if something happened. No way would I have let my daughter go to something like that when she was 2.

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I am not an overprotective person, but I also know my son is a runner, and many of those places are not fully cut off for kids that are runners. I also do not like people I do not know driving my son ... in an emergency you do what you gotta do, but for a feild trip, at 2 ... not for me personally.

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Let him go.
Or if they take parent volunteers, you can sign up.
But groups are usually divided up, and with a group supervisor, and per age.

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A 2 year old on a field trip? Are you serious? No way would I ever let my boys go. That is crazy.

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No. Like you said, that many 2yo's would be a very difficult situation to watch over closely. 2 is too young to take off premises in my opinion, I'd find alternate care that day.

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No way. I would not trust a daycare to watch my child as closely as I would want. I would not have my child go. He's only two. He won't notice:-)

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I'm not sure what I would do, but if you are hesitant, just know he won't be bummed. He won't even know what he is missing. How are they all getting there anyway. I didn't really like people driving my kids around when they were that young. Can you go to the field trip with him?

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Never....I'm still careful with fieldtrips, my son is 6 years old.
My older son, now 17....he always ran off and escaped.
I always say, I'm the only one who really watches her child, because they are mine....
I believe 2 yrs. old is way to young.

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I wouldnt let my two year old go. He is crazy and runs off in public places. Its hard for me to keep track of him, and I have just two children.

If you feel uneasy, I wouldnt let him go. He wont know he is missing out on any fun.

If he was older and could take some responsibility for himself, I would consider it - but not at two.

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If it were me, I would not. I don't think daycares should take young kids out to places like that. There was an incident at a mall in my area a couple of years back. A daycare came to use the indoor play area and a man tried to snatch one of the kids. The daycare lady started screaming and a couple of other people restrained him until security then the police could get there.

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He won't even know he missed out on anything... he's two. Take him to ChikFilA over the weekend if you feel bad about it... but NO. Especially if there will be upper elementary kids there as well. Even when there is one mom for every kid, some of the older ones practically trample the little ones and have no clue. I just don't see any way that a daycare would be able to adequately supervise the small kids in that sort of situation. No.
And it isn't overprotective. It is using your brain and being a good mommy.

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Me personally, I wouldn't. It's not a question of not trusting the teacher, it's a line-of-sight issue. Tracking four-eight kids in a known playyard where sightlines were already considered is very different from tracking them at an indoor play structure in tubes, behind slides, and other areas.

I would also tend to be concerned about the bigger kids, who are usually less supervised and more likely to be faster and knock the little ones over. I have to say, if I'd arranged a field trip for my former toddler group, it wouldn't have been to a place like this. Too much potential for accidents and trouble. My insurance on my business is high enough as it is, thanks.

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I would conquer my own fears and let my son go.

Naturally there is a huge BUT - I would find out the student to caretaker ratio first. If it was something like 1 adult or caretaker to 4 little ones that might be doable and meet my comfort level.

No I don't think you are being over protective but it can be difficult to find the balance when they are so new to us and our first.

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It depends. Will there be extra chaperones to watch the toddlers? Is there a separate toddler area with appropriate toys?
I actually think it won't be as much fun for him, as it would be if you are taking him alone. An if you have any reservations whether your provider can adequately supervise the kids, it's ok to say no.
Good luck!

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Yes, and volunteer to chaperone. My daughter has been on every field trip with her day care since she was 2 and I, or my husband, have chaperoned.

Being a chaperone gives you not only the opportunity to keep your eye on your own child but, reassure you (in my case), how your child care providers account for and watch the children on field trips.

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Hi S S let him go and volunteer to be a helper/chaparone so you can feel more at ease, this is what i did on all my kids kindergarten filed trips, it put my mind at ease. J.

My only issue would be if too many kids are going for them to keep a close eye on and how many cars are they taking? EACH kid MUST be in the back seat and in a car seat. If that isn't possible, then no, my kid would not be going. Good luck.

It depends - if it's on a weekday and public schools are still in session, then it's possible that they will have the place to themselves. Find out more about the specifics - are they taking just his "class" or are there older kids (4 & 5 year olds) going too? What will be the child/teacher ratio there? Will any parents be volunteering? How long will they go for? Have they done this before and if so, how did it go? I would have let my child go, but I also know that the daycare would only have gone if they basically had the place to themselves, and I know that the teachers watched my kids better than I do, and I know that my kids are really comfortable in places like that.

Updated

It depends - if it's on a weekday and public schools are still in session, then it's possible that they will have the place to themselves. Find out more about the specifics - are they taking just his "class" or are there older kids (4 & 5 year olds) going too? What will be the child/teacher ratio there? Will any parents be volunteering? How long will they go for? Have they done this before and if so, how did it go? I would have let my child go, but I also know that the daycare would only have gone if they basically had the place to themselves, and I know that the teachers watched my kids better than I do, and I know that my kids are really comfortable in places like that.

I did not let my son go on daycare fieldtrips unless I was attending.

How many children does she watch and would she have another daycare person there to help or just her? If its just her, I may pass on this field trip for him at his age....thats just me. I would find out how many children are going, how many helpers, does she use the buddy system with the kiddos or what is her plan of action in keeping all the kids safe and together---will they have the whole range of the place or will other children be there during their visit?? I would ask all the questions you need to until you feel satisfied in making a decision about yes he can go or no he can not go. GL!

M

I took all the kids in my child care center on field trips except the babies. I took the toddlers to a farm that had a lot of baby animals, I took the 3 year olds to a horse ranch that worked with kids with special needs and they got to ride the horses just a tiny bit. I had the parents drive vehicles with the children's own car seats put in just for the field trip.

But the truth is, if you don't want him to go then say no. Find someone else to watch him that day since his teachers will be gone and he won't really even know they went somewhere without him.

I would take off work and go with. I'd transport him and a few friends and they'd be my group for the day.

I don't think your overprotective. It would be very hard for them to watch all those kids and being 2 he is going to run and play and need supervision. I think he's way too young. I wouldn't let my 2 1/2 yr old go without me. We were in a 7 kid, 1 teacher paint class and I stayed with my daughter. I had to help a little girl from falling out her chair because the chair was tilting over (it was an upholstered chair). Even if there are a couple teachers I don't think they can keep track if it's that busy. Maybe you could take him when you get home :D

I agree with others about the older elem kids. An older elem kid wanted to put his foot on my daughter's head when he was climbing down from a sign and was very shocked and surprised when I said Uh uh, we don't do that, and saw an adult standing there when he was about to do it. I don't think they could give every child that personal attention.

I honestly don't think a 2-year-old will get anything out of a field trip like this. I absolutely would not let my kid go, unless I was going along as well. Two is way too young.