Can't find the time…

First question:  Why do you feel it is important to get them involved outside of home?  Do you feel like they are restless, or bored or is it more that you could use some out-of-the-house social interaction?  

My opinion is that 7 and 5 year olds don’t really need scheduled field trips as much as they need everyday interaction with the real world.  In other words, going to the grocery store, post office, hardware store, etc. with Mom or Dad is plenty of “field trip” for that age.  I think you can ease up on yourself in this regard.  But, I’ll wait with more advice until you answer the first questions, maybe I’m not properly understanding your need here.  

Every family is different, so we can only share our own experiences. I agree with previous posters – field trips and extracurriculars are not a ‘need’ for young children beyond going out into real life with the family (grocery, library, post office, etc). Resist overscheduling your little ones!

I did want to mention something else. You said you don’t spend as much time doing things with the youngest as you did with her older siblings. This is normal! Only the first child or two has the artificial ‘mommy’s world centers around me’ life. It’s not a normal, healthy way to raise every child. And what you are forgetting is that while you were the only playmate/reader/comforter/teacher for that oldest child your youngest was born into a very different home. They are already surrounded by several built in playmates, friends, readers, comforters, and teachers. They will learn and grow from being around in older siblings lessons more than you know. It is a richer environment for a younger child than it was when you only had one child.

That it not to say you don’t still read to the younger child and spend time doing things with them, but that you are not the sole source of interaction and enrichment for them. They have more sources built in with their older siblings and will thrive even with less one on one mommy time than that firstborn child had.

I’m speaking from experience here. I’m expecting baby #8 (my oldest child is 11). While I had to be just about everything to my oldest and instigate most of the learning time, my younger children were born into a home full of learning activities already going on with siblings. They benefit tremendously! My 4th child taught himself to read at 3 by listening to his older siblings lessons. Some of it is just his personality and abilities, but I did not need to do direct, one on one teaching, he simply was a part of life with his older siblings and picked it up. My 7th child is 10 months and has heard more books read aloud than his oldest sibling did at this age because there is always somebody reading around here and if it is not me reading someone’s science or history or a family read aloud it is a sibling practicing their reading aloud by using him as their audience.

Relax and enjoy your family as it is now, not as you thought it would be when you just had one child. What you did with that one is going to be different in many ways than what you’ll do with baby #3, 4, or 8!

I wouldn’t feel guilty about not scheduling reg. field trips but if you’re wanting them to experience museums, library time, community classes, etc., then you may just have to be okay with the idea that those activities *are* school, especially for the age of your kiddos.

Our dc are involved in alot of out-of-the-house activities. We basically started doing that when our oldest was about 7-8 years old, old enough for whatever class is offered. My dc really enjoy/ed these classes and couldn’t imagine not having them as a part of our day/week. As my middle child got older, about 5, he was already involved in activities that my oldest didn’t get involved in until he was a couple of years older. My middle boy saw what his bro. was doing and really wanted to participate, if not more, than his bro. Now my youngest is involved in activities, too, but not quite as many (he’d rather be w/ dad if he can help it :).

Every family is different and every child within that family, so you have to do what you feel you want to or need to for your situation. The fact that we only have 3 dc makes our family situation a bit different than those that have 4+ dc, which is perfectly normal and to be taken into consideration.

Hope you find what works for you.

And don’t forget that outings ont the weekends such as a trip to the park with Daddy for an hour is a field trip. 🙂 The little ones mostly just want time to explore (e.g. field trip in the backyard or on a walk down the street) and discover new things (e.g. a beautiful leaf or nut or squirrel running up a tree).

I do keep a field trip log, but over the years I’ve learned that field trips happen naturally! 🙂 I agree that a trip to the post office can definitely be a field trip, as you answer questions your little ones has. And the more you play it up, the more excited they will be. I took my 7YOs with me (they were 6 at the time) to mail a package of used books I had sold. We taped it up at the PO and added the address there. We then went and bought our postage from the machine. It was very interactive for them, and the asked lots of question even wondering aloud how the zip code came about. I was so thankful when a really nice postal employee came over and answered their questions. They were beaming as we left. Field trip to PO–check!!!

Keep it simple and use those everyday moments to allow them experiences that help them grow and learn! I’m sure you’re already doing tons of this; you just might not have thought of it as a field trip. 🙂