Field trips

We do a Supply Fee twice a year, $25 each time. We tell them it's for field trips, gifts for the kids at Christmas, gifts they make the parents, parties, etc. But if a parent wants to come on a field trip they must pay separately.

I like that idea. At our school we have a "group fund" that is for anything special the teacher wants to do, especially spontaneous things. We pay once per year and quite often when we have to pay for tickets for something, the "group fund" gets to keep the change, so there's always something there.

[Christina72684]

We do a Supply Fee twice a year, $25 each time. We tell them it's for field trips, gifts for the kids at Christmas, gifts they make the parents, parties, etc. But if a parent wants to come on a field trip they must pay separately.

[Jack Sprat]

I would ask them to at least help pay for it. I have one dcf that is amazing when it comes to these things. Her mom is a former provider so she "gets it". I don't mind paying for a lot of our field trips since we have a small group and the places we go are pretty cheap.

I wish we had more things closer to us like that. Our closest zoo is 45 min away.

[Leigh]

At $10 per visit, I'd have the parents pay-at least go half.

As far as the pool-$10/kid is a GREAT deal! It's $50/kid where I live, but I can get one for my entire daycare for $150. Depending on how many kids you have, you may be able to get a break on price. I was able to get a zoo pass for my daycare for $70/year, and that gets us into 2 different zoos. It doesn't hurt to ask!

[sharlan]

I have the parents pay for individual admittance/passes. They pay for their child's water park passes, Knott's tickets, summer movie tickets, etc.

I do not have them pay towards yearly memberships like the zoo or the local aquarium. I buy the family or grandparents' pass and often get an extra nanny type pass.

[kathiemarie]

What I do is field trips like to the movies (summer time for a $1), zoo (I buy a membership), in door play ground etc. I'll pay. I have it factored into my rate and I tell parents at the time of interviewing that those activities are included. Activities such as classes, (I've done dance and gym) I have the parents pay. I have the studio bill the parents directly. I try to stay out of the money loop.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

We are going to start going to an open gym at a gymnastics center. This will be once a month. The parents are excited about it! However the cost is $10/ child per visit. I'm thinking I want the parents to pay. I mentioned the cost to them when I brought up the idea and no one said anything, but I didn't specifically say it was THEIR cost.

Is this unreasonable to have them pay?

No. I think if you ask them first, it's fine to have them pay. I recently took some of the kids to swim lessons. The total cost was $198 per kid. I wasn't sure if parents would be willing to do it, so I asked ahead of time. I really wanted it for my own child, so was willing to pay part for the family I suspected couldn't afford it, but it turned out they were eager to do it.

[CraftyMom]

I've done a search and found that some of you have parents pay the field trip fees while others do not. I usually do not, but most of our trips are free or low cost.

We are going to start going to an open gym at a gymnastics center. This will be once a month. The parents are excited about it! However the cost is $10/ child per visit. I'm thinking I want the parents to pay. I mentioned the cost to them when I brought up the idea and no one said anything, but I didn't specifically say it was THEIR cost.

Is this unreasonable to have them pay?

I also would like to purchase seasonal wading pool/spray park badges for each child for the summer. I am picking up the cost on these ($10 each) They can be used at any of the parks in our area, giving us a nice variety of fun for the summer.