Every child should have a chance to visit Washington DC. My little girl just got back from her Safety Patrol trip to Washington DC and suddenly she doesn’t seem so little anymore. I’ve come to realize that this trip is a sort of rite of passage for these kiddos. It is a trip that allows the kids to become a little more independent and form some lasting friendships.
Our kiddos almost didn’t get to go on this trip this year. AAA decided at the last minute that they only wanted to allow 7 kids from each school to go. Luckily, our school district stepped up and found a travel agency, Go Student Tours that specializes in school trips and pulled together an epic trip that all of the kids were able to go on.
I have been extremely emotional about this trip. It was the first time I’ve sent my little girl away. But I’ve got to say I’m really glad she went. It was a great experience for her. She got to see things that she wouldn’t have been able to see had we just gone to DC as a family. She got to spend the weekend with her closest friends and I think she came back a little more confident and excited about growing up.
I talked to her for a few minutes every night she was in DC. I’ve never heard her sound so bubbly and happy. She formed friendships with girls she had never really talked to at school because their paths have never really crossed. And she came back from DC even more excited and interested in politics.
She really enjoyed seeing the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. The Air and Space Museum and Natural History Museum are both places she hopes to go back to. And she is looking forward to showing us all of the monuments she saw while she was there. The only thing she didn’t like was how rushed they were. They had A LOT to see in a really short amount of time so they only got to see a small portion of the museums they visited and the zoo.
If you have an upcoming 5th grader who will have the opportunity to go to DC, I highly recommend going for it. It is an amazing experience for the kids. You won’t regret it!
Yes, yes, and yes again! Kids NEED to travel not with their parents – it’s a great way to build confidence, to teach responsibility and independence, and a love of adventure. It’s good for the kids AND the parents! I’m so glad she had this experience.
I love this! I have been wanting to take my kids to D.C. for a while now!