1.      Develop Social Skills – Educational school tours are “device-free-zones”, encouraging students to immerse themselves in where they are and who they are with.  This can strengthen already established friendships and also develop new ones by connecting students that don’t regularly interact at school. They provide opportunities for students to engage with real activities and real challenges in the real world. While being away from family for the first time can be challenging, for the students and parents, this time apart increases a student’s self-awareness and fosters independence.

2.      Improve Independence & Personal Organisation – Travel away from home allows students to make decisions on their own, away from the spotlight of their parents. A student deciding what to eat, what to wear and having to make their own bed are important life skills that can be practiced while away on tour. Educational school tours provide a great opportunity for children to learn how to take care of themselves, their belongings and to do things on their own, with the majority of students rising to the challenge.

3.      Build Resilience & Relationships - When students prepare for trips, they may have concerns. “What if I can’t sleep?” “What if I don’t like the food?” “What if I miss my parents?” This is normal and can be talked about in class prior to the tour. Once students are on tour they learn to conquer fears about not having their favourite food for dinner, and they do eventually fall asleep in a different bed and are all the stronger for overcoming these obstacles. Being away on tour creates a level playing field for everyone, we often find the quiet student is in fact a good problem solver, or the more confident student learns to listen to their classmates. Having someone to share an experience with stays with them for the day and week and often for years.

4.      Discover New Things & Expand Experiences - Whether they are a school from a remote rural region or an inner city suburb, they all experience something new on an educational school tour. Our Reef & Rainforest tours get children up close and personal with nature on the Great Barrier Reef as well as the Rainforest while also learning about our country’s first peoples, while the National Capital Explorer tour takes students on a behind the scenes look at civics and citizenship in a hands on way.   It’s not until a child tries something like snorkeling on the reef, skiing in the snow or a gets creative in a new environment that they realise they have a special knack for it. Educational school tours are the ideal occasions to find a new skill or interest, which could even develop into a career opportunity.

5.      Educational Learning - Learning in a setting other than a classroom can bring more relevance and logic to a topic. Educational school tours are a valuable opportunity for students to get out of the classroom and engage in meaningful activities that build skills while connecting  with what they have been learning in the classroom e.g. science & nature, mathematics or problem-solving. Connecting classroom learning with outdoor activities helps students understand there is value in what they are learning. Many students thrive in the outdoor education environment and rediscover a love of learning.