Your Guide to Planning a Meaningful Outdoor Experience
At Paradise Farm Camps, we make it easy for teachers to plan an unforgettable, educational, and well-organized trip for their students. Whether you’re looking for a one-day outdoor adventure or a multi-day immersive experience, our staff will work closely with you to ensure your visit runs smoothly from start to finish.
Whether you’re teaching students in Elementary, Middle, or High School our Outdoor Education programs deepen understanding, strengthen teamwork, develop social-emotional skills, and inspire lifelong curiosity. Students leave inspired — and teachers appreciate how well our programs align with educational goals and state standards.
Planning Your Trip
This guide outlines each stage of the planning process — from booking and scheduling to preparing your students for their visit. Use it as a quick reference to ensure every detail is covered and your trip to Paradise Farm Camps is smooth, organized, and impactful.
Before The Trip
- Fill out the interest form.
- The Education Coordinator will respond with available dates.
- Choose dates for your program (have a back-up date in case your first choice has been taken).
- Get date approved by the district.
- Schedule busses or transportation for approved date.
- Once the date has been approved by the district and transportation, confirm date with Paradise Farm Camps and a contract will be processed.
- Sign contract, request deposit check, and request a certificate of insurance.
- Create permission slips and distribute to students.
- Decide if you will be including parent chaperones, and start collecting chaperones if necessary.
- Meet with your teaching team to decide on which activities you would like your students to participate in. The education coordinator can help you decide which activities are best for your team.
- Email the Education Coordinator with your activity choices and they will create a schedule for your team.
- Split students into the appropriate number of groups based on the schedule.
- Collect permission slips and monies owed.
- Prepare your students for the activities they will be doing, including what they should bring & wear.
- Assign chaperones to groups.
- Request check for balance.
- Print off driving directions to Paradise Farm Camps.
Day Of Trip
- Give all students, teachers, and chaperones a name tag to wear.
- Meet the Education Coordinator at Program Site, for Briefing while students are getting settled in.
- Monitor student behavior during the lunch break
- Take tons of pictures & have lots of FUN!
Help Us Support Your Students - The Trip Briefing
At the start of your visit, the Education Coordinator will meet briefly with all teachers while students get settled. Though short, this meeting is a key part of the partnership between your team and ours. During this time, the Coordinator will make introductions, confirm your final student count, answer any last-minute questions, and ask a few focused questions to help us best meet the needs of every student. The more complete and open your responses, the better we can tailor the day for a successful experience for all. The questions include:
- Are there any students with physical needs or mobility considerations we should be aware of to help them fully participate today?
- Are there any students with learning or cognitive differences we should keep in mind when planning activities or providing instructions?
- Are there any students with emotional or behavioral support plans (such as a 504 or IEP) that we should know about to help them have a successful experience?
- Do you have any students who are neurodivergent (e.g., on the autism spectrum or otherwise neuro-atypical)? If so, are there specific supports or behaviors—such as a tendency to wander or elope—that we should prepare for?
- Are there any students who receive one-on-one or paraprofessional support during the school day?
- Do you have any English Learners (ESL/ELL students)? If so, what level of language support helps them engage most comfortably?
- Are there any students who identify as transgender, non-binary, or use nontraditional pronouns, and is there anything we should do to ensure their comfort and inclusion?
The Parent Chaperone Question
Parent chaperones can be a valuable addition to your trip, offering extra supervision, support, and encouragement for students. They often help manage group transitions, reinforce expectations, and share in the learning experience. However, parent involvement can sometimes present challenges—such as varying comfort levels with outdoor activities or differences in how they interact with students. Paradise Farm Camps does not require a specific number of parent chaperones, leaving that decision to each school district’s policy and teacher preference. If you choose to include chaperones, we recommend meeting with them beforehand to clarify roles, set expectations for behavior and engagement, and remind them that their primary role is to support the teachers and staff in creating a safe, positive learning environment for all students.
