15 School Field Trips That Would Be Shut Down Now
These 15 once-beloved school trips would never get approved today thanks to stricter rules, safety concerns, and changing times.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Field trips were the highlight of school life. They offered kids a chance for adventure. Looking back, some of those outings were risky, poorly supervised, or downright questionable. Here are 15 classic school field trips that would almost certainly get canceled by today’s standards.
1. The Local Junkyard Visit
Luis Quintero on Pexels
Teachers once thought showing kids how scrap metal was recycled was “educational.” In reality, students wandered around rusted cars, sharp metal, and oily puddles without helmets or gloves.
2. Tour of the Local Fireworks Factory
Michael Rivera on Wikimedia Commons
Explosives and curious children were never a smart combo, but in the ’70s and ’80s, some schools toured fireworks plants. Workers casually demonstrated how rockets and firecrackers were made.
3. Dairy Farm with Zero Safety Gear
Wikideas1 on Wikimedia Commons
Milking cows sounded wholesome, but the reality included slippery barns, free-roaming animals, and a risk of stepping in well, everything. Nobody wore boots or gloves, and handwashing was optional.
4. The Town Jail Tour
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on Flickr
Students once strolled past actual inmates to “see the consequences of crime” firsthand. Guards would even let kids peek into holding cells.
5. A Day at the Quarry
Peripitus on Wikimedia Commons
Schools used to bus kids to active quarries to watch dynamite blasts and bulldozers in action. No helmets, no fencing, just a teacher saying, “Stay back a little.”
6. Hospital Operating Room Observation
Pixabay on Pexels
Some older programs let students watch live surgeries as a science lesson. For most kids, it was either fascinating or traumatizing.
7. Cross-Town Walking Trips
note thanun on Unsplash
Teachers would lead entire classes on multi-mile treks to parks, libraries, or museums without buses. Kids crossed busy streets with minimal supervision and no crossing guards.
8. Candy Factory Tours with Open Samples
Lisa Larsson on Flickr
Field trips to candy plants were magical until you realized kids were encouraged to touch and taste everything. Hygiene standards were lax, and hairnets were optional.
9. The Neighborhood Construction Site
PickPik
Some teachers thought letting kids watch bulldozers and cranes was “hands-on learning.” No fences, no safety vests, just a group of students gawking a few feet from heavy machinery.
10. The Local Slaughterhouse Visit
IAN on Pexels
In the name of “agriculture education,” some schools took students to see how meat was processed. Most kids left horrified or nauseous.
11. Airport Tarmac Walks
Nothing Ahead on Pexels
Decades ago, kids were allowed to stroll under plane wings and peek into cockpits before takeoff. Security was minimal, and photos were encouraged.
12. Zoos Without Barriers
Lawrence Lansing on Wikimedia Commons
Many small-town zoos once allowed students to feed and even pet wild animals. Lions and bears were separated by nothing more than a short fence or a distracted zookeeper.
13. Local Creek “Science” Exploration
Anton Atanasov on Pexels
Teachers let kids wade into murky water to catch frogs and bugs with zero safety checks. Cuts, leeches, and mystery rashes were practically guaranteed.
14. The Bowling Alley Trip
PxHere
Sounds harmless, but early bowling trips often came with heavy unsupervised equipment, slippery lanes, and zero first aid. Fingers got smashed, balls got dropped, and nobody wore proper shoes.
15. Amusement Park “Free Day”
Hayyan Sharbek on Pexels
Some schools gave kids wristbands and simply told them to “meet back at 3 p.m.” Rides, junk food, and zero adult supervision defined the experience.