Welcome to the Group Visits Program
Bring your school,
scout troop, or other organized group to the Escondido Children's
Museum for a field trip. Our vision is to offer groups
a gathering place where children and their caregivers feel inspired
to learn about new things, which is one of our most important "life
skills".
At the Museum You Will Experience:
Group Visit Options
Self-Directed Visits
Self-Directed Visits means that your group uses the museum with
no planned activity beyond what is available to all museum
visitors at that time.
Your group may attend the museum for a Self-Directed Visit
at any time we are open. If you simply arrive, each member
in your
group
older than 12 months pays our regular $5 admission price.
It works better for everyone if we know your group is coming!
If you pre-book 2 weeks ahead of time (paying a $30 deposit
for a
mutually-acceptable date) we will give all your group attendees
a $1 discount off the
regular museum admission price. To help maximize your visit,
the museum will not book another group at the same time.
Please note,
however, that this arrangement does not preclude another
group arriving spontaneously. We are working to get the word
out
to playgroups to
pre-book, and the discount is our motivation to you. Please
help us spread the word!
Facilitated Visit
Enhance the educational value of your visit by including a
hands-on workshop! Facilitated Visits are approximately two
hours long
with workshops running about 40 minutes in length. If there
are more
that 25 children in your group, the groups will rotate between
the workshop,
exhibit-exploration time, and possible third rotations.
Choose from one of the following Facilitated Visit Workshops
for children in K-5th grade:
Clay- Ancient, Modern, Fun!
Participants will learn about the customs and culture of the
Kumeyaay tribe of Native American Indians, who have called
San Diego home
for thousands of years. They will also learn a new pottery
technique and practice making their own take-home "olla." Fee:
$7 per child. Adults within the 1:7 ratios are free. Siblings
and additional
adults attending with the class pay $5 per person.
Animal Planet
Students interact with live common and not-so-common animals
from around the world while they learn about behaviors and
habitats. A representative from the Escondido Humane Society
leads this
memorable
and unique workshop. Fee: $7 per child. Adults within
the 1:7 ratios are free. Siblings and additional adults attending
with
the class
pay $5 per person.
Nature Scavenger Hunt
After touring our children’s garden, the students will explore
Escondido’s historic Grape Day Park as they collect interesting
objects for us to discuss. Learn to look at nature with a new
perspective, and make a craft with your treasures. Fee: $7
per child. Adults within the 1:7 ratios are free. Siblings and additional
adults attending with the class pay $5 per
person.
To Dye For
Students explore the use of color and patterns while they
make their own tie-dye shirt to take home! Shirts are included
with
your group
visit fee. This option is only appropriate for second grade
and above. Fee: $8 per child. Adults within the 1:7 ratio
are Free.
Siblings
and additional adults attending with the class are $5 per
person.
Facilitated Visits for Pre-School Children
Garden Senses
Museum educators will lead preschoolers on a discovery journey
through the Children's Garden (the garden has been sponsored
by the Kiwanis
Club). The workshop includes a nature walk though the garden
while we explore with our 5 senses. Fee: $7 per child. Adults
within
the 1:7 ratios are free. Siblings and additional adults attending
with
the class are $5 per person.
Special Group Visit Options
Customize a Workshop
Tell us what you need, and we will work with you to develop
a workshop that fits perfectly. Fee: $50 flat rate plus a
per child
fee based
on customized workshop. Adults within the 1:7 ratios are
free. Siblings and additional adults attending with the class
are
$5 per person.
Get the museum to yourselves!
Schedule your group on a Wednesday morning and get the whole
museum to yourselves! This is a great option for larger
groups or for
groups of younger children. Fee: 6.00 per person. To customize
a workshop
for this option add a $50.00 flat rate.
Group Visit Policies:
-
A group means 10 or more children participating in the
visit or workshop.
-
Your group must provide at least a minimum of 1 adult to
every seven children; we welcome additional chaperones
and siblings,
but they
must pay regular museum admission.
-
Your deposit is non-refundable
but may be transferred to another booking date if you notify us at least 5 business-days
in advance.
-
Membership Coupons and Free
Passes cannot be applied towards Group Visit fees.
-
All funds are Due In Full on
or before entering the Museum on visit day.
Groups must supply full
head count
of adults
and children at the door.
-
If Groups would like to bring
snacks or lunches to the Museum,
they may be eaten
on our patio
or in the park.
-
Chaperones are responsible for the
behavior of their Group. Children should be carefully supervised.
-
Chaperones must be at least 18 years
old.
-
If your Group is late you forfeit
that portion of your visit (example: If you are scheduled from 10:00
a.m. to 12 noon and you arrive at 10:30
you still end your visit at 12 noon.
-
For Special Needs Children each child
is allowed one adult chaperone Free.
-
Groups book their dates on a first come first serve basis, based on
availability.
-
A $30.00 deposit is due upon booking
your date in order to hold that date.