How Young is too Young for Student Travel?

Imagine
You are at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., looking through the glass at pictures of Auschwitz. Behind you, a group of fifth-grade girls giggle and laugh about their teacher. You want to turn around and reprimand them for being disrespectful, but before you get a chance, they run off.

Now imagine that you are the fifth-grader. You’ve never dealt with death before. Not even the death of grandparents or any other family members. You are being expected to look through the glass and try and understand the deaths of millions of Holocaust victims, and to do so respectfully, what ever that means.

Too Young?
Aside from the physical exhaustion that comes with traveling, and the care that comes with taking younger children on journeys such as to Washington, D.C., how young is too young for an individual to understand and appreciate cultural and historical events like the Holocaust?

Consider This:
There are many things to consider when determining the appropriate age to travel or to send your children on school trips.

First of all, the younger the student, the more important it is to have a chaperone. Not just a tour guide to guide them around like a herd of cattle, but someone to ask questions about what they are seeing. There should be at least one chaperone to every three students to make conversations like these easier.

Investigate experiences that are appropriate for different ages. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in D.C., for example, offers an exhibit geared toward children titled “Remember the Children: Daniels Story.” Daniel’s Story allows younger students to get a sense of what happened during the Holocaust without putting them face to face with the grim, cruel side of humanity.

Beyond The Grim
The question of “How Young is Too Young?” is not just something that needs to be addressed when facing dark subjects such as the Holocaust. Even trips to palaces in Europe, or the National Archive Museum can be tiring or even boring for younger students. When considering allowing your student to go on a trip, be aware of what options are out there that are appropriate for the age of the student. Don’t be afraid to push the envelope. Instead, create fun and innovative ways to relate history and culture to the students, and be prepared to answer any questions that come your way.