Rates and Field Trips

[SquirrellyMama]

If this has been asked several times already I apologize. You can point me to any related threads.

I'm starting up my daycare again and wanted to do field trips. I'm trying to decide if I should add that in to my weekly rate, charge on a field trip by field trip basis or have an extra activity fee besides my weekly rate.

I love field trips and will take at least 2 per month that require an extra fee. These are things I already do with my own kids so I'm not planning on stopping these activities.

I can probably come up with a good list of what the field trips will be for a 3 - 6 month period and how much it will cost.

How do other people handle field trip payments? I can't remember what I did when I had my daycare several years ago.

Thanks,

Kelly

[daycare]

I do weekly field trips. But most of the outings don't cost us anything.
When we do something that cost more than $8.00 per kid, I ask parents to pay the rest. How I account for it is by taking money from our curriculum to pay for it.
I have my expenses broken down into 5 categories. Field trips that are costly Ike the museum or aquarium, I will take a certain amount of $ from my curriculum fund. Then let's say I still need $75.00 total for all 6 kids to go, I just divide the payments equally amongst all 6 kids.

I charge when we go and don't charge more in my monthly rate

Hope this helps and welcome to the forum

[Lianne]

Most of our field trips are free but occasionally they do cost some money. I let the parents know as soon as I can in advance and they pay for their child. If a trip comes up last minute, I have been known to pay for it out of pocket. We often visit with other providers and order pizza for lunch. I usually pay for that out of pocket as well. I could charge the parents but I don't usually have the forethought to do so.

[SquirrellyMama]

Most of our field trips will be free also but I love taking the kids to the Science Center, Zoo, Living History Museum, plays and musicals. We have a lot around us of which to take advantage.

Some of those aren't too costly but do add up over time. I'll think on this awhile since I'm not opening up immediately.

Thanks! Kelly

[cheerfuldom]

I am not able to do field trips on a regular basis but when I am, there will be a pay as you go system. If the parent doesn't pay, the child doesn't go and stays home from daycare that day. I am sure any field trip I did would be cheaper than hiring another provider for the day

[MrsB]

If its a more expensive field trip, I usually have DCP pay. The cheap ones I usually pay for. Sometimes we go to field trips like the farmers market, or bounce gym and its under $20 or so dollars for all of us and I just pay. Like here the zoo is free but I tell parents if they want to give $5 or $10 for a toy at the gift shop they can. Or when we go to the pumpkin patch. I pay for the $5 hayride and corn maze but parents pay for a pumpkin.

We do field trips about 2x a month and parents end up putting out maybe $50-75 a year. I have never had anyone complain about the money. I always tell them upfront at interview we do lots of field trips and that there may be some cost to them.

I have thought about doing a $50/year curriculum fee. (i dont do any admin maintenance fees) Which would include curriculum and field trips would be included in that. There is always someone that forgets their money on field trip day!