CHDS Field Trips

Field Trips are a big part of the Happy Day experience! We believe that supplementing classroom curriculum with exposure to the real world is vital for children. Following you will find a description of our great trips in and around our wonderful city of Boston.

Apple Picking

Each September, Happy Day children board a school bus carrying their bag lunches and travel to one of the local apple orchards.  Complete with hayride, pumpkin patch and an animal farm, the children have a fun and full day while picking apples.  Our morning concludes with the whole group eating lunch in the covered seating area at the farm before boarding the bus and returning to school.

Museum of Fine Arts

Every February at CHDS is art month. The curriculum for each program focuses on different artists and art techniques. To reinforce the concepts presented during the month, the children spend one morning at the Museum of Fine Arts viewing first hand examples of artwork they have been creating themselves. In groups of 8-12 children, the trained MFA instructors introduce to the students various styles of art. The groups come back together at the end of the tour in the museum’s art studio where all of the children are provided with a piece of blank canvas, a paintbrush, and paint.

Franklin Park Zoo

When the weather grows warmer, the children of CHDS take their annual field trip to the Franklin Park Zoo. With birds, lions, gorillas, and even a small playground, the Franklin Park Zoo has something to spark every child’s interest. Caged behind a glass wall, the children have the opportunity to view the animals from the zoo’s ranger station, across a moat, or from behind the wheel of a land rover, such as in an African safari. Following our walk through the park, the children have a picnic lunch on the grounds prior to returning to school.

Swan Boats / Public Garden

The Swan Boats field trip not only gives the children an opportunity to see the swans that live at the small pond in person, but also brings to life the beloved children’s book Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. Following their ride on the Swan Boats, the children visit the bronze statues dedicated to the McCloskey book. These famed figures are perfect for sitting, climbing, and posing for pictures! After a reading of the story by one of the teachers, the children gather in the Commons to eat their bag lunch.

Kite Day

As part of our summer curriculum, the children of CHDS work with expert kite flyer and instructor Archie E. Stewart to create their own, unique kites. After spending a week learning about proper kite flying techniques and building their own kites, Mr. Archie and the Happy Day campers spend the morning at Millennium Park flying their homemade kites. The park, located a quick walk from the school, provides the perfect environment for the children to show off their kite flying talents.

Trailside Museum

The Trailside Museum, located in the Blue Hills in Milton, provides children with an experience that is different from visiting a farm or zoo. Children are able to walk through both the inside and outside exhibits to learn more about wildlife that is native to this area, such as the white-tailed deer or snowy owl. The Happy Day children also take part in a short program with a trained instructor where one of the injured animals that has been brought to the museum for care is discussed and presented. In the past CHDS has come face to face with turtles and owls.