For school tours, the Arctic is a relative newcomer and is gaining popularity year on year with school from around the word. Whilst previously schools and teachers looked for challenges for their students in warmer climates, now students are demanding variety and different experiences which more traditional school trips don’t perhaps offer in the same way that they used to.
Often when people think about winter school trips, they are thinking of the traditional ski trip to Switzerland – students want more than this now, the annual ski trip flights, transfers, accommodation and 7 days skiing, we find that people don’t want this any more – whilst it’s a tried and tested trip and still has a place on the trip calendar, it’s just a bit boring.
For customers who do want a school ski trip, OK great, we can help though your students won’t just be skiing, they may be husky sledging or searching for the Northern Lights – they’ll be doing fun stuff that will make the trip more than just another ski trip.
In truth, it is actually really hard to pinpoint exact points as to the value of school trips to students however, based on our experience sending students to the Arctic, here are just a few;
- Educational tours are hugely important to students personal development, taking students out of the classroom to either develop their knowledge and understanding of classroom based learning, such as our Iceland Geography School tour, or to develop entirely new learning – such as on our Greenland Adventure.
- The opportunity to experience new cultures and communities – in Sweden we work with local tour guides and often work with people from local Sami communities. Traditionally Sami people only live and work in the Arctic regions and are best known for their reindeer herding and generally .
- The environment of the Arctic is hugely different to what students are used to experiencing from temperatures well below freezing to very little daylight in the Winter months, the Arctic challenges students in ways entirely different to other countries.
- School trips are great for social skills, and in our experience can really help quieter students to come out of their shells a bit more. Activities such as fire starting in the wilderness are a great equaliser and great confidence booster.
- Team work and group interaction – for our igloo building activities or learning how to build a survival shelter in the snow educational expiditions to the Arctic relly do give a new perspective on team building, students do it without even realising.
What’st not to love?!
For a great article about Sami culture, check out National Geographic HERE
If there is a trip you’re interested in for your school then please get in touch.