Field Trips/Group Visits

Playing to Learn is SERIOUS FUN at The Iowa Children's Museum!

The Iowa Children's Museum currently offers three different types of educational, fun-filled field trips for your class or group to enjoy!


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Pre-registration is requested three weeks in advance for all group visits. Contact Nicole Palmer at 319.625.6255 ext. 216 or emailing npalmer@theicm.org to reserve your ICM Field Trip.

To help you plan your field trip, we welcome all educators to take a free staff-guided tour of the museum at your convenience.  Just tell us you're an educator and would like a tour!

Plan Ahead!

Reservation requests are processed in the order they are received, and the best dates and times are booked early. Again, we request you make your field trip reservation a minimum of three weeks in advance to guarantee receipt of pre-visit materials.

Confirm the Date!

With your pre-visit field trip packet, you will receive a confirmation letter and name tags. All focused field trips also receive special pre-visit activity materials and training materials for chaperones.  For the CityWorks Focused Field Trip, you will  receive a voting ballot that needs to be returned a minimum of two weeks prior to your visit.

Group Size

The minimum number of children for field trips is 15) for Focused Field Trips and 10) for Scavenger Hunts and Self-Guided Field Trips. To ensure a quality experience for young children, we abide by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's recommendation for group size.

Chaperones

Chaperones are required for all group visits and MUST remain with the group at all times. Chaperones for focused field trips have distinct responsibilities to insure their group maximizes their field trip experience.  One adult for every five children is required. Chaperones must be at least 16 years of age. Teachers and chaperones receive free admission.

Please arrive on time!

Due to scheduling considerations, The Iowa Children's Museum is unable to extend your time at The ICM if you arrive late. If you are more than 30 minutes late for a Focused Field Trip, you will automatically be given an orientation and self-guided field trip in lieu of your focused experience.

Lunch

Groups can purchase lunch in the Coral Ridge Mall Food Court or bring lunches to eat in the mall's public space.

Special Needs

We welcome children and adults with special needs. To request help with special needs, please contact Lori Kaemmerer at 319.625.6255 ext. 209 or lkaemmerer@theicm.org

ICM Student Enrichment Scholarship Program

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, The Iowa Children's Museum is able to offer reduced rates for field trips through The ICM Student Enrichment Scholarship Program. These rates are based on the number of students in your school or classroom enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. This scholarship program is open to any school district and every class is eligible for funding.

The ICM Student Enrichment Scholarship Program funding is limited, however, and allocated on a first-come first-serve basis. For details on this program, please contact Nicole Palmer at 319.625.6255 ext. 216 or emailing npalmer@theicm.org.

This program is available thanks to our generous sponsors...

Large field trips or exhibits temporarily closed for field trips:

Thursday, March 11, 2010: Large field trip with no exhibits closed. Group leaves at 11:00 AM.

Friday, March 12, 2010: Notion of Motion closed 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM.

Monday, March 15, 2010: Large field trip with no exhibits closed. Group at museum from 12:30 - 2 PM.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010: Large field trip with no exhibits closed. Group at museum from 10:15 - 11:45 AM.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010: Large field trip with no exhibits closed. Group at museum from 10:00 - 12 PM.

Thursday, March 18, 2010: Large field trip with no exhibits closed. Group at museum from 1:00 - 2:30 PM.