• School buses ready for a field tripschoolbus image by Melissa Schalke from Fotolia.com
  
  Field trips are a rite of passage for most children, and they believe that missing a day of classes is almost as much fun as the destination itself. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that about 15 percent of the population in Scottsdale, Arizona, consists of children between the ages of 5 and 18 years old, and that means lots of field trips throughout the year. Fortunately, the area has plenty of venues suitable for field trips that are educational, recreational and fun.
  
  

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

• The McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park has a variety of attractions that are well-suited for the younger set. The park offers school groups a 40 percent discount on all ticket pricing and mandates a 1-20 ratio of adults to children. Covered picnic areas called "armadas" are available at an additional charge for groups with 20 to 100 people.
  
  Take a ride on the Paradise or Pacific Railroad or the antique carousel. Exhibits include several authentic restored train cars, including the Magma Arizona Railroad Engine No. 6 and the Roald Amundsen Pullman Car, as well as the Scottsdale Railroad Museum and Gabe Brooks Machine Shop. Bring extra spending money, as you will want to purchase a souvenir of the day from Hartley's General Store.
  
  McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
  7301 E. Indian Bend Road
  Scottsdale, AZ 85250
  480-312-2312
  therailroadpark.com
  
  

Smooth Grand Canyon Rafting Trip

• This full-day Grand Canyon adventure gives children a glimpse of some of Arizona's national parks and landmarks. The tour starts at the Grand Canyon Airlines location in Scottsdale where a motorcoach waits to transport groups past the south rim, the Navajo Indian Reservation, the Painted Desert and into the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. There, motorized river rafts, each holding groups of up to 22 people, take you on a leisurely float down the Colorado River, stopping along the way for a short hike on the riverbank and a bag lunch.
  
  During the lunch break, the children can search for ancient petroglyphs on the canyon walls, giving them a glimpse into an earlier time. They will also get a view of the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, the largest man-made freshwater lake in North America.
  
  Grand Canyon Airlines
  Highway 64 N
  Scottsdale, AZ 86023
  702-736-7243
  grandcanyonairlines.com
  
  

Heard Museum

• The Heard Museum offers a glimpse of Native American life through its traditional art as well as works by contemporary artists. Its collections of jewelry, textiles, baskets, ceramics, beadwork and other art total about 40,000 pieces, and the museum also houses one ongoing exhibition and one that changes throughout the year.
  
  Special guided tours are available for groups visiting the museum on a field trip. The museum also houses a Museum Shop and the Heard North Café. Kids can participate in a scavenger hunt in the Choices & Change exhibit, and word search puzzles and mazes are available for the bus ride back home.
  
  Heard Museum
  The Summit at Scottsdale
  32633 N. Scottsdale Road
  Scottsdale, AZ 85262
  602-251-0268
  heard.org