Chaperone Guidelines

When planning your field trip to the Washington State History Museum, make sure you have one adult to accompany every five students. Here's why: The museum does not offer "traditional" tours in the Hall of Washington History. Due to the self-paced, interactive nature of the exhibits, we encourage groups to be self-directed and to use the activity sheets provided in the WSHM Field Guide. We rely on chaperones to help make students' museum visits positive and productive. They are there to assist students with gallery activities, protect students from getting lost or separated from their group, and to set an example of and enforce appropriate and considerate behavior.

Effectively prepare your chaperones by:

• Making up a packet of information about the museum and giving it to them prior to the day of the visit
• Giving them a list of students for whom they are responsible (it's also helpful if students and chaperones wear nametags that clearly identify them)
• Providing them with a schedule for the day (i.e. arrival time, gallery time, departure time, and lunch information)
• Letting them know that they are along to assist and supervise the students; that they are not to let the students roam the museum unescorted; and that their assistance and attentiveness is not only greatly appreciated by you but by museum staff as well