Our top 5 educational theme parks around the world
Whether you’re a school, sports club or youth group, you’re not alone in wanting to provide your students with a well-earned trip away that also has solid educational value.
A school trip to a theme park abroad or in the UK is one of the most popular school trip ideas, and you’ll be surprised how strong the links to the curriculum are. Creating the perfect fun-filled, yet deeply educational break away, it’s the ultimate school trip and the one every student remembers the most. Here are our top 5 picks for the best theme parks for school trips in the UK and abroad.
Futuroscope
Fusing science, technology and exhilarating attractions, Futuroscope in Chasseneuil-du-Poitou in western France, offers the opportunity to practice plenty of French, expand countless STEM knowledge and lots more. Enjoy over 40 rides and shows, each with a futuristic science and technology theme, exploring innovation from past to present. Ideally situated in the Loire Valley, close to Bordeaux and La Rochelle, 3D rides with 4D effects plus live shows in French (translation devices are available) make this a French trip you don’t want to miss. From the Destruction Mars rollercoaster where you can test how well you’d fare on Mars to the Thomas Pesquet astronaut space expedition, the 7m high Dances with Robots ride, Ice Age adventures and Cirque du Soleil’s La Forge aux Etoile aquatic fantasy experience, everyone will want to join this French trip!
Disneyland® Paris
One of the most rewarding things we can do as educators is to make some of those bucket list experiences we all have, accessible to children who might never have thought they could experience them. When you plan a school trip to Disneyland ® Paris you spread more than just the magic of Disney. It really is the dream-making we all want to give children – one of those life-changing moments that shows every child aspirational experiences are within their reach. Plant seeds of hope and motivation in all your children, with a once in a lifetime trip to Disneyland ® Paris. Once again, the benefits of all those cross-curricular links and the chance to bring the curriculum to life are there in full colour. From your prime location in Paris to Frontierland’s Wild West links, Walt Disney Studios’ filmmaking experiences, Fantasyland’s fiction inspiration, Discoveryland’s STEM links and so much more, this is a prime example of the priceless opportunities we have to support children’s wellbeing as well as their educational progress in meaningful ways.
Gardaland
Italy’s premier theme park is located on the banks of Lake Garda, close to Venice, Milan and the mountains of Bolzano. Offering the chance to plan an action-packed trip to Italy, a visit to Gardaland can include everything from watersports on the lake to treks through the mountains, gondola rides in Venice, the stunning architecture of the fashion capital of Milan and so much more. Gardaland is a huge amusement park, bursting with endless rides, superb live shows, a tropical aquarium, Legoland ® Water Park and lots more.
PortAventura World
Just an hour away from Barcelona and not far from Valencia, PortAventura is one of Europe’s top theme parks, with a whopping three amusement parks in one. Situated by the coast, PortAventura makes it easy to pack an exciting range of educational experiences into one amazing trip. PortAventura includes PortAventura theme park, Caribe Water Park and Ferrari Land. In addition to PortAventura park’s 40+ brilliant rides, Ferrari Land is a celebration of the company’s technological innovations. Whether it’s the exploration of speed, the architecture of Maranello, home of Ferrari or the unmissable Formula 1 simulators, Ferrari Land is the perfect place to bring the real-life applications of STEM teaching to life.
DisneyWorld® Orlando
For the biggest park of all, it has to be Disney World ®, Orlando. The site is far deeper rooted in the curriculum than you may first realise and the surrounding areas provide a feast of sensational opportunities for further learning. The Epcot Centre is a celebration of science, geography and innovation like nothing you’ve ever seen before whilst Boggy Creek as well as Animal Kingdom provide once in a lifetime opportunities to see everything from elephants to alligators up close. At the Kennedy Center, rockets and launch pads suddenly become real, tangible objects of wonder to explore. Meanwhile, the arts and so much more are wonderfully bought to life through Hollywood Studios, Universal Studios and other venues.
