Students visiting Dolphins Plus won’t just observe dolphins; they’ll interact with them, learn more about their habitats, understand the unique balance of marine life and so much more. And it isn’t just about dolphins. These amazing creatures play a role in balancing habitats for other marine life. Without them, other marine wildlife will struggle to survive and thrive in their natural environments.

Take a look at the primary benefits students will gain from a field trip to our marine education center.

1. Reliable, Quality, Safe Experiences That Can Be Tailored to Student Needs

Come back year after year to Dolphins Plus for new material, experiences and various learning opportunities. Once you work with one of our education experts, you’ll find there is a wealth of learning available and students will look forward to next year’s field trip with anticipation.

2. Comprehensive Educational Curriculum Aligned with National Education Standards

There’s nothing random about the educational programs we’ve developed at Dolphins Plus. We’ve done our research and come alongside educators to help them align the field trip to national and local education standards. Our team knows that field trips aren’t all just about getting out of the classroom and undergoing a unique experience. Teachers have a responsibility to outline specifics surrounding what a child will learn and how it applies to benchmarks and standards. Review the section above on education standards to build your field trip into your curriculum planning.

Learn more about how we help educators plan field trips aligned to goals by downloading the Exclusive Insider eGuide for Student Group Planning.

3. Experiential and Interactive Educational Programs with Experienced Trainers and Conservationists

You won’t have a general tour guide when you visit Dolphins Plus. Experienced trainers and conservationists interact with students and lead classroom and immersive experiences. These are highly regarded experts in their fields with experience working with guests of all ages to create learning opportunities targeted toward developmental phases. Content and experiences will resonate with your group for high-quality learning.

4. Opportunities for Group Members to Interact with Dolphins For First-hand Insights to Their Behavior and Habitats

Marine mammal education isn’t reserved for the classroom or even labs. Students can get in the water and swim with dolphins to learn about their behaviors and see their habitats in a unique way.

Dolphins Plus Bayside features a natural lagoon. Based on the ages of participants in your group, you can choose between a signature swim and a shallow water encounter.

But if getting in the water with the dolphins is too much, students can engage with dolphins dockside, which is a great option if you have a group with younger children not yet ready to enter the water.

Regardless of the dolphin encounter you select, the experienced trainer assigned to your group will make it a learning opportunity with dolphin behaviors to observe and habitat aspects to note.

5. Fun and Engaging “Edutainment” Activities that Make Learning Enjoyable and Memorable

When students are having fun and are entertained, they are more likely to retain the material they are learning. One study found that edutainment instruction “enhanced students’ academic achievement and retention.” 

The study had students take a building technology achievement test (BTAT) and then retake it after a lecture or edutainment. The individuals taught with edutainment scored 11.91 points higher during the second test while those taught via lecture only scored 8.75 points higher.

For many, these up-close dolphin encounters and hands-on learning activities are once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It’s something they’ll talk about for life and can instill in them a passion for caring for marine life, which the world desperately needs during a time of true crisis due to changing habitats from pollution. 

6. Stunning Key Largo, Location with Access to Additional Marine Life and Ecosystems

Key Largo is a desirable tourist location thanks to its stunning vistas and unique settings. If you’re a local, you might take for granted the unique opportunity you have to educate students among stunning backdrops with access to unique marine life.

While dolphins are a large focus for our team, our facility also provides access to other marine life and ecosystems. So the educational opportunities don’t stop with these incredible marine mammals.

7. A Commitment to Marine Mammal Conservation and Sustainability

The Dolphins Plus team is fully committed to marine mammal conservation. This isn’t your average dolphin encounter facility. Our team includes researchers and financial support for Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder, which rescues and rehabilitates injured or sick dolphins, whales, manatees and other sea animals.

The charitable efforts cover 10,000 square miles of marine habitat throughout the Florida Keys. When you support Dolphins Plus, you’re making a lasting impact on marine wildlife and sustainability that protects their natural habitats.