When I worked in centre care it was normal to charge for the entrance fee, the food and the cost of transportation so field trips could cost parents upward of $25 plus easily ... but they were also a PITA to plan and implement because we had to get 'consent' from all parents, deal with what to do if a parent did not consent and so forth or a client claimed they could not 'afford' the cost so did not want their kid going on it and so forth.

Personally after some really poor experiences when I worked in 'centre care' I have decided that I do not charge clients extra for field trips because I do not want to deal with the issue of a client saying they cannot afford to send their child on the trip I have planned or dealing with a client who does not want their kid to 'go' to the place I have chosen and than feels I should 'refund' the childcare fee for that day if we do go making the trip cost me even more if I actually do it or risk loosing client if I do not cause they are mad at having to find alternative care AND pay me and so forth ~ just adds way to much 'stress' to the business!

For me the fact that we go on field trips is consented to upon enrollment so I do not than need to worry about further 'consent' .... there is a list of places we 'go' within the community and I am free to go there at anytime spontaneously and the cost of them are included in my fee and than I am free to budget where to go based on what I can 'afford' ... aka I try to keep to FREE things and pack lunches and so forth and only do things with an entrance fee as a special occasion when I am low or really motivated to pay extra due to the benefit of the trip on the program.