This article is a ready-made kit for school trip organizers. You get a simple system for planning toilets and water breaks that keeps the group calm and the tour on schedule. It works for grades 1-3, 4-6 and 7-8 with small adjustments to break length.
Plan toilet breaks in the second half of each sightseeing block. Example: a 60-minute block — 40 minutes sightseeing, 20 minutes break with toilet and water.
Effect: children don’t “fall apart” at the start, and queues are spread evenly. Always announce the time of the next break out loud to reduce requests during the tour.
1 minute - Gather in the shade. The supervisor designates point A and forms the queue in pairs.
2 minutes - Entries in pairs: one pair goes in while the next pair waits on standby. Backpacks stay with the supervisor.
30 seconds - Hand sanitizer, announcement about returning to the meeting point.
30 seconds - Count pairs and close the queue. Latecomers join at the end and use the next facility.
A bottle labeled with the first name and surname initial. Take a sip of water always before leaving after a break, not while walking.
Rule 2-4-2: 2 sips on entering the shade, 4 sips after the toilet, 2 sips before departure. This stabilizes energy and reduces dashes to shops.
If it’s hot - add an extra 1-minute pit stop between blocks, preferably under an arcade or in a gate with shade.
Queue leader - keeps quiet, lets in two people at a time.
Timekeeper - monitors the break time on the teacher’s phone and signals 1 minute remaining.
Comfort recorder - notes where toilets were and how long the break lasted. One-sentence summary at the end of the day.
Bottle spokesperson - checks everyone refilled their water before the group moves on.
"Toilet in 15 minutes, first we move into the shade and drink water."
"Entries in pairs, leave backpacks with me, we exit the same way."
"If you don’t make it, join the end of the queue and you’ll use the next stop."
Choose spots with shade, a bench or an arcade, away from road edges and bike traffic.
Avoid narrow bottlenecks. In squares position the class parallel to the square’s edge, not in the walkway.
Combine breaks with a short task: one sentence in the travel journal, a details bingo, or a team photo. This keeps focus.
9:30 start - reminder of rules, sip of water, we set off.
10:15 break toilet + water 10 minutes - gather in the shade.
11:15 micro pit stop 3 minutes - water only and role check.
12:30 lunch 30 minutes - toilet in the second half of the break.
13:45 break toilet + water 10 minutes.
15:00 finish - photo, sip of water, count pairs, return.
Long queue - split the class into two shifts and change the order of activities. First shift uses the toilets, second shift does the task in the shade.
Toilet out of order - announce a 5-minute walk to the backup facility; drink water only when there.
Sudden need - a quick side trip with a supervisor who closes the group; the rest stand in shade and do a short task on the spot.
Small antibacterial gel in the pocket of the queue leader and the lead supervisor.
Tissues available at the end of the queue. After leaving the toilet area allow 30 seconds to tidy hands and backpacks.
On cool days make breaks shorter but more frequent. In hot weather make them longer in the shade and closer to water.
Grades 1-3 - more adult support, shorter breaks, stickers for quick lining up.
Grades 4-6 - queue in pairs and a timekeeper with a visible timer.
Grades 7-8 - independent team spokespeople and the comfort recorder reporting break times.
Break plan with times and shade locations.
Student roles and the 4-minute instruction.
Announcements to read before each break.
Mini first-aid list: tissues, sanitizer, plasters, small trash bags.
Should we use the coach toilet: only in emergencies and with the driver’s permission. In the city plan facilities in advance.
What about a child who "can’t wait": they go with a supervisor closing the group, the rest wait in the shade. Inform parents about the incident after the trip.
Should every child have hand sanitizer: 2–3 per class is enough; the procedure matters more than gadgets.
An experienced guide plans breaks to match the route’s rhythm, points out comfortable shaded spots and manages queues so you don’t lose time. This lets the teacher and class monitor focus on the children, not logistics. Book a tour with Małgorzata Kasprowicz - we will tailor the break schedule to the class’s age, the weather and the day’s program.
Start in the Main Market Square (Rynek G42 F3wny) and use Planty Park edges for first shade stops. Wawel Castle and the Royal Route offer many shaded courtyards ideal for short breaks.
Nearby child-friendly cafés: Café Camelot (by the Old Town) or Charlotte (bread and pastries) are good options if you need a quick snack stop; always check opening hours in advance.
If your route includes Kazimierz, plan breaks near Plac Nowy where benches and arcades provide cover from sun or rain.
