Museums and zoos are fun, but if you really want to see kids get out-of-their-minds excited on a school field trip, take them for a visit to the toy store.

Clear Lake Elementary second-graders did just that Friday when they stepped out of the classroom and into Funky Monkey Toys in downtown Oxford.

“In social studies, we’re learning about our community, so we’re focusing on local businesses,” explained teacher Stacy MacDonald.

In addition to Funky Monkey, students visited Boulevard Boutique. Johnston Photography and Valor Salon.

“It’s a nice opportunity for the kids to come downtown and really see the town,” MacDonald explained. “It’s nice for parents to come along and discover businesses maybe they’ve never been to.”

The field trip was designed to expose kids to some of the goods and services they can purchase right in their own backyard. Students explored how businesses depend on each other and consumers to survive and prosper. They also learned all the ways local businesses support the community on a daily basis.

Tom Jones, owner of Funky Monkey Toys, explained the importance of small businesses like his and the benefits they provide.

He told students that for every $100 spent at a local, small business, $68 stays in the community. That money is used for property taxes that support public services, employee wages, goods and services from other local businesses, and donations for everything from youth sports to charities.

Jones noted when that same $100 is spent at a business that’s not based locally, only $43 stays in town.

It’s a common misconception that large corporations employ most Americans. The reality is the majority of the private sector workforce is on the small business payroll.

“We hire more people than anybody – more than Wal-Mart, more than Target, more than any other corporation,” Jones said.

Small businesses also offer customers a higher level of personal expertise and knowledge when it come to the products and services they offer, according to Jones.

“If you ask about a toy in here, most likely, I’ve played with it and I know all about it,” he said.

Following Jones’ economics lesson, the kids got to pump some of their money into the local economy by purchasing toys for themselves and their siblings.

After spending the morning in downtown Oxford, the students ate lunch, then headed over to the Legacy Center to tour several businesses there.

Clear Lake second-graders been visiting local businesses like this for a few years now.

“It’s one of the best field trips we’ve ever done,” MacDonald said. “The students really enjoy it, especially at this age because they’re so hands-on.”