Tips and Tricks For Learning While Traveling ~
Written by Jessica Waldock of The Waldock Way
One of the best things about homeschooling is the freedom we have. We like to take advantage of our homeschooling freedom to plan our schedules by traveling together whenever we can. There are so many places to see and explore!
Learning while traveling happens naturally. Kids are curious and there’s a lot to discover and learn about in a real-world setting when you travel. But how can you make the best use of all that time in the car?
Travel In Our Homeschool
We love to travel in our homeschool! Visiting new places, exciting field trips, and exploring the national parks are some of our favorite things to do together as a family. Homeschooling while traveling is a great way to give Emily all kinds of unique and amazing learning experiences she wouldn’t be able to have at home.
Learning while traveling also gives us a chance to learn from real-world experiences and interactions instead of solely gathering information from books and videos. It’s a wonderful way to deepen our family’s connections with one another.
Ready to explore homeschooling while traveling with your kids? Keep reading to discover my favorite tips and tricks for learning while traveling.
Tips and Tricks For Learning While Traveling
Learning on the road is a lot of fun! It’s also very different from learning at home in lots of ways. For example, you’ll need to choose curriculum and materials that will travel easily without taking up a lot of space.
You’ll want to find tips and tricks for learning while you’re in the car so all that time spent in vehicles doesn’t feel wasted. Some of our favorite essentials for carschooling include activity books, reusable sticker books, drawing tools, paint with water activities (using a brush with its own reservoir), and single player games. Another favorite of ours are trivia decks and quiz books which let Kevin and I in on the fun while we drive.
Here are some ideas for your next adventure.
Audiobooks
We really love listening to audiobooks on the road. Services like Libby through our public library and Audible make it easy to listen to our favorite audiobooks using our devices no matter where we are traveling. Checking out audiobooks from the local library is another great option for listening to stories while you’re on the go.
A good set of headphones for your child will go a long way too! With a pair of headphones, Emily can listen to her own audiobooks, apps, or videos without bothering the rest of us while we travel.
Podcasts
Educational and kid-friendly podcasts are another go-to when we’re learning while traveling. There are some really silly podcasts we can listen to as a family, story podcasts, and lots of educational options too. Check out my list of 35+ Podcasts for Learning to get some ideas for your family’s next road trip.
The Barefoot Books podcast and Story Pirates podcast are some of our favorites for listening to great stories on the road. For science we love the Wow in the World podcast and Brains On! When it comes to history our favorites include Greeking Out, Whose Amazing Life?, and The Past and the Curious.
Car Organizer
Having a great car organizer makes it easier to learn while traveling too. I can fill our car organizer with books, activities, and supplies Emily can use while we’re on the road. Then, swap it out every month to keep things new and exciting for everyone.
Here are some of the things in our car organizer right now: single player games, car bingo, art supplies, some of our favorite printable unit studies.
An Easy Option For Homeschooling Away From Home
If you’re looking for an easy option to homeschool away from home this year, check out my unit studies. These interest-led unit studies focus on topics your kids can get excited about. For example, my Traveling the States unit study is perfect for your next road trip out of state!
Then, check out Traveling the World for a special journey that includes 30 countries and cultures for your homeschoolers to explore. Finally, learn on the go with Traveling the Parks all about our National Parks. All of these unit studies are easy to take along when you travel and filled with hands-on learning opportunities you can take advantage of no matter where you’re traveling.
These are the tips and tricks we use for successful learning while traveling. Making the journey both educational and enjoyable allows for great memories and connection.
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