Homeschool Travel Advice

Just two years ago, traveling was our life… it’s so hard to believe how much things can change in such a short span of time! We spent nearly six years on the road, traveling around the United States and occasionally out of country, and I wouldn’t trade a second of it. If you ever have the chance to roadschool, or even take an extended vacation, jump at it. The money spent on experiences creates memories, which can never be taken away. It gives you a connection with your children that can’t be beat!

When we came home at the end of 2018, we never imagined a world with ‘rona, where family travel – and nearly all travel – would become a thing of the past. Now that people have been home for so long, feet are beginning to get itchy. For those of us with gypsy souls, we’re ready to roll!

Whether you’re packing for a long road trip, a short weekend, or just doing a virtual getaway, going off the beaten path is a boon to the spirit! It will boost your sense of adventure, provide a fresh perspective, enhance your family togetherness, and give you inspiration….and I think all of us could use a little bit of positive excitement these days.

If you’re physically travelling, you’ll want to pick up some easy-peasy checklists…these make packing a breeze, and instead of worrying about forgetting something, your mind will be free to focus on all the prospective fun! Plus, they’re a great way for the kids to get involved, which teaches responsibility. (Which is not to say that I don’t check behind my kids…I totally do.)

You can pick up free packing checklists, and get inspiration for your next trip, at Road-Schooling Adventures. You’ll also find free history and geography-based unit studies to accompany your road trip here. At Family Travel Gifts, you’ll find a list of all the small things that really make a big difference! This list of educational, health, and everyday helpers was compiled by a group of roadschooling families, who use them regularly, and are what we’d recommend keeping on hand for family travel adventures…Maybe you want to travel outside your local realm, but you just can’t do it right now, for personal or economic reasons. That’s no reason to have to deny yourself the experience of going someplace…you just have to do it virtually! The most important key to a virtual field trip is figuring out how to keep your student engaged in learning. Check out this post on Getting the Most Out of Virtual Museums and Field Trips for a freebie and ideas.

At the other end of the spectrum, with more people tele-commuting, maybe your family has an opportunity to hit the road long-term! You’ll definitely want to pop into Getting Started with Road-Schooling to get tips for starting out, find out about the legal issues, and get the inside scoop on what a long travel day really looks like.

No matter where the road – or internet highway – takes you, there is always adventure to be had and memories to be made!

—oOo—

Yvie is a veteran homeschooling mom, high school counselor, and teacher at Sparks Academy. She enjoys helping other families on their homeschool journey. When not teaching or counseling, she enjoys reading, spending time in her garden, and traveling the country with her boys. You can find her at Homeschool On the Range, on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest