How to school your kids on the road In 2021 we experienced something we never imagined would occur in our lifetimes: a total lockdown in the heat of the coronavirus pandemic. While this time challenged us, it did reveal some opportunities…
In 2021 we experienced something we never imagined would occur in our lifetimes: a total lockdown in the heat of the coronavirus pandemic. While this time challenged us, it did reveal some opportunities to operate life remotely! Just as many home-schooled their children during lockdown, you may have had the idea to school your kids on the road. After all, an RV is often considered a home on wheels. Why not take the chance to see our beautiful country with the family, without putting your child’s education on hold?
Albeit incredibly exciting, there’s quite a lot to consider for this venture to work. But don’t stress – we’ve got you covered. Here’s how to school your kids on the road.
Let’s not lose sight of the fact that you are travelling around Australia. You have a plethora of opportunities to teach your children unique things as you travel! Ensure your schedule includes visits to museums, aquariums, mine sites or any other educational site an area has to offer. They will learn so much from physically visiting these places and talking about the experience afterwards together as a family.
You may not ‘school’ every day in the conventional sense, but try to always incorporate learning into each day. They can plan the route with you, make shopping lists, choose recipes and you can even set them a budget. Use the trip to teach them the invaluable things they can’t learn at a desk in a classroom.
Regardless of your setup, you’ll find that long driving days are a lot more challenging to fit ‘typical’ schoolwork in. Australia is huge, so you’ll inevitably spend a significant amount of time in the car. But that doesn’t mean the learning has to stop! There are still plenty of opportunities for the kids to learn while you drive.
Take geography for instance. What better way to learn about the country than by driving through it? Get your kids to plot out the route, or add some maths to the equation and help them work out your travel distances.
Audiobooks and educational podcasts are other great means of learning on the move. You can listen together and then discuss them as a family, encouraging your kids to form their own views or opinion. This will no doubt make the hours go by quickly and better yet, your kids will learn without even realising it.
Just because you’re on the road doesn’t mean all routines should go out of the window. Routines are equally as important in your home on wheels, so be sure to set up times that school begins. It’s also a good idea to give yourself some time to prepare ahead of the school day. Don’t forget to schedule in one on one time. You’ll be surprised how much you get through with just an hour or two each day!
If you have more than one child, schedule in time for group learning. An older child might be able to help the younger (and even the other way around!). Not only does this cement the learning of both children but it can foster sibling relationships.
Your chosen schooling method will have an impact on what you do with your kids and how you do it. If one of your kids has something that requires more assistance one day, you could set up the other child on the computer. There are plenty of online programs they can take turns using!
There’s not a teacher in the country that wouldn’t encourage the children to keep a diary or journal of their trip. Not only is this a great way for them to recall and write about their day, but they will have an invaluable possession to look back on later. They can get creative by drawing, cutting out from brochures or even taking photos to print off and stick in as memories of their travels. A great time to do this each day would be while you are preparing dinner, thereby breaking up a schooling activity and allowing them time to recall their day.
Last but not least, as long as you are covering the basics, your kids will be more than ok being schooled on the road. It’s natural to worry that you’re not doing enough, however, this is (for most) a once in a lifetime opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted worrying about schooling. Embrace this opportunity to partake in your children’s education while you enjoy the adventures of our wonderful country.
