Homeschooling on the Road
Homeschooling my kids means that I can teach them when ever and where ever it seems appropriate. We went on vacation this past week, and I was able to take our school on the road. We enjoyed some relaxation while learning a lot.
On vacation we were able to continue our nature study on our hikes. While we went hiking, we talked about the leaves and continued identifying which trees they came from. We also looked under logs to see the bugs. There were so many tree roots on the trail, so we discussed what the roots are for. All the while we were taking photos and laughing with each other. What great memories!
We also went to a gorge and saw a waterfall there. It was magnificent! The kids were amazed by the size of the waterfall and surprised by how loud it was. They had never seen a waterfall like this one! On this same hike we were able to talk about the plants and bugs that we saw and even used our magnifying glasses to observe the plants more closely. There was a bear’s den tucked away on the hike as well. Since we had read Blueberries for Sal this summer and made a lapbook on it, we were all happy to see a bear’s den up close.
One of the highlights of our trip was a train ride. We were able to see the foliage as we rode through the woods. The train we rode did not have a steam engine, which came to a surprise to our kids. They assume that all trains are like Thomas the Tank Engine. They asked the conductor about it, and we learned that this train runs on diesel fuel that creates electricity that runs the motor. I never knew that and would never have taken the initiative to find that out. Our kids wanted to know what made the train run, though, so we investigated it further.
Why is it so important to me that we can take out school with us when we vacation? My kids’ education is richer from the experiences that they are having on vacation. I am able to encourage their natural interests and reinforce their learning while we are relaxing and making memories. While I am at the library this week, I will look for books about trains to continue the conversation about that. I will also find books about waterfalls and more about autumn. We may also incorporate some new and interesting experiments in the coming weeks. Now my kids have real life experiences to draw from as they read books about trains and nature. They will also be able to write something more meaningful and interesting in a story or an article. There are layers upon layers of meaning folded into their understanding of these three simple experiences.
I hope this inspires you to keep the learning going while you vacation!
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