Ways To Teach Children While Traveling
Teaching children out of class
Are you thinking of taking your children out of school and on a trip around Australia exploring or even to another country for a visit but are worried what the teachers will say or what will happen with their education in the long term ?
Go for it ! Teachers say the best education for your children is real life experience and they can learn so much more with one on one teaching with people that love them !
Home schooling while traveling is becoming very popular all over the world now with many families choosing to spend more quality time together as a family and bonding together. .
Do you take the time to teach your children different skills while even on short breaks away camping or visiting other towns or cities ?
We took our 3 daughters over to Wales for a visit where I was born and lived for 5 years before we left on a ship to live in New Zealand .
After they attended school for a while in Chepstow we took them out of school and traveled around Wales & England with a caravan while their dad was working and loved the time we spent together as a family!
Here are some examples of work they did while on the road with and without me .
Maths Lesson !
Maths- learn maths while travelling
I was never very good at Maths myself and as it was winter in England while traveling we spent quite a bit of time inside the caravan keeping warm and enjoying quality time together.
One of their maths lessons was playing a card game called Double Rummy - the girls had to add up their scores in their head when they lost each game !
We also bought maths workbooks for them at News agents.
Other Maths included
Counting our change out.
Adding up while shopping
Measurements while cooking
Sums I set out for them in a book
Working out milage while on the road
There are many other ways for children to learn maths out of a school classroom.
English
There are many ways for children to learn English and spelling while on the road .
As you are driving the children can read word signs - car rego plates , map books etc
Playing scrabble is a way for them to keep up with their spelling while enjoying some family fun !
Workbooks again help with other aspects of English that you might not be skilled in yourself.
The girls would write about every place they visited during the week.
Have the children
write postcards / letters to family
write a diary of events
read a book in the evening
write a funny story for a magazine
do your food shopping list
read out a recipe for you
Scrabble for English
Social Studies
Learn as you travel about social issues in the area you are visiting , culture by visiting museums of various subjects / visitor centers .
if you are in one area for a few days see if your child can visit a local school and spend time with the locals .
PE - Exercise
Physical education is very important & there are many enjoyable ways to do this as a family while traveling !
Walking to town /bush walking along some interesting tracks .
Hire a canoe / kayak when by a lake or river ,great for the upper body !
Snorkeling- swimming wherever possible
Play frisbee in a park ! or good old chasing .
If you can take your pushbikes on the road with you and explore smaller places by bike for exercise.
Snorkeling for exercise
Teach our children - History
As you are traveling there will be many opportunities to teach children about History in museums and local libraries .
Visit historic sites or a famous persons home .
We visited the place where Peter Rabbit was set & stood at the gate Peter ran under in the book by Beatrice Potter !
Maybe look up famous people before you leave so they are excited about seeing ned Kelly country or where others lived.
If you have specific lessons for them then you might want to download information for them from the computer.
- Educational Videos and Games for Kids about Science, Math, Social Studies and English
Ways for children to learn while traveling
Teach children Home Economics
While traveling think of the benefits your children have with you being able to give them hands on experience in cooking , not just with an oven either !
Teach them skills like
lighting a fire -
cooking a damper on the open fire
prepare and cook a fresh fish or crab you caught together
A roast meal in the ashes
toast & marshmallows
how to cook on a bbq
We lived in Chepstow, Wales travelled to London , stayed there in winter when it was snowing , visited Cornwall and many other places with the girls.
Garlic Prawns
Other Skills- teaching children as you travel instead of school
There are so many skills you will be able to teach your children while you are together on the road !
Teach your children about speed while visiting a water park/ race track !
How to catch a fish and cook it on a bbq or fire/ diferent types of fish
Crabbing/ where crabs live
Catching prawns
How to change a tyre
Photography
Budgeting & how to save money
Fixing a leak
Sewing by hand
Use maps for solving problems .
Teach them how to fish
Try new food & how to cook on a fire
Nature trips
Be a close family
My girls went back to school after our travels and they all did well , are now in good jobs which they enjoy so don't be scared to teach your children as you travel as they will with the right guidence turn out to be well adjusted / well liked hard working young adults with a great experience for memories to last a long time as well as bring you closer as a family.