Review: Carschooling

Have you ever heard of the book Carschooling, by Diane Flynn Keith? I’d heard of it and even had a friend who got her van totally set up and stocked up for carschooling. However, being a homebody myself, I never did take the time to read the book. I’m excited that the author recently offered me the opportunity to review her book. I discovered that carschooling isn’t just for those homeschooling families who run the roads daily. It’s also very useful for those of us who need to make those inevitable trips to the bank, post office, grocery store, or doctor’s office during our homes’ school hours.

Previously, I thought that when those inevitable errands or appointments came up, I had only four choices: pack up the school books and bring them with us, rush to finish school before the appointment, try to get everyone back into school mode once we got home (a nearly impossible feat), or miss school altogether that day. Carschooling, with its 350+ games and activities, has helped me to see that there are many fun and educational things to do that can help to make the most of time spent in the car.

Carschooling is filled with the author’s own tips, plus those gleaned from carschooling families all over the country. The tips cover everything from the basic school subjects – even physical education! – to ideas for getting and staying organized in the car. My favorite chapter was probably Carschooling Science because many of the tips and facts, to me, were just interesting tidbits that would be helpful for a parent to know just to toss out randomly during time spent driving the kids to and from activities or running errands.

You’ll find practical tips throughout the book, including the twelve essentials for carschooling or, one of my favorites, using a large, rectangular plastic box for storage because it can double as a table. Additionally, each chapter is peppered with “ready resources” directing you to great resources at your library, local bookstore, or on the web.

School subjects covered in Carschooling include:

• Science
• Math
• Language Arts
• Social Sciences
• Geography 
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Foreign Languages
• Physical Education and Health
• Electives 
• Recess

As you can see, it's all covered and it's much more than just audio books or DVDs on a portable DVD player.  Additionally, there are chapters on getting started and getting organized.  There is also a section entitled "Sample Curricula by Age and Grade," which offers suggestions on which activities are best suited for various age and ability levels.


After having read the book, I know that I wouldn't use it to set up a whole, fully stocked, carshooling-ready van because, the fact remains, I am a homebody.  However, it makes a great resource, chock-full of fun activities that any family who finds themselves on the road for short errands or longer excursions, such as family vacations, can use to make the trip more educational and enjoyable.

You can learn more about Carschooling or sign up for Diane’s free Ezine at www.carschooling.com or find out more about her other books or homeschool workshops at www.homefires.com.

I received this product free for the purpose of reviewing it.  I received no other compensation for this review.  The opinions expressed in this review are my personal, honest opinions.  Your experience may vary.