How to Start Roadschooling (No RV Required!)
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Many homeschoolers dream of traveling and schooling on the road, but can’t commit to full-time travel. Roadschooling doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing venture. You can start roadschooling without trading your home for an RV.
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We are a roadschooling family. What that means is that we homeschool on the road, learning through our travel experiences.
Although it’s what we do, you don’t have to commit to fulltime living and traveling in an RV to start roadschooling. There are many forms of roadschooling, and I’m going to give you some tips to help get started in a way that suits your family and lifestyle.
That’s right! There is no reason you have to completely change everything about the way you live to start learning through travel. In fact, I recommend starting right where you are and making small, relatively easy changes that fit into your life.
By choosing to make small changes, you’re much more likely to give roadschooling a try. From that starting point, if you like how things are going, you can make more significant changes. If it is your goal, you could even take up full-time travel sometime in the future.
The following tips will help you start roadschooling – no RV required!
Change Your Mindset about Learning
The first step to beginning any roadschooling adventure is to change the way you think about learning. If you find yourself gravitating toward workbooks to “prove” your kids are getting an education, make some changes during your travels. Instead of book work, encourage your kids to explore and discuss their findings. You might be surprised at how much they pick up.
Roadschooling doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing venture. You can start roadschooling without trading your home for an RV.Take Up Camping
To make your adventure affordable, I highly recommend taking up camping. It is much less expensive than staying in hotels every night.
Those who don’t want or can’t afford to invest in an RV should look into a pop-up trailer or a quality tent. If you’re considering camping on a regular basis, check out camping memberships to lower the camping costs significantly. My personal favorites are the Thousand Trails and Passport America memberships.
Invest in Reciprocal Memberships
Of course, if you’re traveling, you’re going to want to see things along the way. Unfortunately, attraction admission prices can add up super quickly. This is where reciprocal memberships can help.
There are dozens of reciprocal membership program options to choose from, and by investing in a few, you’ll have countless attraction options to choose from. This means you can see museums, zoos, and even amusement parks for far less than you would’ve paid otherwise. In many cases, admission is free with your reciprocal benefits!
Be sure to gather as much information as possible to ensure you’re purchasing the right membership for your family.
Make Plans Together for Your Roadschooling Venture
Travel planning is an education in and of itself. Budgeting is a great way to practice real-world math. Planning your route together gives your students hands-on map experience. Packing can provide excellent problem-solving practice. Finally, allowing children to choose the attractions you visit will encourage them to do some research to learn about their options.
Travel planning is an education in and of itself. Budgeting is a great way to practice real-world math. Planning your route together gives your students hands-on map experience. Packing can provide excellent problem-solving practice.Read – a Lot
Nightly reading is a fabulous way to expand upon what you’ve learned or will be learning during your journey. For instance, if you’ll be visiting the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum or the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, you might choose to pick up a few books about Abraham Lincoln to expand on the experience.
There are many ways to enjoy books while traveling without packing boxes of them.
Download Some Podcasts
Let’s face it; long car rides with kids can be absolute torture for everyone involved. This is why my family listens to podcasts. Podcasts are the perfect way to pass the time without resorting to screens. They entertain while educating, and many podcasts are great for all ages. I highly recommend the Brains On! And Tumble podcasts, but I’m always on the lookout for new options.
Hit the Road
The last step is to hit the road! Do your best to relax and soak up every moment of your travels. Encourage your kids to try new things, help them connect the dots between one attraction or site and the next, read as much as possible, meet new people, and have fun.
The learning will happen naturally, and you’ll have bright, well-traveled kids who genuinely appreciate the world around them.
Have you done any roadschooling? What tips would you add?
