On the Road Again: Roadschooling and Your Holiday Plan

November 9, 2018
Written by:
Tasha Swearingen

“Are we there yet??” That’s something most parents “get” to hear from youthful passengers when on the road to a faraway holiday destination. Most of us have heard of road trip games (“license plate bingo” anyone?), but it would seem that there’s something perhaps more productive they could be doing instead. Indeed, there is – you can become a roadschooler!

What is Roadschooling?

As a term, “roadschooling” is fairly new. As a practice, it’s taken place over the course of many years. It’s when you Take school on the go with roadschooling! pack up your belongings and head out into the world without concerns over whether or not you’re following a prescribed plan or textbook. Instead, you focus on the things you may see and the places you may visit on your destination.

For instance, if you were planning a trip to the Grand Canyon, you’d want to do a little advance prep by introducing your children to the destination. You could do this with books, YouTube videos, documentaries – it’s up to you. Then, with this background information in mind, your students will be better able to understand the sights they encounter along the way and they’ll have an amazing knowledge of the destination ahead!

Roadschooling Tips for the Holidays

So, if roadschooling means turning a drab and boring drive into something educational and exciting, where does that leave you on your road trips during the upcoming holidays? Just take some of what we mentioned above and incorporate it into your trip! Start by introducing children to the places you’ll see and the stops you’ll make along the way. If you don’t already know these for yourself, a fast Google Maps search can help you pinpoint some stops on your journey.

Next, decide how much of your roadschooling is going to replace “regular” schooling. Will you be roadschooling 100%? Or, perhaps you’ll do 50-50? That’s completely going to be up to you! The important thing will be that you don’t feel as though you must do it one particular way.

This holiday season, take your schooling on the road with you instead of taking a complete break! But don’t worry – this doesn’t involve bringing all school supplies along. Rather, take advantage of the sights and destinations you’ll encounter and make the most educational experience out of them as you can!

Tasha Swearingen

Tasha is a homeschooling mom to 5 and has been homeschooling for 14 years. Currently, her children's ages span from toddler to young adult. Tasha has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Sciences from Florida State University and is working on her MBA through SNHU/Berklee School of Music.