o you homeschool over the summer or take summers off? No matter which approach you take, there are lots of ways to make learning fun through travel!
Even if you won’t be traveling far, you can take advantage of local opportunities or even virtual travel. However you travel, here are some ways to make it educational and fun.
Whether you’re going a few miles or far away, let your children look at a map and help you plan the route. This may seem like a dreaded task to you, but to kids, this can be lots of fun.
What if you will be going on a virtual trip? No worries! Get out that map and plan your route anyway. Then go online and take that virtual vacation and pretend you’re really there.
Our kids don’t always understand the time involved in planning, traveling, and completing activities once we’re there. To help avoid disappointment, let them help you think about exactly what your family wants to do at the destination and how much time everyone wants to give each activity.
This may be a little difficult for younger children, but they’ll learn with practice. And if it doesn’t all work out, you have the opportunity to give your children an example of what it means to be flexible and resourceful as you change plans and have a good attitude about it.
o you homeschool over the summer or take summers off? No matter which approach you take, there are lots of ways to make learning fun through travel!
Even if you won’t be traveling far, you can take advantage of local opportunities or even virtual travel. However you travel, here are some ways to make it educational and fun.
Whether you’re going a few miles or far away, let your children look at a map and help you plan the route. This may seem like a dreaded task to you, but to kids, this can be lots of fun.
What if you will be going on a virtual trip? No worries! Get out that map and plan your route anyway. Then go online and take that virtual vacation and pretend you’re really there.
Our kids don’t always understand the time involved in planning, traveling, and completing activities once we’re there. To help avoid disappointment, let them help you think about exactly what your family wants to do at the destination and how much time everyone wants to give each activity.
This may be a little difficult for younger children, but they’ll learn with practice. And if it doesn’t all work out, you have the opportunity to give your children an example of what it means to be flexible and resourceful as you change plans and have a good attitude about it.
If your children are old enough, have them decide what they need to pack to take on your trip. Many kids actually enjoy deciding what they want to pack. It makes them feel more grown-up and trustworthy.
Let your older children and teens help plan for people to care for pets and plants while you’re away—especially if you’ll be gone for more than one day. This is yet another task parents often dread, but your kids and teens might actually enjoy—a win/win situation!
I’ll share a few examples, but you’ll be able to think of lots more!
Look at road signs as you travel. Talk about what each sign means and why it was designed (shape, color, etc.) in a certain way.
Play games such as I Spy, license plate bingo, word games, or printable games created specifically for car trips. There are many available, and they’re just a Google search away.
Read books aloud together as you travel or listen to audiobooks. These might even have to do with your destination.
Let your children and teens help you compare the cost of different modes of transportation. Even if you’re going on a virtual trip, this is a fun family activity. Compare travel times too. Or let them help you set (and keep up with) your budget as you travel.
Let your children take photos, draw in nature journals, or make videos while you travel. Go to street art exhibits, art museums, or concerts. Study local artists. Learn about architecture and famous architects, and visit some of the buildings or homes they designed.
Visit historical markers or historical sites along your way. Look at and talk about the landforms you see as you travel—especially if you’re going far away. Take note of the weather and the plants and animals you see as you travel and at your destination. Do some nature journaling to record what you see.
During or after the trip, talk about it! Have each person share something surprising that he or she learned or unexpectedly enjoyed. Ask questions. Were you challenged or did you learn anything new about yourself? Did anything go wrong? How did you respond?
Part of the fun of traveling is recording and sharing your memories when you get back home. Let your children and teens make scrapbooks, photo albums, or even a timeline of events. Let them do video interviews of each other or put together slideshows of photos. Then allow them to share their creations and memories with friends and family!
There are so many ways to make travel educational and keep it fun. I hope you draw inspiration from some of these ideas and that you enjoy your travels (whether in real-life or virtual) this summer.