How to Homeschool on the Go

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I’m a big advocate of being at home.

Our best homeschooling days come when the day is stretched out before us

and there is time for creativity, exploration, and collaboration.

But, we also have places to go.

Obligations to fulfill.

Doctors to see.

Broken arms to be casted. Three times in a week.

Unexpected hold ups away from home.

I’m sure you can relate.

I’ve learned to make the best of time away.

To be kept waiting is unfortunate, but to be kept waiting with nothing interesting to read is a tragedy of Greek proportions. – Agatha Swanburne from the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place

That’s not to say that every time you walk out your door,

you must homeschool at the same time.

But, you’ll know when it’s time to take advantage of opportunities

and take your homeschooling on the road.

Homeschooling on Location

Homeschooling on the go takes some planning.

It requires some prep and the right mindset.

Sometimes is spontaneous.

Most times it is purposeful.

But, it’s always meaningful.

Things that might be a good fit for homeschooling on the go include:

• Field Trips– the oldie but goodie. Homeschoolers have a talent for making a field trip from just about any outing. It’s a gift we have and one that we’ve perfected.
• Nature Study– which is a great way to explore when you are out and about
• Coffee Shops– sometimes you’ll find a lovely little spot near to an appointment or extracurricular for another kid. Bonus for snacks purchased here!
• Libraries– even if it’s not your home library, using the library for school on the go is a smart one.
• Tablets– Kindle Fires, iPads, and many others bring the world to our fingertips.
• Smart Phones– for those without tablets who do have a smart phone, this is a golden moment for using it as more than a phone for for texting! It’s small and easily held by smaller hands.
• Videos– whether it’s YouTube or any other source, we live in an unprecedented time of information sharing
• Apps – there are many educational and entertaining apps in the world that make excellent learning opportunities
• Games– some games travel well. The trick is to know where you might be and what might be possible under those circumstances.
• Books– either books to read on your own, to read together, or to discuss
• Read alouds– I have been known to sit my kids just about anywhere and read to them. I once shadowed my husband at a home show. We continued Nim’s Island every time he moved to the next vendor.
• Art– given the right set of travel supplies, even dull locations (like doctor’s offices and waiting rooms) have pop.

Tools for Homeschooling on the Go

Thinking creatively about how to use the tools you have while out and about requires effort!

How about some new ideas or more tools for your toolbox?

• How to Homeschool with a Kindle– This versatile little tool is an economical way to enter the world of the tablet. We use them daily at home and away.
• Nature Journal Calendars– These are downloadable nature calendars for every month of the year for you to observe and record what you see. Each posts has books, activities, and field guides listed. Plus, there’s one for every month.
• Why We Fell in Love with Audio Books from Audible– One of the best investments in our homeschool is our Audible membership. It gets better all the time. They’ve added Audible channels which are news and essay shorts you can listen to and recently they started giving members two free Audible produced books a month. That’s a win.
• Best Educational You Tube Channels for Homeschoolers– This is one of my most popular posts. It’s a big list of channels for every subject.
• 100 Best Field Trips in Upstate New York– As long as we’re talking about field trips. If you are ever passing through the state of New York, check out the destinations on this list. Or maybe it will remind you of a place where you are and you can go learn more1
• How to Use Google Earth in Your Homeschool– Have you used Google Earth lately? Ever? This online atlas is fun to pour through like a print dictionary or encyclopedia. Remember those days? My kids used to love using the street view to drive around to all the places they knew in town! With a table or a phone, this online atlas will captivate your kids.

Making the Most of Our Tools

Now it’s time to learn more about what to do with your new tools and ideas.

I love resources

and making the most of them.

• 10 Best Podcasts for Your Inquisitive Teen– A couple of my kids love audios. Once loves podcasts. I do too. You can get short lessons in grammar, math, science, history, or just about any other topic.
• 10 Best Podcasts for Curious Kids– This list is for the younger set and includes stories in addition to non-fiction concepts like science and math.
• How to Make a You Tube Playlist– Did you know you can make a play list of videos for your student. It allows you to curate content for your kids and that makes handing the phone over in line that much easier!
• 6 Awesome Things You Need to Know to Be a Kindle Pro– Lots of us have Kindles and Kindle apps. Do you know how to make the most of this tool? You won’t be disappointed! Some of these little known features make eBook reading behave like a paper book. The secret to accessing your highlighted quotes is in this post too!

• Have an Audio Book Collection You’ll Love– This is a list of our favorites. The best audio books make you want to start all over as soon as you are finished!
• How to Make the Most of Your Read Aloud Time– I read aloud on the go a lot. I’ve read to stressed kids in the ER, during hospital procedures, and in urgent care among many other locations. The Kindle App on my phone means not worrying about whether I grab a book on the way out the door!

Read More about Homeschooling on Location

Still thinking about how you can use your time wisely when you cannot be at home?

Let’s think outside the box!

• Homeschooling Students Who Have a Chronic Illness– The kind of flexibility required for homeschooling on the go is similar to that of homeschooling kids and teens who are chronically ill. If you have students with slow days or difficult days, this is for you!
• Free Six Week Writer’s Workshop– 18 lessons over six weeks with short writing activities. Take this show on the road with friends!
• Entomology: The Science of Insects– Insect collections require being alert for new specimens. The best part is that you don’t have to be on a collecting trip to observe and collect insects. Notice the details around you and you will find many. The key is to carry your collection materials with you all the time. And when you are like us and need to add 40 insects for a third year collection, you become a keen observer of the insect world!

Being away from home during some portion of your homeschooling week is inevitable.

Being able to relax and use your time wisely within your circumstances

is worth gold!