Does this mean long car rides with whining and crying? Or, your children’s faces turned down upon their electronic devices for hours on end? Certainly not! You can car school! If you’ve never heard this term before, car schooling is a way to continue your children’s learning while your hands are firmly on a steering wheel. How do you do this without crashing? Easy! With a little planning, audio books, and games can be brought along to help pass the time and engage the mind.
Some of our favorite car schooling activities have been centered around audio books. One summer as we traveled, we listened to Ivanhoe. The fun thing about audio books is many times the readers are speaking the parts with an accent. Our version of Ivanhoe had a wonderful man with a British accent to accompany the old English dialogue. Years later, my kids are still quoting portions of this classic. “Dost thou requireth a buffet to thine head?” is still a common saying in our household.
Other wonderful listening materials that have kept my family entertained and educated are chronological history Cd’s from Story of the World or Mystery of History, fun science adventures from Jonathan Parks, composers and classical music from Maestro Classics and Zeezok, plus biblical dramas from Adventures in Odyssey. Either bought or borrowed, we found these to be an invaluable investment!
If you are driving cross-country, having a special snack or game as you cross each state line is always something fun to look forward to. Also consider games that are purposefully made for travel. Road Sign Bingo and Find the State License Plate just to name a few. An old school coloring book and a brand new pack of crayons is still a delight even in this digital age. Pass out paper maps or atlases and let the kids check off the towns as you pass them. When you stop at rest stops, search for the big map of your current state. Challenge the kids to determine how far you’ve traveled through the state and how far you have to go.
These are some great ways to car school and help you stay engaged as a family. While there is a time and place for electronics, take this time to sing songs, listen to audio books, play I Spy, laugh and enjoy each other. Distance travel by car doesn’t have to be an arduous and boring task. With a little planning plus your eyes and ears open you might learn something new!
