Are you intimidated by the thought of packing up your family and going on the road for a combination vacation and homeschool learning?  Well, don’t be! Planning to take your homeschool on the road doesn’t have to be stressful or difficult.  Start with a basic plan involving duration, destination, and fun along the way.

First, figure out how long this adventure will last or at least a ballpark figure.  You’ll need to consult parental and teenage work schedules.  Be sure to allot wiggle room for rabbit trails and health or transportation emergencies.

That was easy, on to step two!  What’s your destination?  Aunt Fran’s?  A national park?  A long-sought after landmark or museum?  With that in mind, check your map either via atlas or the internet.  Have you planned enough travel time?  If not, repeat step one.  Once you’ve determined your time estimate is legit, make plans for lodging.  Will you be camping, staying with friends, or in a hotel along the way?  Got these details at least sketched out?  Great, get ready for step three!

This is where it gets fun!  Via the internet, plot your starting and ending points.  Now, look for interesting points along the way.  Be it a gorgeous mountain range, the world’s largest cowboy hat, or the first doughnut stand.  You know you’ll want to make plans to stop, stretch your legs and make more memories!  And as true homeschoolers go, this is when the high possibility of rabbit trails presents itself.  Google doesn’t tell you everything you’ll see along the way. Who knows what you may see from the view of the car window that looks interesting.  Slow down and look at beautiful, breathtaking vistas, take pictures of the sunset or just explore curiosity shops.   The ultimate goal is to make this road trip and adventure learning time as stress-free and fun as possible. If it seems doable, by all means, take the trail!  Explore and make more memories!

Taking your homeschool on the road doesn’t have to be a difficult and hard endeavor.  With a little bit of planning and some input from the internet, your family can be on the way to an adventure within your reach and budget. While you are following this 1, 2, 3 method of planning, make sure you are writing your itinerary in pencil.  The best plans are flexible.  Again, remember your ultimate goal!

Check out homeschooling resources at Rainbow Resource Center!