Are You a Homeschooling Agritourist?

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Up until this point, agritourism has been a well-kept roadschooler secret. But, it's such an amazing educational tool every homeschool family should take advantage of. It’s perfect for stationary homeschoolers as it is a great way to dip a few toes into the world of roadschooling without having to wander too far from home.

What is agritourism, why should I tie it into my curriculum, and how do I go about that? you ask.

Well, consider this an agritourism primer for beginners.

How to Squeeze the Most Learning Out of Your Next Zoo Trip

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Just as my family and I like to visit museums and national parks all over the country, we also find ourselves at many of the nation’s zoos from time to time. What we’ve found is that while every zoo has its own unique features, many of them are quite the same. Consequently, simply visiting has started to lose its appeal. Fortunately, however, there are a number of things we can do to keep our zoo trips fresh and interesting.

5 Great Ways to Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

It's almost March 17th! And you know what that means: time to dress in green, head to parades and festivals, and whip up green treats to share with family and friends.

Many people like to join in the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, of course, but I often wonder how many of those folks actually know the story behind St. Patrick's Day? How many of those wearing “Kiss me, I’m Irish” t-shirts truly know anything about their Irish culture?

5 Incredible Reasons to Roadschool Your Kids

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

The number of full-time RVing families is on the rise. More folks are able to find remote work, and this means more people are hitting the road. However, this also means these RVing families must figure out how to educate their children.

Some wanderluster kids go to a public or private school during the school year and travel only during school breaks. However, far more of these students are taking up roadschooling: a nomadic version of homeschooling that incorporates travel experiences into a child’s education.

5 Changes Every Homeschooler Should Make in the New Year

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

A new year is here, and for many, that means a chance for a fresh start. January is a time for reboots, tweaks, and small shifts. Of course, most people make New Year’s resolutions that involve weight or money.

If you, like millions of folks, have made lifestyle resolutions and goals, great! Go ahead and hang onto them. However, I'd also encourage you to consider making a few changes to your homeschool.

Before you roll your eyes or keep scrolling, please hear me out. I'm not trying to shame shift here. I know from personal experience that any bit of change that happens from a root of shame is not sustainable.

How to Homeschool While Traveling for the Holidays

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

"Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go."

One of the many perks of homeschooling is that you and I get to set our own school year. We're not tethered to the strict calendar of the "professionals" up the street. We can visit grandma--and whoever else we want--anytime we want.

Even so, time spent going from this family get together to that one can sometimes be a bit of a strain on our short-term learning plans. If we're being really honest, it can often make us feel guilty, as if all that time spent in the car traveling here and there is a waste.

Top 7 Things I Learned as a Homeschooled Kid

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

I was homeschooled as a child. I loved it, of course. But looking back on those days, I realize the experience was even better for me than I ever could have known at the time.

People often ask me if I've ever felt like I may have missed out on some important something by not going to school. The answer is no, not at all. In fact, I think I learned some important things as a homeschooled student that I may not have learned otherwise, and I think many of those lessons helped get me where I am today.

Online Extracurriculars for the Extra Curious Kid

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Extracurriculars are a great way to expand upon and enrich a homeschool experience, especially for the super curious kid who wants to know everything. That said, extracurriculars don’t fit well with every lifestyle. Traveling families like mine are always looking for lessons on-the-go.

Top Living History Museums and Tips for Visiting

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

I adore museums. Visiting them is a fabulous way to introduce new concepts and an even better way to dive deeper into a child's interests.

As a history nerd, living history museums are definitely my top pick when it comes to choosing an educational attraction, and my son and husband both quite enjoy them as well.

Unlike regular history museums which have traditional tour guides and only display artifacts and photographs, living history museums are interactive, have actors wearing costumes and reenacting the lives and livelihoods of the past, and usually focus on one particular place or event in history. While at a living history museum, you don't just look at and learn about the past, you actually step back into it.

How to Have a Not-Back-to-School Month

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

The public schools are all starting their fall semesters and much of the world is bright with the possibility brought on by a new school year.

As a homeschool mom, walking through the seasonal aisles at Target can be a bit deflating right about now. You see all the adorable backpacks and lunch boxes--things your kids may not ever get to use. Pair that with watching your Facebook newsfeed fill up with all the super cute photos of kids going back to school, and you’re likely to feel a bit left out. Your kids probably feel the same.

6 Fabulous Reasons to Camp with Your Kids

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Since we're homeschoolers, my family and I are always on the lookout for learning opportunities and ways to build shared experiences. So naturally, when we started our RV living adventure, I was very intentional in my efforts to find amazing and awesome new sights and sounds during our travels. I assumed all the learning fun would only be found in museums and national parks. Many are, but much to my surprise, campgrounds and other natural places have also proven to be incredible classrooms. As our son explores and learns new things in the great outdoors, I can't help but think I should be sharing this magic with other families.

Learning Through FREE {or super cheap} Summer Fun

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Summer is here, and that means your days are longer, you're probably taking a break from school work, and consequently, your kids have lots of extra time on their hands. Fortunately, most homeschooled kids are generally pretty good at finding ways to fill their own time. However, as a mom, it's always helpful to have a few new and interesting ideas up your sleeve.

Roadschooler Secrets for Visiting National Parks with Kids

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

I think it's fair to say that the U.S. national parks are U.S. national treasures. Like all valuable commodities, they're meant to be enjoyed. They're meant to be shared. And not just by an elite few, but by everyone, kids included!

Sadly, many people don't take their children into the parks. Some feel that a tagalong kid will strip the fun right out of the experience. Meanwhile, others assume children won't be able to grasp the grandiosity of such places. Nothing could be further from the truth, in my experience anyway.

Making the Most of Museums With Young Kids

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

As a traveling family, my little tribe can often be found visiting a museum in one city or another. It's one of our favorite ways to expand upon our roadschooling. However, because many museums are geared for teens and adults, we have also come to realize that sometimes the way in which we visit a museum makes a huge difference in the amount of learning and enjoyment our young son gets out of the experience.

How & Why Your Homeschooler Should Plan Your Next Trip

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Travel can be an amazing, delight-directed learning experience. Meeting new people, seeing new things, and tasting new foods can all lead to growing well-rounded kids who have a true appreciation for the world around them. Not only that, but frequent travel can also help with problem-solving skills and teach traditional subjects such as geography, history, and science in a natural way.

That said, if you want to take full advantage of a travel adventure, you really need to start at the beginning. You see, planning for your travels can be just as educational as the actual trip itself.

That said, I highly recommend letting your kids in on the planning process. In doing so, you'll not only help them learn useful skills but also fine-tune their current knowledge in a variety of areas.

Beating the February Homeschool Funk

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

It’s known as the February funk, and a great many homeschool parents experience it. Nobody’s quite sure what causes it, but nearly everyone agrees that it can make meeting homeschool goals feel impossible. The February funk can strike suddenly, or it might creep in slowly when you're not looking. Either way, it leaves you feeling down in the dumps, unmotivated, and incapable of getting things done.

Disneyschooling in Hollywood Studios and Beyond

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Disney World is a magical--full of fun, wonder, and memories. It is also a great place to enhance your homeschooler’s education. In this "Disneyschooling" series, we've been looking at many of the learning opportunities found in the Disney World parks.

In the fourth and final addition to this series, we'll cover Hollywood Studios. While this park is currently under construction and is therefore much smaller than the other three at the moment, it still has so much learning potential. Let’s begin, shall we?

Disneyschooling in Animal Kingdom

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

If you've been following this series, you already know what an amazing learning experience a trip to Disney World can be. From history to science, there are awesome educational opportunities lurking around every corner.

(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)

As a homeschool family, my gang makes an extra effort to seek out each and every available chance to learn while in the parks. It is my hope that I can pass this knowledge on to you and give your Disney vacation an educational spin you probably never would've expected.

Disneyschooling at Epcot

Photo by James Lee on Unsplash

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Family vacations are some of the very best times to seek out new information and make learning fun. Fortunately for my family, Disney World is no exception to this rule, meaning we use the enormous amounts of time we spend in the Disney parks to expand on our son’s education in an exciting way. We call this “Disneyschooling."

Disneyschooling at the Magic Kingdom

Photo by Travis Gergen on Unsplash

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

Are you headed to Walt Disney World soon? What if I told you that you can give your kids the science, history, and geography homeschool lessons of a lifetime during your magical trip? It's true. As roadschoolers, we use Disney World for educational purposes all the time. And with a tiny bit of prep work, you can too.