8 Homeschool Helps You Didn't Know Your Library Offered

With the recent rise of irreverent, sexualized, and agenda-laden books being added to the juvenile sections of local public libraries, you may be tempted to cut up your membership card and abandon the stacks. 

I don't blame you. Several years ago, when my then-preschooler and I were perusing the "new to the children's shelves" section together, he stumbled into a forward-facing picture book with a blood-thirsty zombie on the cover and naturally began crying. I made an immediate bee-line for the circulation desk to lodge a verbal complaint with a librarian. Over the next few days, the conversation continued up the chain of command until the book was eventually re-shelved in the YA section.

50+ Virtual Field Trips to Take When You're Stuck at Home

Stuck inside? Cabin fever getting the better of you and yours? There's no reason to let an at-home season or a closed-door policy keep you from great learning adventures. We are living in an unprecedented time of digital equity--an era when the whole wide world is as close as the click of a button.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love to venture out to see a great piece of art, a historical reenactment, or a breathtaking view of creation just as much as the next homeschool mom. There's no replacing the kind of learning and memory-making that can be had when you visit a museum or national park in person. But, I also know that when sickness, weather, or finances limit one's ability to see a site up close and personal, a 360 virtual field trip is the next best thing.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Tricks & Tips for Homeschooling On-the-Go

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

The new school year has arrived, and for many, that means tons of time spent driving to co-ops, sports practices, and dance classes. While these things don’t necessarily apply to my family in our current state of full-time travel, I do understand—probably better than most—how little fun it can be to find yourself trapped in a vehicle with the kids for extended periods of time.

Before we go any further, I’d like to say that I'm in 100% agreement with moms who drop some activities or pick classes based on scheduling in order to avoid too much car time. After all, it is difficult to do any homeschooling if you are never...well, home. However, I also understand that as a homeschooling family, you'll probably need to get out of the house once in a while, and that means you will likely find yourself in a car with kids at least once a week.

Traveling Deals for Wanderlusters & Roadschoolers on a Tight Budget

Written by Chelsea Gonzales.

I’d venture to say most everyone has some idea of the fact that travel is a wonderful form of education. Being exposed to new sights and sounds is a great way to stimulate the brain and acquire new information. Because of this, travel and homeschooling go hand in hand, and more and more families are turning to roadschooling to satisfy their wanderlust.

Sneaky Learning Ideas for Summer Road Trips

What do you get when you combine seven people, one dog, a very small space, and eight to ten hours a day of unstructured togetherness?

Well, it depends on the season. 

Should all of that be tossed together in the dead of a tundra-like midwestern winter, I'd say you have a recipe for cabin fever with a side of seasonal neurosis.

But, should you be stirring that pot in the sunshine of summer, I'd assume you're cooking up road trip bliss.

FREE Museum Tickets for all: National Museum Day

It's time once again for the Smithsonian's annual museum day. On Saturday, September 26th, participating museums all across the country will be offering free general admission to anyone who has printed off a Museum Day pass from Smithsonian.com. Head on over to snag your two FREE tickets. To find out which museums in your area qualify for this annual celebration, just enter your state or zip code onto the Search for a Museum page. From there, you'll be directed to the participating museums in or around your community. 

**PLEASE NOTE** Each group is limited to TWO FREE tickets.  All FREE tickets MUST be printed in advance from Smithsonian.com and presented at the museum's ticket counter.

Looking for more field trip ideas on a shoe string budget? Be sure to check out my list of field trips for FREE or Cheap and download a free copy of my field trip log printable.

Pricey Field Trips for FREE or Cheap

When you are homeschooling at the speed of life, learning...most REAL learning...happens away from a worksheet or textbook. 

Some of the most memorable and meaningful life-schooling is done when you take the show on the road...when you venture out to meet real people and see real stuff...when you experience real life the way it WAS lived or IS lived...when you take a field trip.

But, let's face it.

A large homeschool family is a herd that moves rather slowly and comes with a pretty hefty entrance fee.

Field trips aren't cheap!

Or are they?

Last Day, Hooray! 2014

This past Friday, we said our farewells to the 2013-2014 school year and joyously welcomed summer and its carefree days.  

As is our tradition, our last day of school was anything but ordinary...and the best part was, the kids had no idea what was on the agenda.  The entire day was full of surprises.  

Here's a quick recap of our fun.  

The first surprise was a hot plate of cinnamon rolls...the fam favorite breakfast.  

Good Friday Nature Walk Printable Pack

On Good Friday, weather permitting, I will meet our homeschool Nature Club at a nearby state park for an Easter-themed nature walk. I have instructed all the participants to bring a clipboard or other hard writing surface and a few colored pencils.