Educational Ideas for Traveling Families
Why Traveling is the Best Education For Kids
It’s summer, which most likely means that you, like 82% of Americans, have plans to travel. Usually that includes relaxing in the sun or eating diverse foods; and for students, it distinctly means no school. However, now more than ever, students are academically behind and mentally exhausted, pulling into question the importance of traveling and taking an academic break. After the 2 years of pandemic related learning disruptions and mental health issues, many caretakers are then left wondering what to prioritize this summer: extra academic support to catch up or time to relax and play?
The good news is you don’t need to choose- in fact, you shouldn’t. Fun and engaging learning isn’t a luxury. Students need to balance the progression of their academic skills with play and fun in order to develop their lifelong love for learning. All it takes is a little creative planning, and a destination. Below are a few of our favorite ways you can creatively learn this summer while feeding your soul, no matter where you are traveling!
Traveling is the Best Education
There are many benefits as to why traveling is the best form of education for your kids. It allows your kids expand their knowledge outside of the classroom and into real world experiences. Here are our suggestions on traveling education.
Language Development
The english language is the most spoken language around the world. Being able to travel around and having your child learn and experience other languages. You can also find audiobooks or videos to help your child learn a new language and put it to practice when trying to purchase their favorite toy.
Learning About History
Your child has studied about this great moment in history in their books, so how cool is it to bring them to an actual place they’ve seen? Very cool if you ask us! History books can only give a taste of what a historical site is like and experiences provides a whole different perspective on how certain people may have lived.
Practice Writing Skills: Use a Daily Travel Journal
Writing is one of the most effective tools for channeling children’s creative energy into something productive and meaningful. One of the best ways to encourage this while traveling is to keep a journal. Write about your daily meals, your setting, or how you got lost trying to navigate a new trail. Look up prompts to get you started and try writing in a creative way such as through poetry or comic strips. With a little creative thought, you can inject fun into even the most practical of writing activities.
Listen to Educational Podcasts
As digital learning increases, many people are turning to podcasts as a fun and educational way to keep kids engaged without using a screen. There are podcasts for everyone; for those wanting to practice mindfulness, to science lovers and music fans. For kids, the most beneficial podcasts should spark imagination, teach new ideas, or make them laugh.
Some of our recommended kid-friendly podcasts are: But Why?; KiDNuZ; WOW in the world; Noodle Loaf and Peace Out. For teens and young adults, we recommend: Stuff You Should Know, and 99% Invisible.
Engage in Local Activities:
For those traveling and staying in a specific location, local classes and tours are great ways for students to experience another culture while simultaneously learning. Classes such as painting, cooking, language and snorkeling are just some of the exciting options for your student to test out. With tours, whether they be guided or self-planned tours, students can dive into topics of geography, history, religion, or music. This is easiest to do by visiting museums and temples, go to a concert, or finding the science in your everyday life such as watching a sunset or classifying any animals you run into.
Your Child Will Have Compassion For Others
If you happen to travel to other areas around the world, your child will be able to see how others live their lives compared to their own. This will help your child understand that despite the differences, we are all living people on this earth. Traveling can be your child’s best teacher about the world and what it has to offer.
Summer Learning Program with Novel Education Group
If you’re looking for something more structured, with learning outcomes and assessments, try a Novel Education service. What makes our learning experiences so special is that they are all place-based educational learning. What does this mean? It means students can learn about and experience the world around them. Not only does this establish a sense of place where they travel, making their location more meaningful, but it also allows students to put learning in context and see how it is a universal experience beyond the confines of the classroom. This is achieved through personalized curriculum, expert teachers, and your student, whose passions and interests impact the execution of daily lessons.
Learning happens everyday and it doesn’t have to come from teachers, textbooks, or tests. That being said, it also doesn’t just happen by chance. There are several opportunities for learning while traveling, parents just need to take a proactive role in seeking them out because having an educational experience outside of the classroom is invaluable! Traveling to learn or learning that is relevant to your travels makes education a natural, exciting, and an explorative part of your child’s life. No matter how you choose to learn this summer, make sure it’s enjoyable.
