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Roadschooling to Arizona has become somewhat of an annual tradition. Our family thrives on the flexibility that homeschooling affords, and winter is a great time to visit extended family in Arizona. December, January, February, March, and April are usually nice times to visit the state of Arizona. May, June, July, August…not as much. I know. I used to live there! We especially love the ability to travel during non-peak times, while most schools are in session.
We’re just one of those traveling families…not full time travelers, but we like to travel as much as we can. While we do enjoy actual breaks from both work and school, many of our trips allow us to keep up with homeschool in some way or another. For us, however, the best kind of trip for homeschool on the go is a good ol’ road trip!
I’m beyond thrilled to be partnering with Sonlight Curriculum for the 2018-2019 school year as a Sonlight Ambassador. After using Sonlight from the beginning of our children’s formal education (6 years & counting!) and loving it, Sonlight has provided me with HBL E, Science E, LA E (including optional supplements & handwriting), and an art elective, for our school year. I look forward to sharing with you as we learn throughout the year. All opinions are 100% my own.
The Books & Supplies!
Is this true for you? It’s much easier to pack for a road trip than for an airplane trip. You just don’t need to economize on space quite as much. Even still, we took an entire carry-on full of school stuff to Hawaii, and some language arts readers came with us to Iceland.
For roadschooling to Arizona, however, we brought just about everything, other than the science experiment kits. And it all fit into two small tote bags! The best roadschooling curriculum is Sonlight! Here’s the indoor homeschool setup (once we reached Arizona). Notice that one of my children is using the tote bag on the right as a bookmark!
The Sonlight Instructor’s Guide (IG) pages that we needed for the trip fit neatly into a small 3-ring binder, along with science and language arts activity sheets. It’s so easy to pull out the IG pages, as well as the read-aloud and reader questions, and go!
Loose-leaf math papers and small workbooks go right into these plastic zipper pouches. I use a smaller plastic pouch for pens and pencils.
Clipboards complete our list of supplies for roadschooling. The kind we have even has a ruler in inches down one side and a ruler in centimeters down the other side, so it even helps with math lessons! Super simple!
The Road Trip!: Roadschooling to Arizona
Do we actually homeschool in the car? You bet we do! Roadschooling to Arizona actually allows us to get multiple days of school done in just one day of driving! And the only way this is possible is because we use Sonlight Curriculum. I make sure to have my water bottle close by, and I read, read, read.
What’s really fun is seeing my husband react to the books as he’s driving. Usually, we’re halfway through a novel already when the road trip begins. Even without the backstory, the hubs gets into the story, and he enjoys it right along with us.
The kids can even get some of their own reading done, when it’s time for a short break in read-alouds.
And, while we’re not full time roadschoolers (more like traveling homeschoolers), one of the most important roadschooling resources is snacks! Snacks are imperative when roadschooling anywhere.
We were provided with a variety of Just the Cheese snacks, to help crunchify our road trip with low-carb goodness. All opinions are my own.
These snacks hit the spot and fueled our learning!
The Snow Day!
Somewhat unexpectedly (we did know it would be chilly), it snowed in Tucson, Arizona! As rare as that is, this was actually the third time in the last six years that it’s snowed in Tucson during our annual trip to The Old Pueblo. That’s a pretty impressive record!
This was just the beginning. I actually drove to breakfast in whiteout conditions…well, Tucson-level whiteout conditions, that is…which was still some serious snowfall. It was quite an experience! Have you ever been excited about snow (like us SoCal-ians)?????
Because of the snow, however, outdoor activities (playground, park, outdoor attractions) weren’t possible. More homeschooling was possible though!
This room is so nostalgic to me. I spent many a Thanksgiving and Christmas in this house. We’ve done school in this room several times now, and I just love it! Sonlight books and activity sheets are what make it possible! We’re ready for more homeschool travel! On to the next road trip!
Benefits of Homeschooling on the Road
Are you ready to homeschool on the road? You’re not alone! Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular and roadschooling (aka homeschooling on the road) offers a unique opportunity to combine education and travel. There are some great benefits to homeschooling while traveling:
Educational Opportunities
Travelling opens the doors to a world of learning opportunities. By homeschooling on the road, you can visit historical sites and monuments in person, explore local cultures and languages, and make connections with people from different parts of the country or even from around the world. These experiences create an educational foundation that goes far beyond what is taught in textbooks.
Family Bonding
Spending time together as a family is an important part of homeschooling on the road. Traveling to different destinations allows your children and yourself to share unique experiences, learn more about each other, and continue to grow closer as you explore new places.
Cost Savings
Since homeschooling on the road allows you to combine travel and homeschooling into one, it can end up being more cost effective in the long run. Instead of paying for separate homeschool materials and travel expenses, roadschooling allows you to save money by combining them into one.
Homeschooling on the road is an opportunity to make life-long memories and create a unique homeschooling experience that focuses on exploration, adventure, and learning.
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