For many people, summer equals camping. I confess to being a person who prefers the comforts (and fridge) of a cabin to sleeping in a tent, but the idea is essentially the same. Nature abounds and nature activities are the order of the day. This is one of the joys of learning in the summer. It’s so easy to get out and enjoy yourself outdoors. If you are hanging out at the campsite making dinner or setting up camp, the kids will probably have fun moving into and out of the tent and arranging it endlessly. They can also traipse … Continue reading →

This month, we went on a Really Big Field Trip to Costa Rica. It was wet, it was windy, it was…well, the weather was actually quite similar to our usual weather in the Pacific Northwest, except that it was a lot lighter and a fair bit warmer. Being in a new environment is another big part of going on a Really Big Field Trip. A lot of what I value about travel is the physical memory of being in a place. It’s not always about the culture. It’s also about the feeling of standing in a certain place and getting … Continue reading →

This month, my homelearner and I went on a really big field trip. The field trip was so big that it began in December and ended this past weekend. We went to Costa Rica for a month, the result of a year of saving and planning. Now we’re back in the cold and wet of the Pacific Northwest, and I am longing for good mangoes again. What can I say? The field trip was for me too. One of the joys of homelearning is that you have the flexibility to do things off the school schedule. While most families are … Continue reading →

As we wind down our 12 day trip in Los Angeles, I have to admit wanting to stay longer or to at least explore other cities. Sure I would miss my pets, and my own bed, and my family and my friends, but I finally understand why some homeschoolers take off for a year or two of learning adventures. Looking at all of the work I had to do to leave home for less than 2 weeks, I know that to leave home for months or even a year would be alot more difficult. I not only have a home … Continue reading →

(cc) image by MoToMo/flickr If you are ever in Los Angeles, one of the most important places for a homeschooler to visit is the La Brea Tar Pits. Who would have thought there would be tar pits containing fossil bones from 40,000 to 8,000 years ago in the middle of Los Angeles? Certainly not us. Before the tar pits began to be excavated in 1901, the pits were used by Native Americans for glue and water proofing for baskets and canoes. Early settlers used it for roofing. It is believed that a good number of extinct carnivore bones are found … Continue reading →

It is summer. We are out of town at an event for my daughter. That does not mean that learning has to end. It just means that learning cannot be very structured. For us, this is a lesson in unschooling. It is alot like and extended field trip. We are allowing needs and opportunities to arise that will spur the opportunity investigate a subject. There are several things you can do to keep education going while you are on the road. They are: Travel with a laptop or computer/internet access. The quickest way to learn more about a place where … Continue reading →

There is no better way to learn than to go out and experience things. In this series on places to take your homeschooler, I will point out different things you can do in your home town. Here is a guide for things you can do in Abilene Texas. The Abilene Zoo, located in Nelson Park holds a collection of animals and plants that are native to Texas. There is a Discovery Center, Hyena Exhibit, and Black Bear Exhibit. The Zoo offers educational programs, tours, and special events. Visit this museum when studying animals, biology, and botany in addition to doing … Continue reading →

I took my kids to the grocery store in the middle of the day recently. It’s a trip I avoid in part because we can be no where inconspicuously and in part because I simply don’t have enough hands to hold each of the twins, plus the four year old, all while making sure that what’s in the cart is actually what we intended to purchase and not something one of my children decided would be a good purchase for us. There was no way around it though, my husband wouldn’t have been home until too late and I just … Continue reading →