| Homeschooling your kids while living in a house is | | | | by one person. Instead of doing individual trip |
| one thing, but what do you do if you're on the | | | | journals, plan on doing a joint family journal. And |
| road for an extended period of time? In this | | | | instead of basing it on the written word, add |
| article I'm going to discuss some ideas that will | | | | some multimedia elements to it. While a |
| keep the learning happening even when home is | | | | computerized trip journal makes that easiest, you |
| wherever you're parked that night. | | | | can stick with ideas that work even in the |
| Some people do "school at home" with a | | | | physical world. |
| complete set of books, specific curriculum, | | | | My son doesn't enjoy writing, but he's great at |
| schedules, etc. Those people are probably not the | | | | taking pictures, both still shots and video. If you |
| right people for this article, to be honest. I think | | | | have a photo-shooting maniac in your family, |
| you need to be able to "take your hair down" a | | | | make him or her the main picture taker for the |
| bit to get the most out of homeschooling on the | | | | journal. (Each child should be given the opportunity |
| road. That said, let's look at how simply creating a | | | | to take pictures, of course.) And to get some |
| trip journal can be varied enough to keep most | | | | writing practice in, have them label the pictures |
| kids interested, yet is full of educational | | | | they take with locations, dates, and any special |
| opportunities (just don't tell the kids they're | | | | notes. |
| learning -- that happens automatically). | | | | If you have someone in the family who's very |
| The (Dreaded) Trip Journal | | | | verbal (some might say chatterbox!), that might |
| This is probably the most common device used | | | | be a good choice for the "narrator" of the journal. |
| by parents to get some schooling into the kids | | | | Get either a cassette recorder or an MP3 |
| while on the road. Writing about the things they | | | | recorder and have them talk about the places |
| see and experience is a great way to help their | | | | you visit. |
| spelling, composition, creativity, etc. And a lot of | | | | And kids who are very "hands on" might be the |
| kids love creating a book like that. But what about | | | | perfect person to gather souvenir rocks, sticks, |
| the kid who hates writing? | | | | etc., that are representative of the areas you |
| "Just do it or you'll be sorry, mister!" is one option, | | | | visit. A family trip journal with written descriptions, |
| but here's another one that might work for your | | | | pictures and/or video, mementos, and audio |
| kid. | | | | narrations can be a big hit with relatives and will |
| A trip journal doesn't have to consist of just the | | | | make a great reminder of your trip later on. |
| written word, and it doesn't have to be created | | | | |