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Vacation planning - had to share with afterschoolers


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I had to share with people who might understand.  I am currently preparing for a family vacation.  In addition to researching attractions and planning meals, I am:

  • planning science experiments/demonstrations that we can do as a family.
  • packing materials to teach my kids to read analog clocks.  There will be watches for everyone.
  • packing handwriting materials so my kids will practice handwriting - on vacation.  I will be introducing cursive to my oldest.

Aside from the handwriting, I am hoping this will be fun.

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Well, now we need to know where you're going. :)

 

We used to do those sorts of things when my kids were young, but by the end of vacation it would inevitably devolve into watching Dog the Bounty Hunter. LOL.

 

Florida.  We will have several days just hanging out at the condo so we will have to have something to do.  We don't have cable at home so I am sure there will be lots of tv as well.

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I always pack school work on our trips, and I have intentions to make each excursion educational.  Unfortunately my kids are not that into the educational side of travel as yet.  :P  I just have to believe they absorb some of it.  I do enforce some book work, as one of mine regresses if she's away from school work for too long.  Mostly we do math review and reading.  I try to pack or buy books about the places we're visiting.  Periodically they will write about their experiences in a journal.

 

I figure we automatically cover science (by checking out the local critters and natural history), social studies (geography / cultures / world history), foreign language, music, art, and gym (especially if there's a pool at some of the hotels). ;)

 

I know it is ridiculous, but I think like this when I am justifying (to myself) the couple of school days my kids miss for travel each year.

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Boy do I feel like a slacker.

 

We do work hard, play hard. We are going on vacation this year for a month and we aren't doing anything except music and that's going to be student's choice for practice.

 

Of course that is not missing school and we do summer bridge but oh my... 

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Boy do I feel like a slacker.

 

We do work hard, play hard. We are going on vacation this year for a month and we aren't doing anything except music and that's going to be student's choice for practice.

 

Of course that is not missing school and we do summer bridge but oh my... 

 

 

See I am taking them out of school and unlike SKL our excursions are decidedly non-educational.  I feel also feel like a slacker because day to day at home, we probably do less afterschooling than you. 

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We pulled our youngest out of school one year when we visited San Antonio. I think he was in fifth grade. Naturally we visited the Alamo, which we were sure would pique Junior's interest, and watched a short movie starring Patrick Swayze's younger brother. Then we walked around talking to ds about the events that took place. He could not have been less interested.

 

When he returned to school his teacher asked him and two of his classmates to make a diorama about the Alamo. They did. It was horrible -- a shoebox covered in yellow paper. Then my son had to give a speech about it. "Duhrrrr… The Alamo is in San Antonio. The Ghost Buster building is there, too." Huge fail! His teacher was kind and gave him a D-. So, yeah, good luck with that learning!

 

Btw, we also do not have cable TV, so vacays always include a bit of HGTV.

 

Have fun in Florida, aug17girl. So nice and warm and sunshiny.

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  • 2 months later...

This won't work when your kids are very young, but I am all for integrating the learning so seamlessly with the vacation that the don't even notice.

 

Firstly - they get to help with the planning. They figure out where the stops should be if you are driving, what to do when you get there etc (ie they are doing research). 

 

Secondly - on car trips we tried to give each of them maps. All kinds of learning happens when they are following along and commenting on place names (often you can integrate history here)

 

Thirdly - when they ask questions, use that for a learning experience eg How long till we get there? Tell them to look at the map and look outside for signs as to where they are (or to look for distance boards). Then tell them the speed you are traveling. They can do the rest. And if they ask about things you see, help steer them towards the answers but don't just tell them. Make them think. I can remember visiting Europe and seeing glaciers and asking my dad about them. He responded with a series of questions for us and we guessed / reasoned until we figured out what they were etc.

 

Fourthly - read the signs ... so much to teach from signs. Are they ambiguous? Have spelling errors? Grammatically incorrect? 

 

Fifthly - budget - my dad used to make one of us take care of the budget. A great way to teach math and finances

 

Sixthly - encourage them to record the trip: So many options here from journalling to photographs to drawing to videos. This encourages creativity.

 

I am sure there are more things like this - but you get the idea  :)

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