ChristusG Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Today I got up, packed up our school materials, and headed to Chick-Fil-A. The kids think this is so great. We school for about 20 minutes, then I send them off to the play area for about 10 minutes. We've accomplished reading, math, and vision therapy work in record time. Next up is language and Bible, then we will head home for science. When I came in I bought us all lemonades, and we ate lunch here as well. I wouldn't just come in to sit without purchasing something. We may try this a few more times this summer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 A change of routine and scenery can do wonders! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravinlunachick Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We do this every week while my son has therapy. They have a parent's library/computer room upstairs, and Boo plays while Bug and I do schoolwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I occasionally used to take DS out to a coffee shop or something. He was definitely more cooperative with getting stuff done that way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We have tried Starbucks, the library, and our backyard. Apparently my kids are very easily distracted because all three times were a bust:(. I wish we could do that...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plink Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Yes! We call it destination school and we love it. I wrote more here: http://libertyhillhouse.blogspot.com/2010/10/destination-school.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amo_mea_filiis. Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I plan to do so with manners and character ed (probably more) so the kids do not get stuck applying things at home only. DD loves going on picnics and doing some things. Until now, it's been mostly reading but we will expand since they'll be home. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 When my oldest tries out charter school in the fall, I plan to stop at the park on the way back to our house on nice days, let younger dd play her energy out, then do school at a bench there (with a snack). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovin Learnin Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We've been using the library with great success. We ask for a meeting room, which has two desks, a large table and a white board - everything we could possibly need. We've been going once or so a week but in the fall I think we will use it most days. Dd is very focused there since we have no puppy distractions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Ds does any workbook stuff while I do a morning kickboxing class twice a week. Then we go grocery shopping afterwards, so if he got all his schoolwork done he gets the free cookie at the grocery. Also, while we are shopping on Tuesdays I quiz him on the spelling words for the week. We get very strange looks sometimes. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 All the time! :001_smile: We grab & go to the park, while waiting for dd at ballet, and traveling to Grandma's house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Quite a few times this past year, I took a kid or two with me while at the Community College with my oldest (It's an hour drive for us, so we I stay until his classes are over. He'll be taking his driving test today, so we hopefully won't be going with him next year.). We got a few looks at first, but everyone eventually realized my kids were the quietest people in the library. It was kind of nice. Not as many distractions & there are lots of sort of cozy out of the way places to study all over campus. My dd liked the cafeteria best. (She got to meet real live lunch ladies and eat greasy pizza! :tongue_smilie:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenpatty Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We do this on the Thursday mornings when my oldest has riding lessons. I have to keep everyone in the van for an hour & a half, so they don't run around & spook the horses. We get our school done so efficiently and peacefully on these days. I love it! Going to chikfila sounds even better! Maybe we'll try other places, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We once did some Mathcounts practice at a Starbucks; I'd read a problem and the kid would have to answer it as quickly as possible, with a 45 second limit. After about five minutes, we had an audience (and I promise we weren't being loud or obnoxious :)). Pretty soon, a few people were participating, trying to answer the questions themselves. Very helpful, actually, as it was closer to the real competition situation of having to respond sooner than your competitor. As I recall, Soy Caramel Latte Guy was quite good at percentages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleIzumi Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We once did some Mathcounts practice at a Starbucks; I'd read a problem and the kid would have to answer it as quickly as possible, with a 45 second limit. After about five minutes, we had an audience (and I promise we weren't being loud or obnoxious :)). Pretty soon, a few people were participating, trying to answer the questions themselves. Very helpful, actually, as it was closer to the real competition situation of having to respond sooner than your competitor. As I recall, Soy Caramel Latte Guy was quite good at percentages. :lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I do for appointments, like today two of my kids have orthodontist appointments so I'll take our read aloud for when we're waiting. But I've never tried a fun outing, I might try that as a treat now and then. I have a feeling my kids will be too distracted at fun places, it's worth trying though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HistoryMom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Often! Yesterday, we did school in the kids' playroom at the car dealership while my car was getting worked on. It's a nice little set-up with toys (for DS5) and a chalkboard that DD7 could do math on. The car was done before we were finished, so we hung out for another 20 minutes to finish up. Nice! Otherwise, we can often be found at Chik-fil-a, the library, a coffee shop, etc. I like that there's fewer distractions, for them and for me. DS5 will be going to PS next year, so I'm thinking DD and I will spend every morning at the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmoe Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 My kids had a Shakespeare class on Friday mornings and we always went to the park for lunch and then the library to work in the afternoon. It helps us have time to research and get all those books we need for the next week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 They have school bags and pack their own. Today one had piano and I worked with the other at the piano teacher's dining room table during the lesson hour. Then after lunch they packed up and schooled in the waiting room while I had my physical. We do it so often that I'm afraid that it is not a novelty around here ;). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We did well at the library a few times, but not at the park. I was called 'mean' by other homeschooling moms for making my children do schoolwork instead of letting them play on the playground. I've done a little work with one child while the other was doing something, like a meeting or an appointment. But that was only specific situations when I needed to make sure the work got done. Otherwise, I keep schoolwork at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Yes, I love summer. We sometimes do a little schooling while we're on vacation in our hotel room. I slip it in before we can hit the pool. Any locations more exotic than that and school won't get done. No parks, beach, library, etc... Well, maybe we could try again this summer... We schooled outside on our deck today. Sometimes we migrate to the playhouse and work on the upper deck floor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorCalMom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We did well at the library a few times, but not at the park. I was called 'mean' by other homeschooling moms for making my children do schoolwork instead of letting them play on the playground. :ohmy: Well, that's not very nice. I guess I've never experienced that, as we usually go to a quiet one near the river for nature study when we're done with bookwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We used to go to a university library when the summer temps got unbearable (we had no a/c). During the summer there were few students in the library and it was easy to slip into a study room complete with table, chalkboard, and cool air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We have done this a few times, usually when I need to run an errand. When the car is in the shop, for example, school happens at Steak and Shake :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We do school while dd has a ballet or gymnastics lesson and then switch with ds, while ds does social skills, when we have a half an hour to kill before picking up ds1, etc. I keep our school books in a tote and haul it along when we have some time. I love Starbucks because it's quiet and has lots of tables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We've done it at the zoo a few times, and occasionally at the library. It's a nice change of pace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WishboneDawn Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We're going to start going to the library 2 or 3 times a months. My daughter found it easy to concentrate there and my son liked checking out books related to his science lesson on the same day as his lesson. One of the librarians loved it too. She told us she hadn't heard some of the words we were using (predicate, participle) in years and smiled. When we mentioned that my daughter was also studying Latin her smile only got wider. She thought it was wonderful. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I wish we could, but my girls find it terribly distracting. We can't even get anything done during piano lessons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 That's not fair... we have no Chick-Fil-A restaurants around here. I like the chx sandwich with the pickles ;) Yum!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepymommy Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We have tried Starbucks, the library, and our backyard. Apparently my kids are very easily distracted because all three times were a bust:(. I wish we could do that...... This is my ds too. When I first started researching homeschooling I had all these great plans to school outside in the fresh air or at a coffee shop or at the library, etc. making our schooling flexible and not being confined to a room because that's I would have loved to have been schooled. Alas, just can't make it work with ds6. Even at home, he gets distracted and say's the birds are chirping to loudly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We have done school work in almost every restaurant in town plus the library, some doctor offices, a church classroom, my dd's therapy center, and my dh's office. I have streamlined it down though. When we need a change of pace I just grab the bag with flash cards and any homework pages I haven't gone over yet with my son. Or I will grab whatever tests he is ready for and take those. I don't do any heavy duty teaching anymore because I want to be ok when we have interruptions and so I don't have to carry as many things with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenpatty Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 :iagree: Their pickles are the best! Sorry you don't have one nearby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Rebecca is so easily distracted, I've never tried it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Last year when I had to have a 3 hour glucose test the kids and I did our school work in the hospital atrium. They were very productive that day. It only worked for us because my husband had my younger son at Micro-center with him. I had forgotten how well that day worked for us. Maybe we should pack up and get out more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We did well at the library a few times, but not at the park. I was called 'mean' by other homeschooling moms for making my children do schoolwork instead of letting them play on the playground. We had several moms in my old HS group who did this - generally an one sibling finishing up their work while the others played. I admit, I kinda thought it was mean, but my oldest was only K-ish at the time :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 We did it very often when our older boys were much younger and we lived in NC. There is so much more to cover and/or lug around once they hit upper middle school and high school. Back then though, we did school everywhere. It was great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeannpal Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 We did some homeschooling on the beach at the lake this weekend. We had a nice, shady spot to learn all about the characteristics of mammals and read part of a book together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 I'm going to try to go to Tim Horton's for coffee/cocoa once a week this upcoming school year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAR120C Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 We once did some Mathcounts practice at a Starbucks; I'd read a problem and the kid would have to answer it as quickly as possible, with a 45 second limit. After about five minutes, we had an audience (and I promise we weren't being loud or obnoxious :)). Pretty soon, a few people were participating, trying to answer the questions themselves. Very helpful, actually, as it was closer to the real competition situation of having to respond sooner than your competitor. As I recall, Soy Caramel Latte Guy was quite good at percentages. Love it! When DS was little there was one time when we had to take DH to a doctor's appointment, and I brought along the Story of the World to read to him (DS that is!) It was a chapter about Vikings... and by the time I was through reading, the whole waiting room was paying attention! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 (edited) Some things, like audio books, practical application of math via shopping, and reviewing memory work we do pretty regularly. Seat work, however, is not something I can do in an "on the fly" sort of way with my crew. My eldest son really needs predictability and even trying to switch up the order of seat work, chores, and read alouds can throw him off for the rest of the day. that being said, during the PS year my littles go to a reading program at the library and the rest of my DC work on assignments during this time. The first week it is rough, but after that he falls right in line because it is the routine. *sigh* I do fantasize about schooling at Starbucks though. Edited June 2, 2011 by BLA5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kht2006 Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 taking school to the library in a study room. brilliant:) We're going to pack up and do school lke that soon. Destination school...love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Yes I have done the same thing at Chick-fil-a, and the manager/employees at ours are all wonderful about it. They never complain about us being there, that may have something to do with the franchise owner being a homeschool dad with about 7-8 children. His wife is often there with their children schooling and having lunch as well. I've also done this at Panera Bread, but we have to do it in the morning and then wrap up before having lunch. Not because they don't want us there but because it's a major hot spot for all the office workers to have lunch at and it gets really noisy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donna Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 We've homeschooled outside in the park, in the car, at Starb*cks, at wrestling practices, in other coffee shops, in the waiting room at music lessons, etc... In other words, we school wherever we can fit it in. We especially love to do it outside unless it is 96 degrees like yesterday (ugh!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 That's not fair... we have no Chick-Fil-A restaurants around here. I like the chx sandwich with the pickles ;) Yum!! Is there a McDonald's? Their Southern Style Chicken Sandwich is pretty much a Chick-Fil-A copy. It's not exact, but it's pretty good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquilt Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 My kids love Panera school, just around the corner from us and we get the bonus of yummy treats while we work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Thanks! Gives me some ideas!!!!! We may head to the park with a picnic and our schoolwork! Changing it up is always fun!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.